Goodreads: Fire in the East (Warrior of Rome #1)

Author: Harry Sidebottom

Published: 12th September 2008 (Michael Joseph)

Source: Charity Shop

Rating: 3/5 (Liked it)

Official Summary: “‘WAR IS HELL . . . ‘

The year is AD 255 – the Roman Imperium is stretched to breaking point, its authority and might challenged along every border. The greatest threat lies in Persia to the east, where the massing forces of the Sassanid Empire loom with fiery menace. There the isolated Roman citadel of Arete awaits inevitable invasion.

One man is sent to marshal the defences and shore up crumbling walls. A man whose name itself means war: a man called Ballista. Alone, Ballista is called to muster the forces, and the courage to stand first and to stand hard, against the greatest enemy ever to confront the Imperium.” – Goodreads

Review: 50% of the book is just world-building, setting the stage for the rest of the book. It does get a little boring in that half, you are just waiting and waiting for the crap to hit the fan. Oh, boy does it in the second half, you don’t know where to look stuff is happening everywhere.

It nice to see the main character not be 100% amazing at fighting. He was good but not as good as you think he should be, being as he the main hero. Also, the history and see what was used back then, hasn’t really changed at all even in this day and age.

The dynamic between him and his slaves was also a nice change. It wasn’t ‘me Master, you Slave’ it was more of a little family they had made. With their bickering and sassy comments. They all looked out for each other, no matter what.