AD 270 and a newly promoted member of the Roman Internal
Security Service Cassisus Corbula is given his first assignment - a probable
suicide mission.
The fort of Aluauran is an outpost of strategic importance;
standing in the middle of the Arabian desert it holds a well of fresh water and
acts as a vital staging post. The fort
is undermanned and a force of Palmyran marches on it under the orders of Queen
Zenobia, they are to wrestle the fort from Roman hands and make it their own.
A supporting cohort is making its way to the fort, but it is
doubtful they would make it in time to stop the Palmyrans. Corbula has to take command of the men,
falsely telling them he is a Centurion, and hold the fort until reinforcements
arrive. One hundred men against the
force of a nation is long odds, but Corbula must prevail or else the Roman
Empire will lose its eastern frontier.
Review
Nick Brown has done a marvellous job in writing a book that
is well researched and hugely entertaining.
The premise of an unprepared, yet well theorised young man being sent
into a hell-hole to rally a body of men who have little respect for unseasoned
campaigners is interesting, especially when he has to conceal his true role as
a "Grain Man" - a term used for the Secret Service - who are despised.
I've read quite a few books set in Ancient Rome and can tell
that Nick Brown has done an excellent job researching his novel. His characters are expertly crafted, they
jump off the page and the internal dilemmas the inexperienced officer has when
trying to rally the troops are superbly written. In particular, Corbula's manservant Simo is the pick of the bunch. Deeply loyal, despite only being given to
Corbula at the start of his mission, he is a cross between The Admirable
Crichton and a St Bernard; he is perceptive, witty and quickly proves his worth
in all manner of ways.
Brown's military knowledge shines through in his battle
scenes which are hard hitting and described in brutal terms. The ragtag bunch of disheartened and drunken
soldiers know they have little time to prepare for war and realise they may not
survive to see the relief column.
All in all, Nick Brown has written a superb debut novel and
I look forward to reading more of Corbula's adventures.
I give "Siege" 5 Crosses!
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