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Wolves of Rome
218 BC.
Hannibal Barca has conquered Saguntum and is preparing his army to lay siege on Rome.
But an arrogant Roman Senate is dismissive of the barbarian warrior - and refuses to take any steps to protect the city.
A young man, Gaius, has been brought up as part of the Wolves of Rome, one of the most powerful and feared legions of the Empire.
As the threat from Hannibal rises, the Wolves are given orders to prepare for battle.
Meanwhile, back in Rome, Gaius has found out that his childhood sweetheart, and the love of his life, Julia Varro, has been betrothed to Lucius Aemilius Paullus by her father to secure an important political alliance.
Gaius finds himself trapped between his duty - fighting to the death for the Republic - and his heart - fighting to secure Julia’s hand in marriage.
As the war ravages the nation, and Rome faces one crushing defeat after another from Hannibal’s invading barbarian horde ,Gaius stands to lose his love and his life…
Can he help lead the Wolves - and Rome - to victory against Hannibal?
Or does he stand to lose it all in the fight to secure the Empire?
Set during the events of the Second Punic War, circa 218 – 201 BC, ‘Wolves of Rome’ is a sweeping military epic set against the backdrop of one of the ancient world’s greatest conflicts – a war that would see the end of one nation and the rise of a new world super-power that would forever change the course of western civilization.
Hannibal Barca has conquered Saguntum and is preparing his army to lay siege on Rome.
But an arrogant Roman Senate is dismissive of the barbarian warrior - and refuses to take any steps to protect the city.
A young man, Gaius, has been brought up as part of the Wolves of Rome, one of the most powerful and feared legions of the Empire.
As the threat from Hannibal rises, the Wolves are given orders to prepare for battle.
Meanwhile, back in Rome, Gaius has found out that his childhood sweetheart, and the love of his life, Julia Varro, has been betrothed to Lucius Aemilius Paullus by her father to secure an important political alliance.
Gaius finds himself trapped between his duty - fighting to the death for the Republic - and his heart - fighting to secure Julia’s hand in marriage.
As the war ravages the nation, and Rome faces one crushing defeat after another from Hannibal’s invading barbarian horde ,Gaius stands to lose his love and his life…
Can he help lead the Wolves - and Rome - to victory against Hannibal?
Or does he stand to lose it all in the fight to secure the Empire?
Set during the events of the Second Punic War, circa 218 – 201 BC, ‘Wolves of Rome’ is a sweeping military epic set against the backdrop of one of the ancient world’s greatest conflicts – a war that would see the end of one nation and the rise of a new world super-power that would forever change the course of western civilization.
- GenresHistorical FictionRoman
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 2, 2013
19 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Lee Buckner
21 books7 followersChristopher Lee Buckner is a highly regarded novelist and game designer renowned for his exceptional ability to craft immersive and captivating universes. He has received widespread acclaim for his vivid portrayal of resilient female protagonists and formidable antagonists. With a primary focus on Roman historical fiction, as well as expertise in the realms of history, science fiction, and fantasy, Christopher has released a diverse range of literary works. Some of his notable publications include "Wolves of Rome," the acclaimed "Rome Unbound" series, "Tyrannus: Immortal of Rome," and the enthralling "Cepheus Protocol." Over the course of the last 17 years, Christopher has contributed his exceptional talents as a writer and game designer to various independent video game studios, such as Prime Mortal Interactive, Burning Man Studios, Fenrir Studios, Tales, and Halcyon Winds.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 9, 2014
This gem of a book takes place during the Second Punic War, Hannibal's invasion of Italy told from a centurion's perspective. We meet the protagonist, Lucius Gaius, at the age of thirteen before he is forced to leave his home, everything and everyone he knows and loves. He becomes a Centurion of the famed Wolves of Rome, the Sixth Legion, and risks his life defending Rome against the Carthaginian Hannibal and his army of fifty thousand barbarians. There is one bloody battle after another as the Romans fall to their deaths to an underestimated opponent. Gaius is such a likable character and I relished this story of his life and his forbidden love for a woman betrothed to one of the most powerful men of Rome.
(b)Bravo Mr. Buckner and thanks for the great read!(b/)
(b)Bravo Mr. Buckner and thanks for the great read!(b/)
January 26, 2014
'Wolves of Rome' is a must read for anybody who would like to learn more about the lives and loves of the ancient Romans. The descriptive passages in this novel certainly provided a real life picture of what it must have been like to live in Rome during the times of the Punic Wars. So much so, that at times I felt as though I was walking alongside the soldiers as they crossed the mountains to face their enemies and an unknown fate.
It is an Epic saga of both bravery and honour and is enriched even more so by the lavish historical references to what has been considered one of the most brutal periods of ancient Rome. The distinctive style in which the author wrote this novel, managed to create a very visual dimension,that was almost tangible.
I also liked the way the author was able to sensitively weave in and around the challenges of the personal journey of Gaius, who was torn between his duty to his country and his ongoing love for Julia, his childhood sweetheart.The Author's knowledge of the everyday lives of the people living during this time was quite extensive and well observed. Even though I am not really a 'history buff' and don't know too much about this period, I still felt enthralled by this novel and would recommend it as a good entertaining read
It is an Epic saga of both bravery and honour and is enriched even more so by the lavish historical references to what has been considered one of the most brutal periods of ancient Rome. The distinctive style in which the author wrote this novel, managed to create a very visual dimension,that was almost tangible.
I also liked the way the author was able to sensitively weave in and around the challenges of the personal journey of Gaius, who was torn between his duty to his country and his ongoing love for Julia, his childhood sweetheart.The Author's knowledge of the everyday lives of the people living during this time was quite extensive and well observed. Even though I am not really a 'history buff' and don't know too much about this period, I still felt enthralled by this novel and would recommend it as a good entertaining read
August 14, 2016
Wolves of Rome is an easy-to-read novel that tackles an historical subject that you don’t see very often in fiction: the Second Punic War (218 – 201 BC). Although the ending is predetermined – always an issue, with historical fiction – the characters here and the author’s way of personalizing the war through them keeps the story fresh and the reader very engaged. In fact, I thought character development was one of the novel’s strongest aspects, especially considering that the players here are pretty well known to history. The author’s ability to flesh them out in a way modern readers can sympathize with was impressive.
I do have to say that the dialogue bothered me, on two accounts. Firstly, the characters very rarely – if ever – used contractions, even though the narrative prose made appropriate use of them. I’m not sure if this was intended to give the feeling that the reader was ‘listening’ to an old, translated language, or if it was meant to give the speakers a statelier aura. Or maybe there’s a language rule at play here that I’m unfamiliar with… In any case, I felt constantly distracted by it, over and over again. Secondly, I found the dialogue to be distracting in the battle scenes, too. My mind would be fully engulfed in the vibrant and admittedly gory brawls, and then I would lose a few beats as two characters started philosophizing against each other. I just found it a little bit hard to suspend belief, at that point.
But, the novel is overall very well structured, and the plot more than makes up for a few annoyances like that. A line editor could have come in very useful, as well, for spelling and grammar. I would have to say, though, that in the end this is a great, fresh look at a dramatic moment in history, and I would recommend this to all of my history buff friends.
I do have to say that the dialogue bothered me, on two accounts. Firstly, the characters very rarely – if ever – used contractions, even though the narrative prose made appropriate use of them. I’m not sure if this was intended to give the feeling that the reader was ‘listening’ to an old, translated language, or if it was meant to give the speakers a statelier aura. Or maybe there’s a language rule at play here that I’m unfamiliar with… In any case, I felt constantly distracted by it, over and over again. Secondly, I found the dialogue to be distracting in the battle scenes, too. My mind would be fully engulfed in the vibrant and admittedly gory brawls, and then I would lose a few beats as two characters started philosophizing against each other. I just found it a little bit hard to suspend belief, at that point.
But, the novel is overall very well structured, and the plot more than makes up for a few annoyances like that. A line editor could have come in very useful, as well, for spelling and grammar. I would have to say, though, that in the end this is a great, fresh look at a dramatic moment in history, and I would recommend this to all of my history buff friends.
October 14, 2014
The present book and Rome Unbound: Whispers of Rebellion by the same author, are both excellent reads. I read the books back to back thinking one was a prequel or a sequel to the other. Neither was either.
Hannibal crossed the Alps to do his atrocities on the Romans. Three battles were fought, three times the Roman soldiers fell into the same trap laid by Hannibal, and three times the Romans got whipped. The author gave good descriptions of the why and how this happened. New leadership at the top level of the Roman government put into practice new policies that took care of Hannibal. The author slipped a poignant love story into the storyline that gave me more insight into the Roman Way.
There were several grammatical errors made by the author or the editor or gram check or all three. I enjoyed the book so much that I have decided not to even mention them.
Thank you, Mr. Buckner, for a Good Read.
Hannibal crossed the Alps to do his atrocities on the Romans. Three battles were fought, three times the Roman soldiers fell into the same trap laid by Hannibal, and three times the Romans got whipped. The author gave good descriptions of the why and how this happened. New leadership at the top level of the Roman government put into practice new policies that took care of Hannibal. The author slipped a poignant love story into the storyline that gave me more insight into the Roman Way.
There were several grammatical errors made by the author or the editor or gram check or all three. I enjoyed the book so much that I have decided not to even mention them.
Thank you, Mr. Buckner, for a Good Read.
November 13, 2019
Rubbish
Only a few pages in and I refuse to read any more of this twaddle. Historical fiction needs a certain amount of licence. The author has conflated the excesses of Rome under the early empire into a society that was two hundred years earlier. It is a bit like having George 111 sitting down to watch the television
Only a few pages in and I refuse to read any more of this twaddle. Historical fiction needs a certain amount of licence. The author has conflated the excesses of Rome under the early empire into a society that was two hundred years earlier. It is a bit like having George 111 sitting down to watch the television
March 8, 2024
Good one..
An interesting read. Looking forward to the sequel. Hopefully it will be as good as this one.
Christopher Lee Bucknell joins my list of good, readable authors.
An interesting read. Looking forward to the sequel. Hopefully it will be as good as this one.
Christopher Lee Bucknell joins my list of good, readable authors.
February 28, 2014
Wolves of Rome by Christopher Lee Buckner
HIGH QUALITY STORYTELLING
The story takes place in the late 3rd Century, B.C.E., beginning with Hannibal’s conquest of Saguntum and offering the reader a glimpse into the obsession he has with conquering Rome and bringing down the Roman Republic. We then skip ahead 10 years, and catch up with Hannibal Barca and his brother Mago after they have finally crossed the Alps and amassed an army of Gallic tribes to begin their campaign in earnest.
The main character of the story is Gaius, the son of former Sixth Legion centurion Lucius. Lucius, suffering from progressive health problems caused by his military career, sends Gaius off with his best friend Valerius to a life with the Wolves of Rome, the Sixth Legion. Both Lucius and Valerius tell Gaius that the most successful soldiers never forget those they love – in Gaius’ case, Julia and Julius, children of the senator Varro. Ten years later, Gaius has climbed in rank, and his legion is dispatched to Rome, where he reunites with Julius and Julia.
The most richly drawn characters are Gaius and Valerius, who develop father-son bonds within the bigger context of their general- lieutenant relationship. Gaius is confident in his abilities, dedicated to his cohort, yet he was plagued often throughout his career by the sadness of his “could I have done/saved more” questions. At times his honesty in the face of politics is astonishing. He is challenged by all he sees and experiences to retain his humanity. And through it all, Valerius, his mentor and surrogate father, watches over Gaius and continues to teach and guide him.
The supporting cast has, to my reading, several levels. In spite of not seeing his childhood friends Julius and Julia for more than a decade, Gaius’ reunion with them is exciting for the reader, and sets the emotional stage for all the action that follows. While Julia and Julius provide Gaius’ motivation, his inspiration, they did not seem to have much emotional depth, remaining reminiscent of their childhood portrayals. Julia, in particular, seems exceptionally casual regarding her being caught in between her heart and her familial obligations. Lucius Paullus, consul of the Roman Republic, becomes increasingly mentioned during the middle of the story to take a place of prominence in the latter phases of the campaign. Paullus is complex: he respects Gaius’ intellect, he trusts Gaius’ military assessments. He acknowledges the very close friendship between Julia and Gaius, yet is surprised when Gaius tells him of the degree of intimacy of their relationship?
Author Christopher Lee Buckner does an excellent job with the settings of the story. I am admittedly challenged to keep a sense of position when I read, but did not find that to be the case with this story. Not once did I run to the internet to look at maps, as I normally do. Gaius does not present as a particularly poetic person, he is a military person, trained to take note of his surroundings and assess risk quickly. Mr. Buckner seems to carry that view through in the story. When a setting is described, flowery and emotive terms are not used. Instead, the reader gets an immediate sense of safe versus dangerous areas. Since the story’s perspective is that of one soldier, battle descriptions are of what is happening around Gaius, with the other aspects of the fighting related in de-briefing manner.
I was surprised to not find the typical marker years at the beginnings of the chapters (I must confess to having to look up Hannibal to find out when he lived, and subsequently terrorized Italy). With so much factual information available, I was also surprised that Mr. Buckner did not include the typical list of sources – perhaps he gives us credit for being smart enough to explore further on our own. There were also a few occasions where I felt lost – a couple of the references to battle tactics seemed to take readers knowledge of the historical perspective for granted. Finally, as is common with most ebooks, there were quite a few grammatical/typo/syntax errors. However, the high quality of the storytelling far overshadowed any distraction.
HIGH QUALITY STORYTELLING
The story takes place in the late 3rd Century, B.C.E., beginning with Hannibal’s conquest of Saguntum and offering the reader a glimpse into the obsession he has with conquering Rome and bringing down the Roman Republic. We then skip ahead 10 years, and catch up with Hannibal Barca and his brother Mago after they have finally crossed the Alps and amassed an army of Gallic tribes to begin their campaign in earnest.
The main character of the story is Gaius, the son of former Sixth Legion centurion Lucius. Lucius, suffering from progressive health problems caused by his military career, sends Gaius off with his best friend Valerius to a life with the Wolves of Rome, the Sixth Legion. Both Lucius and Valerius tell Gaius that the most successful soldiers never forget those they love – in Gaius’ case, Julia and Julius, children of the senator Varro. Ten years later, Gaius has climbed in rank, and his legion is dispatched to Rome, where he reunites with Julius and Julia.
The most richly drawn characters are Gaius and Valerius, who develop father-son bonds within the bigger context of their general- lieutenant relationship. Gaius is confident in his abilities, dedicated to his cohort, yet he was plagued often throughout his career by the sadness of his “could I have done/saved more” questions. At times his honesty in the face of politics is astonishing. He is challenged by all he sees and experiences to retain his humanity. And through it all, Valerius, his mentor and surrogate father, watches over Gaius and continues to teach and guide him.
The supporting cast has, to my reading, several levels. In spite of not seeing his childhood friends Julius and Julia for more than a decade, Gaius’ reunion with them is exciting for the reader, and sets the emotional stage for all the action that follows. While Julia and Julius provide Gaius’ motivation, his inspiration, they did not seem to have much emotional depth, remaining reminiscent of their childhood portrayals. Julia, in particular, seems exceptionally casual regarding her being caught in between her heart and her familial obligations. Lucius Paullus, consul of the Roman Republic, becomes increasingly mentioned during the middle of the story to take a place of prominence in the latter phases of the campaign. Paullus is complex: he respects Gaius’ intellect, he trusts Gaius’ military assessments. He acknowledges the very close friendship between Julia and Gaius, yet is surprised when Gaius tells him of the degree of intimacy of their relationship?
Author Christopher Lee Buckner does an excellent job with the settings of the story. I am admittedly challenged to keep a sense of position when I read, but did not find that to be the case with this story. Not once did I run to the internet to look at maps, as I normally do. Gaius does not present as a particularly poetic person, he is a military person, trained to take note of his surroundings and assess risk quickly. Mr. Buckner seems to carry that view through in the story. When a setting is described, flowery and emotive terms are not used. Instead, the reader gets an immediate sense of safe versus dangerous areas. Since the story’s perspective is that of one soldier, battle descriptions are of what is happening around Gaius, with the other aspects of the fighting related in de-briefing manner.
I was surprised to not find the typical marker years at the beginnings of the chapters (I must confess to having to look up Hannibal to find out when he lived, and subsequently terrorized Italy). With so much factual information available, I was also surprised that Mr. Buckner did not include the typical list of sources – perhaps he gives us credit for being smart enough to explore further on our own. There were also a few occasions where I felt lost – a couple of the references to battle tactics seemed to take readers knowledge of the historical perspective for granted. Finally, as is common with most ebooks, there were quite a few grammatical/typo/syntax errors. However, the high quality of the storytelling far overshadowed any distraction.
March 20, 2014
This book is not for the squeamish. The gore is described in full and, sometimes, in excess, which should please those who want their history unrestrained and uncensored, no matter how bloody. While the gore wasn’t my cup of tea, I will say that other parts of the book have admirable vivid descriptions. One that I really liked and that stuck with me while reading was “The wretched souls looked as if they had just crawled out from their own graves” when describing a group of beggars. It paints such a clear picture in your mind.
However, the description in the book goes above and beyond, venturing close to the realm of beating you over the head. Many times, you’re told of motivations, actions, and thoughts in excruciating detail when it’s unnecessary. And more often than not, you’re reminded again and again. Even information from a previous chapter that has already been established will be hammered home repeatedly. For example, if after the first time, you don’t remember that “Hannibal knows Rome better than Rome knows itself,” it’ll be ingrained into your head by the midpoint of the story.
The part that highlights this best, and that stood out most for me, was when one character is told his father looked like Apollo when charging onto a battlefield. A short time later, the character names his own horse Apollo. But not content to let the reader make the connection, the story outright tells you why the character named the horse Apollo and gives a summary of the story about his father.
While the descriptions may have hurt it, the plot did hold my interest. Honestly, it’s unique in that I can’t recall any stories using Hannibal and the Second Punic War. The book says it’s a historical epic and I have to agree. It certainly reads like that, following a soldier’s lifetime of love, loss, and valor against the backdrop of a large-scale war. And Buckner has certainly does his research on the era. I’m not an expert on Roman culture, yet nothing about the people, cities, or the lifestyles struck me as being off.
The problems this book has bring it down, but are nothing that an editor couldn’t fix. I can’t really say it was the book for me or that I’d personally recommend it. Although I can see those who like historical fiction or war epics enjoying it.
However, the description in the book goes above and beyond, venturing close to the realm of beating you over the head. Many times, you’re told of motivations, actions, and thoughts in excruciating detail when it’s unnecessary. And more often than not, you’re reminded again and again. Even information from a previous chapter that has already been established will be hammered home repeatedly. For example, if after the first time, you don’t remember that “Hannibal knows Rome better than Rome knows itself,” it’ll be ingrained into your head by the midpoint of the story.
The part that highlights this best, and that stood out most for me, was when one character is told his father looked like Apollo when charging onto a battlefield. A short time later, the character names his own horse Apollo. But not content to let the reader make the connection, the story outright tells you why the character named the horse Apollo and gives a summary of the story about his father.
While the descriptions may have hurt it, the plot did hold my interest. Honestly, it’s unique in that I can’t recall any stories using Hannibal and the Second Punic War. The book says it’s a historical epic and I have to agree. It certainly reads like that, following a soldier’s lifetime of love, loss, and valor against the backdrop of a large-scale war. And Buckner has certainly does his research on the era. I’m not an expert on Roman culture, yet nothing about the people, cities, or the lifestyles struck me as being off.
The problems this book has bring it down, but are nothing that an editor couldn’t fix. I can’t really say it was the book for me or that I’d personally recommend it. Although I can see those who like historical fiction or war epics enjoying it.
August 10, 2014
I am a fan of historical fiction, and in a number of ways this story delivered. It's about a period I'm not overly familiar with, so that alone was a plus. Christopher Lee Buckner is skilled at throwing you right into the center of a bloody battle, with all the gory details. Not for the squeamish, yet on the other hand it felt very real. War is brutal, particularly combat fought with traditional weapons.
The author creates very human, well-drawn characters with heartfelt motivations. I enjoyed reading about Gaius and cared about what happened to him and the people around him. The story was well thought out and kept me turning the pages. Although it's not heavy on history, he created a solid experience of place.
The author creates very human, well-drawn characters with heartfelt motivations. I enjoyed reading about Gaius and cared about what happened to him and the people around him. The story was well thought out and kept me turning the pages. Although it's not heavy on history, he created a solid experience of place.
September 23, 2014
The novel reminds me a little of 'Game of Thrones' which incidentally is my favorite series. If you enjoy the Roman Empire era and ancient battles both won and lost, this is the book for you. This time era is at its peak with a believable historical feel that doesn't hold back on bloody descriptions in part. Certainly not for the faint of heart when it comes to the battle scenes within a well structured environment. A good adventure, great storyline, and a well developed plot. Highly recommended.
November 13, 2014
This is a novel I wouldn't mind adding to my print shelf collection. I was impressed with the writing, the world building and the talent the author had to construct such an elaborate world with such detail. I wasn't expecting to like the Wolves of Rome so well but I am glad I did.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews