- Hardcover: 592 pages
- Publisher: DOUBLEDAY; First Edition edition (2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0385604637
- ISBN-13: 978-0385604635
- Product Dimensions: 23.8 x 15.6 x 5.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 858,783 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Book Description
Epic, panoramic historical novel about Hannibal and the brutal, bloody Second Punic War.
From the Back Cover
In a time before Caesar, before Augustus, Nero or Constantine, before the Gallic Wars or the conquest of Britain, in a time before its place in the history of the Western world was assured, the nascent empire that was Rome had first to survive the devastating assault by its most formidable foe. He was a man celebrated and feared like few historical figures, a man known for millennia by a signal name: Hannibal.
The wars fought between Hannibal’s Carthage and the Roman Republic have fascinated the world for thousands of years. The struggle shaped the destiny of nations and established the fame or infamy of a host of towering figures, none more so than Hannibal himself, the driving force of what became known as the Second Punic War (218 – 202BC), and Publius Scipio, the young Roman general who eventually proved his nemesis.
Never before has a single novel captured so compellingly the panoramic scope of the conflict: from Hannibal’s famous elephant-mounted crossing of the Alps and the savagery of battles like Trasimene, Cannae and Zama to the shifting tides of fortune that pulled peoples from all corners of the Mediterranean into the conflict, from Macedonians and Moors to Libyans and Gauls. As he chronicles this titanic struggle through the actions of individual characters – from the genius, ambition and tragedies of Hannibal and Scipio themselves to their princes, generals and foot soldiers, lovers and wives – David Anthony Durham brings ancient history to brilliant, vivid life.
Epic in scope and vision, PRIDE OF CARTHAGE is a glorious and unforgettable novel of artistry, scholarship and unbridled excitement.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
There's been recent hype over the historical epic films with first Gladiator, then Troy and now Alexander.
This is the story they should have waited for to make into film.
It has the grand battles to compete visually but also a multi-layered narrative that shows us the action from various viewpoints so as to break up the monotony of the many battles that Hannibal brings about in his conquest to defeat Rome.
A vital piece of history - had Hannibal succeeded modern civilisation could have been African rather than white European - David Durham's compelling book takes you into a world rich with different races and peoples.
There is a human element with stories told from characters far removed from the ruling world. A roman foot soldier, a stranded peasant woman. They all combine to bring the past vividly to life.
The story is full of startling set-pieces - not least the army's crossing over the Alps with elephants - and once you finish you wonder how this story would look on screen.
This is literary historical fiction. Not a dry account of facts but an engrossing, powerful slice of drama that teaches as it goes.
It's Durham's 3rd novel, and they keep getting better.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is the type of book that you have to settle in with for a while. A quick read it is NOT, but a worthwhile one it definitely is. You have to pay attention and get to know the characters, though. There are a lot of characters beyond Hannibal and his family, but they're not extraneous. They all add to the larger story and by the end almost all of them have had an impact on the main plot motion. They provide some the key moments that I think I'll always remember: when Imco finally comes face to face with Aradna, when Tusselo tosses away his cloak and reveals himself in the Roman Forum, when Masinissa discovers that his love affair is doomed... Great stuff. It's complex, but there really is an order to it all - a structure - that's impressive.
If you're a Pressfield fan you may or may not like this. You may like it because the action is great and the big battle scenes are spectacular. Durham writes them like there meant directly for the big screen. But on the other hand this isn't exactly a pro-war novel. It's kind of anti-war when it comes down to it. It's got depth of characterization and deals a lot with the fatigue and emotional misery of war. Unusually good. Not really the genre novel that the cover would make you think it is.
It's hard to believe this stuff actually happened. These people walked the earth. Our world has been effected by their deeds ever since. You can learn from what's in the pages of this book - although don't go thinking it's trying to be a history book. It's not, but he does get most of the important stuff right. And you can also loose yourself for days in a fantastic story. Either way, that's what I look for in a book. This time the author delivered.
If you're a Pressfield fan you may or may not like this. You may like it because the action is great and the big battle scenes are spectacular. Durham writes them like there meant directly for the big screen. But on the other hand this isn't exactly a pro-war novel. It's kind of anti-war when it comes down to it. It's got depth of characterization and deals a lot with the fatigue and emotional misery of war. Unusually good. Not really the genre novel that the cover would make you think it is.
It's hard to believe this stuff actually happened. These people walked the earth. Our world has been effected by their deeds ever since. You can learn from what's in the pages of this book - although don't go thinking it's trying to be a history book. It's not, but he does get most of the important stuff right. And you can also loose yourself for days in a fantastic story. Either way, that's what I look for in a book. This time the author delivered.
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
It is hard to put my finger on exactly what I do not like about David Durham's book. The story is one which should interest me, the length of the book seems at first to be satisfying and the authors weaves in a number of characters beyond the giants of history such as Hannibal himself and Publius Scipio. But like it I cannot.
Possibly the story is one which I am already familiar with through the excellent works of Ross Leckie, that is, Hannibal, Scipio and Carthage. However, Durham's style and story are completely different in that they seek to combine the sweeping presence of the history of a war which could have changed the face of the Mediterranean if Rome had been defeated, with the personal interaction of the 'great' and the ordinary folk which followed in their wake. All composed it a literary 'style'.
I read this tale from beginning to end. The writing style was satisfactory if heavy and sometimes dull. The story construction was not. If you are looking for a story of the Punic Wars look no further that Ross Leckie. If you are looking for a complex tale of family interactions and ancient history read the Masters of Rome series by Colleen McCullough or better still, the promising House of the Eagle by Duncan Sprott. Give Pride of Carthage by David Anthony Durham a wide berth.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Ponderous and biased
Well written, but ponderous and somewhat biased. The Carthaginians were as interested in power, both economical and political as were the Romans. Read more
Published on 3 Jun 2008 by Ventura Angelo
An Insight Into Ancient Warfare
I have not read any of Mr. Durham's previous books, but thank God for new authors, or at least new authors to me. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2007 by J. Chippindale
Literature?
Mr Durham's style of writing pretends towards literature rather than plain honest storytelling. To be honest, I have only reached page 147 before I put this book down to read... Read more
Published on 23 Jun 2005 by "sspinrad"
Does Hannibal justice
I saw this book on the shelf in the local bookstore, and was apprehensive that it wouldn't do him justice. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2005 by Wassim
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