Roman Mask

The Cassius Chronicles #1

by Thomas M.D. Brooke

Rome AD 9 Augustus Caesar rules Imperial Rome at the height of its power, as the Roman Empire stretches across the known world. Cassius, son of one of her most powerful families, is the personification of Rome's imperial wealthy, popular, a war hero with a decorated military career - none of Rome's fashionable parties are complete without him - except, he hides a secret. After his nerve is broken in Germany, the thought of genuine armed combat is enough to send him into a cold sweat of fear and shame. But this doesn't dissuade him from living off a false reputation so he can continue a life of casual affairs, wine, and parties, as he is seduced by the many vices of Rome. However his scandalous life is soon upset by a summons from the Emperor's wife. It ends his happy decadent life and returns him to Germany to assist the Roman legions in their greatest ever trial, and the events that will resound down in history, in the dark forests of the Teutoburg... "The classical world is brought vividly to life" Daily Mail - UK National Newspaper

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, War, Ancient, Ebooks

390 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2015

About the author

Thomas Brooke lives in London where he works in the exciting, and sometimes crazy, fashion world. He is also a committed writer and he spends as much time as he can in his beloved Northumbrian hills, where up until recently could be seen walking with his black Labrador Fergus, who sadly passed in January 2015.
As well as writing novels, he also writes a blog on both historical and fantasy genre novels. For more information on Thomas M D Brooke, visit www.thomasmdbrooke.com

Reviews

[Keith Currie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another month, another novel about the Roman disaster in the Teutoburg Forest; for me this novel was a pretty good retelling of the disaster from a potentially interesting point of view. The protagonist is a Roman war hero, famed for his courage; but behind the outward bravado, he is a man clearly suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, who considers himself at heart a coward. Imagine, then, how he might react and behave when thrown into the military catastrophe which is the Teutoburg Forest.

The title is very clever. Apart from the obvious reference to the outward mask displayed by the hero, there is the deceitful mask of loyalty to Rome displayed by the German traitor, Arminius, or there is the literal armoured mask of the courageous young Thracian cavalry officer who attempts to break the German lines.

I do think this could have been a much better novel if the author had left out some of the more clichéd scenes of Roman decadence in the first quarter of the novel - but the climactic scenes in Germany redeem the story without any shadow of doubt.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let Thomas M.D. Brooke take you back to Ancient Rome - Win 1 of 3 paperback copies at Tome Tender

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Visit Rome at the height of its power through the eyes of a hero who hid his shame at the accolades he thought he didn’t deserve. Cassius was living a lie and he knew it, silencing his torment with wild living and alcohol. As the son of a powerful Roman family, he has prestige. As a hero, he had the adulation of the masses. He had fought in Germany, distinguished, but broken, he ran and now was his chance to truly earn the title “warrior hero” when the Emperor’s wife summons him to her side with a command. With no way out, Cassius was to go back into the bloodiest battles Rome of AD 9 would ever see. What he didn’t expect was to have a young and brash young soldier at his side, by far the best swordsman to be seen. This is Cassius’ story, as he grows from a spoiled socialite to a true warrior and commander when the odds are not in his favor and Rome’s mighty legions are brought to their knees on the battlefield against the German warriors defending their homelands.

Feel the desperation of a force reeling from their greatest defeat ever. Endure the lack of true leadership by men ill-prepared to wage real war and be amazed at their willingness to fall on their own swords to save face. As Cassius takes on more and more of the strategic planning, he finds he has the intelligence to map out the paths of least resistance and the charisma to command men to follow him, even when it is surely to their own deaths. There is a traitor among them and Rome is being repeatedly stabbed in the heart, the blood of their warriors coating the battlefields as the monstrous Germans hack them to pieces, enjoying the torturous screams of their enemies. Where will Cassius lead his followers? Will he ask more of them than he is willing to give? What happened to the coward who ran scared as in his place stands a great warrior, a leader of men, willing to die for those around him if it would give them even a slight chance to live.

I read Roman Mask in one sitting; it was that powerful, that mesmerizing and that well-written. Thomas M.D. Brooke is a master storyteller as he brings the glory and the shame of war to life in a time long ago when Rome thought it was its right to rule the known world. Vicious battles, brave soldiers, bloody battlefields and the brutality of hand to hand combat when one misstep means certain death. Mr. Brooke does not argue the rights of one country over another; he presents a tale of war, of one man’s battle within himself and his chance for personal redemption and honor.

There is tentative romance, heroes falling to the blade as the villain survives. This is war at its worst and best. Heroes will rise, as will the strong and the very lucky, deceit will be uncovered and inhumane torture will turn your stomach, but war is to the death, to the victors go the spoils. Through it all, one man distinguishes himself for the sake of his countrymen, but will he be rewarded if he survives or will knowing he has done the best he could under the worst of circumstances be the only acknowledgement he needs? Powerful reading that should be on everyone’s shelf.

I received this copy from Thomas M.D. Brooke in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date: June 29, 2015
Publisher: Thomas M D Brooke
ISBN-13: 9781783017966
Genre: Historical Fiction |War
Print Length: 390 pages
Available from: Amazon |  Barnes & Noble
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amazing retelling of the Teutoberg Forest Disaster! In 9 AD, three crack legions in Germania were nearly annihilated by a confederation of German tribes, led by the Romanized German prince, Arminius, called herein Julius Arminius. All three Eagles were captured. This was a pivotal moment in history and arguably why generally in today's Europe, one could say Romance languages [descendants of Latin] are spoken west of the Rhine and German to the east.

Gaius Cassius Aprilis, Tribune in the Roman army, as well as the narrator, comes home to Rome after a horrific battle at the "North-Gate Pass". Thought of as and celebrated as a hero by others, he knows in his heart he has succumbed to false pride, is a coward, and so escapes into drunkenness and debauchery to suppress terror and self-loathing. Through the novel his PTSD manifests itself in nightmares in which a certain Centurion Decius accuses him. He had sent Decius to certain death. Since he has been a close friend since boyhood of Julius, and Julius is going to Germania to claim the throne of his tribe, the Cherusci, he is tasked by Livia, the Empress, to act as advisor to Varus, the Governor. He travels with a young, naïve, enthusiastic, glory-seeking fellow tribune, Marcus Scaeva, anxious to get into battle and bloody his sword. The two finally are assigned reading military intelligence and they make recommendations. Through Varus's onerous taxes and his building projects, supposedly bringing Roman civilization so the natives will see its benefits and also through the treachery of Julius, the three legions are lured into tense battle with the Germans.

The novel was well written and paced smoothly. I liked both Cassius's and Marcus's character development; Cassius overcomes his fears and Marcus matures. Proofing errors [although some had been caught in my copy] still marred the novel. There were homophone errors:
"pouring through reports" instead of "poring through reports" [p.148];
"I sheaved my blade" instead of "I sheathed my blade" [p. 285] and others further in the text. I think whoever proofed the novel was more sloppy the last 80 pp. or so.
The Latin should have been checked more closely, especially singular and plural.

The title was inspired: I interpreted "Mask" as metaphor for several different things in the novel, i.e., the personality Cassius presents to the world and what he reveals to us in his interior thoughts; the beauty of Rome itself hiding corruption; the personality Julius presents to the Romans and the one he finally exhibits; the cavalry mask worn by Macarius, at whose death Cassius recovers his courage and self-confidence and feels real hatred for his former friend and his treachery. It could be also the author's nod to the one found at Kalkriese and shown on the cover.

I would have rated the novel even higher, if not for the proofing errors. The Latin really bothered me. Even so, I recommend this novel very highly.

[Reeda Booke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent debut novel for this author about the battle in Teutoburg Forest between the Germanic tribes and the Roman army during the reign of Emperor Augustus. Full of revenge, blood, and betrayal, many of the scenes were taken from the historical details of the time, including some of the characters. The pacing was quick and I was drawn to the story to its end. What a nasty and terrible battle!



Highly recommended! 5 stars.

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cassius Aprilis, formerly senior tribune of a legion in Roman Germania, has returned to Rome in acclaim after saving his troops from a German ambush. No one knows that the attack broke Cassius’s nerve, forcing him to resign from command. Bitterly ashamed and loathing himself for his cowardice, he returns to his old life of drinking and debauchery among the fast set in Rome. That lasts until Livia, wife of the Princeps Augustus, orders him back to Germania to find out what’s really going on in that vast, not-quite-conquered wilderness. The assignment revives all of Cassius’s fears about the ferocious and unpredictable Germans, but he has no choice. He sets out for Germania with a gung-ho young officer, Marcus Scaeva, who not only worships Cassius as a hero but can’t wait to tangle with barbarians.

By setting the naïve, brash Scaeva as a foil against the cynical, inwardly panicky military veteran Cassius, the author brings Cassius to three-dimensional life. We learn as backstory that Cassius was a boyhood friend and comrade-in-arms of Julius Arminius, now a trusted leader of German auxiliaries attached to the army of Governor Varus. (Brooke’s neat stratagem is for Cassius to refer to Arminius as “Julius,” thus deterring readers of history whose memories might be pricked by repetition of the man’s surname.) Eventually, Cassius is challenged under the most ghastly of circumstances to prove his courage.

The description of life in the legions is well done, as are the profiles of Varus and his military commanders. Although many of these are historical figures, Brooke boldly grafts personality traits onto them that make the eventual leadership crisis both believable and inevitable. The stage-setting seems very authentic, with only a few possible glitches (men in togas reclining at dinner?). Altogether, plot, characterization, and setting can’t be faulted.

What can be faulted, though, is the lack of copyediting. It’s depressing to come across a “barbarian hoard” on the very first page. Numerous examples of bad sentence construction and incorrect grammar mar what is otherwise an excellent story. Alas, the nobly born Cassius doesn’t know his Latin, either. He hands over “twenty gold aureus” and then “another ten denarius,” instead of aurei and denarii; enjoys “match[ing] gladius with you” rather than gladii, and walks “through the atrium to the tablino” (apparently an Italian annex). I’m sorry to have to take away two stars for such carelessness. My hope is that Brooke will have the manuscript professionally copyedited and will then republish ROMAN MASK to the wholehearted praise it deserves.

[Hans Kerrinckx]

Roman Mask
As an archaeologist I read a lot about Roman an Byzantine history, also fiction but those fictional books should be accurate.
Thomas M.D. Brooke wrote a book that is exceptionally researched and very well written. It gives an impression of he harsh Roman society with houndreds of thousands of outcasts. The description of life in the legions is well done, as are the profiles of Varus and his military commanders.
I never write about story lines or spoilers in reviews. But I can tell you that the unconventional main character is also good fun too.
A new Gordon Doherty is born.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

After serving in Germany, a Roman soldier suffers from PTSD, killing the pain in wine and women in the eternal city. He is sent back in Germany, the last place he wants to go to spy on the governor of a province.

It all ends in legion action.

Pretty good, if a bit overwrought.

[Shannon Gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book based on the true story of the Roman Military trying to fight, conquer, and settle the Germanic Tribesmen in September 9 AD in and around the Teutoburgium Forest in Germany. Rome has three legions with their three Golden Eagles in this area, a true sign of Rome's power and strength. These men are trying to build Roman strong holds and military posts all over Germany. They are turning the native citizens into farmers instead of fighters, their small homes into cities and farms. Rome has even brought a home breed king, who has been raised and trained in the Roman High Military, but he is rightful King of a large group of tribesmen. He is now King of many of the Germanic Tribesmen. He is meant to make the Roman take over of Germany a smooth transition. The able bodied tribesmen will follow him and help Rome keep the other tribes in order. Rome has taken everything away from the citizens, they pay super high taxes to help Rome's war machine keep going. They are close to starving to death because the soldiers take almost everything that the farmers have harvested and or slaughtered. There is treachery amongst friends and infighting amongst command staff. These two things will bring Rome to her knees in Germany. The fighting in this book is amazing, it is written in so much detail, it is like you are there on the battle field. This is the story of "the greatest defeat in Rome's long history". It is also the story of a man coming to the realization and understanding of his past and his future, and everyone who moves in and out of his life. The characters come alive on each page. The detailed writing when the characters are in Rome and Germany are fantastic, a true look at what it might have actually been like to live and breath during this time period. I can't wait to see what else this author will come up with next.

[John Naylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free via Goodreads First Reads.

I admit that historical fiction is not a genre I am used to or interested in. I try to read as many genres as possible and I recently finished a good book from this genre.

So, I admit I randomly chose this book as my next one to read as I was late for the bus to work one day. I just grabbed it and ran. I am now equally happy and sad I did.

It is quite brilliant in my view. The main character is flawed and in his own mind a failure. A lot of us are. He thinks he is a coward due to his experiences of war. A lot of soldiers do. He is forced back into a desk job in the Roman army (not that they had desks but I know what I mean). Then he gets involved in one of histories turning points.

That is all the spoilers I will give. I felt for the character. I felt sad when he lost friends and allies. He wasn't always a hero in his own mind but he was always a good man in mine. He deserved redemption from his demons and forgiveness for his actions.

The book has action, consequences, love and friendship. Just like life does. I think it is one of the best début novels I have ever read.

Finishing it had me in near tears as I know I could never read it for the first time again. My recommendation is that you should read it!
Just read it!

[Mercedes Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roman Mask got off to a rocky start for me, but as soon as I stumbled across the name “Varus” I knew I was onto something. Our hero, Cassius Aprilis, was introduced to us as a spoiled rich kid, drinking and partying his way through an endless succession of meaningless days. This is not the kind of book I like and I almost put it down, but luckily I was saved by a plot twist when Augustus sent him to Germany as an aide to Governor Varus. Suddenly it all started to make sense. Our Cassius wasn’t really a wastrel; he was a tortured soul who felt like a fraud, as he was celebrated for a lucky break during a near-fatal campaign where he saved his fellow soldiers from almost certain death. What no one knew—except the reader—was that he suffered what can best be described as PTSD, and now he was being thrust back into service into what was destined to become one of Rome’s most disastrous defeats of all time. So now we get to watch him wriggle his way through a new assignment—trying to hide his cowardice—while at the same time we get to see a thorough and engrossing description of Varus’s folly.

Due to their immense hubris, the Romans assumed that every conquered culture would be grateful to contribute to civilizing themselves, Roman-style. Varus might have been a good governor over a less warlike society, but he totally miscalculated his German province. He missed all the vital signs, including patrols that never returned and reports from worried subordinates. Surrounded by luxury, Varus heard what he wanted to hear and scorned the advice of experienced soldiers who knew all was not quite right. Cassius Aprilis soon came to doubt the commander’s competence, but he, too, was deceived by allies whose carefully laid treachery had been planned for many years. When the inevitable revolt burst upon the Romans, they were totally outnumbered and doomed from the start.

Once things started moving, this book was hard to put down. Tension swelled from the time Cassius started his journey to Germany, and kept on going all the way to the end. The story was well-plotted and moved along quickly. I didn’t know a lot about the German disaster (aside from what I saw in “I Claudius”), and I think the author did a great job of painting a very memorable picture.

[Steve Kimmins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rattling high paced martial adventure centred around the noted historical set back to the expansion of the Roman Empire into Germany at the Teutoburg Forest.
Maybe a bit too heavy on the military side for my taste but I enjoy reading some historical fiction to supplement my general interest in history (especially the Romans and Greeks). It’s good to see some ‘flesh’ put onto the bones (statues?) of historical figures and events rather than just reading the dry dates and names history.

I’d done some checks beforehand and I knew the author had researched well this definitive event in Roman history. However, I’ve often found that much historical fiction can be a bit weaker on characterisations and there’s no doubt that the main characters here (Cassius and Marcus) are classic hero material, pure and simple. I had thought one nice twist would be that Cassius is introduced as a minor Roman aristocrat who’s been traumatised by earlier soldiering experiences in Germany, what we’d call PTSD nowadays, and considers himself a coward. However, the author really only painted a figure who, quite reasonably, was a bit scared of going back into combat - when the chips are down Cassius performs in hero mode!

I find the best historical fiction for me tries to get inside a character’s worldview from that era, and doesn’t try to insert a 21st century mind onto them. Generally I thought that was done well here except maybe that the Romans were as superstitious as any peoples from the ancient world, which may surprise some who just note their ruthless efficiency in Empire building. For example, auguries were almost compulsory before any military action and I didn’t see this side of Roman culture outlined as I’ve seen elsewhere in historical fiction.

So I had some issues with characterisations and minor details but it was a gripping adventure read, a page turner, backed up by solid historical research. I’m sure I’ll continue with the series the author is writing. 4*.

[Herman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roman Mask by Thomas M.D. Brooke is a amazing retelling of one of the most important battles of the Ancient World the Teutoberg Forest Disaster of 9AD
Where three crack legions were annihilated by a confederation of German tribes,
The story centers around Cassius Aprilis, Tribune in the Roman army, who is a
Veteran of the German campaigns he receives a summons from the Emperor's wife and
is recruited back into the legions for an assignment back to Germany. It's an offer he can't
refuse, He is to to report on Governor Varus and the state of the Roman Colony but he dreads
the return to German the worst experience of his life. Through his eyes we witness what happened
to Rome's three legions in this pivotal moment in history when at the height of it’s power Rome is dealt a crushing defeat.
The Novel is very well researched and equally well written, good character development smooth pacing of the plot while the title can be a reference to many different aspects of this story.
Tribune Cassius hides his fears and that could be his Roman mask
or it could be a reference to a actual mask that was found later on at the actual battle site and is
now in a museum in Germany. It could also be a reference to how the entire German colony was masking the weakness and corruption of the Roman society. Whatever the Author's intentions the Roman Mask by Thomas M.D. Brooke is an exciting interesting and intelligent read which I highly recommend to people who enjoy historical fiction. Four stars excellent historical story.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love my Roman reading. I will admit to a real fascination with the different Roman leaders – especially those claiming humility while owning dictatorship. In this novel it’s Augustus on the emperor’s throne with strong support from his wife. Rome is still looking to extend it’s borders into Germany but its hold is not as firm as it would like. This sets up the tale of our fictional hero (?) Cassius.

Cassius came home from his first tour of duty in Germany a hero yet he knows that it’s a title he really didn’t earn. That does not stop him from exploiting it as he lives his life from party to party doing little more than drinking, going to the gymnasium to keep in shape to drink more and trying to sleep with beautiful women. He’s enjoying his life of useless pleasure despite pressure from his sister and father to make something of himself.

Then he receives a summons from the Emperor and he fears he has been caught for his decisions have been somewhat questionable. What he doesn’t expect is to be meeting with the Emperor’s wife and to be recruited back into the legions for an assignment back to Germany. He is not at all happy but of course there is no way to decline. He has just a few days to get himself organized to go back to what he considers the worst experience of his life.

Little does he know what is ahead of him, for you see this is a novel of the battle of the Teutoburg. For anyone familiar with Roman history you will know that this was the site of one of the greatest defeats for the Roman legions. It was a horrible loss of men and a betrayal the likes of which Rome had never seen before.

I’ve read several other books covering this period in Roman history and it was a truly horrifying bit of warfare. There is no getting around the evil man can do and these soldiers where in a forest they were not familiar with, a storm had created further problems and they had a leader too full of himself and the might of Rome. What followed was nothing short of a massacre. Rome would never really reconcile to the loss of its three Eagles and it would not try to well, Romanize these Germanic tribes again.

The book is exceptionally researched and very well written. I was drawn in from the very first page. Ancient Rome comes to life in all of its glory and menace. It’s a weighty book but one that read quickly because it is one of those books where you just get lost in the story and time flies by. Despite the dark subject matter and the gore – war is gory, there is nothing to be done about that – I didn’t want the story to end. I just love books that bring a world to life like this.

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love books on Roman history, and let me tell you Thomas Brooke's Roman Mask delivers!!! This book was amazing! Augustus Caesar is Emperor and Rome is at the height of its power, Cassius is our main character, to Rome he is a hero but he knows that is not the case. I really liked Cassius, he was very flawed but there was just something about him that kept drawing me in. When he gets summoned by the Emperor's wife his worst nightmare comes true, he is going back to the battlefield. Will Cassius redeem himself in battle or will he fall to the sword?
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction! You won't be able to put it down!

I received an arc from hfvbt for my honest review.

[Ksb Nh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting historical fiction. The reading level seems to target a young teen, not an educated adult. The fictional main character seems young and immature, which also fits a younger reader. The author’s use of “I” instead of “me” as the object of a preposition was irksome.

[Kepi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this book. The only reason I gave it a lower rating was the spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. The fact that I continued reading despite the errors says something. The main character is flawed but likeable. The history was interesting to me.

[Carlos Mock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Roman Mask by Thomas M. D. Burke

The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest described as the Varian Disaster (Clades Variana) by Roman historians, took place in the Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE when an alliance of Germanic tribes ambushed and decisively destroyed three Roman legions and their auxiliaries, led by Publius Quinctilius Varus. The alliance was led by Arminius, a Germanic officer of Varus' auxilia. Arminius had acquired Roman citizenship and had received a Roman military education, which enabled him to deceive the Roman commander methodically and anticipate the Roman army's tactical responses.

The massacre is narrated from Gaius Cassius Aprilis' first-person point of view. A fictional character who Mr. Burke places in the middle of the plot for being a very close friend of Julius Arminius, the traitor, and under the service of Publius Quinctilius Varus. The book is a fantastic tale of how the events are perceived from the fictional character. I enjoyed the prose, the characters and the descriptions of the era. However, I was disappointed by the use of the first person point of view. Would have loved if Mr. Brooke would have let us inside most of the other principal characters:

Marcus Scavia -- a 17 y/o champion who follows Gaius' trips and adventures from Rome to Germania. Fictional character

Numeria Scipio -- who was engaged to Gaius, but ended up marrying Ottho after Gaius's scandalous relationship to Augustus Caesar's daughter which forced Gaius to enlist in the army prematurely. Fictional character

Julius Arminius -- Born a prince of the Cherusci tribe, Arminius was made a hostage of the Roman
Empire as a child. Raised in Rome, he was drafted into the Roman military at an early age, during which he was granted Roman citizenship and became a Roman knight. After serving with distinction in the Great Illyrian Revolt, he was sent to Germania to aid the local governor Publius Quinctilius Varus in completing the Roman conquest of the Germanic tribes. Historical figure.

Publius Quinctilius Varus -- a Roman general and politician under the first Roman emperor Augustus. Varus is generally remembered for having lost three Roman legions when ambushed by Germanic tribes led by Arminius in the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, whereupon he took his own life. Historical figure.

I'm a sucker for good historical fiction, and this book definitively fits the label. I enjoyed it in spite of its limitations.

[Sean Flanagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great read, whether or not you like [accurate] historical novels. However, don't read it if you don't like heroes with feet of clay.



Thomas M.D. Brooke's first book is very well written (I am horribly pedantic over grammar and punctuation, and to some extent, poor composition); he has a vivid imagination and writing style that draws a reader more deeply into the narrative. His descriptions let readers understand and appreciate conditions that the characters face and deal with — this really enhances the action. However, it might cause difficulty for more sensitive readers — the violence is often quite graphic!

Brooke has the gift of adding a few phrases to the description of a scene or scenario that effect a greater view than the few paragraphs portray. Additionally, his descriptions of ancient Rome (first century BC) are remarkably accurate and portray conditions and behaviors without needing to provide foundational explanations.

In retrospect I noted that the only difficulty I had in the entire book was the use of a phrase, "Good luck with that", which is a late 20th century expression, not one that would be blurted out in first century BC Roman culture.

Is that my only gripe? Well, no; I've discovered that the book is insidiously addicting, and I don't have any suggestions what to do about that, because it's a "must read".

[Darian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author, Thomas MD Brooke, has crafted a surprise hit for Roman historical fiction. As a long-time reader of historical fiction novels such as Harry Sidebottom's Warrior of Rome saga, I came into this novel, which I had not heard of before, with relatively low expectations. I was, however, pleasantly surprised and soon engrossed in reading the story of Cassius Aprilis, a Roman veteran suffering the traumatic effects of his war-time experiences in Germany and forced to return to the place of his nightmares to confront his worst fears.

The development of the protagonist's character development paired with the lead up to and aftermath of the Teutoburg Forest massacre was an excellent way to see the main character evolve through the events and at the same time give the reader a realistic depiction of what might have actually occurred more than 2,000 years ago when an entire Roman army was butchered by a coalition of Germanic tribes. In short, I was surprised, immersed and hooked into Roman Mask and I will be avidly looking forward to seeing more from Cassius and his friends!

For blowing my expectations away, I give it 5 stars.

I heartily recommend this book to those who enjoy reading about history, historical fiction, ancient Rome and admire unique plots and strong character development. At 99 cents for the eBook, it is quite simply a bargain well worth taking.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging characters enliven ancient history

Many reviewers have thoroughly enjoyed this account of the life and times of the development of the Roman Empire under Caesar Augustus, especially as it applied to the conquest of the Germanic tribes. The hero with his tragic flaw, as well as some of his personal failings, draws a reader’s sympathy and understanding. Love interest never hurts. And the role of strong women, even in the ancient world, is an appealing note. I appreciate the historical foundation of this novel, as the author brings the dry subject of battles and intrigues alive with personalities one can relate to.

I’d like for the work to be improved even more with a professional and thorough proofreading. Odd punctuation, such as question marks at the end of statements, is distracting, as is the British casual habit of using the word “sat” as a past participle, in effect making the subject of a sentence into a direct object, seeming to force the sitting upon the person. Other odd mistakes are distributed throughout. In the Kindle versions, this ought to be fairly easy to edit—for print, it should be done BEFORE publication.

