The Fall of Rome: A Novel of a World Lost

The more I thought about Michael Curtis Ford's "The Fall of Rome" , the more I liked it. Certainly it is 350 pages of fantasy (coulda-happened-this-way) but it is very well researched given that so little is known about this period of history. Simplistically, I guess it could be about the first days of the dark ages or, conversely, about the final days of the corrupt Roman empire when generals vied in assassinating emperors, assuming the throne, and being assassinated in turn. But on a deeper level, it helped me understand that the end was a very gradual unraveling. That the process of barbarians becoming Romans and moving into the upper reaches of Roman nobility was a process which could not be stopped once begun and which played out over 250 years. Our Hero is a mixed-race Hun and German and has his own set of flaws. His enemies are also, by no stretch of the imagination, pure-blooded Romans. This would have horrified Cicero but he has by now been dead for nearly 500 years. The greatest strength of Ford is the complexity he gives to the enemies. They, too, live in staggeringly bewildering times and loyalities are ever-shifting. I loved the fact that I could not predict who would be aligned with whom as the novel unfolded. These were not cardboard charaters. They were just warriors trying to survive in a world falling apart. Good read, well written. Three thumbs up

This is by far one of the best historical fiction stories I've read so far. Ford's Ten Thousand was boring. There simply wasn't enough fighting, and Xenophon was just try'na get home. In Fall of Rome, Odoacer links the fall of the last Hunnish powers to the Fall of the Empire he failed to bring down. I found the rivalry between the cunning Orestes and more honorable Odoacer quite fun. Reading from most history books, one would have thought Odoacer was supposed to be a bad guy, but here, we see his noble intents. Like us, he is fallible, easy to identify with, and in some senses a victim of society. I think the book is inspiring, and will cause some of us to take things into our own hands instead of letting "destiny" or "God" dictate it for us...and what's more? It's a true story to boot.

It's been a few weeks since I read this book, but I recall that I loved it. It ran through the last few years of Rome until the empire actually falls and a new "king" is in place. I later checked out a history of ancient Rome book from the local library and found that the novel was accurate in terms of the names of characters, sequence of events, etc. The book follows the main character from when his village is destroyed by the Romans, and follows him up to the point where he is at the gates of Rome with the power to do the same to Rome. I would recommend this for all of you who love reading about ancient Rome, but want to read other than a history text.

In A.D. 453 the great Hun Attila dies drunk in his own blood on his latest wedding night. His death and Pope Leo's actions bring new hope for the Roman Empire as their vicious adversaries squabble amongst one another for control. Assassination of rivals becomes the norm giving Rome a chance to recover after the Hun brought the empire to its knees. Germanic mercenary General Orestes and his men leave camp just after Attila's death. The Hun's top advisor General Deco goes to the council, but is assassinated in front of his two adult sons, Odoacer and Onulf, who flee for their lives. Forced to separate, Odoacer journeys to Noricum, the home of his deceased mother, where he expects sanctuary, but also learns he is the king's grandson. Odoacer takes charge of the military and defeats the Huns, but a few years later loses to the Romans. He survives by fleeing to Italy where Onulf is an officer in the Roman army. They unite preparing to avenge their father's death when they encounter his killer, a VIP in the still collapsing Roman Empire. Though it is worth first reading the prequel, THE SWORD OF ATTILA, THE FALL OF ROME stands on its own; as the tale starts when the previous one ended with the death of Attila. The story line is action-packed as the two heroic siblings leap from one battle to another, which reflects closely the warring collapse of the Roman Empire. Although much of the key cast members outside the brothers seem one dimensional, fans of historical fiction will want to read Michael Curtis Ford's terrific thriller as Pax Roma has become bloody Roma. Harriet Klausner

Michael Curtis Ford has worked variously as a labourer, a ski patrolman, a musician, a consultant, a banker, a Latin teacher, and a translator. He holds degrees in Economics and Linguistics and lives in Oregon with his wife and their three children He has written a number of novels and numerous articles on ancient military themes. The year is 476 ad and the Roman Empire is clinging to its last vestiges of power. The Empire is riddled with corruption and is reeling from centuries of barbarian aggression. Now it faces a challenge greater than any it has had to face in its long and dramatic history. This is a powerful novel encompassing the things that combined to bring a one great Empire to its knees. It is a powerful insight into Roman warfare in all its raw glory, so much so that the reader feels he is on the battlefield as catapult bolts fly overhead, the screams of the wounded and dying and the smell of battle. A mixture of blood, sweat, fear and voided body fluids as the sons of Attila wage battle with the last of the Roman Emperor's. The author is a master at depicting battle scenes from early history and this book is no different. It encapsulates how an ancient battle, was fought to the bitter end, hand to hand combat, looking into the eyes of the man opposing you. Using weapons that usually maimed rather than killed your opponent cleanly. Savage and brutal, but somehow exhilarating and exciting.