by Michael Curtis Ford (Author)
It is 354 AD. Julian, a young scholar in Athens, is the last survivor of a bloody political purge that killed his entire family. Unexpectedly summoned to the court of the Emperor Constantius, he fears the worst - only to find himself promoted to Caesar of the Western Empire. Julian proves to be a military genius, crushing the German tribes that have threatened Rome for generations. Soon after, defying his own emperor against overwhelming odds, he risks civil war and ultimately seizes the Empire for himself, becoming the most powerful man in the world while still only 30. Now the dark side of his ambition emerges. Julian discards the Christianity of his boyhood and sets his sights on the greatest conquest of all - the Persian Empire. In Persia, however, his gods and his sanity desert him, and in one swift stroke the course of history is altered forever. This breathtaking account of the life of Julian explores one of the most dangerous periods - and one of the most enduring mysteries - of all time.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 400
Edition: Reprint
Publisher: Orion
Published: 21 Nov 2002
ISBN 10: 0752847406
ISBN 13: 9780752847405
Book Overview: Huge success of the film GLADIATOR reveals a hunger for this genre and has whetted appetites for more stories of ancient history. Praise for the author's previous novel: 'There's no more gripping story of desperate courage than the march of The Ten Thousand ... Michael Ford's moving account makes Xenophon's tale come alive in a way that no ancient historian or classicist has yet accomplished' Professor Victor Hanson, author of THE SOUL OF BATTLE 'Thrilling, eloquent, illuminated by scholarship, comes this retelling of the epic running battle of The Ten Thousand' James Brady, author of the New York Times bestselling THE MARINES OF AUTUMN 'An incredible tale of survival ... a truly heroic story with wonderful battle scenes, all brought vividly to life' Publishing News