The October Horse

[The Scourge]

This the new book in the Masters of Rome series,by Collien(What's her name again?)
Anyway,where I live it's still in hardback,and costs way too much,so I'm waiting for the paperback version.
This one is about the rise of Octavian,who I always found far more interesting than Julius.A ruthless bastard if ever there was one.
the trouble with MaCulliens Julius is that she admires him to much,and as a result's turn him into a superman.
Marius and Sulla from her first two books,i thought were far more believable.
So I hope she's back to form with this new Novel,which brings me to the question.
Has anyone read it?
And is it any good?

[troymclure]

aye it's good, if you like the others that is. But oh man, she takes the caesar worship too new heights with this one. You know how he took to wearing those nice knee high boots near the end, well she says. nope tis not just vanity or bad fashion sense. he was told to wear them by his doctor because of varicose veins. sigh, she also gave octavius "asthma" because she didn't think he would have run from battle in the encounter vs the republicans.... anyways, shouldnt whine too much because really i do love those books.
I just wish i knew how much of it was fact and how much of it was her liking caesar as much as she does... http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

[The Scourge]

I've gone and bought the dam thing.Said I'd wait for the paper back version,but oh well,what can you do.
Think I like Cato best.What a little Git http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[The Scourge]

Btw,I read that she gave Octavius that asthma because she coudn't reconcile with the fact that Octavius lost his courage during that battle,and his later obvious bravery,but I say why not?
Octavius wasn't a hardened veteran,and as far as I'm aware had never seen a battle before.
Even Frederik the Great of Prussia ,fled the field before the end of his first battle in command of the Prussian Army.
The point is,with determination Courage can be acquired.

[asturianknight]

Besides the "Masters of Rome" series can you recomend other novels on the subject? Preferably covering the time between 264 BCE through 14 BCE http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

Thanks in advance.

[The Scourge]

Well there's Allan Massie,who I think is very good.
He's done novels on Tiberius;caeser and Augustus.

And another that's also maybe a bit later than you're looking for but might find interesting.
Simon Scarrow,who's just written two novels very similar to Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe novels,only set in Rome(Actually both novels take place in England.) at the time of Claudius.
The books are called :Under the Eagle and The Eagle's Conquest.Very entertaining stuff.

[Catiline]

Steven Saylor is good for some whodunnit type novels set in the political world of republican Rome. One lucius Sergius Catilina puts in at least one appearance http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif