I read this book decades ago and spent 20 years trying to
obtain a hardcover copy. Now I can buy two paperback copies and wear them out! It blows away almost every other
historical novel I'ver ever read - once read, never forgotten!
Buy this book and read it immediately!

I first read this book as a young private stationed in the US Canal Zone back in 1979. The dust cover picture of a gladuis stuck in waving beach grass as always struck me as one of the most powerful book covers I've ever seen. Despite the fact this book was written decades ago, most of the militaria/Roman history has stood the test of time. I read it in less then a day, it flowed so fast. What a movie this would make! The Governor stood out as the hardened leader on the outskrts of Empire. The background just glowed with detail....Then there was the situation, few resources and a brewing war...kind of like our situation in the Philipines in 1941 except we weren't as lucky with our choice of viceroy (MacArthur)

Among the many statues of national heroes in London is one of Boudicca, the Queen of the Iceni (a Celtic tribe) who led a major revolt against the Roman occupiers in 61 AD. The event is usually portrayed as some sort of national uprising, which it was not: the Celtic Britons were intensely tribal and many of the victims of the revolt were Britons who belonged to other tribes. But it remains embedded in British national consciousness.
This highly detailed and well-written novel purports to be the memoir of Suetonius Paulinus, the Roman general who finally - and against huge odds, given the military resources at his disposal - crushed the uprising. It gets inside his mind, which is a fascinating, if chilly place. Suetonius is the consummate professional soldier and he succeeds because of his professionalism and his refusal to panic when all seems lost. But he has no respect for the people he has been sent from distant Rome to govern, and as events proceed this develops into a blind hatred for the rebels. This brings him into dispute with his political masters in Rome, who want a quick "reconstruction", and causes his downfall.
The account of life in the Roman army, how it worked (and conquered almost all its foes in the process), and of the mind set of its commanders is absolutely gripping. The author takes you back to a totally different time, a different society, a different way of thinking, and immerses you.
I first read this book some thirty years ago. When it was reprinted I went back to it and think I have gained even more from it now. If you are interested in the ancient world, this is a must-read.

This is the second book I've ready of Mr Shipway's on this period. His attention to detail and historical backround accuracy are second-to-none. Although the characters may not always be liked, the reader cannot but help to empathize. Simply excellent historical fiction.

What a story. This book got me involved in my own search for the cause of William II's death

A splendid, rollicking story of treason-bashing. The end is a bit over the top but the rest will have you cheering the heroes on. The drowning of the left-wing bishop was particularly satisfying, best thing since the investigative journalist was drowned in a toilet in Larry Niven's "Footfall"!

Warrior in Bronze deals with the life and times of Agamemnon, the king of an ancient Greek city state before and during the time of the Trojan wars. While occasionally tedious, Shipway weaves a good tale of life in ancient Greece as well as offering plausable explanations for a number of figures in the Greek mythos.

A story of intrigue, trechory ,love,and revenge , so many sub plots weaved together in a master peace , and the colorful descriptions are awe inspiring , simply the best book I have ever read !

An interesting interpretation of the British experience in India during the Napoleonic wars. As always, Mr. Shipway cannot be faulted for his attention to period detail and atmosphere. It does, at times, read rather more like a history lesson than a novel, but manages to entertain and enthrall as well as instruct. His one flaw is an obvious bit of discomfort with the nautical details. A good overall read.

Knight in Anarchy - previously published as "The Knight" is a tale of the life of Humphrey Visdelou a Norman knight during the time following the death of King Henry of England. It deals with Humphrey's struggle to remain loyal to the ideals of fealty and knighthood while surrounded by the treachery and politics of the time. Rather accuratly portrays the historical events and personalities of the time. A must read for those interested in the concept of fealty.