Stone & Steel

Colossus #1

by David Blixt

Judea, 66 AD. A Roman legion suffers a smashing and catastrophic defeat at the hands of an angry band of Hebrews armed with only slings and spears. Knowing Emperor Nero's revenge will be swift and merciless, they must decide how to defend their land against the Roman invasion.

Caught up in the tumult is the mason Judah, inadvertent hero of Beth Horon, who now finds himself rubbing shoulders with priests, revolutionaries, generals, and nobles, drafted to help defend the land of Galilee.

Denied the chance to marry where he will, he turns all his energy into defending the beseiged city of Jotapata. But with a general suffering delusions of grandeur, friends falling each day, and the Roman menace at the walls, Judah must brave a nightmare to save those he loves and preserve his honor.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Amazon

342 pages, Paperback

First published April 23, 2012

Reviews

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have never read David Blixt you are in for a real treat with his Colossus series. This is the first novel of the set, and he deals with the beginnings of the Judean war, lays out many of the characters who I think will appear in later volumes of this series, and gives us a tremendous historical lesson in this fictionalized book. Some people get five star ratings due to th beauty of their writing, others because of the genre they write in, and this historical fiction novel gets my highest rating because of the detailed research that went into the book, the history that's behind the book, and how Blixt is able to incorporate all of that into a highly readable novel.

We meet many characters in this book, but I think the three main characters are the twin brothers Judah and Asher, along with the newly appointed general Yosef, who general Vespasian gave the Romanized name of Josephus, a name many people are familiar with due to his histories of the Jewish faith and Jewish wars. While the twin brothers are no doubt the center of the novel, and heroes of the novel, Josephus comes off as both a dreamer who thinks he may be the Messiah, as well as an opportunist, and a rather unlikable character who is more concerned about his future glory than about the siege and the overall course of the war.

We also get many supporting characters who Blixt is able to flesh out for us, one of the most impressive is Eleazar whom everybody called Atlas. He is a giant of a man, a person who does incredibly heroic work and is a favorite of his fellow Judean warriors as well as myself. Yes, there is a lot of history in this but it is a fascinating read, it is a read that moves along quickly and to be honest I could not put the book down. I have read other works of Blixt which are very good, but which tend to be extremely lengthy and are a bit difficult for me to read in there paperback version. Here I decided to go with a Kindle version of the book and I found it much easier to follow and read.

If you like historical fiction, that is fiction based on true history in which most all the characters are realistic historical figures, then this is a book you should read. It does a very good job of outlining the beginning of this war, the siege that is the center of the book as well as preparing us for what's to come in the future novels. Just an excellent work and I look forward to the second book of the series, as well as digging into the other works of this author.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost didn't read this novel because of the cover--evil expression on the statue's face--foolish reason. I am very glad I finally did read this page-turner though. Well written and very informative, it's the story of the Jewish War of the mid-first century AD from the beginning, a successful Jewish revolt against Florus, the venal Roman procurator of Judea, up to and including the siege of Jotapata by three Roman legions bent on brutal reprisal, under Vespasian and Titus, his son. We follow a Jewish stonemason, Judah, and his twin brother, the scholar-stonemason Asher, and the ambitious Jewish priest turned general, Yosef ben Matityahu [aka Flavius Josephus]. The Judeans form an army organized on the Roman model, with preparations for battle. We also follow the Roman army in alternating sections.

I liked the two brothers but Josephus left me cold, knowing what the latter did and was, historically. Here in the novel the author tried to soften his actions and motivations for them although he was still filled with hubris. The author conveyed the time and place to me perfectly. I learned a lot about Jewish customs of that time period and about that War. This was an excellent portrayal of Vespasian, a favorite historical figure. Of the action, the siege and Jewish defense were very well told. Especially I admired the actions of Eleazar, nicknamed Atlas, a giant of a man, who gave his life in bold defensive action. Both armies respected him for his bravery and quick-thinking exploit; Romans considered him a worthy foe. I thought interesting the discussion between Titus and Nicanor about certain parallels in Judaism and the Roman religion, one example being Man's disobedience of God and evil coming into the world and Pandora's disobedience in opening her jar and letting evils come into the world. I never felt like I was being preached to.

This is the first volume of a projected tetralogy. I am eager to read the upcoming volumes. Highly recommended!

[S.J.A. Turney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every now and then you discover a book that has somehow completely passed you by. I generally like to think I’m aware of the better releases in the Roman genre. I write in it, so I keep my eye on it, of course. I became aware of Blixt and his books through mututal connection. I write books with the historical fiction collective known as H360. So does David. We’ve not worked on a project together yet, but there is that connection, and I discovered in looking at his Verona series that he also has a Roman series.

