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The Aegis and the Oasis: A Tale of the Shards
Bloomsbury presents The Aegis and the Oasis by Michael Livingston, read by John Smith.
Set during Alexander the Great's conquest of Egypt, this prequel delves into the events leading up to THE ARK AND THE EMPIRE, answering questions previously left unanswered and exploring how the Shards first ended up in Alexandria.
Crossing the desert after visiting the Siwa Oasis, the Greek king encounters the army of the king and queen of Nubia, which soon sets Alexander and his friend and lover Hephastion on an adventure to recover the fabled Ark of the Covenant.
Set during Alexander the Great's conquest of Egypt, this prequel delves into the events leading up to THE ARK AND THE EMPIRE, answering questions previously left unanswered and exploring how the Shards first ended up in Alexandria.
Crossing the desert after visiting the Siwa Oasis, the Greek king encounters the army of the king and queen of Nubia, which soon sets Alexander and his friend and lover Hephastion on an adventure to recover the fabled Ark of the Covenant.
Audible Audio
Published January 15, 2026
4 people want to read
About the author
Michael Livingston
57 books240 followersA native of Colorado, Michael Livingston holds degrees in History, Medieval Studies, and English. He lives today in Charleston, South Carolina, where he teaches at The Citadel.
In his author life, he is a winner of the prestigious international Writers of the Future Contest (in 2005), and his novel SHARDS OF HEAVEN, the first in a trilogy of historical fantasies, will be published by Tor Books in November 2015. He has also published in a variety of other genres and venues, from a historical retelling of BEOWULF to a brief story about quantum physics in the world-renowned journal of science, NATURE.
In his academic life, he has published more than a dozen articles on subjects as varied as early Christianity, BEOWULF, Chaucer, James Joyce, J.R.R. Tolkien, and digital and practical pedagogies (though never all of them at once!). He has investigated European maps of America that pre-date Columbus, found unrecorded Anasazi ruins and artifacts, and written about the handwriting of fourteenth-century scribes. He is the general editor of the Liverpool Historical Casebooks Series, for which he has edited casebooks on the Battle of Brunanburh (Exeter, 2011), the Welsh rebel hero Owain Glyndwr (co-edited with John Bollard; Liverpool, 2013), and, coming soon, the Battle of Crécy (co-edited with Kelly DeVries; 2015).
In his author life, he is a winner of the prestigious international Writers of the Future Contest (in 2005), and his novel SHARDS OF HEAVEN, the first in a trilogy of historical fantasies, will be published by Tor Books in November 2015. He has also published in a variety of other genres and venues, from a historical retelling of BEOWULF to a brief story about quantum physics in the world-renowned journal of science, NATURE.
In his academic life, he has published more than a dozen articles on subjects as varied as early Christianity, BEOWULF, Chaucer, James Joyce, J.R.R. Tolkien, and digital and practical pedagogies (though never all of them at once!). He has investigated European maps of America that pre-date Columbus, found unrecorded Anasazi ruins and artifacts, and written about the handwriting of fourteenth-century scribes. He is the general editor of the Liverpool Historical Casebooks Series, for which he has edited casebooks on the Battle of Brunanburh (Exeter, 2011), the Welsh rebel hero Owain Glyndwr (co-edited with John Bollard; Liverpool, 2013), and, coming soon, the Battle of Crécy (co-edited with Kelly DeVries; 2015).
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks Head of Zeus for the review copy!
I've had my eye on The Ark and the Empire so when I saw this prequel novella available on netgalley, I thought it was a good occasion to see if I'd like it. And I very much did!
Hephaestion was a great narrator and I really enjoyed his portrayal. The author chooses to believe he was Alexander's lover, but avoids the lovesick puppy archetype he's too often reduced to. This Hephaestion is a warrior, a strategist, a trusted councillor and respected by the men.
The story follows Hephaestion and Alexander as Alexander is offered an immensely powerful magical artefact that protects the earth but cannot be used by men. As it turns out, he already owns a similar artefact that makes him quasi-immortal. I perhaps would have liked a bit more information about these artefacts; this feels like one of these prequels actually best read after reading book one. But I still liked the concept of them and am very curious to see how the story continues to unfold. Even though I'll miss Hephaestion, book one being set under Augustus.
My historical obsessions are Augustus and Alexander the Great as it happens, so I feel like this series is for me personally. Historical fantasy is a genre I'd love to explore more of this year, so this is a series I'll be looking forward to continuing!
I've had my eye on The Ark and the Empire so when I saw this prequel novella available on netgalley, I thought it was a good occasion to see if I'd like it. And I very much did!
Hephaestion was a great narrator and I really enjoyed his portrayal. The author chooses to believe he was Alexander's lover, but avoids the lovesick puppy archetype he's too often reduced to. This Hephaestion is a warrior, a strategist, a trusted councillor and respected by the men.
The story follows Hephaestion and Alexander as Alexander is offered an immensely powerful magical artefact that protects the earth but cannot be used by men. As it turns out, he already owns a similar artefact that makes him quasi-immortal. I perhaps would have liked a bit more information about these artefacts; this feels like one of these prequels actually best read after reading book one. But I still liked the concept of them and am very curious to see how the story continues to unfold. Even though I'll miss Hephaestion, book one being set under Augustus.
My historical obsessions are Augustus and Alexander the Great as it happens, so I feel like this series is for me personally. Historical fantasy is a genre I'd love to explore more of this year, so this is a series I'll be looking forward to continuing!
February 28, 2026
Review of ARC from NetGalley
Verdict:
An eventful and immersive short journey into historical fantasy.
What worked for me:
Told from the perspective of Alexander’s companion, the narrative is impressively well crafted, giving surprising depth in so few pages.
The characterisation feels grounded and thoughtful despite the brevity.
The journey itself is vividly described — the setting so tangible I could almost feel the sand between my toes.
Standout elements:
• Grounded historical fantasy
• Intriguing central character
Who is this for:
Readers with a love of historical fantasy and sandal-clad heroes.
Final thought:
A strong short prologue that delivers depth of character and a compelling hook into the wider series.
Verdict:
An eventful and immersive short journey into historical fantasy.
What worked for me:
Told from the perspective of Alexander’s companion, the narrative is impressively well crafted, giving surprising depth in so few pages.
The characterisation feels grounded and thoughtful despite the brevity.
The journey itself is vividly described — the setting so tangible I could almost feel the sand between my toes.
Standout elements:
• Grounded historical fantasy
• Intriguing central character
Who is this for:
Readers with a love of historical fantasy and sandal-clad heroes.
Final thought:
A strong short prologue that delivers depth of character and a compelling hook into the wider series.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews