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Spartacus #1
Spartacus: Swords and Ashes
Betrayed by the Romans. Forced into slavery. Reborn as a Gladiator.
The classic tale of the Republic's most infamous rebel comes alive in the graphic and visceral Starz tv show, Spartacus. Torn from his homeland and the woman he loves, Spartacus is condemned to the brutal world of the arena where blood and death are primetime entertainment. But not all battles are fought upon the sands. Treachery, corruption, and the allure of sensual pleasures will constantly test Spartacus.
To survive, he must become more than a man. More than a gladiator. He must become a legend.
The first in a series of brand-new original Spartacus novels.
The classic tale of the Republic's most infamous rebel comes alive in the graphic and visceral Starz tv show, Spartacus. Torn from his homeland and the woman he loves, Spartacus is condemned to the brutal world of the arena where blood and death are primetime entertainment. But not all battles are fought upon the sands. Treachery, corruption, and the allure of sensual pleasures will constantly test Spartacus.
To survive, he must become more than a man. More than a gladiator. He must become a legend.
The first in a series of brand-new original Spartacus novels.
320 pages, Paperback
First published January 3, 2012
24 people are currently reading
278 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 7, 2012
When I happened upon this first novel related to the "Spartacus" series running on Starz, I was taken aback. How exactly was a series known for its stylized visuals and narrative excess going to translate into a novel? It would be all too easy to tell a conventional, watered-down tale in the "Spartacus" universe, especially if the final product was meant to appeal to a more general audience. Yet, I was intrigued, and decided to give it a go.
I was pleasantly surprised. Not only is the dark and gritty nature of the series well represented by the story, but all of the elements that make "Spartacus" work are right there on the page. The author holds nothing back. Yes, that means that sex, violence, and general vulgarity are part of the equation. But it also means that all of the layered exploration of Roman society and its ugly realities is soaked into every scene.
It's not what one expects out of the typical media tie-in novel, because usually, those tie-ins are related to franchises that have to be conscious of mass appeal. This is a book meant for fans of the show. And since this is set during a very specific period of the first season, Quintus Batiatus is front and center, in all his profane glory. Let's just say that the dialogue is perfectly attuned to the style of the series!
It's not all bread and circuses, of course, because underneath it all is an ongoing debate over the role of slaves in Roman society. The historical context of the time period is mentioned often, including previous slave revolts and the then-recent inclusion of broader Italian families into the Roman patrician class. The author assumes that the reader will be capable of absorbing the finer details, and if nothing else, it's a nice exercise in melding the historical with the fictional.
Perhaps appropriately, the author spends a great deal of time with the character of Varro, exploring the ramifications of his decision to go from Roman citizen to slave for the good of his family. This is captured on several levels, including one scene that just might have been the most uncomfortable thing I've read in a long time. Let the reader beware: while the book is representative of its source material, that means that it doesn't hold back in any respect.
So the question becomes: how much would I recommend this book? For "Spartacus" fans, it all depends on how much the visual element of the show matters to one's enjoyment. Clearly, this is all about story and character, so if the lack of visuals would be a detriment, this is probably not for you. For fans looking for a different kind of "Spartacus" story, this might fit the bill. And with the recent news that "Spartacus" will be ending with the third season, not airing until January 2013, this might be a good way to get an extra fix in the meantime.
March 10, 2016
This review is also available on Cornerfolds!
So I am a HUGE Spartacus fan. I'm rewatching it now for the third time and, let me tell you, I'm still pretty devastated that it's over. When I found out there were a couple novels that went along with the series, I was thrilled! The first one, Swords and Ashes, is set between episodes 1x07 and 1x08, and really went out of its way to explain a few things.
The book begins with Batiatus, Lucretia, Ilithyia, Spartacus, Varro, and Barca heading to the home of Pelorus, a lanista friend of Batiatus who has died by a slave's hand, for his funeral and games. According to custom, all of the slaves in the household must die and are set to be put to death in the arena. While there is a ton of action and killing (obviously), there is actually a lot of unexpected depth to this story. There is a scheme which is slowly uncovered by Batiatus with the help of Spartacus. There are obviously some uncomfortable situations in the book - look at the source material! - but they weren't there just for the shock value and actually added to the story.
Language of the world of Spartacus abounds in this book and is easily my favorite part of the entire series! Best line in the book:
Bahaha! I died! Seriously, Spartacus is not for the faint of heart!
The characters, while already having obvious personalities on the TV show, were even more developed and we really get an unusual look inside the relationship between gladiator and lanista. Watching the friendly banter between Spartacus and Varro was both wonderful and gut-wrenching. I didn't want that part of the book to end! It was also really interesting to go back in time to Spartacus' pre-slave life and get a glimpse into the battle between him and the Getae. It comes full circle as his relationship with the Medea, the Getae "witch" who killed Pelorus, progresses. She really provides a lot of insight and foreshadowing to the events that occur in later seasons of Spartacus.
It was really fascinating to read this in conjunction with the course I'm taking on Augustus this semester. There were familiar characters such as Cicero and it was a lot of fun to kind of put a personality with the name. I will admit, though, that it took a long time to finish this one because I was getting a little burned out by all the Roman material.
Those who are unfamiliar may be pretty lost with this one, but I would definitely recommend Spartacus: Swords and Ashes to anyone who is already a fan!
So I am a HUGE Spartacus fan. I'm rewatching it now for the third time and, let me tell you, I'm still pretty devastated that it's over. When I found out there were a couple novels that went along with the series, I was thrilled! The first one, Swords and Ashes, is set between episodes 1x07 and 1x08, and really went out of its way to explain a few things.
The book begins with Batiatus, Lucretia, Ilithyia, Spartacus, Varro, and Barca heading to the home of Pelorus, a lanista friend of Batiatus who has died by a slave's hand, for his funeral and games. According to custom, all of the slaves in the household must die and are set to be put to death in the arena. While there is a ton of action and killing (obviously), there is actually a lot of unexpected depth to this story. There is a scheme which is slowly uncovered by Batiatus with the help of Spartacus. There are obviously some uncomfortable situations in the book - look at the source material! - but they weren't there just for the shock value and actually added to the story.
Language of the world of Spartacus abounds in this book and is easily my favorite part of the entire series! Best line in the book:
"And what of it to you, if his funeral passes without remark?"
"'I care not a shit for his departure from this world,' Batiatus said..."
Bahaha! I died! Seriously, Spartacus is not for the faint of heart!
The characters, while already having obvious personalities on the TV show, were even more developed and we really get an unusual look inside the relationship between gladiator and lanista. Watching the friendly banter between Spartacus and Varro was both wonderful and gut-wrenching. I didn't want that part of the book to end! It was also really interesting to go back in time to Spartacus' pre-slave life and get a glimpse into the battle between him and the Getae. It comes full circle as his relationship with the Medea, the Getae "witch" who killed Pelorus, progresses. She really provides a lot of insight and foreshadowing to the events that occur in later seasons of Spartacus.
It was really fascinating to read this in conjunction with the course I'm taking on Augustus this semester. There were familiar characters such as Cicero and it was a lot of fun to kind of put a personality with the name. I will admit, though, that it took a long time to finish this one because I was getting a little burned out by all the Roman material.
Those who are unfamiliar may be pretty lost with this one, but I would definitely recommend Spartacus: Swords and Ashes to anyone who is already a fan!
January 25, 2025
DNF at 60%. All I can think about and all I remember is the sudden M/M SA scene. Not what I expected from a book set in Season One. Now mid-tier Season Three? That's a different story.
January 18, 2014
Detaylı İnceleme İçin: http://bookowski101.blogspot.com/2014...
Evet, biliyoruz ki bazı efsaneler kanla yazılır...
M.Ö. 71 yılda Roma'dayız. Batiatus Hane'sinin en güçlü gladyatörü, Capua Şampiyonu Spartaküs ve diğer gladyatörler, köleleri tarafından vahşice öldürülen Pelorus Hane'sinin sahibi Pelorus'u onurlandırmak için yapılan arena gösterilerine giderler. Pek tabii ki Marcus Gaius Glaber'in eşi Ilithya da, Batiatus'un eşi Lucretia da bu macera da yerini alacaktır. Ama asıl oyun Pelorus öldükten sonra onun mallarını kimin alacağı üzerine oynanır. Bu oyunda özgürlüğünü kazanmış bir azatlı olan Timarchides, Verres ve Batiatus vardır. Ölen Pelorus ise Timarchides arasındaki yakınlık(!) öne sürülerek malların Timarchides'e geçmesi öngörülür. Varro da bu yakınlığın kanıtlanması için kurban verilir. Ancak gerçekten de Pelorus ve Timarchides o şekilde bir yakınlık yaşamışlar mıydı? Bunu çözmek de bizim asil Romalı sorgucumuz Cicero'ya düşer.
Söylemeliyim ki kitap gerçekten akıcı, dizisini aratmıyor. Spartaküs'ün dingin zekası ve güçlülüğü yine ön planda. Ve karısı Sura'ya kavuşmak için yapmayacağı şey yok... Varro ise bir diğer sevdiğim karakterdi ancak bir süre sonra ne yazık ki bir istismara maruz kalıyor, o kısım üzücü idi. Aslına bakılırsa kölelik sistemi, lanistalar (gladyatör yetiştiren ve onları pazarlayanlar), dominuslar, azatlılar, vahşet, o zamanın yaşam şekli bu kitap ile oldukça gerçekçi bir şekilde yansıtılmış. Spartaküs'ü ve Köle İsyanını hepimiz az çok biliriz, işte bu kitap ile her ne kadar kurgu olsa da dönemin koşullarının nasıl olduğunu, sahiplerin köleleri nasıl kullandığını vs. görüyoruz.
Kitabın başında "Andy Whitfield için" yazısını okuyunca da boğazınıza bir düğüm takılmaması işten değil tabii...
Ve söylemeden geçemeyeceğim, şu kitapları redakte eden ve son okumasını yapan kişiler biraz daha özenli olsalar ve editör de buna son bir kez bakıp öyle basıma gönderse hiç fena olmaz. Bir yerde Kalafat diye geçen sözcük bir yerde Malafat diye geçmiş mesela. Tırnak işareti açılmış, kapanmamış. Tanrısal anlatım kısmına tırnak işareti konmuş vesaire. Bunlar okuma sürecinin akıcılığını bozan ve insanı okumadan soğutan şeyler. Lütfen biraz dikkat... Serinin devamını merakla bekliyorum, diziyi zaten "Ah Yağmur Getiren ah!" şeklinde kapatmıştım, bu seri de zevkle ama sonunda hüzünle okunacak gibi görünüyor. Dizideki karakterlerin olması da ayrı bir hoşluk :)
Evet, biliyoruz ki bazı efsaneler kanla yazılır...
M.Ö. 71 yılda Roma'dayız. Batiatus Hane'sinin en güçlü gladyatörü, Capua Şampiyonu Spartaküs ve diğer gladyatörler, köleleri tarafından vahşice öldürülen Pelorus Hane'sinin sahibi Pelorus'u onurlandırmak için yapılan arena gösterilerine giderler. Pek tabii ki Marcus Gaius Glaber'in eşi Ilithya da, Batiatus'un eşi Lucretia da bu macera da yerini alacaktır. Ama asıl oyun Pelorus öldükten sonra onun mallarını kimin alacağı üzerine oynanır. Bu oyunda özgürlüğünü kazanmış bir azatlı olan Timarchides, Verres ve Batiatus vardır. Ölen Pelorus ise Timarchides arasındaki yakınlık(!) öne sürülerek malların Timarchides'e geçmesi öngörülür. Varro da bu yakınlığın kanıtlanması için kurban verilir. Ancak gerçekten de Pelorus ve Timarchides o şekilde bir yakınlık yaşamışlar mıydı? Bunu çözmek de bizim asil Romalı sorgucumuz Cicero'ya düşer.
Söylemeliyim ki kitap gerçekten akıcı, dizisini aratmıyor. Spartaküs'ün dingin zekası ve güçlülüğü yine ön planda. Ve karısı Sura'ya kavuşmak için yapmayacağı şey yok... Varro ise bir diğer sevdiğim karakterdi ancak bir süre sonra ne yazık ki bir istismara maruz kalıyor, o kısım üzücü idi. Aslına bakılırsa kölelik sistemi, lanistalar (gladyatör yetiştiren ve onları pazarlayanlar), dominuslar, azatlılar, vahşet, o zamanın yaşam şekli bu kitap ile oldukça gerçekçi bir şekilde yansıtılmış. Spartaküs'ü ve Köle İsyanını hepimiz az çok biliriz, işte bu kitap ile her ne kadar kurgu olsa da dönemin koşullarının nasıl olduğunu, sahiplerin köleleri nasıl kullandığını vs. görüyoruz.
Kitabın başında "Andy Whitfield için" yazısını okuyunca da boğazınıza bir düğüm takılmaması işten değil tabii...
Ve söylemeden geçemeyeceğim, şu kitapları redakte eden ve son okumasını yapan kişiler biraz daha özenli olsalar ve editör de buna son bir kez bakıp öyle basıma gönderse hiç fena olmaz. Bir yerde Kalafat diye geçen sözcük bir yerde Malafat diye geçmiş mesela. Tırnak işareti açılmış, kapanmamış. Tanrısal anlatım kısmına tırnak işareti konmuş vesaire. Bunlar okuma sürecinin akıcılığını bozan ve insanı okumadan soğutan şeyler. Lütfen biraz dikkat... Serinin devamını merakla bekliyorum, diziyi zaten "Ah Yağmur Getiren ah!" şeklinde kapatmıştım, bu seri de zevkle ama sonunda hüzünle okunacak gibi görünüyor. Dizideki karakterlerin olması da ayrı bir hoşluk :)
January 26, 2015
This wasn't too bad. I wouldn't have named the antagonist Verres when one of the protagonists is named Varro, but that may just be me. A bit slow at the start, but it had a decent end, but on the whole in keeping with the series. And that may well be the problem with the book - because it takes place in the midst of the series (after Spartacus summoned the rain but just before Sura arrives), nothing can happen that changes the situation for any of the characters - they cannot leave the story any better or any worse off than they came in because the book cannot be made necessary to the show. Any growth or character arc must, perforce, be on characters not seen in the show - which isn't why one picks up a book based on a show! Still, the author captured the sounds and personalities of the characters, and the tone of the show fairly well.
September 30, 2013
Hopefully this will be as good as the TV show
December 23, 2018
Bir zamanlar dünyayı kasıp kavuran Spartacus dizisini bilmeyen ya da duymayan yoktur diye düşünüyorum. Köleliğe karşı başkaldıran efsanevi kahraman... Ben diziyi izlemedim fakat popülerliğini oldukça iyi biliyorum. Bu kitap da diziden sonra çıkmış üç kitaptan oluşan fakat üçüncü kitabı hala Türkçe'ye çevrilmemiş bir eser. İlk ve ikinci kitabın yazarları birbirinden farklı.
Köle olarak hanedanlığına hizmet eden Spartacus'ün yine kendi gibi köle karısı Sura, Suriyeli tüccarlara satılmıştır ve Spartacus de karısına kavuşmak için elinden gelen her şeyi yapmaya hazırdır. Hanenin başının bir köle tarafından öldürülmesiyle başlayan hikayemiz, arena savaşlarından ve özgürlüğe aç bu insanların özgürlüklerini kazanmaları uğruna yüz yüze geldiği şeyleri anlatıyor. Dizideki kurgu da tam böyle mi bilmiyorum ama kitap bu temele dayandırılmış.
Açıkçası ana kurgu güzel ama kurgunun dallanmasını tüm kitap boyunca beklememe rağmen karşılığını alamadım. Bu manada da kurguyu genel hatlarıyla değerlendirmem gerekirse zayıf buldum. Çok basitçe dizayn edilmiş ve yazılmıştı kanımca. Bu tarz epik ve tarihi kurgularda daha detaylı kurgu bekliyor insan çünkü. Yazarın dili de o kadar basitti ki on iki yaşındaki bir çocuk bile zorlanmadan okurdu. Bu basit dile rağmen bölüm geçişleri o kadar bağlantısızdı ki kitaptan çok kolay kopabiliyordunuz. Kitabın dili veya olaylar kesinlikle ağır ilerlemiyordu ama kitaptaki geçişler beni aşırı rahatsız etti. Bol diyaloglu kısımlar da yazarın dilini beğenmememi güçlendirdi.
Kitapla ilgili sevdiğim şey ise arena sahneleriydi. Buralar gerçekten iyi konumlandırılmış ve güzel anlatılmıştı. Karakterlerden de bazılarını kaliteli buldum. Bunlar da kitap hakkında sevdiğim bir iki detaydı.
Kitabı beğendiğimi söyleyemeyeceğim, beklentimin çok altındaydı ve ikinci kitabı da okumayı düşünmüyorum. Kitaba puanım 5 üzerinden 2.5 fakat burada 2 olarak değerlendiriyorum çünkü buçuklu puan gazabı yine tepemde.
Köle olarak hanedanlığına hizmet eden Spartacus'ün yine kendi gibi köle karısı Sura, Suriyeli tüccarlara satılmıştır ve Spartacus de karısına kavuşmak için elinden gelen her şeyi yapmaya hazırdır. Hanenin başının bir köle tarafından öldürülmesiyle başlayan hikayemiz, arena savaşlarından ve özgürlüğe aç bu insanların özgürlüklerini kazanmaları uğruna yüz yüze geldiği şeyleri anlatıyor. Dizideki kurgu da tam böyle mi bilmiyorum ama kitap bu temele dayandırılmış.
Açıkçası ana kurgu güzel ama kurgunun dallanmasını tüm kitap boyunca beklememe rağmen karşılığını alamadım. Bu manada da kurguyu genel hatlarıyla değerlendirmem gerekirse zayıf buldum. Çok basitçe dizayn edilmiş ve yazılmıştı kanımca. Bu tarz epik ve tarihi kurgularda daha detaylı kurgu bekliyor insan çünkü. Yazarın dili de o kadar basitti ki on iki yaşındaki bir çocuk bile zorlanmadan okurdu. Bu basit dile rağmen bölüm geçişleri o kadar bağlantısızdı ki kitaptan çok kolay kopabiliyordunuz. Kitabın dili veya olaylar kesinlikle ağır ilerlemiyordu ama kitaptaki geçişler beni aşırı rahatsız etti. Bol diyaloglu kısımlar da yazarın dilini beğenmememi güçlendirdi.
Kitapla ilgili sevdiğim şey ise arena sahneleriydi. Buralar gerçekten iyi konumlandırılmış ve güzel anlatılmıştı. Karakterlerden de bazılarını kaliteli buldum. Bunlar da kitap hakkında sevdiğim bir iki detaydı.
Kitabı beğendiğimi söyleyemeyeceğim, beklentimin çok altındaydı ve ikinci kitabı da okumayı düşünmüyorum. Kitaba puanım 5 üzerinden 2.5 fakat burada 2 olarak değerlendiriyorum çünkü buçuklu puan gazabı yine tepemde.
November 24, 2018
Sekitar 10 thn lalu series Spartacus ini bener-bener membuatku terpaku. Sisi ceritanya lumayan, karakter garangnya dapet, sadisnya bikin merinding dan bumbu erotisnya juga lumayan bikin meriang. Sayangnya aku gak lanjut karena kesibukan lain yang lebih penting dari nonton serial nonstop haha.
Jadi saat tahu ada buku yang ditulis berdasar serial itu, aku lumayan berharap.
Secara karakter sebagian besar sama. Tapi alur ceritanya agak berbeda. Dan narasi di film lebih menarik dan hidup daripada percakapan monoton di buku.
Entah kenapa dibuku juga karakter utama Sparcatusnya lebih kayak figuran. Muncul cuma dikit disana sini. Konfliknya agak menarik di 20 persen ending buku, tapi sisanya aku masih lebih pilih nonton aja untuk bisa dapet feelnya. Kayaknya mau coba baca Spartacusnya versi Ben Kane, siapa tahu lebih nyetrum.
Jadi saat tahu ada buku yang ditulis berdasar serial itu, aku lumayan berharap.
Secara karakter sebagian besar sama. Tapi alur ceritanya agak berbeda. Dan narasi di film lebih menarik dan hidup daripada percakapan monoton di buku.
Entah kenapa dibuku juga karakter utama Sparcatusnya lebih kayak figuran. Muncul cuma dikit disana sini. Konfliknya agak menarik di 20 persen ending buku, tapi sisanya aku masih lebih pilih nonton aja untuk bisa dapet feelnya. Kayaknya mau coba baca Spartacusnya versi Ben Kane, siapa tahu lebih nyetrum.
October 24, 2017
Approaching this book, I was a little skeptical because it was based off a TV show. I was very surprised about how good it really was from beginning to end. The novel stays true to the atmosphere and flow of the show. It takes place in the first season of the show and tells a story that adds more understanding to events that happened on screen. It’s all here; the dialect of each character’s personality and speech, violence & gore, sexual scenes, complex betrayals, etc. I really like the structure of each chapter as well and how it is broken up into smaller scenarios with multiple views that add diverse perspectives to situations occurring.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the show. If not a fan, still give it a try.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the show. If not a fan, still give it a try.
November 15, 2019
Spartacus: Swords and Ashes is the first in a proposed series of original novels based on characters from the Starz channel's hit television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand. The new millennium blood soaked visceral re-imaging of the Spartacus character from history (and Kirk Douglas' chin dimple) has been a rousing critical and commercial success. Spartacus, a simple man forced into the savage gladiatorial games of ancient Rome ultimately leading a violent rebellion against his masters, is a theme rife for great storytelling.
You can read TGM' full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
You can read TGM' full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.
March 31, 2018
I was disappointed in this book...I was so hoping it was going to be exactly like the show, I wanted to know what everyone was thinking, I wanted to read the sights, smells, touch, that Spartacus felt as he did everything....fight, make love, long for his wife, etc. etc. I also found it hard to follow what was going on in the very beginning of the book but it did come together in the end. Just not what I was hoping for at all!
January 31, 2018
Diziyi izleyenlere hiçbir şekilde zorluk ve yabancılık çektirmeyecek şekilde ilerleyen, gayet de akıcı bir hikaye olmuş. Aynı zamanda yeni baskısı da yapılacaksa kesinlikle bir kez daha redaktörün elinden geçmesi gereken kitap.
June 15, 2024
The characters are so one dimensional and the writing is weird. I wondered if it was a bad translation into English to start with. I don’t think it is, I think the writing is just bad. Slow and boring. I’m not bothering with the next one.
July 11, 2024
Surprisingly well written and decently entertaining for what is ultimately a tie in to a show I have never seen (but am considering watching now). Descriptions of locations are often poetic, while scenes of combat are described simply and yet give a vivid image in your mind. Dialogue is good, if a little confusing if you're not used to some of the language. There's many good uses of foreshadowing, too. If I have any issues with this book, the competence of the author is not one of them.
Ultimately the biggest problem I have most likely has to do with it being a tie in, which is the fact that the plot of the book is essentially meaningless at the end of the day. Interesting politics and fun battles DO happen, but at the end of the day nothing really mattered.
That and the fact that the ad for the second book at the back of this one completely spoils the reveal at the end, making that ultimately meaningless too.
Definitely worth reading if you're a fan.
Ultimately the biggest problem I have most likely has to do with it being a tie in, which is the fact that the plot of the book is essentially meaningless at the end of the day. Interesting politics and fun battles DO happen, but at the end of the day nothing really mattered.
That and the fact that the ad for the second book at the back of this one completely spoils the reveal at the end, making that ultimately meaningless too.
Definitely worth reading if you're a fan.
December 14, 2018
For a tv tie- novel, the author did a really good job. You can tell there was much love for Roman history went into this.
January 20, 2019
It must a third book! Cant leave us like that!
February 25, 2019
"JUPITER'S COCK!" very descriptive, can really paint a picture in my head.
December 20, 2020
Not as bad as one might assume. I bought this at a dollar store like 3 years ago.
August 1, 2014
Wer auch nur die geringste historische Korrektheit sucht, ist hier noch mehr fehl am Platz, als bei der Serie, auf der der Roman basiert. Kenner der Blood and Sand-Reihe werden allerdings wohl nichts anderes erwarten, genau so wenig, wie ich es getan habe. Außerdem dürfe es ziemlich schwer sein, eine kleine Nebengeschichte, die zu der Zeit spielt, als Spartacus noch Gladiator des Ludus Batiatus war, und die nicht in der Serie gedeckt wurde, auf historischen Ereignissen basieren zu lassen.
Grundsätzlich bleibt der Roman seiner Vorlage sehr treu, das Feeling kommt dem der Serie sehr nahe, auch wenn ich persönlich mir etwas mehr vulgäre Sprüche erhofft hatte (trotzdem waren einige Goldstücke dabei - eine Zeile zitiert mein Vater, der es erstaunlicherweise auch gelesen hat, immer noch gerne). Zwar erschienen mir einige Handlungen der Charaktere etwas... ihrer Persönlichkeit nicht entsprechend, doch Sex, Blut, geschwollene Sprache, recht billige Handlung, alles dabei, was die Serie auszeichnet - leider ausgenommen der Slow Motion.
Somit für alle Liebhaber der Serie zu empfehlen und eine nette, entspannende, unkomplizierte und leichte Lektüre für zwischendurch. Leser, die die Serie jedoch nicht kennen, werden wohl nichts damit anzufangen wissen.
Grundsätzlich bleibt der Roman seiner Vorlage sehr treu, das Feeling kommt dem der Serie sehr nahe, auch wenn ich persönlich mir etwas mehr vulgäre Sprüche erhofft hatte (trotzdem waren einige Goldstücke dabei - eine Zeile zitiert mein Vater, der es erstaunlicherweise auch gelesen hat, immer noch gerne). Zwar erschienen mir einige Handlungen der Charaktere etwas... ihrer Persönlichkeit nicht entsprechend, doch Sex, Blut, geschwollene Sprache, recht billige Handlung, alles dabei, was die Serie auszeichnet - leider ausgenommen der Slow Motion.
Somit für alle Liebhaber der Serie zu empfehlen und eine nette, entspannende, unkomplizierte und leichte Lektüre für zwischendurch. Leser, die die Serie jedoch nicht kennen, werden wohl nichts damit anzufangen wissen.
August 16, 2012
I had mixed expectations going into this one as it is based on the series on Starz and takes place in the middle of Season One. I enjoy the series, but it is somewhat over-the-top, so how was that going to translate to the written word? Actually, that wasn't a problem and the stilted language actually helped me to visualize the characters as I could picture the actors saying their lines and at times it had me chuckling; I mean who doesn't enjoy using the occasional expletive, "Jupiter's Cock!"
Those familiar with the series will definitely be able to visualize the characters as the story unfolds, but unfortunately I didn't really think that the story line was up to par. Not horrible, but not all that great either - it was like an episode (or scene) that got dropped as it didn't contribute to the overall production.
Those familiar with the series will definitely be able to visualize the characters as the story unfolds, but unfortunately I didn't really think that the story line was up to par. Not horrible, but not all that great either - it was like an episode (or scene) that got dropped as it didn't contribute to the overall production.
May 21, 2014
What an epic ride into a tale of Spartacus and the many eccentric characters we have come to know on Spartacus:Blood and Sand. This book is centred on the acquisition of the home of a dead lanista by Batiatus, Sparatacus' quest to get reacquainted with his wife Sura as wekl the politics among the many officers of Rome as well as their counterparts. I must say this book is full of intruige, bloodshed and insurmountable humor. I enjoyed it thoroughly from start to finish and love how it took on the feel of the tv show. Loved the pace of the book and how the author kept me guessing. Can't wait to read the next book in the series!
February 3, 2016
And he rises once more Spartacus
I gave Spartacus swords and ashes five stars because I like how detailed it touched on being a slave to be put in bondage and forced to obey or die it's really powerful I love Spartacus tale of trail and tribulations how I can't see how his destiny will shape him into the man who will free the slaves from bondage I also love the way they talk in the time period of Rome and I dislike nothing about this book other than the gay sex between the dudes are more so rape but other than that I recommend to anyone who seen the show and any newcomer it's worth reading trust in that
I gave Spartacus swords and ashes five stars because I like how detailed it touched on being a slave to be put in bondage and forced to obey or die it's really powerful I love Spartacus tale of trail and tribulations how I can't see how his destiny will shape him into the man who will free the slaves from bondage I also love the way they talk in the time period of Rome and I dislike nothing about this book other than the gay sex between the dudes are more so rape but other than that I recommend to anyone who seen the show and any newcomer it's worth reading trust in that
January 10, 2013
I wasn't expecting much from this but Clements has actually done a really good job of translating a very visual show into a novel. He is limited because this book takes place during season one but he manages to craft an interesting story that does add something to the saga. I also appreciated Clements' attention to detail with respect to Latin.
May 18, 2014
Uninspired writing and plot, fairly weak characterization, and tie-ins to the TV series that were all too convenient and predictable. The only reasons I give this three stars are the descriptions and gladiatorial action.
November 16, 2019
A in-between 'snack' for any fan of the Starz Spartacus series; whilst it contributes little to the series' main storyline the book serves as an extension for additional depth into some favourite characters.
January 19, 2012
omgs it's really good ;p all the suspends and lots more????
May 30, 2013
Perfect, if you love the series, you'll love this well written book
December 7, 2013
Very good. I liked the part where Lucretia was checking on Crixus while the medicus was taking a break.
October 8, 2015
A brilliantly placed utterance of the memorable phrase 'JUPITER'S COCK!' (in all-caps, of course) near the end of the book quite literally made me laugh out loud.
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