The Leopard Sword: Empire IV
By (Author) Anthony Riches
Hodder & Stoughton
Hodder Paperback
11th December 2012
25th October 2012
United Kingdom
General
Fiction
FIC
Paperback
400
Width 130mm, Height 198mm, Spine 28mm
280g
Britannia has been subdued - and an epic new chapter in Marcus Valerius Aquila's life begins.
Posted to the Second Tungrian auxiliary cohort's original home in Germania Inferior, Marcus finds a very different world from the turbulent British frontier - but one with its own dangers. Tungrorum, the center of a once-prosperous farming province, a city already brought low by the ravages of the eastern plague that has swept through the empire, is now threatened by an outbreak of brutally violent robbery. A bandit chieftain called Obduro, his identity always hidden behind an iron cavalry helmet, is robbing and killing with impunity.His sword - sharper, stronger and more deadly than any known to the Roman army - is the lethal symbol of his unstoppable power. And now he has moved beyond mere theft and threatens to destabilize the whole northern frontier of the empire...This is fast-paced and gripping "read-through-the-night" fiction, with marvellous characters and occasional moments of dark humour. Some authors are better historians than they are storytellers. Anthony Riches is brilliant at both. - Conn Iggulden
A damn fine read . . . fast-paced, action-packed. - Ben KaneStands head and shoulders above a crowded field . . . . real, live characters act out their battles on the northern borders with an accuracy of detail and depth of raw emotion that is a rare combination. - Manda ScottMuscular in prose and approach, the novel is riveting and direct. - History Today on THE LEOPARD SWORDThis is a fast-paced, action-packed read. Anthony Riches brings alive the harsh reality of the Roman world - the period, people, and culture - in a frenetic and exciting novel which is well researched and tinged with humour. The battle scenes are vivid and expertly told . . . Difficult to put down, this is a welcome addition to the genre . . . Recommended - Historical Novels Review on THE LEOPARD SWORDAnthony Riches began his lifelong interest in war and soldiers when he first heard his father's stories about World War II. This led to a degree in Military Studies at Manchester University. He began writing the story that would become Wounds of Honour after a visit to Housesteads in 1996. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and three children.