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Marius' Mules I: The Invasion of Gaul
 
 

Marius' Mules I: The Invasion of Gaul [Kindle Edition]

S.J.A. Turney
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)

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Product Description

Product Description

It is 58 BC and the mighty Tenth Legion, camped in Northern Italy, prepare for the arrival of the most notorious general in Roman history: Julius Caesar.

Marcus Falerius Fronto, commander of the Tenth is a career soldier and long-time companion of Caesar's. Despite his desire for the simplicity of the military life, he cannot help but be drawn into intrigue and politics as Caesar engineers a motive to invade the lands of Gaul.

Fronto is about to discover that politics can be as dangerous as battle, that old enemies can be trusted more than new friends, and that standing close to such a shining figure as Caesar, even the most ethical of men risk being burned.

About the Author

I live with my wife, my son and two (close approximations of) dogs in rural North Yorkshire, where my wife and I both grew up, surrounded by friends and family. A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of the country, I cannot envisage spending my life anywhere else, though my anchor is sometimes tested as the wanderlust hits and we travel wherever I can find the breathtaking remains of the classical world. I have a love of travel and history, architecture and writing and those four interact well enough to keep me almost permanently busy. Since leaving school and University, I have tried a great number of careers, including car sales, insurance, software engineering, computer network management, civil service and even painting and decorating sales. I have lived in four counties and travelled as widely as time and budget allowed and find myself, on the cusp of my fortieth year, back where I began and finally doing something I love. Having written a number of unpublished short stories in my early days, I decided back in 2003 to try and write a full length novel. That was the start of Marius' Mules. Being a lover of Roman history, I decided to combine my love of writing and my love of classical history. Marius' Mules was followed two years later by Interregnum, my attempt to create a new fantasy story still with a heavy flavour of Rome. Since then, the success and popularity of both has spawned sequels to each work, with three tales in each series so far and more planned.

Product details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 936 KB
  • Print Length: 439 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1481082884
  • Publisher: Victrix Books; 2nd edition (18 Nov 2010)
  • Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B004EYT3N8
  • Text-to-Speech: Enabled
  • X-Ray: Enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #987 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Up Close And Personal 10 Aug 2011
By Charles Vasey TOP 500 REVIEWER VINE™ VOICE
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The author of Marius's Mules has made a number of key decisions in planning what will (hopefully) be a long series of historical novels. Firstly, he has selected a model, in this case the professional officers of the Roman Army behave not unlike professional officers of the British Army - the enemy being of less importance much of the time than internal loyalties and rivalries. This worked very well indeed in the novel "Imperial Governor" by George Shipway and S.J.A Turney uses it to advantage here. This model gives us men who, while living in an alien world, address it much as we would. Secondly, he has decided to proceed (as armies proceed) slowly. This novel only takes us up to the defeat of Ariovistus. It will take a number of novels to complete De Bello Gallico. This means characters and their actions are not hurried along but develop at their own pace. The result will be immensely pleasing to a lot of readers, especially those who do their homework on the subject.

I could not quite stretch to five stars (though 4.5 is what I wanted) because I found the characters suffered to a degree from Richard Sharpe Syndrome, they were often either all Good or all Bad. The hatchet job on P. Licinius Crassus is excellent for plot (a rich useless aristo just like Sir Henry Simmerson) but not, I think, for history. The sketch of C. Julius Caesar was much more complex however, he is clearly a leader of men, and a bit of a rotter in the eyes of our hero, the stern M. Falerius Fronto.

However, who knows what lies ahead for I see we are off to fight the fearsome Belgae in the next volume.
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24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Self Publishing does Work 11 Jun 2011
By Parm TOP 500 REVIEWER
Format:Kindle Edition
When I was asked to look up this title I have to say I was unsure!
Its not main stream publication, its got little or not marketing behind it...etc. etc...
But im a sucker for a roman historical fiction book, and the tag line:
"It is perhaps time we looked at Caesar more as a scheming warmonger than a heroic warrior."
This appealed to me, ole JC gets his behind kissed a bit too much so it would be good to see him portrayed a little differently.

This is the up to date more edited version, an advantage over the big publishing houses, the author has the ability to go back do those corrections and updates and edits and then resubmit them for the next print run very easily. especially for the kindle versions of this book.

This is a great title, with a great bunch of characters, set in a pivotal period of history. really is a winner on so many levels, don't miss it!
(Parm)
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Very readable! 17 Jan 2013
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Considering this is the author's first novel, I enjoyed it immensely. The writing style is highly entertaining and carries the story along nicely.
I did think the senior officers spent too much time drinking or occasionally acting a little slapstick, but overall the story flows along nicely and is a pleasure to read.
If you enjoy your Roman war fiction, you should have fun with this - I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Invasion of Gaul 2 Jan 2013
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Once again a good book well written,the fiction is difficult to seperate from the factual. I enjoy Roman history & if this is also your fortae you should enjoy this book.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Verging on excellent 26 Dec 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I have recently been an avid reader of historical novels and am always on the lookout for something new.
I agree with the majority of reviews on SJA Turney's books , but would like to add that I am particularly impressed by his battle descriptions.
I have often found descriptions of battle scenes and tactics by other authors to be 'clunky' and difficult to follow.
Not so in this first book. His ability to give clear discriptions of complicated scenes sets him out from others in his field.
Very readable. I look forward to much more.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars I can't believe ... 11 Sep 2012
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
... that I finished this series of books months ago and haven't as yet scribbled a review. I read a lot of Roman history, both fiction and non-fiction, the usual suspects ... Scarrow, Davis, Riches, Saylor, R.W Peake et al. No question, SJA Turney is a highly accomplished writer, and for those of us who like captivating story lines, who secretly imagine themselves sharing a campfire with their legionary tent mates, and who like to KEEP on following their new found buddies (that's a hint), you'll not regret enlisting with this legion.
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars Good story but the editor should be sacked 19 Aug 2011
By Simon
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this story for much of the time, but a few of the elements were worryingly grating: in both this and his second story, the plot elements are very similar: hero fights against over-whelming odds, gets injured, best friends are killed, Roman discipline, technology and tactical superiority save the day, hero gets drunk with mates and argues with Caesar who puts up with it.
But worst of all, the man who edits the story has not done a very good job. There were cases when the sentences did not make sense, where words were spelled incorrectly [ e.g. keep soldiers on a tight `reign' rather than `rein'] and some of the sentences were poorly constructed with repetition of words within them. A good editor should have spotted all these flaws.

I am no English teacher, but this is something I have rarely seen in published works, and would prefer not to.
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Historical Fiction at its best 22 April 2011
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This story is a well paced, page-turner, charting Julius Caesar's invasion of Gaul. If you are a fan of Historical Fiction from the likes of Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden and David Gemmell, then this really is a book for you!

With great characterisation, bloody battle scenes and political wranglings, the author tells a very different story of one of Rome's greatest Generals; revealing him to be a power-hungry politician rather than a hero of his people.
Written from the POV of the men under his leadership, you get a believable depiction of not only the man, but those under his command.

As an avid reader, I would have to say that this has been one of my favourite books this year.

A bloody triumph!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars A great series of books
I love historical fiction. I love Turney's writing. The roman period, especially around Caesar, are awash with books and I rank Turney in the top half of writers.
Published 5 days ago by Mr. Brian Leonard
5.0 out of 5 stars A Great story of the conquest of Gaul
Having got part way through this part I purchased 2 and 3 and have since also bought 4 and 5. This series of books takes you through Caesers conquest of Gaul battle by battle and... Read more
Published 11 days ago by ray
5.0 out of 5 stars FACT AND FICTION AT ITS BEST
MY DAUGHTER RECOMMENDED THIS BOOK TO ME AND SINCE READING IT I HAVE PURCHASED THE WHOLE SERIES FROM ONE TO FOUR I FOUND THE BOOK TO BE AN EXCELLANT READ AND HAVING FINISHED READING... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Mr. T. Currie
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Read
Really hooked me and I couldn't put it down.

Definitely worth a read if Rome/history is your thing.

Fantastic !!
Published 1 month ago by Paul Flynn
4.0 out of 5 stars slow to start
I liked this book very much once it had got into the invasion stage though it was a little slow starting. it has however whetted my appetite for the rest of the series.
Published 1 month ago by bob chester
5.0 out of 5 stars THE INVASION
I really enjoyed this book setting the scene for the rest of the series. Fast paved,but once I started I had great difficulty in putting it down.
Published 2 months ago by Red Dragon
5.0 out of 5 stars Great debut
Loved the book. Very exciting and a great introduction to the nutty gritty of Roman campaigning. Needs maps though- sometimes it is hard to figure out the geography. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mr Tristan Fischer
5.0 out of 5 stars Marius mules highly enjoyable
Great read, I can highly recommend this book if your a fan of Scarrow, I can't wait to read the rest of the series.
Published 2 months ago by Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars brill read
ALL ACTION EASE OF READING SIMILAR TO SIMON SCARROW.ALL CHARACTERS EASY TO RECOGNIZE AND RELATE TO CANNOT WAIT TO START THE SEQUAL
Published 2 months ago by Terry McCOWAN
5.0 out of 5 stars The beginning
Hopefully the three remaining books in this series will b as interesting, informative on the early years of Julie's Caesar. Look forward to them.
Published 3 months ago by Sundodger56
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Popular Highlights

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&quote;
the clear-cut blacks and whites of military command to the soul-destroying greys of politics. &quote;
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&quote;
“Primus Pilus: The chief centurion of a legion. Essentially the second in command of a legion.” &quote;
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“Tabularium: The records office. In Rome the Tabularium is in the Forum, though each fort had its own based in the centre of the camp.” &quote;
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