[Glenn Rowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting story well told. The kindle edition, however, desperately needs to be edited and proofread. There are numerous missing or extraneous words, and frequent misuse of homonyms, such as "reigning" (instead of "reining") of horses, a "breech" (instead of "breach") of a defensive line, "you're" instead of "your" and many others.
Apart from that, it was a highly enjoyable narrative of the battle of Teutoburg and the events leading up to it. Even if you already know the historical outcome of the battle, there is enough suspense in the lives of the central fictional characters to make for a compulsive read.

[John Zeivel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would give it 3 stars. Decent character development; Good action scenes; Sexual content was not overdone but was appropriate for the genre; Good plot line; Excellent recreation of the environment; Spot-on attention to historical facts & timelines (for an historical novel); Good use of Latin terminology...took me back to 'Caesar's Gallic Wars' in first year Latin class. The only reason that I did not rate it higher is that, I am, admittedly an history geek, so I enjoy extensive detail in things like armor, weaponry, fortification building, siege techniques....that most other people groan at.

[Dean McIntyre · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Battle of Teutoburg Forest in the year 9 AD was the greatest disaster for Ancient Rome at the height of its power. An alliance of German tribes, led by a King raised, educated, and trained in the Roman military way, slaughtered and defeated three Roman legions. There is so much to take in in this book: Roman culture, class structure, military practice, aspects and results of Rome conquering and occupying territories, German resistance, and long-lasting political implications. There are fascinating details of Roman and tribal military practices and the absolute horror of early warfare. Interesting read - four out of five stars.

[V.L. Stuart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love historical fiction? This is for you.

Gaius Cassius is summoned to speak to Caesar's wife, Livia. If you know anything about the period, you know this is a bad sign. Worse, Livia wants an 'observer' and 'aide' in the German province governed by Quintillius Varus. If you know your history, you know things are going straight to Hades. Accompanied by the young and untested Marcus, Gaius sets off for a place he hoped he would never see again - the forests and bogs of Germany.

Gaius has been there before and . . . no, that would be a spoiler. Let's just say I finished the book and immediately downloaded the next one.

[Flonkbob · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting story from a little-discussed time

This story takes place at one of those amazing turning points in history. The story is fresh and the integration with historical fact well done.

This isn't a time about which I had read much, but it was brought to vibrant life in the authors hands.

The only downside was whatio call "lazy editing". Reading such a engrossing story; the effects of simple grammatical and spelling errors were jarring,

Recomended in any case, The author's vision easily compensates for the shortcomings of the editor.

[Andrew Kidd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informally Entertaining

Balancing disciplined historical reference and entertainment is not easy. The book clearly aims to achieve the second even if the first suffers from a little informality. So yes, it is entertaining if you are not looking for sophisticated reading and are willing to accept some stereotype characters.
Would suggest a finer combing at editing (losses with only one s means something else), and maybe use some paragraphs to explain briefly the functioning and hierarchy in a legion, for those who have not read any of Scarrow's books or similar.

[James Backus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read of the loss of the three legions in German Forest.

I found the book to be a little slow as the main character stays in Rome. The story ray picks up as he and a young Roman officers are sent to be advisor to the Governor of Germany. I have read several history books as to what could have happened to the lost legions. This was a good historical novel about what may have happened. The characters were well written and I am looking forward to reading the second volume.

[Elyse DeBarre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well written and researched. This is one of my favourite new historical novels taking place in ancient Rome and its empire. As a classicist and Roman archaeologist, I did not agree with the portrayal of Varus, but, other than that, I enjoyed the story and its other characterisations. Despite knowing the outcome, the portrayal of Armenius was so well done that I was still "almost" surprised along with the Romans. It was also nice to have the account presented from the Roman perspective as opposed to the German in the "Barbarians" series, although I enjoyed that as well.

[Bc27 · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Heroes Mettle

The book begins as our hero doubts his place in the accolades of the public. As the story progresses his back story unfolds piece by piece and thru the device of a younger version of himself he is able to begin rebuilding the soldier hiding within. This fresh telling of the Three Lost Legions is an exciting read with strongly written battle scenes and some straining credulity plot twists that nonetheless can be winked at. Enjoyable afternoon read


is revealed

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an OK book but nothing to write home about. As others have observed, its target audience would be young-adults, rather than adults. Entertaining as the book, generally, was, the frequent mistakes resulting from sloppy proof-reading were ever present. What I found a bit irritating were certain inconsistencies in Gaius’ behaviour in regards to his PTSD. I don’t think I’d be grabbing the sequel any time soon.