Now the H360 team don’t take on bad writers, so my interest was truly piqued. I opened the book not knowing what to expect. Sometimes I will read a book purely on the author’s name, sometimes on the title and sometimes (yes I know they say you shouldn’t) on the cover., without reading even a basic blurb. Consequently I had no idea what Colossus: Stone and Steel was about other than it was Roman and written by David Blixt.

Pleasant surprise time. Stone and steel drew me in and kept me reading at any given opportunity until I hit the end and wished I had time to start the next book. Stone and Steel was simply an excellent book.

We start with excitement and atmosphere in first century Judea. The characters are fictional but very realistic and strong, and I was being quickly drawn in when I read a name, made instant connections and realised we were reading about the writer Josephus, one of my fave personalities in ancient Rome. In fact, I had toyed with writing the story of Flavius Josephus myself, and it was a project in a shelf somewhere. Glad I never tried, because I couldn’t do him the justice Blixt does.

You know why? Because this book is partially about Vespasian and the Flavian family, and Rome and its pernickety emperors and implacable consuls. But it is more about the Jewish people in Roman Judea and their struggles against sometimes Rome but more often each other. And while I know imperial Rome quite well, my familiarity with ancient Israel is less than fragmentary. So this book really struck me perfectly. It was at once familiar and strange, Roman and Jewish, imperial and rebellious. Blixt shows a deep understanding of the time and culture and displays a most impressive ability to portray this in fiction.

So now you know this is about the Flavians and Josephus and the Jewish War. And for those who know the history I will also add the name Jotopata. This is the tale of brothers and friends and family on both sides in a war that no one really thinks can do any good. This is a tale of internecine warfare, of the unstoppable war machine and the uncrushable Jewish spirit. It is the story of a brutal siege and of cultures clashing.

Essentially, Stone and Steel is well-written, beautifully researched, clever, informative, atmospheric and a must read for every fan of the genre. The characters are fully fleshed-out, the action exciting, the history accurate. The book ranks up easily along with the very cream of Roman fiction. I heartily recommend it.

Read Blixt’s book. You won’t regret it.

[Shinjini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Judea in 66 AD, Colossus details the Judean uprising against Nero’s Rome through the eyes of two brothers – Judah and Asher.

Judea has been suffering under the greed of its Roman Consular General, but when their temple is desecrated, an angry mob rises up against and defeats the Roman legion. They know that this act of rebellion will set the stage swift and merciless action by Emperor Nero, and must prepare to defend themselves against the Roman invasion. Almost unwillingly caught up in the middle of all this turmoil is Judah, a stone mason and hero of the uprising at Beth Horon. Since he is unable to win approval to marry the woman of his dreams, he and his brother Asher devote all their energies to defending the besieged city of Jotapata.

This is the second book by David Blixt that I tried to read. The first, Her Majesty’s Will, left me cold – I couldn’t get past 50 pages. So it was with some trepidation that I approached this book. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The story drew me in, painting the cities and the people and the setting vividly in my imagination. The plot is taunt – it’s not a fast-paced book, but it will keep you engaged and eager to turn the page. When the book came to an end, I was a little sad to be leaving the brothers in Jotapata and coming back to my everyday life! He’s built up the characters and the time period very well. The story is set around the time when Christianity was still starting – it had few takers, and most followers of Christ had to be careful about when and where they would meet as the clergy at the time was not convinced that Jesus was The Christ that was spoken of in prophesy. Blixt brings to life the city of Judea and Emperor Nero and his court, as well as the customs and daily life of people during that time period through his vivid descriptions. The characters, especially the key players (but even the smaller cast) are well crafted – you know their motivations and their fears and hopes and dreams.

This book is supposed to be the first in a series of books on Rome and the rise of Christianity, but it starts “small, almost intimately, with two Judean brothers at the siege of Jotapata.” Author David Blixt hit upon the idea for this novel after a visit to St Clement’s in Rome, where they have excavated and created a tour through the history of the city.

Blixt will widen the scope out in the next several book, keeping Judah and Asher as the central points, exploring how drastically the world changed in a short period of time.

I have to say that I’m looking forward to the rest of this series, though the book does excellently as a stand-alone novel as well.

[Melisende · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Judea 66AD, retribution will be severe for the Jewish deafeat of the Roman army under Governor Gessius Florus. This was the time of the Great Revolt, originating in Roman and Jewish ethnic and religious tensions. The crisis escalated due to anti-taxation protests and attacks upon Roman citizens. Four years later, the Temple of Jerusalem will be sacked.

This is a well told story from both perspective - the Jewish (through the fictional characters of brothers Judah and Asher) and the Roman, and features the real life character of Josephus, the chronicler. The fictional character of the mason Judah finds himself an unlikely hero in the defence of Jodapatha, which was under the command of Yosef ben Matitiyahu, against the forces of the General (later Emperor) Vespasian and his son Titus.

The reader is drawn into this compelling story, which has a touch of the psychological thriller about, with a mix of political intrigue. In reality, it was a bloody and brutal time, and this has been conveyed quite convincingly - the tension in this region was palpable - you could cut the air with a knife.

If you have an interest in this period of history, this series may be for you.

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a free loan from the Kindle Lending Library. I really enjoyed it and couldn't put it down. I was worried when I first started it that it was going to turn into Christian literature, but it stayed pretty firmly in historical-fiction territory. There is no preaching here! The story is set during the times of early Christianity, when Rome is ruled by Nero, and the Jews in Judea are under attack. It is a very detailed and interesting part of history. However, the book reads like a thriller, with dynamic characters, who are nuanced and depicted realistically. I particularly liked the story of the two fictional twin brothers, one a warrior and the other a scholar. The story follows both perspectives, those of the Judeans and the Romans, and explains different sects of Judaism. There are some disgustingly graphic depictions of war during this time period, which might make some squeamish, but is historically accurate.

[Robin Levin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yis’gadal, v’yit’kadash sh’mei raba. . . . May his great name grow exalted and sanctified. . . The Jewish mourner’s Kaddish, spoken in every Jewish prayer service. Unlike other prayers which are in Hebrew, the mourner’s Kaddish is in Aramaic, the language spoken in Judea at the time of the Roman conquest. I always assumed that this was because the Romans gave Judeans many thousands of opportunities to say it.
David Blixt’s Colossus: Stone and Steel brings the struggle between Rome and Judea vividly to life. The fictional heroes of the story are twin brothers Judah and Asher ben Matthias, both master stone masons. The twins are identical but have very different personalities: Judah is a warrior while Asher is a scholar. Judah remains in Jerusalem with his father while Asher goes off to Alexandria to pursue learning.
Judea is governed by Gessius Florus, a Roman equite whose rapacity and brutality are extreme even by Roman standards. Florus has provoked the Judeans to arms by profaning the Temple of Solomon. Judah has taken up arms to avenge his brother, whom he believes has perished at the hands of the Romans in Alexandria. A battle takes place at Beth Horon, and Judah heroically manages to capture the Roman eagle, the sacred standard of the 15th legion. Judah wishes to marry Deborah, the brother of Phannius, another mason, but even the capture of the eagle doesn’t persuade the girl’s mother, who thinks Judah’s family beneath hers.
Ancient Rome might occasionally lose battles, but it did not lose wars. When Caesar Nero gets word of this rebellion while on his concert tour of Greece, he appoints his general Vespasian to bring several legions to Judea to put down the rebels. Vespasian is only too happy to comply because he knows he has deeply offended Nero by falling asleep during one of the Caesar’s performances, and if he doesn’t get a command his days are numbered. This also gives him a chance to promote the career of his son Titus by giving him command of a legion.
The Judeans are profoundly disunited. There are several factions, each at odds with all the others. The Sadducees, the Pharisees, the Essenes, and the Nazarenes. The people of Jerusalem have little in common with the rough-hewn peasants of Galilee. An ambitious priest, Joseph ben Matityahu, known to history as Josephus Flavius, is assigned to the command of a Judean armed force in Galilee. Although wounded, Asher has somehow survived the conflict in Alexandria and returned home. He and Judah answer the call to arms and join Joseph in Galilee.
The struggle between Rome and Judea has a sort of David versus Goliath quality to it, but it is very clear that, in this instance, David has no chance to win. Nevertheless, you have to admire the zeal and courage of Judeans who fought the colossus of stone and steel. David Blixt’s fine novel makes it all real.

[Viviane Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

The year is 66 A.D. Rome rules over Israel but it isn't a peaceful coexistence between Romans and Jews. There are Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, and other rebels who think that their brief skirmishes against their enemy will go unnoticed and naively be successful in ousting the Roman soldiers. In the middle of this critical situation live Judah and Asher, two mason brothers, the former a physically muscular man and the latter an academic type who has actually studied in Rome and returned for a secret reason he at first will not reveal to anyone. He returns severely bruised and broken.

