Scipio Africanus

by Ross Leckie

Book Overview

Yes, we have achieved much. Have we destroyed even more? In the name of Rome, Scipio Africanus systematically destroyed the hard-won empires of Hannibal and Alexander the Great. With breathtaking... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0895264129
• ISBN13: 9780895264121
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Regnery Publishing
• Length: 332 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.5" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Very good read

I'm atonished by the reviews posted here so far. I found this reading interesting, refreshing and colorful. The way the story is narrated suceeds in catching the attention. Of course that the ones who have read Titus Livivs or Polibivs before, have noticed that this novel is historically inaccurate. But i'm sure those same ones would have never expected it to be a history manual, am I right? This is a historical novel, a fictional work based on some historical facts. It is an artistic and unrealistic representation of scipio, not a biography. It has been altered on purpose by the author to add some drama and suspense. Of course Sempronius did not die crucified at Trebia. Mago did not die at Hispania. Again, if you want to read history, take a history book. But if you want to engage into literature as an art, for me this is a decent effort.

what a good read

Its not as good as Hannibal, but Ross Leckie has made a very interesting account of almost the same events he described in the first novel, but from the other side, the Romans. It was a lot of fun reading the detailed reactions of the romans as Hannibal dealt them blow after blow, and to follow the adventures of Bostar, from the original novel, it made a good link. All in all, if you read the first one, u cannot miss Scipio.

Good read

Ross Leckie has written a Roman historical novel in the tradition of Robert Graves. Although he does not quite reach the overall level of "I, Claudius", "Claudius, the God" or "Bellisarius," the work is definitely quite good. Like Graves, he brings ancient Rome to life. Like Graves, he deals with Rome's political intrigues, but, perhaps because the politics of Scipio's day were less complicated than those of Claudius', the political element is less satisfying. On the other hand, Leckie's descriptions of battles and tactics outdo anything in Graves. It does have flaws, however. The first lies in the early part of the book, where Leckie moves back and forth between Scipio's account of his childhood and Bostar's account of his travels in Italy after Hannibal. The problem is that each section is too short. Often he goes on for only a few paragraph on Bostar (for example) before jumping back to Scipio for a few paragraphs. This may work well in an action novel moving toward a climax, but here it is jarring and confusing. Another drawback is that the reader never knows exactly what Bostar's relationship with Hannibal was. Still, all in all, it's worth the price and the time to read, and I learned a lot about a different period in Roman history.

A truly great view on Scipio and Rome!

I have discovered Mr. Ross Leckie through his first work "Hannibal". After I finished it, I couldn't wait for "Scipio" to be released. And I must say his novel about the Roman general didn't disappoint me! In fact, I believe it is even better than "Hannibal"! His narrative became somewhat more intrincate and the way he could portray Scipio's mind so deep is amazing! After reading both books we can have a very good understanding of both players and their different worlds. This book also gives you a lot of "free" knowledge on Rome and on the Roman mind. I must confess I even felt tempted on learning some Latin... :)This is a great book and I believe Mr. Ross Leckie is faded to worldwide success. If we could always learn History this way... I'm sorry that I could not find other books by him, but I'm glad he takes his time to finish his work. From the first page to the last, this book will keep you amazed and interested in Scipio's story. If by any chance you made to this book by curiosity, do yourself a favor: Buy it and start reading as soon as possible! I'm sure you will become another soul waiting for his last title in this great trilogy: " Carthage ". I wish Mr. Leckie has a long life ahead, so he can still portray many other historical figures and tell us a whole lot of other interesting stories! :)

An assiduously detailed contemplation of Roman military life

I generally disdain historical novels because they tend to shape the truth to fit a dramatic style. However, Leckie's academic background drives and informs the narrative, giving it a vivacity. This book is vivid with just a touch of pedantry to make it a finely spiced dish. I immedidatly purchased Hannibal, its progenitor, to learn about Scipio's alter ego. This is historical writing at its best.