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Blood Forest #2
Siege
The Roman Empire is built on the efficient brutality of its soldiers, all ready to fight and die for her. Most of them live together as brothers, but a German force is slowly working its way through their ranks.After losing most of his comrades-in-arms to a devastating onslaught, Legionary Felix and the other unlucky survivors are taken as slaves - they can do nothing to stop the treacherous Arminius's united German tribes from felling legion after legion. Steadily the force slaughter outposts, none saw the attacks coming and with each day they move towards Rome. Only when a lone fort, Aliso, manages to keep the bloodbath at bay do Felix and his comrades flee, ready to join their fellow soldiers in the fight and protect the Empire from an army capable of tearing it apart.
408 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 29, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
December 22, 2018
This new historical novel from this very fine author is an excellent continuation of his stunning debut novel, which was called "Blood Forest".
At the beginning of this book you'll notice a well-drawn map of the Roman Empire in the 1st Century, while at the end you'll find a well documented Author's Note about events happening in this book.
Story-telling is once more of a superb quality, and all the characters, whether they are real or fictional, come vividly to life within this Roman historical tale.
As an ex-military man himself, this author shows us greatly the human emotions, anxieties and pain from on the one side, the Romans, who are after conquering more territory, while on the other side you have Arminius and his German barbarian tribes, who are fighting on and for their home soil.
This story is set in the aftermath of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in AD 9, where three legions were wiped out due to treachery by Arminius and slaughtered by his German tribes, and this book contains for the most part the Siege of the Fortress of Aliso.
The book is divided once again into three parts, and our main character is still the one called Felix, "The Lucky One", but formerly called Corvus, "The Traitor", due to his desertion from the Eighth Legion, who's also acting as narrator once more in this tale, and who's accompanied by some of his fellow comrades who were left after the disaster at the Teutobug Forest, and those few surviving soldiers are Micon, Stumps and Titus.
What will follow is a fast-paced action-packed tale about Felix/Corvus and his adventures, his heroics and fear as well as his courage and cowardice, especially after the loss of his blood brothers, and what it did and does to him then and now, and what it will do to him in time to come.
Very much recommended, for this is another superb Roman historical story and in my view: "A Truly Excellent Sequel"!
At the beginning of this book you'll notice a well-drawn map of the Roman Empire in the 1st Century, while at the end you'll find a well documented Author's Note about events happening in this book.
Story-telling is once more of a superb quality, and all the characters, whether they are real or fictional, come vividly to life within this Roman historical tale.
As an ex-military man himself, this author shows us greatly the human emotions, anxieties and pain from on the one side, the Romans, who are after conquering more territory, while on the other side you have Arminius and his German barbarian tribes, who are fighting on and for their home soil.
This story is set in the aftermath of the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest in AD 9, where three legions were wiped out due to treachery by Arminius and slaughtered by his German tribes, and this book contains for the most part the Siege of the Fortress of Aliso.
The book is divided once again into three parts, and our main character is still the one called Felix, "The Lucky One", but formerly called Corvus, "The Traitor", due to his desertion from the Eighth Legion, who's also acting as narrator once more in this tale, and who's accompanied by some of his fellow comrades who were left after the disaster at the Teutobug Forest, and those few surviving soldiers are Micon, Stumps and Titus.
What will follow is a fast-paced action-packed tale about Felix/Corvus and his adventures, his heroics and fear as well as his courage and cowardice, especially after the loss of his blood brothers, and what it did and does to him then and now, and what it will do to him in time to come.
Very much recommended, for this is another superb Roman historical story and in my view: "A Truly Excellent Sequel"!
June 15, 2019
Geraint Jones’s second novel doesn’t disappoint. Like his first book, Blood Forest, SIEGE combines a powerful sense of authentic life in the ranks with a real historical event that changed the course of European civilization.
The main character, Felix, was introduced in the first book as a legionary found wandering in the German forests with no memory of his name or Army unit. Terrible events in his past make him loathe himself for surviving when others he loved were killed. In SIEGE we learn some of Felix’s secret, but not all of it, as he and a small group of fellow fugitives take refuge in Aliso, a small Roman fort on the barbarian side of the Rhine, where they are besieged by a massive coalition of German tribes led by the infamous renegade Arminius. As winter comes on, they must face the fact that rescue is unlikely. The legions who might come to their aid have been ordered to hold the line on the west bank of the Rhine, to stop Arminius’s forces from invading the provinces.
What makes this a five-star read is Army veteran Jones’s skillful use of first-person point of view to make us care about the bitter Felix, who grapples with his fears and longings amid deadly battles and betrayals. Why are men willing to die for Rome – ordinary grunts from the boondocks who will never visit the great city, never see the Emperor, never even have their deaths acknowledged by the Senate and the Roman people? As Felix gropes his way to an answer, we realize that his musings are as true of 21st-century soldiering as of Army service in the first century. This well-paced, well-told story is highly recommended.
The main character, Felix, was introduced in the first book as a legionary found wandering in the German forests with no memory of his name or Army unit. Terrible events in his past make him loathe himself for surviving when others he loved were killed. In SIEGE we learn some of Felix’s secret, but not all of it, as he and a small group of fellow fugitives take refuge in Aliso, a small Roman fort on the barbarian side of the Rhine, where they are besieged by a massive coalition of German tribes led by the infamous renegade Arminius. As winter comes on, they must face the fact that rescue is unlikely. The legions who might come to their aid have been ordered to hold the line on the west bank of the Rhine, to stop Arminius’s forces from invading the provinces.
What makes this a five-star read is Army veteran Jones’s skillful use of first-person point of view to make us care about the bitter Felix, who grapples with his fears and longings amid deadly battles and betrayals. Why are men willing to die for Rome – ordinary grunts from the boondocks who will never visit the great city, never see the Emperor, never even have their deaths acknowledged by the Senate and the Roman people? As Felix gropes his way to an answer, we realize that his musings are as true of 21st-century soldiering as of Army service in the first century. This well-paced, well-told story is highly recommended.
August 20, 2020
I was a rather indifferent reader of the first book, finding myself in turns enthralled and annoyed by the intimate mix of life as part of a modern squad of soldiers (based on obvious personal experience) and as Roman soldiers. I found that this mix sometimes gave real depths to the caricatured soldier archetypes but often brought the absurdities of the comparison into real prominence. But I gave the next book in the series a chance for two reasons: 1. I’m really interested in the topic of Rome’s failed conquest of Germany and the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest. 2. I found the ancient/modern split of the first book the most frustrating when it revolved around the use of heavy combat soldiers (mass fighters) as light scouts (small group fighters) and now that the big battle is over it actually makes sense that legionaries would have to split into small units to escape.
The basic plot of this book revolves around an excellent topic: the siege of Aliso. Basically, after Varus and his three legions were wiped out in a well-planned ambush involving most of the major tribes, the small garrisons manning the forts now had to fend for themselves. It’s an idea with a lot of inherent drama. My expectation was that this would be a three act story (as suggested by the three part division):
Act 1: Our heroes as slaves, forced to help the enemy before a tense chase as they flee through the wilderness to reach the fort.
Act 2: They hide in their fort and experience some dangerous attempts to swarm the place as their supplies slowly dwindle and the situation becomes more hopeless.
Act 3: The Romans beat a fighting retreat across the Rhine.
Would you believe that that the first and third act combined take up only about a fifth of the book? Yeah, all that exciting chase stuff gets covered in only a handful of chapters. Same with the interesting moral dilemmas of what one should do when held captive and forced to aid the enemy and the potentially thrilling breakout. Instead, we jump right back to the bit that clearly appeals to Jones above all else: the close bonds that arise between comrades-in-arms and the agony that comes from developing those bonds in a combat scenario. And outside of that, there’s really no plot. Okay, there are a string of murders within the fort and nobody knows who’s to blame, but they don’t spend long pondering it either (clearly it’s the Syrians! 🙄) and the actual answer is stupid as hell. It’s essentially padding. What little action we get alongside the agonizing consists not of defending the fort from efforts to storm it, but from more of the silly small-unit raids that made so little sense in the last book.
Like the last book I found the anachronistic mix of modern and ancient frustrating. Arrows are not bullets; if archers were as effective as they are here every legionary would have been one. Bases were not built out of concrete. Glass windows weren’t a thing. Zigzagging trenches weren’t how Romans conducted sieges and certainly weren’t how Germans did so. These are all very modern impositions that feel out of place in an ancient environment. Honestly, the setting feels more vaguely postapocalyptic than anything else. And the efforts to make the world seem more Roman often make the drama more uncomfortable. It gets pretty hard to take his constant agonizing over the cost of survival when the Romans are literally torturing, murdering, and mutilating men, women, and children indiscriminately. This is where Roman practices and psychology doesn’t mix well with a modern soldier’s experience (I hope!).
One thing I did like was that that the chapters are short (3-9 pages, with most on the bottom end of that scale). As someone currently reading at brief intervals throughout the day that’s a major plus for me. I hate leaving chapters unfinished and some of these 30-page plus chapters kill me! The chapters are also immediate and to the point. We’re always rushing from one situation to another. I appreciated that, but this may also be part of why the story spends so little time doing any of the things that interest me. The reading experience may draw you in momentarily during your reading break, but it also prevents any in-depth story beats. And it doesn’t allow for the big releases of tension the book so badly needs. I suppose everything’s a tradeoff.
I think this is it for me with this series. The next book seems like it’s going to be a flashback to what happened before the first book, and I thought Felix’s backstory was one of the worst parts of that book. If you’re interested in grunts-up accounts of warfare and don’t mind endless anachronisms this may be an enjoyable series for you. If you liked the first book you’ll probably like this one, even if it doesn’t have much action. For me, the book doubled down on what I didn’t like without expanding on what I did. I'm sticking with Ben Kane's Eagles at War series.
The basic plot of this book revolves around an excellent topic: the siege of Aliso. Basically, after Varus and his three legions were wiped out in a well-planned ambush involving most of the major tribes, the small garrisons manning the forts now had to fend for themselves. It’s an idea with a lot of inherent drama. My expectation was that this would be a three act story (as suggested by the three part division):
Act 1: Our heroes as slaves, forced to help the enemy before a tense chase as they flee through the wilderness to reach the fort.
Act 2: They hide in their fort and experience some dangerous attempts to swarm the place as their supplies slowly dwindle and the situation becomes more hopeless.
Act 3: The Romans beat a fighting retreat across the Rhine.
Would you believe that that the first and third act combined take up only about a fifth of the book? Yeah, all that exciting chase stuff gets covered in only a handful of chapters. Same with the interesting moral dilemmas of what one should do when held captive and forced to aid the enemy and the potentially thrilling breakout. Instead, we jump right back to the bit that clearly appeals to Jones above all else: the close bonds that arise between comrades-in-arms and the agony that comes from developing those bonds in a combat scenario. And outside of that, there’s really no plot. Okay, there are a string of murders within the fort and nobody knows who’s to blame, but they don’t spend long pondering it either (clearly it’s the Syrians! 🙄) and the actual answer is stupid as hell. It’s essentially padding. What little action we get alongside the agonizing consists not of defending the fort from efforts to storm it, but from more of the silly small-unit raids that made so little sense in the last book.
Like the last book I found the anachronistic mix of modern and ancient frustrating. Arrows are not bullets; if archers were as effective as they are here every legionary would have been one. Bases were not built out of concrete. Glass windows weren’t a thing. Zigzagging trenches weren’t how Romans conducted sieges and certainly weren’t how Germans did so. These are all very modern impositions that feel out of place in an ancient environment. Honestly, the setting feels more vaguely postapocalyptic than anything else. And the efforts to make the world seem more Roman often make the drama more uncomfortable. It gets pretty hard to take his constant agonizing over the cost of survival when the Romans are literally torturing, murdering, and mutilating men, women, and children indiscriminately. This is where Roman practices and psychology doesn’t mix well with a modern soldier’s experience (I hope!).
One thing I did like was that that the chapters are short (3-9 pages, with most on the bottom end of that scale). As someone currently reading at brief intervals throughout the day that’s a major plus for me. I hate leaving chapters unfinished and some of these 30-page plus chapters kill me! The chapters are also immediate and to the point. We’re always rushing from one situation to another. I appreciated that, but this may also be part of why the story spends so little time doing any of the things that interest me. The reading experience may draw you in momentarily during your reading break, but it also prevents any in-depth story beats. And it doesn’t allow for the big releases of tension the book so badly needs. I suppose everything’s a tradeoff.
I think this is it for me with this series. The next book seems like it’s going to be a flashback to what happened before the first book, and I thought Felix’s backstory was one of the worst parts of that book. If you’re interested in grunts-up accounts of warfare and don’t mind endless anachronisms this may be an enjoyable series for you. If you liked the first book you’ll probably like this one, even if it doesn’t have much action. For me, the book doubled down on what I didn’t like without expanding on what I did. I'm sticking with Ben Kane's Eagles at War series.
January 7, 2021
3.5 starsThe 2nd instalment of the Blood Forest trilogy picks up exactly where the first book left off. It's just as bloody and just as historically accurate, but not *quite* as satisfying of a read as the first, due mostly to the non-activity of a...yeah...SIEGE.
Themes: What it means to be a solider, brotherhood, Roman warfare tactics, how Roman forts were organised and manned, women in wartime, detailed information about the siege of Fort Aliso.
It's very brave of Mr Jones to attempt 400 pages of story when all that's happening is the characters being starved out by a bloodthirsty hoard. Not a whole lot happens in circumstances like that, but nerves and emotions run high. And so they do at Fort Aliso, where our main man Felix and two of the survivors of the Blood Forest escape to.
So, what do we get to fill our about 350 pages of time in the fort with? Lots of violence in the form of raids and skirmishes with the German tribesmen, a series of murdered little girls our main characters don't seem too concerned about (kids...who needs 'em, eh?), and a bullshit love story.
Now, one of the things I really hate in a historical / thriller novel is the trope of a bullshit love story and one of the reasons I was enjoying this series so much was because there was NO bullshit love story. But, Felix has time on his hands at this fort and there are some women around, thus: hey, time for a bullshit love story! Now, this one is done much much better than most, so partially absolved, but it could have been avoided.
Yes, it could've.
The serial murders of little girls was a far more interesting thread, due to its potential political and governmental dimension in the strained balance of the camp, but virtually ignored by Jones until it served the bullshit love story plot strand. That was annoying. As was his avoidance of exploring the tension and racism between the civvies/Romans and the Syrian archers more in depth. (Some potential lost for a good historical view of race/national relations within the Empire there.)
The other unnecessary thing in this instalment was Felix' endless repetition of what being a solider means to him. "I would die for Stumps/Titus/Micon/Brando. And they would die for me. We would all die for each other." Felix has similar thoughts about every 15 pages. No lie. He's a broken record, and that recording must take up at least 25 pages of the novel just by itself. I would die for them, they would die for me. I would die for them. They would die for me. Can you think about something ELSE, please?
On the bright side, all of the major events in this novel are historically accurate. Aliso was the only Roman fort that Arminius didn't take, and the overarching plot follows the historical record quite faithfully. There are some exciting battle and fight scenes and the atmosphere of the fort is quite solid. And then there's just our main man, Felix.
We like Felix.
In general "Siege" runs over by about 80-100 pages. Much potential was missed, but if you really liked Blood Forest, you'll probably like this one just fine. (And maybe the bullshit love story, too, I don't know)
Themes: What it means to be a solider, brotherhood, Roman warfare tactics, how Roman forts were organised and manned, women in wartime, detailed information about the siege of Fort Aliso.
It's very brave of Mr Jones to attempt 400 pages of story when all that's happening is the characters being starved out by a bloodthirsty hoard. Not a whole lot happens in circumstances like that, but nerves and emotions run high. And so they do at Fort Aliso, where our main man Felix and two of the survivors of the Blood Forest escape to.
So, what do we get to fill our about 350 pages of time in the fort with? Lots of violence in the form of raids and skirmishes with the German tribesmen, a series of murdered little girls our main characters don't seem too concerned about (kids...who needs 'em, eh?), and a bullshit love story.
Now, one of the things I really hate in a historical / thriller novel is the trope of a bullshit love story and one of the reasons I was enjoying this series so much was because there was NO bullshit love story. But, Felix has time on his hands at this fort and there are some women around, thus: hey, time for a bullshit love story! Now, this one is done much much better than most, so partially absolved, but it could have been avoided.
Yes, it could've.
The serial murders of little girls was a far more interesting thread, due to its potential political and governmental dimension in the strained balance of the camp, but virtually ignored by Jones until it served the bullshit love story plot strand. That was annoying. As was his avoidance of exploring the tension and racism between the civvies/Romans and the Syrian archers more in depth. (Some potential lost for a good historical view of race/national relations within the Empire there.)
The other unnecessary thing in this instalment was Felix' endless repetition of what being a solider means to him. "I would die for Stumps/Titus/Micon/Brando. And they would die for me. We would all die for each other." Felix has similar thoughts about every 15 pages. No lie. He's a broken record, and that recording must take up at least 25 pages of the novel just by itself. I would die for them, they would die for me. I would die for them. They would die for me. Can you think about something ELSE, please?
On the bright side, all of the major events in this novel are historically accurate. Aliso was the only Roman fort that Arminius didn't take, and the overarching plot follows the historical record quite faithfully. There are some exciting battle and fight scenes and the atmosphere of the fort is quite solid. And then there's just our main man, Felix.
We like Felix.
In general "Siege" runs over by about 80-100 pages. Much potential was missed, but if you really liked Blood Forest, you'll probably like this one just fine. (And maybe the bullshit love story, too, I don't know)
August 16, 2019
I had thought the first volume was complete in itself and was surprised the author put out a sequel. Following on the action in the first volume, the novel was just as exciting and kept me glued to the pages. Felix and the other members of his contubernium who are left alive after Teutoberg, escape slavery, along with three Batavians. They reach the fort of Aliso, which is putting up stiff resistance to Arminius' army, while other forts have been completely destroyed. They are taken in and become part of a unit in the century led by the pragmatic and fair Centurion Hadrianus, nicknamed H, a good soldier. The novel details the progress of the siege, fighting Germans outside and also contending with unrest and rationing inside, including murders of women and girls. The Syrian archers, a large part of the defense force, are blamed. There are raids, two successful and one an absolute debacle. Finally, H, Felix, and Titus scout out a route to avoid Germans, to try to reach Vetera. After they return, the whole population of the fort, military and civilians, set out under the cover of a severe storm hoping to avoid any German interference.
The novel was just as bloody and gruesome as The first volume, BLOOD FOREST. Some of the soldiers were stereotypes: the greedy opportunist who runs a black market; the arrogant, tactless malingerer, whose mouth is his downfall ; the innocent, dim-witted boy soldier; and the complainer with the sarcastic sense of humor. The action in some parts affected me deeply. I was able to get into the soldiers' heads and understand their feelings and reactions to events. Hints are given as to Felix's life prior to his being in Germania through either memories or more often, nightmares: PTSD? The dialogue was coarse. At first I thought the Prologue something tacked on: merely a "hook" to get the reader interested in the novel, then wondered if "the [unnamed] soldier" was Felix himself, because of a broken sandal mentioned in both novels. Could this have been his entry into Germania? The author leaves room for the possibility of another sequel to further the narrative.
Highly recommended.
The novel was just as bloody and gruesome as The first volume, BLOOD FOREST. Some of the soldiers were stereotypes: the greedy opportunist who runs a black market; the arrogant, tactless malingerer, whose mouth is his downfall ; the innocent, dim-witted boy soldier; and the complainer with the sarcastic sense of humor. The action in some parts affected me deeply. I was able to get into the soldiers' heads and understand their feelings and reactions to events. Hints are given as to Felix's life prior to his being in Germania through either memories or more often, nightmares: PTSD? The dialogue was coarse. At first I thought the Prologue something tacked on: merely a "hook" to get the reader interested in the novel, then wondered if "the [unnamed] soldier" was Felix himself, because of a broken sandal mentioned in both novels. Could this have been his entry into Germania? The author leaves room for the possibility of another sequel to further the narrative.
Highly recommended.
March 12, 2019
They say that one of the most important things when writing a book is to make the first page, and indeed the first couple of paragraphs, as captivating as possible and to create a hook that makes the reader want to read on and in my opinion Geraint Jones has done this. By the time that I'd read the first page I was totally captivated and settled down for a good night's read.
I'm a huge fan of Roman history and have read scores of books by the likes of Scarrow, Riches, Kane, Jackson and Iggulden, just to mention a few, and will continue to do so, but I have desperately been looking for a new voice in the genre with fresh characters and in Geraint Jones I believe I have found him.
This is actually the second book in the series, but I purposely ignored the first one as it was about the destruction of Varus's 3 legions in the German forest by the traitor Arminius and I had literally just finished 2 other very good books on the same story and couldn't face reading a third so soon after (you can have too much of a good thing!). One was by Robert Fabbri (Arminius) and one by Ben Kane (Hunting the eagles I think). However, not reading the first book did not impact my enjoyment of this one.
The writing is nicely paced and uncluttered, with some believable characters you feel invested with.
If you like Roman military history told from a soldier's point of view with brutal battle scenes, then like me you will love this book.
I'm a huge fan of Roman history and have read scores of books by the likes of Scarrow, Riches, Kane, Jackson and Iggulden, just to mention a few, and will continue to do so, but I have desperately been looking for a new voice in the genre with fresh characters and in Geraint Jones I believe I have found him.
This is actually the second book in the series, but I purposely ignored the first one as it was about the destruction of Varus's 3 legions in the German forest by the traitor Arminius and I had literally just finished 2 other very good books on the same story and couldn't face reading a third so soon after (you can have too much of a good thing!). One was by Robert Fabbri (Arminius) and one by Ben Kane (Hunting the eagles I think). However, not reading the first book did not impact my enjoyment of this one.
The writing is nicely paced and uncluttered, with some believable characters you feel invested with.
If you like Roman military history told from a soldier's point of view with brutal battle scenes, then like me you will love this book.
July 21, 2020
I like a good siege story. Nick Brown’s excellent “The Siege” was also set in Roman times, a small fort defending itself against the Palmyrans. In Fantasy books we had the brilliant “Legend” from David Gemmell and more recently “Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City” from KJ Parker. If you haven’t, you should read them all.
This is the second book by ex-soldier Geraint Jones and it follows his first, “Blood Forrest”. That one dealt with the massacre of three Roman legions in the forest of Teutoburg orchestrated by the treacherous Arminius. Here we have a story where a handful of Roman survivors taken as slaves manage to escape to the roman fort of Aliso and join the garrison in its defence against a large number of rather grumpy Germans. Cut off on the wrong side of the Rhine, their distant colleagues may not even know they need help.
The author does well at presenting a soldiers perspective and there is much focus on how the soldiers actually cope with their situation and that they represent a place and Empire that they will probably never see.
Felix is the main character, a dangerous fighter but the sum of his experience and a dark past, he is fighting for his friends more than anything else.
Not bad, ends a little abruptly with an obvious lead into the next book but not bad at all.
This is the second book by ex-soldier Geraint Jones and it follows his first, “Blood Forrest”. That one dealt with the massacre of three Roman legions in the forest of Teutoburg orchestrated by the treacherous Arminius. Here we have a story where a handful of Roman survivors taken as slaves manage to escape to the roman fort of Aliso and join the garrison in its defence against a large number of rather grumpy Germans. Cut off on the wrong side of the Rhine, their distant colleagues may not even know they need help.
The author does well at presenting a soldiers perspective and there is much focus on how the soldiers actually cope with their situation and that they represent a place and Empire that they will probably never see.
Felix is the main character, a dangerous fighter but the sum of his experience and a dark past, he is fighting for his friends more than anything else.
Not bad, ends a little abruptly with an obvious lead into the next book but not bad at all.
April 26, 2019
Felix is a Roman soldier running from his past and facing a present of captivity as a prisoner of war with only torture and death to look forward to. His luck seems to have turned when he manages to get inside a Roman fort, but it just proves to be another kind of prison. The enemy is all around and the atmosphere inside is increasingly desperate, suspicious and poisonous. It is enough to turn even the most hardened professionals against each other. As winter approaches the situation looks increasingly desperate and the only plan seems to be one with certain death attached. Will Felix live up to his name and see his luck continue, or is he finally running out of that luck?
This is a visceral book that takes you directly in to the psyche of the soldier through the ages. Written by a former soldier this has truth in every exchange between the men as they go through the intense bonding that only facing certain death can bring. It is probably not for the faint-hearted, but if you enjoy your historical fiction with a grounding of absolute human truth you cannot do better than this.
This is a visceral book that takes you directly in to the psyche of the soldier through the ages. Written by a former soldier this has truth in every exchange between the men as they go through the intense bonding that only facing certain death can bring. It is probably not for the faint-hearted, but if you enjoy your historical fiction with a grounding of absolute human truth you cannot do better than this.
December 7, 2018
SIEGE, Geraint Jones,s gollow up novel to Blood Forrest which came out last year is a truly brilliant, bloodthirsty addition to his roman series. With Blood Forest new author Garaint told the story of Varens disaster in the teutoburgh forest and the destruction of three roman
legions. Siege tells the story of the aftermath of that massacre and the book is truly brilliant. You can tell that Geraint is a former soldier who has walked the walk, the action in the book is truly bloody and non stop, olso the banter between the characters took me back to my own time in the army. This is a dark gritty book but with the dark humour you only finf in the forces. If you like your historical fiction realistic then you will not want to miss this title, i carnt wait for the next in the series and tjis is my book of the year so far. Well done Garaint and MORE please.
legions. Siege tells the story of the aftermath of that massacre and the book is truly brilliant. You can tell that Geraint is a former soldier who has walked the walk, the action in the book is truly bloody and non stop, olso the banter between the characters took me back to my own time in the army. This is a dark gritty book but with the dark humour you only finf in the forces. If you like your historical fiction realistic then you will not want to miss this title, i carnt wait for the next in the series and tjis is my book of the year so far. Well done Garaint and MORE please.
April 24, 2019
Absolutely loved this book from beginning to end. I’m a sucker for Roman-themed historical fiction books (a la Conn Iggulden, Simon Scarrow, Bernard Cornwell, Giles Kristian, Ben Kane, Anthony Riches - just to name a few) and this was right up there.
March 13, 2022
Davvero un bel libro...personaggi credibili e ben fatti. Si vede che l’autore è stato un militare e si è ispirato ai suoi colleghi nella composizione del contubernio.
Forse lo ha finito con troppa fretta, ma la storia è ben pensata con alcune interpretazioni interessanti dove gli eventi storici erano più grigi.
Forse lo ha finito con troppa fretta, ma la storia è ben pensata con alcune interpretazioni interessanti dove gli eventi storici erano più grigi.
April 2, 2021
Not quite as good as the first but still a good read and enjoyable.
November 23, 2018
5/5 Stars
Siege is the follow up book to Blood Forest by Geraint Jones. We immediately dive into action when Felix and his comrades have been captured by the fearsome tribes of Germany. After finally escaping the enemy camp and reaching the Roman fort, their troubles finally seem to be over. Or do they?
Having previously read Blood Forest, I couldn't wait to get stuck into this book. It's full of raw emotion, comradeship and brutal, merciless action.
Although the majority of this book is told from behind the walls of the Roman fort, it's still full of exciting plots and twists. Felix, takes part in pretty much every raid not only because he's a battle hardened veteran, but also because of the ghosts in head threaten to overpower him. Geraint Jones really brings out the true emotions of a solider under siege. Being a veteran that's served three tours, nobody understands the soldiers life better than Geraint himself.
If the small battles and night time raids isn't enough to draw you in, there's also a sort of Cluedo-like murder mystery to keep you on your toes. Women and girls from the civilian camp inside the fort start to show up butchered in the night. The only problem is, the civilians blame the Syrian archers, the Syrians blame the legionaries, and the legionaries blame the civilians. Lowering the morale and overall trust throughout the camp. This was a part I really enjoyed and found myself turning into John Luther trying to work out who the murderer was. It turns out I'm a terrible detective and I couldn't have been more wrong when choosing the guilty party.
Now, the characters of this book were the real strong point for me. From the veteran leader, Felix, to the comedian of the fort, Stumps. Each character was brought to life in their own unique way. Each solider has his own reasons for wanting to fight and each solider is haunted by their own past. Some more than others.
If I had to choose a favourite character, it would undoubtedly be Stumps. He's a veteran who isn't scared to get stuck into a scrap and his loyalty to his comrades makes you cheer for him throughout the book. Also, his jokes are hilarious. Brutal, but hilarious. The amount of times I burst out laughing is unreal!
Once again, I have gone through a book without any bad points. This year has been a brilliant year for reviewing books.
I couldn't recommend this book enough. If, like me, you're a fan of Conn Iggulden, Simon Scarrow, Bernard Cornwell etc. Then I have no doubt you will become a fan of Geraint Jones.
I would like to thank Geraint for allowing me to review Siege, I cannot wait for the next book!
Siege is the follow up book to Blood Forest by Geraint Jones. We immediately dive into action when Felix and his comrades have been captured by the fearsome tribes of Germany. After finally escaping the enemy camp and reaching the Roman fort, their troubles finally seem to be over. Or do they?
Having previously read Blood Forest, I couldn't wait to get stuck into this book. It's full of raw emotion, comradeship and brutal, merciless action.
Although the majority of this book is told from behind the walls of the Roman fort, it's still full of exciting plots and twists. Felix, takes part in pretty much every raid not only because he's a battle hardened veteran, but also because of the ghosts in head threaten to overpower him. Geraint Jones really brings out the true emotions of a solider under siege. Being a veteran that's served three tours, nobody understands the soldiers life better than Geraint himself.
If the small battles and night time raids isn't enough to draw you in, there's also a sort of Cluedo-like murder mystery to keep you on your toes. Women and girls from the civilian camp inside the fort start to show up butchered in the night. The only problem is, the civilians blame the Syrian archers, the Syrians blame the legionaries, and the legionaries blame the civilians. Lowering the morale and overall trust throughout the camp. This was a part I really enjoyed and found myself turning into John Luther trying to work out who the murderer was. It turns out I'm a terrible detective and I couldn't have been more wrong when choosing the guilty party.
Now, the characters of this book were the real strong point for me. From the veteran leader, Felix, to the comedian of the fort, Stumps. Each character was brought to life in their own unique way. Each solider has his own reasons for wanting to fight and each solider is haunted by their own past. Some more than others.
If I had to choose a favourite character, it would undoubtedly be Stumps. He's a veteran who isn't scared to get stuck into a scrap and his loyalty to his comrades makes you cheer for him throughout the book. Also, his jokes are hilarious. Brutal, but hilarious. The amount of times I burst out laughing is unreal!
Once again, I have gone through a book without any bad points. This year has been a brilliant year for reviewing books.
I couldn't recommend this book enough. If, like me, you're a fan of Conn Iggulden, Simon Scarrow, Bernard Cornwell etc. Then I have no doubt you will become a fan of Geraint Jones.
I would like to thank Geraint for allowing me to review Siege, I cannot wait for the next book!
January 22, 2019
This isn't my usual genre, and I confess I only picked it up because we're off to Rome in March, and I fancied reading something vaguely topical. I'm glad I did, to be honest.
It wasn't until I was about half-way through that I realised this was the second in a series (and I assume there will be a third). There are some references to the main character's previous life - which I presume are covered in more detail in the first of the Blood Forest books - however, there was not so much that it hampered my enjoyment of this book.
This was a good read, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. I usually shy away from any form of historical fiction as I tend to feel like my lack of historical knowledge gets in the way. It always feels like too much of a lecture- which is not the case with this book at all. Geraint has done a great job of giving you enough, without overloading you.
That's great for me, but I can understand why others may struggle with the lack of information instead. Of course, his writing is not true of the period - there are many things that do not sit well, for example, the language and terminology used. Yet, Jones admits himself that he is not a historian - he is a FICTION writer - and so I fail to see why anyone holds this against him.
The story of Felix and his comrades is not meant to be a historical account of things that happened. It's a nod to an interpretation of something that happened, with a liberal dose of the author's imaginings. If you're happy with that (as I was), then there is no reason you wouldn't enjoy this.
I will definitely go back and read the first in the series at some point.
It wasn't until I was about half-way through that I realised this was the second in a series (and I assume there will be a third). There are some references to the main character's previous life - which I presume are covered in more detail in the first of the Blood Forest books - however, there was not so much that it hampered my enjoyment of this book.
This was a good read, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. I usually shy away from any form of historical fiction as I tend to feel like my lack of historical knowledge gets in the way. It always feels like too much of a lecture- which is not the case with this book at all. Geraint has done a great job of giving you enough, without overloading you.
That's great for me, but I can understand why others may struggle with the lack of information instead. Of course, his writing is not true of the period - there are many things that do not sit well, for example, the language and terminology used. Yet, Jones admits himself that he is not a historian - he is a FICTION writer - and so I fail to see why anyone holds this against him.
The story of Felix and his comrades is not meant to be a historical account of things that happened. It's a nod to an interpretation of something that happened, with a liberal dose of the author's imaginings. If you're happy with that (as I was), then there is no reason you wouldn't enjoy this.
I will definitely go back and read the first in the series at some point.
April 24, 2019
I love historical fiction and Rome so I thought this book would be for me. Unfortunately after a strong start the book felt like it was spinning its wheels for so long before rushing to the finish. For a character focused story the characters were mostly forgettable and I didn't form much of an attachment with them. The book is fine but it is nothing special.
January 12, 2019
Hard work
Not your typical novel of the genre. Doesn't have that feel for the era that others achieve,more a adult boy's own adventure. Afraid I lost interest in the characters towards the end.
Not your typical novel of the genre. Doesn't have that feel for the era that others achieve,more a adult boy's own adventure. Afraid I lost interest in the characters towards the end.
April 16, 2019
Not quite as immediate or claustrophobic as Blood Forest, but still a down to earth Roman epic. Geraint Jones again skilfully focuses on the lives of rank and file soldiers to illuminate this tale of resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.
May 28, 2024
This is set in the aftermath of the battle in the Teutoburg Forest, but, even though visceral and totally engaging, this is a little more melodramatic than it's predecessor.
Felix and a few surviving comrades make it to temporary safety in the fort of Aliso near the Rhine, under siege from Arminius. The siege and the occasional forays plus the fate of some comrades keeps the tension moving, although the killer of young women in the camp is obvious from the start.
Felix, like all the veterans, is damaged by his experience of violence and that is really well conveyed by the author.
Felix and a few surviving comrades make it to temporary safety in the fort of Aliso near the Rhine, under siege from Arminius. The siege and the occasional forays plus the fate of some comrades keeps the tension moving, although the killer of young women in the camp is obvious from the start.
Felix, like all the veterans, is damaged by his experience of violence and that is really well conveyed by the author.
Read
December 16, 2020Finally a book that has been able to get into the mind of a troubled soldier, in the worst of situations and show how he forges on through mental turmoil. Jones' ability to tell a tale of such a soldier, hero, villain all wrapped into one is spectacular. It opens a readers eye's to "walk a mile in my shoes".
April 10, 2023
Not an author or collection I will rush back to read. The book is littered with profanities from start to finish. No doubt the author will claim that it was common language used in Roman times and reflects the life of the soldier however, the abundance in which he uses it suggest to me that he's merely filling pages to bulk out the book and that he is seriously lacking in imagination.
August 3, 2023
It was a good book but i bought it thinking it was a standalone only to find out on chapter 46 of 69 that this was, in fact, a sequel. Nevertheless, this book was written well, and obviously from the eyes of a solider. The amount of swearing was not my cup of tea but the ending has me hooked and wanting to read the next book and the book before Siege.
April 18, 2020
This is just modern people dressed up in funny clothes. Frankly it could be transposed to any time period whatsoever with only cosmetic changes. There is no sense of the ancient world and its thought processes at all.
December 31, 2021
I just love this series
Such compelling characters and a great look at the psychological trauma of warfare. Roman times were brutal; friendships were the salve for a wounded soul.
Can’t wait for the next one! Great book to finish my year’s reading.
Such compelling characters and a great look at the psychological trauma of warfare. Roman times were brutal; friendships were the salve for a wounded soul.
Can’t wait for the next one! Great book to finish my year’s reading.
December 28, 2022
I have been so happy to recently discover this brilliant series. I am a great fan of Simon Scarrow and can pay the author no bigger compliment than to say I equally enjoyed these books. Sadly, I must now await the next in the series, which I hope won't be too long in coming. Highly recommended!
April 10, 2021
Autor trzyma poziom. Tak jak 1 tom czyta się z zainteresowaniem do samego końca. Polecam.
May 12, 2024
A bit silly but a quick read
Read
June 19, 2025Really enjoyed the battles, anguish and relationships in the first half, but felt it lacked pace and ideas in the second half. Still not bad though
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