EB Bibliography II: What are you currently reading?

[Sarcasm]

Nice challenge Zak , Ok...so a list of recently read historical books and some attempts at their reviews...5 points up, 5 points down.

• The Pride of Carthage by David Anthony Durham
  
  A novel about the Barca family, their retinue, and their personal involvement in the second Punic War. Very easy to read as the author uses colloquial speech, good introduction on the subject to an uninformed reader, superficial characters, depicts Non-Romans and Non-Africans as cannon-fodder, highly novalised at best, horridly unhistorical at its worse.
  
  Rating: out of 5
  
  
• L'Ultima Legione (The Last Legion) by Valerio Massimo Manfredi
  
  A novel which takes place during the "reign" of the last Roman Emperor, Romulus Augustus, and how he is supposedly saved by the last real legionaires. *Very* light read, the whole book is one big hollywood cliché, right down to the hot warrior-girl in leather pants. If you want something to read while you're on the throne get it, otherwise stay the hell away from anything this gentleman writes.
  
  Rating: out of 5
  
  
• Viriato - La Lucha Por La Liberdade (Viriato - The Fight for Freedom) by Mauricio Pastor Muñoz
  
  Essentially a basic overview on the Lusitanians, Viriatus and the Lusitanian Wars. It doesn't pretend to be the ultimate book on the matter but rather assumes it's mission as a mean to divulge the subject. Concise and to the point, he makes on hell of a job in just under 240 pages.
  
  Rating: out of 5
  
  
• Under The Eagle by Simon Scarrow
  
  The tales of a centurion by the name of Macro, from the forests of Germania to the mist of Brittania where they follow the trail of a missing chest of gold left there from the first invasions. A light read in league with Cornwell's work for example, though not so successful in making us like the characters. Highly novalised but a fun read all the same.
  
  Rating: out of 5
  
  
• The White Company by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  
  Yes, the man who brought us Sherlock Holmes also wrote other things. And very good things for that matter. Such is the case of this book, about a monk turned squire who fights in the company of the hillarious Sir Nigel Loring during the 100 Year War. Easy to read, very naive (and I say that in a good way) along with very likeable and out-of-this-world characters. Recommended.
  
  Rating: out 5
  
  
• The Ten Thousand by Michael Curtis Ford
  
  This book is essentially a novelization of the Anabasis by Xenophon. It follows the life what was essentially a minor leader within the expedition and becomes the only man capable of leading those men through enemy territory to home. Well written and easy to follow, as well as worthy adaptation to the original text, not to mention a great way to get the reader interested in the actual thing.
  
  Rating: out of 5
  
  
• D.Sebastião e o Vidente [translated to german, italian, spanish and french only AFAIK, but litteraly D.Sebastian and the Seer] by Deana Barroqueiro
  
  An historical romance by a previously unknown author, about the life of what would the last king of the Aviz dinasty in Portugal, D.Sebastian and his squire. The author is extremely meticulous in her research and portrays the intrigue at a 16th century court like few others I've read. The story is interesting from the day the king was born right down to his last battle, the greatest disaster in Portuguese military history. Hard to follow at points (the author is very thorough) with Old Portuguese being spoken at times, but extremely well written and put together. Recommended.
  
  Rating: out of 5

Could you tell I was bored with physics?