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THE MERCENARY OF ROME TRILOGY a brutal, brilliant historical saga of loyalty, courage, and survival
Experience the glory and gore of the ancient world with all three of John Stack’s astonishingly vivid Mercenary of Rome novels—now in one volume!
From Sunday Times bestselling author John Stack comes a sweeping trilogy of blood, betrayal, and brotherhood at the heart of the Roman navy.
PRAISE FOR JOHN
‘Strong characters, excellent action.’ — Conn Iggulden
‘Peopled with characters both fictional and historical, this debut novel gives a fascinating and evocative insight into the high politics and military life of the times.’ — Daily Mail
Sicily, 241 BC. Carthage has been battered by years of war—but Rome’s ambition is only just beginning.
Veteran Roman sailor and outsider Atticus Perennis commands the Orcus, a powerful quinquereme warship. Fighting pirates, mercenaries, and Rome’s own deadly politics, Atticus must prove his loyalty again and again—while surviving treachery on all fronts.
You get all three of these books in this action-packed box
🔹 Mutiny: Rome’s hard-won peace is fragile. In the shadowy seas of Sicily, Atticus battles pirates—and the bigotry of Roman masters—until a desperate plea from Carthage’s commander, Hamilcar Barca, offers him a dangerous new mission.
🔹 Retribution: Abandoned by Rome and trapped in Carthage, Atticus and his comrade Septimus must hold firm against a furious mercenary army while Roman senators bicker and delay.
🔹 Treachery: Word of a rescue fleet brings hope—but deception lurks. In a final stand against betrayal, Atticus and his men must risk everything for survival.
The Mercenary of Rome Trilogy blends meticulously researched Roman history with heart-pounding action. Political intrigue, brutal battles, shifting allegiances—this is the ancient world as you’ve never experienced it.
Perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden, Simon Scarrow, Bernard Cornwell, and readers of Roman military fiction.
Readers love John
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A welcome return from John Stack... weaving fact and fiction to keep you turning pages." – Amazon UK
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Nail-biting action all the way through. Brought the characters to life with mixed emotions about complex people." – Amazon UK
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Good historical fiction looks like this—no holds barred battles, vivid characters, politics and war rendered in rich detail." – Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This is a must-read for followers of historical fiction." – Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Lots of exciting action, especially the naval battles. Anyone interested in Roman history should read this book." – Amazon US
‘This is a seriously entertaining book for anyone who enjoys stirring descriptions of ancient warfare. You can almost taste the salt, see the blood and hear the shouts and screams… John Stack is to be welcomed into the ranks of first-rate historical writers.’ — Tuam Herald
From Sunday Times bestselling author John Stack comes a sweeping trilogy of blood, betrayal, and brotherhood at the heart of the Roman navy.
PRAISE FOR JOHN
‘Strong characters, excellent action.’ — Conn Iggulden
‘Peopled with characters both fictional and historical, this debut novel gives a fascinating and evocative insight into the high politics and military life of the times.’ — Daily Mail
Sicily, 241 BC. Carthage has been battered by years of war—but Rome’s ambition is only just beginning.
Veteran Roman sailor and outsider Atticus Perennis commands the Orcus, a powerful quinquereme warship. Fighting pirates, mercenaries, and Rome’s own deadly politics, Atticus must prove his loyalty again and again—while surviving treachery on all fronts.
You get all three of these books in this action-packed box
🔹 Mutiny: Rome’s hard-won peace is fragile. In the shadowy seas of Sicily, Atticus battles pirates—and the bigotry of Roman masters—until a desperate plea from Carthage’s commander, Hamilcar Barca, offers him a dangerous new mission.
🔹 Retribution: Abandoned by Rome and trapped in Carthage, Atticus and his comrade Septimus must hold firm against a furious mercenary army while Roman senators bicker and delay.
🔹 Treachery: Word of a rescue fleet brings hope—but deception lurks. In a final stand against betrayal, Atticus and his men must risk everything for survival.
The Mercenary of Rome Trilogy blends meticulously researched Roman history with heart-pounding action. Political intrigue, brutal battles, shifting allegiances—this is the ancient world as you’ve never experienced it.
Perfect for fans of Conn Iggulden, Simon Scarrow, Bernard Cornwell, and readers of Roman military fiction.
Readers love John
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A welcome return from John Stack... weaving fact and fiction to keep you turning pages." – Amazon UK
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Nail-biting action all the way through. Brought the characters to life with mixed emotions about complex people." – Amazon UK
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Good historical fiction looks like this—no holds barred battles, vivid characters, politics and war rendered in rich detail." – Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This is a must-read for followers of historical fiction." – Goodreads
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Lots of exciting action, especially the naval battles. Anyone interested in Roman history should read this book." – Amazon US
‘This is a seriously entertaining book for anyone who enjoys stirring descriptions of ancient warfare. You can almost taste the salt, see the blood and hear the shouts and screams… John Stack is to be welcomed into the ranks of first-rate historical writers.’ — Tuam Herald
341 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 24, 2025
144 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
John Stack
26 books88 followersJohn Stack was born and lives in County Cork in Ireland. He has always wanted to write but has done a variety of jobs ending up in IT. He is married with three children. He is presently writing the second book of the Masters of the Sea series.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
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August 17, 2025Excellent historical fiction
Brings ancient Rome and Carthage to vibrant life. Warning: this is a novel of war, and not for the squeamish. Barbaric practices are graphically described. But the overall effect is realism, and the overall tone is optimistic. The trilogy follows a Roman citizen of Greek heritage, who commands a group of Roman war ships. Recommended for anyone who enjoys historical military fiction.
Brings ancient Rome and Carthage to vibrant life. Warning: this is a novel of war, and not for the squeamish. Barbaric practices are graphically described. But the overall effect is realism, and the overall tone is optimistic. The trilogy follows a Roman citizen of Greek heritage, who commands a group of Roman war ships. Recommended for anyone who enjoys historical military fiction.
May 11, 2025
Visceral History
Takes up Atticus' story from "Master of Rome" and his love-hate relationship with his adopted city. Vivid descriptions of battle and life on a Roman warship bring to life the sights, smells, sounds and overwhelming horror in non-stop action and tension.
Takes up Atticus' story from "Master of Rome" and his love-hate relationship with his adopted city. Vivid descriptions of battle and life on a Roman warship bring to life the sights, smells, sounds and overwhelming horror in non-stop action and tension.
June 3, 2025
Hard to put down
Picked this trilogy at random and not an author I know but I thought 'give it a try'. I rapidly became engrossed and would recommend to any who enjoy military tales, especially from the Roman period.
Picked this trilogy at random and not an author I know but I thought 'give it a try'. I rapidly became engrossed and would recommend to any who enjoy military tales, especially from the Roman period.
May 11, 2025
The mercenary trilogy
A brutally realistic series about Carthage, of fighting both on land and at sea and surviving, to live to fight another day
A brutally realistic series about Carthage, of fighting both on land and at sea and surviving, to live to fight another day
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews