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Morituri
Lucanus, a gladiator famous for courageous fighting, is befriended by the Emperor Claudius and becomes involved in the intrigues of imperial Rome
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1982
25 people want to read
About the author
Barry Sadler
108 books79 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
American author, musician and former green beret.
To the general public he is most known for the hit single "Ballad of the green berets"
After his musical career he decided to write a series of novels centered around the character "Casca Rufio Longinius" Who is cursed for piercing Jesus on the crucifix with a spear and is forced to forever remain a soldier until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
In the mid 1980s Sadler moved to Guatemala City where he was shot in the head one night in a taxi. He spent 7 months in a coma and died more than a year later.
American author, musician and former green beret.
To the general public he is most known for the hit single "Ballad of the green berets"
After his musical career he decided to write a series of novels centered around the character "Casca Rufio Longinius" Who is cursed for piercing Jesus on the crucifix with a spear and is forced to forever remain a soldier until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
In the mid 1980s Sadler moved to Guatemala City where he was shot in the head one night in a taxi. He spent 7 months in a coma and died more than a year later.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 24, 2024
The gladiator Lucanus was born and bred in the arena fighting beasts and men to the death and later winning his freedom. Lucanus won his manumission by saving the lives of Claudius and Germanicus of the Imperial family. This proves to be a dangerous turn of events because the arena of political intrigue is even more dangerous than the Gladiatorial one. Morituri is a tale of surviving the perilous Roman world by a warrior not only physically strong but with an amazing ability to sense dangerous peoples intentions. Barry Sadler may not have the genius of Robert Graves but it is still a good novel.
July 2, 2015
Over-the-top in the fun, grand adventure style. Told in a biographical first person (dictated to a surly slave) by Lucanus, our hero, who is a large-as-life real-live honorable gladiator of Rome. Raised in the gladiatorial pits, all he knows is weaponry, animals, and men--the kind that are warriors or weak. As blood-soaked as billed, it's the story of a boy who strives to be the best gladiator in the pits and the best man he can be -- he succeeds at the first and does a splendid job of demonstrating friendship, honor, loyalty, respect and even love. Not a must-read, but certainly enjoyable if you like Sadler's Casca series or anything in the sword-and-sandal genre.
October 23, 2021
"What am I? I am the death that walks at every man's shoulder. I am the bearer of silence and the end to pain." He raised the axe in his right hand and pointed the spiked end at Ragnar. "I am Casca."
With a line like that I quickly became a fan of the Casca series.
Here is another example:
“Look at me! I am death that walks with every man, but I cannot feel it myself. I am the beginning and the end of my own existence. Look at my body! Do you think you can do more to me than has already been done? I have tasted the flames of the stake, and I live. Swords and spears have gone through my body, yet I am alive. I have seen and experienced every perversion and cruelty known to the mind of man, yet I exist and will long after you and the Inquisition have become no more than something for some distant scholar to muse and laugh over, for I knew Jesus as you never could or will!"
Having loved the Casca books, I soon discovered that Sadler had written a Roman Gladiator book called Morituri. Naturally I wanted to find a copy. Now physical copies of Sadler's books can be hard to find or afford so I had to wait a long time to find one that I was comfortable paying for. Gouging sucks and you ought to be ashamed of yourself, but I digress.
Morituri is told in the first person perspective. Lucanus, on the eve of his death, recounts his life to his personal scribe. At times, Lucanus breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to his audience like an old friend. Lucanus begins with his earliest memories in the Coliseum up to the day of his death.
In a way this book was a letdown. Although, in reality I guess I failed the book because I built it up with my expectations of what it should have been. I wanted more visceral action and violence. More adventure. More.
Morituri is a straight forward story plainly told without flourish. Lucanus lives a full life, travels the known world, finds love, learns to survive in the wilderness the hard way, and witnesses the full brutality of Rome's political machinations. The story is overshadowed with impending tragedy.
Another book I would recommend to read is The Way of the Gladiator aka Those About to Die by Daniel P. Mannix.
With a line like that I quickly became a fan of the Casca series.
Here is another example:
“Look at me! I am death that walks with every man, but I cannot feel it myself. I am the beginning and the end of my own existence. Look at my body! Do you think you can do more to me than has already been done? I have tasted the flames of the stake, and I live. Swords and spears have gone through my body, yet I am alive. I have seen and experienced every perversion and cruelty known to the mind of man, yet I exist and will long after you and the Inquisition have become no more than something for some distant scholar to muse and laugh over, for I knew Jesus as you never could or will!"
Having loved the Casca books, I soon discovered that Sadler had written a Roman Gladiator book called Morituri. Naturally I wanted to find a copy. Now physical copies of Sadler's books can be hard to find or afford so I had to wait a long time to find one that I was comfortable paying for. Gouging sucks and you ought to be ashamed of yourself, but I digress.
Morituri is told in the first person perspective. Lucanus, on the eve of his death, recounts his life to his personal scribe. At times, Lucanus breaks the fourth wall and speaks directly to his audience like an old friend. Lucanus begins with his earliest memories in the Coliseum up to the day of his death.
In a way this book was a letdown. Although, in reality I guess I failed the book because I built it up with my expectations of what it should have been. I wanted more visceral action and violence. More adventure. More.
Morituri is a straight forward story plainly told without flourish. Lucanus lives a full life, travels the known world, finds love, learns to survive in the wilderness the hard way, and witnesses the full brutality of Rome's political machinations. The story is overshadowed with impending tragedy.
Another book I would recommend to read is The Way of the Gladiator aka Those About to Die by Daniel P. Mannix.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews