A hugely entertaining novel, thoroughly researched and vividly characterised. Here are people I enjoyed, hailing as they do from all parts of the known world, the fictional, the semi-fictional and the factual figures all complementing each other perfectly. From the bloody retreat from Carthage through to the final pitched battle, I was glued to the pages of this book. The locations are painted beautifully and the novel moves along with such a pace, teaching us about 5th-century warfare but never at the expense of entertainment and fascinating stories. forwinternights blog