Product Description
by Gordon Doherty (Author)
A tale of adventure and military brotherhood in the legions of Rome
The fate of the East rests on the edge of a sword as the legions and the Goths march to war...
378 AD: Fritigern's Gothic horde tightens its iron grip on Thracia and only a handful of well-walled cities to the south remain in imperial hands. The few tattered legions pinned in these cities can only watch on from the battlements as smoke rises across their lost lands and the Goths roam at will, pillaging and extorting. Every Roman - legionary or citizen - speaks of only one thing: the Emperors of East and West, Valens and Gratian, who are said to be closing swiftly on this war-stricken land, each bringing with them vast armies capable of vanquishing the horde.
Awaiting the relief armies in Constantinople, Centurion Pavo and the XI Claudia prepare as best they can. The Gothic War has taken much from each of them, and none more so than Pavo. But still he and his fellow officers cling to the chance that two lost to them might yet return: their leaders, Tribunus Gallus and Primus Pilus Dexion - Pavo's brother - have not been seen or heard from since setting off on a mission to Emperor Gratian's court in the West. Some are sure they must have fallen, yet Pavo refuses to give up hope, instead whetting his blade and praying that fate will guide the pair back in time for the clash that is to come: a clash that promises to end the Gothic War - for the empire's finest legions are destined to meet Fritigern's ferocious masses... on the plains of Adrianople.
Author Biography
I'm a Scottish writer, addicted to reading and writing historical fiction. My love of history was piqued during spells living and working close to both Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall, sites of rich history winding back through thousands of years. The later Roman Empire and Byzantium hold a particular fascination for me. There is something quite special about the metamorphosis from late antiquity into the 'dark ages' and the medieval period. While historical fiction is my passion, I enjoy writing comedy and sci-fi too. Perhaps one day I'll find a way to combine all three! www.gordondoherty.co.uk
