Fortress of Spears

Review'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 'Riches has captured how soldiers speak and act to a tee and he is very descriptive when it comes to the fighting. It is a novel full of power, lust, envy, violence and vanity. The very things that made Rome great and the very things that would lead to its downfall. If you like historical novels, read this book.' -- NavyNet on ARROWS OF FURY 20110115 'Ancient adventure at its pulsating best! ... A military expert, Riches brings top-notch drama, vivid storytelling and historical realism to his tales set in a turbulent time.' -- Lancashire Evening Post on Arrows of Fury 20101216 'Cornwell, Iggulden, Smith - Beware. There is a new power on the rise.' -- www.bookgeeks.co.uk on Wounds of Honour 20101216 'With Wounds of Honour Anthony Riches has produced a terrific first novel that focuses on the soldiers of the Roman Empire in great detail. He vibrantly portrays the life in an auxiliary unit.' -- Canberra Times on Wound of Honour 20091001 'An unputdownable read.' -- Good Reading Magazine on Wounds of Honour 20091001 Product DescriptionIn the enthralling third volume of Empire, Anthony Riches takes the legions deep into north Britannia, where the survivors of the rebellion still hope for revenge. The Romans have vanquished the rebel alliance, leaving Calgus, Lord of the Northern Tribes, the prisoner of the chieftains he once led. But the new Roman leader will not let them rest. He forms an audacious plan to capture Dinpaladyr, the Selgovaes' fortress of spears, and return it to the hands of a trusted ally. Marcus Aquila - burning for revenge on an enemy army that has killed one of his best friends - is part of the select group of infantry chosen to go north with the Petriana cavalry and take the fort before the rebel army can reach it. He believes his disguise as Centurion Corvus of the 2nd Tungrians is still holding. But he is just a few days ahead of two of the emperor's agents, sent from Rome to kill him. Pitiless assassins who know his real name, and too much about his friends.