Published: Nov. 26, 2009
Words: 80,947 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781452437996

Short description

It’s 123 AD. Steeped in humor and history, this quixotic saga chronicles the clumsy schemes of an inept governor and his shadowy advisor, a superstitious centurion's struggle to save his faith in the faded ideals of the Republic, and a young rebel's reluctant vow to change the course of history. All are pitted against the Gods, the Emperor Hadrian, and the decline and fall of nearly everything.

Extended description

From Publishers Weekly:

The Roman Empire is at a crossroads, and Emperor Hadrian, realizing that continued expansion will make the empire's borders indefensible, decrees consolidation to a size the legions can better guard. That story is told here in a confusion of the historical, the comical, the metaphorical, and the adventurous that mostly (and surprisingly) holds together fairly well. In the province of Hispania, the governor, Festus Rufius, has just taken over for his murdered predecessor, veteran Centurion Marcus Valerius. Surviving on graft, plots, kickbacks and bribery, the Empire lurches on while Hispania is beset by slave revolts, food riots, uncollected taxes, and bad wine. And so the province's leadership must resort to a series of desperate illusions to disguise its failings. All this is recounted swiftly, with verve, panache, and a light tread that makes for a delightful, well told tale.

Publisher's Description: (Read more) From Publishers Weekly:

The Roman Empire is at a crossroads, and Emperor Hadrian, realizing that continued expansion will make the empire's borders indefensible, decrees consolidation to a size the legions can better guard. That story is told here in a confusion of the historical, the comical, the metaphorical, and the adventurous that mostly (and surprisingly) holds together fairly well. In the province of Hispania, the governor, Festus Rufius, has just taken over for his murdered predecessor, veteran Centurion Marcus Valerius. Surviving on graft, plots, kickbacks and bribery, the Empire lurches on while Hispania is beset by slave revolts, food riots, uncollected taxes, and bad wine. And so the province's leadership must resort to a series of desperate illusions to disguise its failings. All this is recounted swiftly, with verve, panache, and a light tread that makes for a delightful, well told tale.

Publisher's Description:

Semi-Finalist in Amazon's 2011 Breakthrough Novel Competition!

It's 123 A.D. On the edge of the Roman Empire, a murdered governor leaves behind the opportunity of a lifetime for his successor to overthrow the emperor.

Mysteriously promoted, a senator's son finds himself in an ancient world of trouble. Within days of taking office, Hispania's taxpayers are in open revolt, the legionaries head north to build Hadrian's Wall, and the once-sleepy province is rocked by slave revolts, bread riots, and fad religions.

A quixotic saga steeped in humor and history, "No Roads Lead to Rome" chronicles the clumsy schemes of the inept new governor and the machinations of his shadowy adviser. Discovering that no empire ever went broke paying pensions to old soldiers, a superstitious centurion struggles to save his faith in the faded ideals of the Republic while accidentally helping a young rebel attempt to change history.

All are pitted against the gods, the emperor, and the decline and fall of damn near everything.

It's 123 A.D.--a time not unlike the present--and No Roads Lead to Rome.
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Tags

fiction, adventure, political, humor, history, ancient, government, historical, business, leadership, ethics, rome, spain, hadrian, quixotic, terry pratchett, dilbert, douglass adams

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Reviews

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Review by: Wendy Bertsch on Aug. 07, 2011 :
This tongue-in-cheek adventure chases a Roman centurion and his Jewish conscript through Spain in a delightfully ridiculous effort to successfully complete what he hopes is his last mission. All he wants is to retire comfortably . . . to Rome.

The action bounces back and forth between Valerius the Centurion and the decadent governor he serves. There are a few places where blocks of time appear to have been misplaced, but the missing transitions just keep us stumbling along like the faulty paving stones under the Centurion’s feet, doing the story no harm at all and reinforcing the rollicking pace.

It brought to mind Don Quixote, with its wry humor. I’m not a big fan of farce (Don Quixote itself has never been a favorite of mine), but it’s presented here with such an insouciant touch that I enjoyed it right to the last irresistible image in its final line.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Robert Davidson on Aug. 06, 2011 :
As soon as Centurion Valerius, the Eternal City's version of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, takes young Severus (and the reader) by the metaphorical scruff of the neck the plot of No Roads Lead to Rome, couched in competent descriptive prose, detonates into action without jeopardising clarity or purpose. The main plot, humorous and tongue-in-cheek, has sufficient twists, turns and 'didn't see that coming' elements, plus revealing the mores and customs of the era, that it provides an interesting and vibrant read. The epitome of action-comedy. Highly recommended.Robert Davidson. The Tuzla Run
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

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