Overlook announced today the official launch of www.ReadSwordsAndSandals.com, a
new online destination for our growing list of historical fiction set during
the Ancient Roman era. Created in collaboration with Sonnet Media, the website will showcase our signature
collection of epic Roman fiction from authors including Harry Sidebottom, Simon Scarrow, and Paul Waters.
Scheduled to
Rachael Hannan of 50Connect recently posted this interview with novelist and historian Harry Sidebottom: "Fire in the East is set in AD255 and follows the life of a Roman officer called Marcus Clodius Ballista, who is sent east to defend the city of Arete from attack by religious fundamentalists, the Sassanid Persians. It is an adventure thriller brimming with action, intrigue, love, and betrayal, set in the period known by historians as the 'Crisis of the Roman Empire.’ The novel also raises important contemporary questions about individual political and religious loyalties, and the realities of defending freedom.
The author,
Dr. Harry Sidebottom, is a fellow of Ancient History at Oxford University. His interest in all things classical was sparked whilst in his first year of A-levels, when his godfather gave him a copy of Robin Lane Fox’s biography of Alexander the Great.
“I loved it and I decided I wanted to write books like it,” he says.
An enduring fan of historical adventure fiction, he says that it seemed a natural progression to combine two of his life long passions and experiment with literary techniques in a novel - something forbidden in academic historical texts. The history of Rome is very well-documented by the Romans themselves, however, Fire In The East is set in the 3rd Century, a period we know significantly less about, and the period Harry specialises in with his academic research.
“I picked the 3rd century because this is what is referred to by academics, in a rather a Freudian way as the dark tunnel, because there are less records. I picked it quite deliberately because it is a mini Roman Dark Age. The second and fourth centuries are very well known, but the third century isn’t and it was that relative lack of documentation that made me choose it, because it gave me more freedom to make up the stories.”
“The stories in the series of three books are fiction, but the stories rest on a historical background as real as I can make it. “What I have taken as my literary model is the work of Patrick O’Brien and Mary Renault. Apart form the fact they were superb historians and wrote incredibly well, they also had the courage to dare to let their character’s be different from modern people. “Too many novelists have a modern person with modern values dressed up in a toga or a centurion’s outfit. I wanted to get away form that and make my characters think and feel differently in different circumstances from the way we would today. "So I hope a reader who reads it and knows nothing about Rome will have painlessly learnt a lot by the end, and I hope a reader who knows a lot about Roman history will be provoked into questioning some of the things they thought they knew or took as a given.”
Harry Sidebottom's first volume in the Warrior of Rome series, Fire in the East, continues to draw attention from readers and reviewers:
"By AD 255, the Roman Empire struggles to maintain order especially in the outlying sectors as barbarians and infidels pose viable threats as Command and Control is almost nonexistent. Emperors Valerian and Gallienus send the honorary Dux Ripea, Marcus Clodius Bastilla, to take command of the legion on the eastern border. Marcus leaves his wife in Rome and travels to his new outpost. He arrives in Arete, Syria where his force is struggling to defend against the overwhelming Sassanid Persian army. He expects reinforcements but has no idea how many or when. Meanwhile, he finds treachery and betrayal from within as traitors, especially amongst the elite patrician officers, resent someone who was not even a citizen too long ago ordering them about and the Persians have assassins trying to kill him.
This is an intriguing historical thriller that has relevance today as Harry Sidebottom provides insight into how destructive the Roman Empire can be to defend its freedoms by destroying those very liberties with security enforcement filled with bloody battles. The story line is action-packed from the moment Marcus says good bye to his wife as he deploys where he is unwanted and knows treachery and betrayal will be the norm as no one has his back except for perhaps stabbing him there. Fans will relish this first Warriors of Rome profound thought provoking ancient historical military thriller as Mr. Sidebottom makes a strong but bloody case affirming Benjamin Franklin's "They who would give up an essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security". - Harriet Klausner
Publishers Weekly takes a look at the extraordinary new novel Fire in the East, by Harry Sidebottom, Book One in the Warrior of Rome series: "In this blood and guts tale of ancient warfare, Oxford lecturer Sidebottom introduces readers to Marcus Clodius Bastilla, a third-century warrior who has risen through the ranks of the Roman army to achieve citizenship and the honorific of Dux Ripea. Charged by the emperors Valerian and Gallienus with the responsibility of defending the empire’s eastern borders, Bastilla says good-bye to his new wife and sets sail for the East. Once he arrives at the Syrian city of Arete on the banks of the Euphrates, Bastilla organizes his legionaries to defend against the besieging Sassanid Persian army and hold out until reinforcements can arrive. In addition to having his hands full with the invading army, Bastilla must also deal with traitors, saboteurs, assassins and patrician officers who resent obeying the orders of a low-born superior. How the brave and resourceful former barbarian defends himself from forces both within and without the city walls forms the spine of this action-packed and detail-rich narrative. This novel of sharp swords and blunt wit should find an appreciative audience among bloodthirsty battle boys of all ages."
thanks for this great giveaway and feature which interests me very much. Awesome and special. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
What an intriguing and fascinating selection. many thanks for this chance. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com