Changes

On the whole, this is an interesting book, but it isn't as well-written as it could have been. It feels very academic a lot of the time and for the casual reader, this isn't ideal. Were it a little easier to identify with some of the characters, the book would have been much more readable. I don't regret reading it - I learned a great deal - but it will be a while before I can persuade myself to read another book by this author. His writing style is just a bit too dry to be really enjoyable. Anyone interested in Roman history may well find it more approachable, but for someone looking for a good story, there are many more appealing books out there. Three stars out of five.

Further reading suggestion: If you enjoy this type of fiction, you may also like [[Crusade by Elizabeth Laird]] and [[The Road to Rome (Forgotten Legion Chronicles) by Ben Kane]].