Book picks similar to
Lucia by Steven A. McKay


historical-fiction
hist_ancient-prehistoric-etc
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g_setting-historical

The Last of the Romans


Derek Birks - 2019
     Northern Italy. Dux Ambrosius Aurelianus has served the Roman Empire with distinction. His bucellarii, a small band of irregular soldiers, have helped to bring a fragile peace to the beleaguered empire in the west. But, with the empire now at peace, his master, Flavius Aetius, decides to chain up his dogs of war. Ambrosius and his men are left to idle away their days in a rural backwater, but Ambrosius’ boredom is brutally swept aside when old rivals seize the opportunity to destroy him. Pursued as a traitor by the imperial guard, Ambrosius takes his loyal band, along with other dissident soldiers and a Saxon girl, Inga, into the mountains. Since nowhere is safe, Ambrosius travels north, across the crumbling ruins of the empire, to his estranged family in Gaul. But there too, he finds nothing but conflict, for his home town is now besieged by a small army of rebellious Franks. Freedom and peace seem a world away. Whatever course the soldier takes, Ambrosius and his bucellarii will need to muster all their strength and skill to survive. At the twilight of the empire, they may be the Last of the Romans… Recommended for fans of Ben Kane, Anthony Riches and Conn Iggulden. 'Fast-paced and action-packed.' Richard Foreman, author of Spies of Rome Derek Birks is a former history teacher. He is also the author of Rebels & Brothers, a series of historical novels set during The Wars of the Roses.

The Bear and the Wolf


Ruth Downie - 2017
    Her husband Brigius, a Briton who now serves Rome, is torn when the imperial prince Caracalla arrives in northern Britannia with his unit of vicious, dangerous Numidian cavalry, causing trouble and endangering the couple's once peaceful life. Heedless of the danger to both them and their world, the pair see only one way to ensure the continuation of peace in the north, and it carries a horrifying risk.From two acclaimed authors of Historical Fiction set in the world of Rome, The Bear and the Wolf is a tale for all ages sure to enthrall. Originally penned for the Alderney Literary Festival, this short story is available at this time only in eBook form.

Scythian


Hector Miller - 2018
    They find refuge from Rome among the Roxolani, the noble horse warriors in the land of Scythia.Nik reveals his true identity and his pivotal role in the fate of the Empire. The boy finds a home among the barbarians and is accepted into their warrior culture.But a storm is descending upon the tribes when the warlike Goths migrate westwards towards the lands of Rome. Lucius is fostered to the distant Huns to strengthen ancient tribal bonds in a bid to repel the invadersOn his journey, he meets a mysterious stranger who becomes his friend and mentor. A man who has a desire for the Empire to prosper.To survive the merciless Huns and the onslaught of the Goths, the boy becomes a warrior without equal, guided by the hands of the gods.Will the half barbarian boy be able to save his people or does his destiny lie elsewhere?

The Legions of the Mist


Damion Hunter - 2019
    But by the time it was joined by Centurion Justinius Corvus, it had clearly fallen on hard times.Smarting from the sting of his recent demotion, and a transfer to Britain, a land he despises, Justinius nevertheless works hard to bring to his men some of the same pride he feels as a Roman soldier.As their bond grows strong, with each other and with the occupied land, their skill in combat is tested to its limits against the forces of Vortrix, High King of the Britons. As the battle lines muster, the fate of an Army, and of a nation, will be decided...The Legions of the Mist is an earth-shattering tale of loyalty, love and war, perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden and Ben Kane.

From the Ashes


Marion Kummerow - 2019
    From the bestselling author of the 'War Girls Series' comes a nail-biting story about Berlin sliding into the Cold War. The Third Reich has crumbled and Berlin is governed by the four victorious Allies.Werner Böhm, a German émigré to Moscow, returns to his hometown with the highest hopes for a better future.Sent by the communist party to bring freedom, wealth and happiness to the German people, he’s soon caught in a moral conflict between loyalty to his party and his ideals.When the woman he loves is in danger, can he take the plunge and defy the party line to save her life? Inspired by true historical events, From the Ashes is the unforgettable story of a tortured man, torn between his ideals, the iron fist of Stalinism and the woman he loves.

Watchmen Of Rome


Alex Gough - 2014
    Life has moved on in the time he’s been at the front, and he finds himself friendless and homeless.But when he comes across Rufa, a childhood friend he swore an oath to protect, he must fight to rescue her from an evil priestess, liberate her from slavery and save Rome from total annihilation. Luckily, the Watchmen of Rome have his back... but will they be able to save their city and the Republic itself? Watchmen of Rome is a thrilling historical adventure, perfect for fans of Ben Kane, Gordon Doherty and Simon Scarrow. Carbo of Rome Watchmen of Rome Bandits of Rome

The Testament of Mariam


Ann Swinfen - 2009
    For years she has blocked them from her mind, but as illness and old age overtake her, she begins to relive the time when she defied all propriety and convention and followed her charismatic brother Yeshûa and her betrothed Yehûdâ in their daring but perilous adventure.'We were young. We were going to change the world.'Mariam shared the excitement, the fear and the mystery of the mission, but cannot forget the horror of its ending. With powerful resonances for today, The Testament of Mariam takes us into the turbulent world of rebellious Galilee under Roman occupation, and the courageous lives that altered the course of history.

Ravenhill (Jackie Shaw, #1)


John Steele - 2017
    He treads a fine line keeping psychotic hard-man Rab Simpson in check while sleeping with gang leader Billy Tyrie’s beautiful wife on the side. When a bomb claims nine lives, he is given the role of the getaway driver in a planned reprisal killing, a key role in a major operation. But Jackie may not be who he seems... Twenty years later, Jackie returns to the city for his father’s funeral after disappearing in mysterious circumstances. He wants to mourn then leave, but when figures from his past emerge, he is left with no choice but to revisit his violent former life. The first in the Jackie Shaw series, RAVENHILL is a gripping début novel from a brilliant new voice in crime fiction. The second in the series, SEVEN SKINS, is coming soon. ‘Tense, unsparing, compassionate and exceptionally well-written, this brilliant thriller brings vividly to life East Belfast in war and peace, its self-appointed community defenders turned brutal predators, and the security forces who struggled to contain them.’ Ruth Dudley Edwards

The Dressmaker's Son


Abbi Sherman Schaefer - 2013
    Rachael's family comes to America to start a new life after fleeing the pogroms in Russia. Rebekah comes to America with her son, Samuel, fleeing his father, Misha, a Russian soldier with whom she had an affair and has threatened to take him away from her so he will not grow up as a Jew and the son of a cobbler. Set in the Lower East Side of New York and pre-revolutionary St. Petersburg, Russia, both women adjust to life in America until Misha kidnaps Samuel and returns with him to Russia. How Rebekah rises to the challenge of earning enough money as a designer of women's gowns to return to St. Petersburg to find her son, and the difficulties she encounters while there, including murder and prison, show the reader the full extent of a mother's ingenuity and determination when it comes to her child. Rachael also faces the possibility of losing a child to war when her son Solomon enlists in the army as America's entry into World War I approaches.

Napoleon's Run


Jonathan Spencer - 2020
    Late one night, a junior naval officer at the Admiralty intercepts a coded despatch, marked with blood: Napoleon Bonaparte is about to launch the largest invasion fleet in history. Target: unknown.England is vulnerable, bereft of allies, and the Sea Lords fear a direct assault on Britain. Admiralty Intelligence sounds the alarm and prepares to unleash Nelson and the Mediterranean squadron.But before they can, they need vital information. They need a special officer to infiltrate by land or by sea to uncover the destination of Napoleon’s armada – a man who never stops.Marine Lt William John Hazzard.But will he agree to help them?Betrayed by the Admiralty at the African Cape three years earlier, Hazzard has vowed never to trust them again. Bitter memories poisoned his return home, and his devoted fiancée Sarah, unable to bear his pain any longer, disappears in Naples – never to be seen again.But the Admiralty knows just how to get him back.They know where Sarah is, and her life is in danger…From pitched sea-battles to back-street duels in a covert war, this is the epic adventure of the new hero of Napoleonic fiction: Hazzard. Perfect for fans of Seth Hunter, Bernard Cornwell and CS Forester.Never give up the boat.

The Atlantis Papyrus


Jay Penner - 2019
    vivid... gripping. Takes you through a thrilling quest in a violent ancient world." Some secrets are best left unrevealed323 B.C.King Alexander the Great has died without a clear successor and the citizens of a vast empire wait nervously for what comes next. But Captain Deon has other worries—his family will be sold to slavery if he does not clear his debt soon. Desperate, he accepts a mission from Alexander’s wily Royal Secretary in return for a generous reward. All he has to do is steal a papyrus from the King's funeral procession.A papyrus with a stunning secret that can transform the balance of powers that fight for Alexander’s throne.Plunged into the heart of succession wars and thrust between bloody ambitions of greater men, Deon is forced to embark on a dangerous journey and battle those he fears, to decode the ancient clues before time runs out for his family. But the more he learns, the more he realizes that his decisions will decide the life and death of not only his loved ones but also that of millions of innocents.-------- BONUS: Join the newsletter on the author's website to get a free "History behind the book" that sheds light on some of the interesting events after Alexander's death.

Survival


Andrew Frediani - 2016
    Revenge has armed his hand. His name is Octavian. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Ben Kane.Though little more than a boy, Cesar's heir is determined to avenge his adoptive father, despite the imposing figures from Rome's long political history who stand in his way: Mark Antony, Cicero, Lepidus, Brutus and Cassius. Despite some initial failures, Octavian does not give in, and gathers about him a group of allies who are just as determined as he himself: Maecenas, Agrippa and Rufus. With them and a few others on his side, he forms a sect dedicated to vengeance, with the aim of punishing, one by one, all those who have Caesar's blood on their hands.Octavian has resolved to overturn the established order, and to finish what Caesar had begun...

Beasts Beyond The Wall


Robert Low - 2019
    The mysterious, powerful Servilius Structus sends them deep into Scotland, land of the Caledonii, to find and secure a woman and her young son. But it’s not clear why... and what could go wrong, heading over the last Wall into the Land of Darkness? Accompanied by Ugo, Quintus, Manius, and Sibanus, this crew of ex–gladiator rogues, tricksters and bar-room philosophers will risk everything on an insane quest and a daring escape. In the dog days of Rome, with decadence and corruption in the air, the consequences of their failure are far greater than they could ever dream: not only their lives but the Empire itself is at stake.No pressure then.A searing, gritty and blood-soaked historical adventure, Beasts Beyond the Wall is perfect for fans of Giles Kristian, David Gilman and Conn Iggulden.

Arthur Britannicus


Paul Bannister - 2013
    Carausius is born into a savage life.His father was a respected warrior chief, a leader of men.But as a boy, Carausius witnesses his violent death.As the boy grows into a man and then a soldier, he dedicates himself to the cause of Rome.As a centurion in the Empire's mighty Army, he earns the respect of his men: soldiers who will fight, and die if necessary, at his command.But, just like his father before him, he is surrounded by enemies - both within and without.He must manoeuvre his way through battle, knowing who to trust and who to put to death; not easy when paranoia among the ruling elite is so rife.Will Carausius emerge victorious where so many before him failed and earn the great title of all.Augustus.Or will he meet an early, violent death, as his father did before him.Arthur Britannicus is a vivid and memorable portrayal of the life of a Roman champion.

Imperial Governor: The Great Novel of Boudicca's Revolt


George Shipway - 1968
    Sent to Wales to capture the gold mines, Paulinus faces the fury of Queen Boudicca's tribes, all united against Nero's corrupt officials. It's a tale packed with fascinating detail of life in Roman Britain and in the Legions in particular.