Right before Asher's return, Judah finds himself inadvertently involved with a violent fight with Roman soldiers. It is his first brush with men outside his trade, some who are natural soldiers, others who are priests, former slaves, generals, and more. Their success in severely decimating the Roman soldiers makes them momentarily drunk with victory until they realize that the act of taking a Roman Eagle standard guarantees that Rome must respond. So they begin to prepare for what seems like the end of Israel. Judah is hailed as a Jewish general, even though this hardly deems him more worthy for the hand of the woman he adores, Deborah.

The rest of the novel covers the planning for the great war and the first representative battle at Jotapata. Here there are parallel scenes depicted of the leaders and the brilliance or devastation of these plans in each skirmish. What is unique about the story is the refusal of Blixt to fall into stereotypical characterization. Military campaign strategy is discussed and tried in between the quoting of poetry or the explanation of the complex Jewish faith and its beliefs and sects. Academic excellence is as revered as battle skills. The need for different levels of society to not only interact but cooperate is painstakingly described, with the private thoughts and feelings of every side adding to the tense and relaxed dialogue that is never repetitive or tedious, never stodgy but instead an adventuresome and informative read.

David Blixt is definitely a master of creating vibrant, credible, exciting, and accurate historical fiction. His style is not only easy to read but also immensely engaging; the reader will be unable to stop reading once he or she begins any novel by this very talented writer. Colossus is no exception and thankfully will be followed by another novel continuing the critical days that will perhaps be Israel's last stand against the Roman Eagle! Stunning, David Blixt!

[C C Cedras · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read and enjoyed every one of David Blixt's novels, particularly the Star-Cross'd (Master of Verona) series, and I had a fairly superficial understanding of the events and personages of the historical period covered in the Colossus novels. Once again, Blixt brings history to life with a hearty blend of actual historical figures and some fictional, illuminating actual events and locales in a way no history class or text ever could. His use of language, dialogue and geographical description immerses the reader in the time and place; his characterizations, including breathing life into the real historical actors, makes the reader feel like they are walking in the shoes of the characters, whether protagonist or antagonist. Few novelists (none better in my estimation) write such compelling action sequences -- so riveting it's like watching them on film.

This first novel introduces the fictional Judah and Asher ben Matthias, identical twins who are masons by trade (Asher is a scholar as well), but who become warriors in the heroic defense of Judea against the oppression of Nero's legions under the direction of Vespasian ... more about all of them in book 2 of the series: The Four Emperors.

These novels have it all: political and personal intrigue, internecine struggles to maintain religious and secular control over nations and people, loyalty, love, betrayal, riveting action ... when this book ends you'll want to immediately pick up where it leaves off with book 2 in the series and hope that Blixt has book 3 coming quickly down the pike!

[Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, what a fantastic read. By the end of the book I could smell the Jasmin growing in Judea. David Blixt really captures the feel of the time and his characterisation is excellent. The story moves along at a great pace and treats both sides, Hebrew and Roman, pretty evenly.

Blixt’s research has been excellent and it gives the story a real sense of authenticity. I was not surprised to read him saying that when it comes to Roman writing, Colleen McCullough was the person! Well David, I think you are very close to Ms McCullough. Well done a great book. I cannot wait for the others in the series.

[Kerri · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very well-written book that interweaves history into a compelling story. Characters are developed in a way that makes you care about them and want to follow their journey into the next book. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very interesting and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

[Korra II Allison Baskerville · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not finish.

This will primarily be a review of the audiobook.

So this book features a lot of characters from the Christian? Bible? Don’t know, don’t care. I’m not into religious dogma. I’m also unfamiliar with much of Roman history or the many names. I have a hard time with names in general. Which led to me struggling to follow along.

I was fucking lost the entire time I was listening to this book. Every few minutes, I felt myself getting confused, bored, and zoning out. Then I’d realize I was lost and had no idea what the hell was going on again. So I’d try to start paying attention again, only for it to happen again.

I want it known, I tried to continue on with this book. I listened to a few hours worth (stopping somewhere in the 9-hour range, listening at 2.0 – 2.55x speed.) I ended up leaving the book out of boredom and with a desire to review something shorter to not fall behind on reviews. Nine days and 9 reviews later, I returned to this book out of obligation to the author…. and I lasted another couple of hours before finally accepting defeat.

The reason I went so in detail about why I couldn’t get into this book is that I don’t think it’s a bad book, it’s just not for me. I also can’t stand reviews that are just “I got this as a review copy. This book good! / this book bad!” That’s just lazy and disrespectful to the person that gave them a review copy. The book is very descriptive. It seems well written, planned, and researched. Not that I’d know otherwise. As I said, I know little of Roman history or Bible characters.

Overall, the narrator does a great job. Somebody should tell him there’s no e in apricot. It’s not an “Ape-ricot”. Other than that annoyance, his voices and acting were excellent. You can tell he takes his job seriously.

NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.

[Brian Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly colossal read

The author's obvious research and attention to detail had the effect of virtually convincing me that I was reading a true to life narrative and I had to keep reminding myself that I was in fact reading a fictional novel. It was a truly awesome read, with battle scenes that were realistic without glorifying in the obvious blooe and gore associated with warfare in Biblical times. Judah and Asher, twins and masons, though of totally different temperament, find themselves thrown into war against the Romans. Judah is a fighter, Asher a thinker, each with a part to play in the conflict.
As the story unfolds and zzz I include no spoilers here, it looks for a time as if the jews are about to secure a momentus victory of sorts against the mighty Roman Empire. You'll have to read this great book in order to find out. One clue, Judah and Asher appear in the next book in the series. Brilliant!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: I enjoyed this story a lot. The author brought to life Judea in 66 A.D in which a group of Hebrews bested a Roman legion in a skirmish, after which the Hebrews had to prepare for Emperor Nero's retaliation. I was amazed at the depth of research which was evident in the story. I liked the stone mason, Judah, who was drawn into the struggles of the people. I followed his journey with bated breath, which added an emotional element for me. I thought Brian J. Gill's narration was great, and his performance enhanced the story's entertainment. I was given a copy of the audiobook. I volunteered, without financial gain, to post this review which reflected my honest opinions regarding this story.

[Daniel Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would certainly recommend

Very well written story. Great characters and descriptions. Goes into much more detail on the judean revolt than most Roman historical fiction writers with cities and battles, leaders of different factions and consequences of decisions. Well done David

[Philip · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a pleasant surprise this book turned out to be. Unexpectedly pleasant historical novel about the First Jewish War with the siege of Jotapata as a culmination. Too bad most of the sequels aren't written yet.

[Donald Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

History

I really enjoyed reading this book. It blended historical data into a very well written tale of life in ancient times

[J.D. Schechter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice try

A fanciful treatment of Judaean uprising against the yoke of Rome with too much archaic language and characters that never quite come alive

[Horst Diemert · Rating 4 out of 5]

well done

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping and Plausible

Historical fiction makes demands of author's who write for readers familiar with historical facts. Well done, Mr Blixt! I shall read more from you!

[Jo Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

lots of history. Roman history never ceases to interest and be informative.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took a little while to get into this, but once the war and the siege really got going, I was engaged.

[Vicki Kondelik · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first volume in an exciting series set in ancient Rome and Judea, by David Blixt, whose Star Cross'd series is among my favorite historical novels. Colossus: Stone and Steel tells the story of two Jewish brothers, Judah and Asher ben Matthais. Identical twins, both stonemasons, Judah and Asher have very different personalities: Judah is a warrior and Asher is a scholar and a traumatized survivor of the massacre of the Jewish community of Alexandria. Judah inadvertently becomes a hero when, during a skirmish between Romans and Hebrews, he captures the eagle of a Roman legion. But even his heroism is not enough to convince the mother and brother of his love, Deborah, to allow him to marry her. Deborah also comes from a stonemason's family, but they have a drop of noble blood, so they think Judah isn't good enough for her. Meanwhile, Emperor Nero's revenge for the destruction of his legion is swift and merciless. Judah and Asher join the defenders of the besieged city of Jotapata, where the Hebrews, led by the priest-general Yosef ben Matityahu, who will become known in history as Josephus, hold out for forty-nine days against the Romans under Vespasian. Blixt's descriptions of the siege, and the battles between Hebrews and Romans, are harrowing. His battle scenes are among the best I've ever read. Alternating sections are told from the point of view of Vespasian and his son Titus, who is having an affair with the Judean queen Berenice. I enjoyed Colossus: Stone and Steel so much, I began the second in the series, Colossus: The Four Emperors, as soon as I finished this one.

[Helen Haste · Rating 1 out of 5]

Read 10%. Can tell its written by a guy ! The graphics of killing are horrid and I can't be bothered with. This story has not captured me. Maybe I will go back to it one day

[Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

mixed thoughts on this book. Blixt definitely did a thorough research, for it shows in the detailed and specific information on 1st century Judea and Roman relationships. Also, he goes in detail on the Judea's thoughts and feelings towards the Roman occupation during this time period. Perhaps a little too detailed. I will probably read the next book in the series, many times the second book in a series are better....