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Rome to the Stars
S.M. Stirling continues the new timeline where Rome never fell into ruin and, indeed, is reaching for the stars!
Rome Never Fell.
To save mankind from nuclear doom, time travelers brought future technology to a faltering Rome (as chronicled in To Turn the Tide). This Roman Empire conquered the world and united mankind before spreading across the solar system and beyond—where they discovered they hadn’t united all of mankind. Nor was Rome the only civilization expanding into the galaxy. For the first time in centuries, Rome is both challenged and once again facing barbarian hordes.
When a Roman colony world is invaded by the Gra’ak, an alliance of Fallen Empire barbarians, Emperor Marcus Verus Augustus Caesar charges what can be spared of the Roman Navy and Legions with reclaiming it. Because once a world was beneath the wings of the Eagles, it was guaranteed the protection of their talons.
Commander Aquila Amphion is tasked with leading the fleet, and she embraces the responsibility for both professional and personal reasons. The Gra’ak threatened to extinguish three million Roman citizens, among them the one man who meant more to her than any other—Evander Triarius, the scion of one of Rome’s noblest families . . . and her fiancé.
Driven by duty and love, Aquila devises a bold plan to not just save their colony, but to take the fight to the Gra’ak home world and conquer it for the Roman Empire.
Imperium sine fine.
Empire without limits.
Favored by the Gods, guarded by brave men and women, they would bring all worlds and all of far-flung humanity beneath the banner of the Roman Empire. Even the barbarians.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
Rome Never Fell.
To save mankind from nuclear doom, time travelers brought future technology to a faltering Rome (as chronicled in To Turn the Tide). This Roman Empire conquered the world and united mankind before spreading across the solar system and beyond—where they discovered they hadn’t united all of mankind. Nor was Rome the only civilization expanding into the galaxy. For the first time in centuries, Rome is both challenged and once again facing barbarian hordes.
When a Roman colony world is invaded by the Gra’ak, an alliance of Fallen Empire barbarians, Emperor Marcus Verus Augustus Caesar charges what can be spared of the Roman Navy and Legions with reclaiming it. Because once a world was beneath the wings of the Eagles, it was guaranteed the protection of their talons.
Commander Aquila Amphion is tasked with leading the fleet, and she embraces the responsibility for both professional and personal reasons. The Gra’ak threatened to extinguish three million Roman citizens, among them the one man who meant more to her than any other—Evander Triarius, the scion of one of Rome’s noblest families . . . and her fiancé.
Driven by duty and love, Aquila devises a bold plan to not just save their colony, but to take the fight to the Gra’ak home world and conquer it for the Roman Empire.
Imperium sine fine.
Empire without limits.
Favored by the Gods, guarded by brave men and women, they would bring all worlds and all of far-flung humanity beneath the banner of the Roman Empire. Even the barbarians.
At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).
475 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2026
About the author
S.M. Stirling
175 books1,678 followersStephen Michael Stirling is a French-born Canadian-American science fiction and fantasy author. Stirling is probably best known for his Draka series of alternate history novels and the more recent time travel/alternate history Nantucket series and Emberverse series.
MINI AUTO-BIOGRAPHY:
(personal website: source)
I’m a writer by trade, born in France but Canadian by origin and American by naturalization, living in New Mexico at present. My hobbies are mostly related to the craft. I love history, anthropology and archaeology, and am interested in the sciences. The martial arts are my main physical hobby.
MINI AUTO-BIOGRAPHY:
(personal website: source)
I’m a writer by trade, born in France but Canadian by origin and American by naturalization, living in New Mexico at present. My hobbies are mostly related to the craft. I love history, anthropology and archaeology, and am interested in the sciences. The martial arts are my main physical hobby.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 15, 2026
I suppose this was written largely by Melissa Olthoff, perhaps with a little oversight from S. M. Stirling. It’s very loosely connected to Stirling’s series about time-travellers stuck in the second century AD, but this is a novel of pure military sf in which space navies prepare for and fight battles, with no time-travel complications.
It seems a competent military sf novel, but I’m not generally a fan of purely military books, I like a bit more variety in my diet. The nearest thing to this in my library is David Drake’s RCN series, also about space navies; but the RCN series isn’t purely military, it throws various other things into the mix.
The characters in this novel are almost all naval personnel. Apart from her military duties, the heroine has various personal relationships of different kinds, but she has very little time to spend on them.
If you like pure military sf, this is a good enough novel that may appeal to you. But of course my rating expresses my personal taste in fiction. For me, it was OK to read once; I normally reread books that I like, but I’m not sure whether I like this one enough to reread it.
It seems a competent military sf novel, but I’m not generally a fan of purely military books, I like a bit more variety in my diet. The nearest thing to this in my library is David Drake’s RCN series, also about space navies; but the RCN series isn’t purely military, it throws various other things into the mix.
The characters in this novel are almost all naval personnel. Apart from her military duties, the heroine has various personal relationships of different kinds, but she has very little time to spend on them.
If you like pure military sf, this is a good enough novel that may appeal to you. But of course my rating expresses my personal taste in fiction. For me, it was OK to read once; I normally reread books that I like, but I’m not sure whether I like this one enough to reread it.
October 26, 2026
Like a fluffier Honor Harington.
I liked Stirling's Make the Darkness Light duology, and this takes place in the same universe, but a thousand years later. Lots of infilling of history, and I'd love to get more information on the mysterious ancients that stole other humans and genetically engineered them, as well as that fall of that empire (and Rome's rise). I'll definitely keep my eyes open for future offerings
I liked Stirling's Make the Darkness Light duology, and this takes place in the same universe, but a thousand years later. Lots of infilling of history, and I'd love to get more information on the mysterious ancients that stole other humans and genetically engineered them, as well as that fall of that empire (and Rome's rise). I'll definitely keep my eyes open for future offerings
October 17, 2026
Recent Reads: Rome To The Stars. S M Stirling and Melissa Olthoff tell the story of the future of an alternate history, as space-faring Romans fight against the remnants of a fallen human interstellar empire. It's all terribly Hornblower really, which isn't such a bad thing. Tactics and strategy.
October 9, 2026
Awesome Space Romans
Very good alternative history (future?) story with lots of action. The characters are very well rounded . I hope for more of this universe.
Very good alternative history (future?) story with lots of action. The characters are very well rounded . I hope for more of this universe.
October 24, 2026
Good story, detailed but does not bog you down. Really enjoyed it. Romans, check. Barbarians, check, remains of a space faring empire, check.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews