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Jump to navigationJump to searchSpartacus: Rebellion by Ben Kane (view source)
Revision as of 08:30, 16 August 2012
, 08:30, 16 August 2012no edit summary
Meanwhile, in Rome, a massively ambitious senator is pushing to be the one to lead the next army against Spartacus. Furious at not being recognised for previous victories in battle and not being thought of as a great soldier as well as a great orator, Marcus Crassus uses his great wealth to build an army greater than anything Spartacus has faced before. After a failed assassination attempt on him by Spartacus and Carbo, it becomes personal, not just for the glory of Rome.
Whilst no less effective, ''Spartacus: Rebellion'' is a completely different book to its predecessor. Whereas [[Spartacus the Gladiator by Ben Kane|Spartacus the Gladiator]] was a little like a bull, with a headlong charge through events, this is more like a hunting feline, occasionally creeping along quietly, but ready to pounce at any time. As is Kane's way, just when you're getting used to the book's hunting behaviour, that's when it bursts into action and, like a lion's prey, things can get a little messy.
Whereas the first book was almost entirely focussed on Spartacus, there is a greater cast of characters here. Castus and Gannicus, the two Gauls who are sick of following Spartacus' orders, come more to the fore, as does his trusted soldier, Carbo. But it is the rise to prominence in these pages of Crassus that really makes this book what it is. He provides the perfect foil to Spartacus, in character as well as in war and it's obvious very early on which side the reader is intended to prefer, with the geniality and ease of command that Spartacus has settling much easier into the mind than Crassus oily, insincere nature and much harsher treatment of his troops.
