Sunday 12 June 2022

The Hostage of Rome by Robert M. Kidd (review + #giveaway)

historical fiction set in Ancient Rome

 
"Hannibal's army is superior in every respect. Nothing can stand in the way of our conquest".


The Hostage of Rome by Robert M.Kidd is the third book in The Histories of Sphax series.
Fans of the historical fiction/war fiction set in the ancient times will love the epic story.
This book reads as a standalone, but I strongly recommend starting with book 1, as you get to understand the main protagonists, their motivations and the dynamics of their relationships better.

I love books with maps, it is so much easier to understand the perilous trip the characters take, if you have a look at the map, especially if you are not familiar with the ancient names of the places.

Synopsis:

217BC. Rome has been savaged, beaten and is in retreat. Yet, in that winter of winters, her garrisons cling on behind the walls of Placentia and Cremona, thanks to her sea-born supplies. If he could be freed, a hostage of Rome may yet hold the key to launching a fleet of pirates that could sweep Rome from the seas. For that hostage is none other than Corinna's son Cleon, rival heir to the throne of Illyria, held in Brundisium, four hundred miles south of the Rubicon.

But Hannibal is set on a greater prize! Macedon is the great power in Greece, feared even by Rome. Its young king, Philip, is being compared with his illustrious ancestor, Alexander the Great. An alliance with Macedon would surely sound the death knell for Rome.

Given Hannibal's blessing, Sphax, Idwal and Corinna face an epic journey against impossible odds. Navigating the length of the Padus, past legionary garrisons and hostile Gauls, they must then risk the perils of the storm-torn Adria in the depth of the winter. If the gods favour them and they reach the lands of the pirate queen, only then will their real trials begin.


It's two weeks since the great battle beside the Trebia that had shattered the armies of Rome took place. Hannibal is eager to assess the extent of his victory, while giving a chance to his army to rest. The winter has exacted a heavy toll on his men and beasts.

Corinna is dreaming of rescuing her only son Cleon from the clutches of Rome. To do that, she needs help from Sphax and his team. Sphax is realistic in restraining her aspirations, he knows that they need to come with strategical and tactical necessities which will convince Hannibal that Cleon's recovery would be essential to the prosecution of his war with Rome. 

"Key to this, Corinna, is alliances," Sphax explained. "I know my uncle. What will persuade him are sound strategic reasons for sanctioning your scheme... We need to acquire allies capable of prosecuting the war by sea and river. Illyria and Macedon are the only powers capable of this..."

Corinna is determined to enter Brundisium in secret and rescue her son by stealth, not by force of arms. She will need a small reliable unit to accompany her. Hannibal agrees with the plan and gives her licence to treat with Queen Teuta and Philip of Macedon at her discretion.

And thus their epic journey begins. 

Will they be able to convince the pirate queen and her former lover Demetrius to put aside the bitterness and close the door on the past? Will Philip form an alliance with Hannibal and make himself an enemy of Rome? Will Corinna be reunited with her son?



The Hostage of Rome is an original, meticulous and absolutely gripping historical novel.

If you enjoy reading books set in the ancient Rome, this series is a must. The research which has gone into recreating the geographical, political and social background to the story, is matchless. The historical detail is thorough, from clothes to weapons, from social mores to food. You learn about the minute details of the life in the army, military tactics and strategy, the eternally dirty politics.

Kidd is a master storyteller. When he describes the storm, you feel right in the middle of it. His vivid descriptions add an emotional atmosphere to the narrative and move the plot forward.

"All at once they were enveloped in an all-encompassing darkness, relieved only by a pale crescent moon and the stars in their courses. Now they were little more than a speck of dust on a vast empty sea. Never before had he felt so abandoned and helpless in the face of nature".

"It all happened with such shattering suddenness. Now all around their fragile wooden walls, the sea foamed and seethed as white-capped waves began to boil and shower them with spray. Lashing hail turned to driving rain and soon they were shivering and soaked to the skin. What until now had been a steady breeze had become a tempest, its squalls and gusts assailing them from all points west, making steering impossible at times, and control of the sheets a challenge".

As I travelled with Sphax from the first book (see The Walls of Rome and book 2, The Winter of Winters), I grew to appreciate his development from an immature impulsive boy to a man of valour. He is a flawed but likeable character, of great courage and fortitude. 

I don't often read books of the military history genre, but this series is eye-opening, so informative and truly gripping. Highly recommended.


This post is part of the blog tour for The Hostage of Rome.

Many thanks to Robert M. Kidd and Rachel's Random Resources for my copy of the book!


Chez Maximka, books set in ancient Rome


Purchase Links

UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hostage-Rome-Histories-Sphax-Book-ebook/dp/B09X3L8WLB/

US - https://www.amazon.com/Hostage-Rome-Histories-Sphax-Book-ebook/dp/B09X3L8WLB/


Author Bio – Robert M. Kidd

When Cato the Censor demanded that ‘Carthage must be destroyed,’ Rome did just that. In 146 BC, after a three year siege, Carthage was raised to the ground, its surviving citizens sold into slavery and the fields where this once magnificent city had stood, ploughed by oxen. Carthage was erased from history.

That’s why I’m a novelist on a mission! I want to set the historical record straight. Our entire history of Hannibal’s wars with Rome is nothing short of propaganda, written by Greeks and Romans for their Roman clients. It intrigues me that Hannibal took two Greek scholars and historians with him on campaign, yet their histories of Rome’s deadliest war have never seen the light of day.

My hero, Sphax the Numidian, tells a different story!

When I’m not waging war with my pen, I like to indulge my passion for travel and hill walking, and like my hero, I too love horses. I live in Pembrokeshire, West Wales.

https://robertmkidd.com/

https://twitter.com/RobertMKidd1

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064169594911

 

historical fiction set in Rome


Giveaway to Win Book 6 in The Histories of Sphax series to be dedicated to the winner, & a signed dedicated copy too (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions

Worldwide entries welcome. 

Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. 

The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. 

If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. 

Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. 

Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. 

This will be passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. 

I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize. 

Please note that this giveaway appears on several blogs taking part in the blog tour. Chez Maximka is hosting the Rafflecopter for free for the purposes of the book promotion. I have no access to the data collected, and am not involved in the selection of the winner or dispatch of the prize.

Good luck!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

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