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Antonius #2
Antonius: Second in Command
"A WONDERFUL ADDITION TO THE PANTHEON OF LITERATURE FEATURING THE ALWAYS FASCINATING MARC ANTONY. AN EXCITING READ!"
Michelle Moran, international bestselling author of Cleopatra's Daughter
After proving himself as a formidable cavalry commander, Marcus Antonius finally earns a position at his kinsman Julius Caesar’s side. However, Caesar is an exacting general, demanding complete allegiance from his staff, even when his decisions put him at odds with the Senate. Marcus’s loyalty to Caesar comes at a cost, and he soon finds himself embroiled in mob violence and military mutinies. As civil war brings Rome’s Republic crashing down, many a relationship is torn asunder, including Marcus’s marriage. Determined to rise triumphant in Rome’s new era, Marcus faces his fears, his failures, and his enemies—not the least of whom is himself.
Amid the crisis of the Ides of March, Marcus must don the mantle of ruthlessness to carve his own legacy in Rome’s history. Enemies have been made, wills have been read, and heirs proclaimed.
But in Rome’s civil unrest, blood answers only to blood.
Michelle Moran, international bestselling author of Cleopatra's Daughter
After proving himself as a formidable cavalry commander, Marcus Antonius finally earns a position at his kinsman Julius Caesar’s side. However, Caesar is an exacting general, demanding complete allegiance from his staff, even when his decisions put him at odds with the Senate. Marcus’s loyalty to Caesar comes at a cost, and he soon finds himself embroiled in mob violence and military mutinies. As civil war brings Rome’s Republic crashing down, many a relationship is torn asunder, including Marcus’s marriage. Determined to rise triumphant in Rome’s new era, Marcus faces his fears, his failures, and his enemies—not the least of whom is himself.
Amid the crisis of the Ides of March, Marcus must don the mantle of ruthlessness to carve his own legacy in Rome’s history. Enemies have been made, wills have been read, and heirs proclaimed.
But in Rome’s civil unrest, blood answers only to blood.
350 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 25, 2019
49 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Brook Allen
4 books109 followersAuthor Brook Allen has a passion for history. Her newest project, West of Santillane spotlights history from a little closer to home. It’s the story of Julia Hancock, who married famed explorer, William Clark. Each character of this thrilling, adventurous period was researched throughout southwest Virginia and into Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Idaho, and North Dakota. It launched in March of 2024.
Brook belongs to the Historical Novel Society and attends conferences as often as possible to study craft and meet fellow authors. In 2019, her novel Antonius: Son of Rome won the Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Award. In 2020, it was honored with a silver medal in the international Reader’s Favorite Book Reviewers Book Awards and then won First Place in the prestigious Chaucer Division in the Chanticleer International Book Awards, 2020.
Though she graduated from Asbury University with a B.A. in Music Education, Brook has always loved writing. She completed a Masters program at Hollins University with an emphasis in Ancient Roman studies, which helped prepare her for authoring her Antonius Trilogy. Brook will soon retire from public education and will begin writing FULL-TIME!
Her personal interests include travel, cycling, hiking in the woods, reading, and spending downtime with her husband and big, black dog, Jak. She lives in the heart of southwest Virginia in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.
Brook belongs to the Historical Novel Society and attends conferences as often as possible to study craft and meet fellow authors. In 2019, her novel Antonius: Son of Rome won the Coffee Pot Book Club Book of the Year Award. In 2020, it was honored with a silver medal in the international Reader’s Favorite Book Reviewers Book Awards and then won First Place in the prestigious Chaucer Division in the Chanticleer International Book Awards, 2020.
Though she graduated from Asbury University with a B.A. in Music Education, Brook has always loved writing. She completed a Masters program at Hollins University with an emphasis in Ancient Roman studies, which helped prepare her for authoring her Antonius Trilogy. Brook will soon retire from public education and will begin writing FULL-TIME!
Her personal interests include travel, cycling, hiking in the woods, reading, and spending downtime with her husband and big, black dog, Jak. She lives in the heart of southwest Virginia in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
March 8, 2020
“Antonius” is an entertaining read for anyone interested in Marcus Antonius prior to his relationship with Cleopatra.
Read full review in the 2020 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2020 March issue of InD'tale Magazine.
December 17, 2021
Marcus Antonius strived long and hard to prove himself to Julius Caesar but these did not seem enough - Caesar threw him into the snake pit of Roman politics with scant support, refused to consider taking him along on the Parthian campaign, and the last straw, struck out Marcus from his will and instead named Octavius as his adopted son and heir (this book is so well written that I got distressed, less enamoured with my heroes, and kept saying to myself all throughout the book, "Oh Caesar, how could you?", "Chickpea, surely you can rise above your prejudices and ambitions!" and "Octavius, young man, pay heed to your betters!"). I can't wait for the last and final segment to this trilogy and I look forward to how Brook Allen will defend Marcus in the Parthian War and his last stand at the Battle of Actium against Octavius and Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa.
January 8, 2023
One way I know I am reading a wonderful work of historical fiction? When I find myself not only utterly engaged with the characters who live and breathe on the pages of the work but also checking out the history and the fates of these people. With this novel, I even watched the movie Cleopatra (the four-hour Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton classic) and documentaries about Rome. By the time I finished reading the first chapters of Antonius: Second in Command, I recognised the immense and commendable research that had gone into the writing of this novel.
I first met Marcus Antonius in Allen’s first novel when he grew from boy to man. This novel continues Marcus’s story—and what a gripping and suspenseful story it is. Allen constructs Marcus, now in his prime, with great believability. Charismatic with an immense lust for life, he is flawed yet wears his mantle of leadership with ease. He is also a man who has never recovered from the loss of his first wife—a woman tragically taken from him. Her loss leaves for him a vacuum that other women cannot fill—no matter how much they love him.
Allen opens the door to ancient Rome and to its many battlefields, battlefield often seeing Marcus fighting for his life. Brilliantly choreographed bloody battle scenes are set against a vivid Roman world. It is not a place for the fainthearted or those who wish to live long, peaceful lives. Treachery is a much a game for many highborn Romans as the games played in the blood-soaked arenas of the gladiators.
Allen does not flinch from creating this brutal time in history, nor shaping Marcus as a man of his times. The novel powerfully conveys Ancient Rome as a man’s world where women’s power is limited by strict rules and to what their men allow. Even so, Allen successfully crafts both men and men as three-dimensional individuals, crafting an epic work of historical fiction not only achieving verisimilitude in its construction of this complex Roman world but also abele to convey psychological insights into this man remembered so well by history.
Antonius: Second in Command is a man’s story. Marcus’s story. He shapes his destiny with decision and immense courage, while shielding his vulnerability—and his need to find that woman who he can entrust with his heart and soul. A woman he could die for. Now looking forward to reading book three to see that particular story played out.
I first met Marcus Antonius in Allen’s first novel when he grew from boy to man. This novel continues Marcus’s story—and what a gripping and suspenseful story it is. Allen constructs Marcus, now in his prime, with great believability. Charismatic with an immense lust for life, he is flawed yet wears his mantle of leadership with ease. He is also a man who has never recovered from the loss of his first wife—a woman tragically taken from him. Her loss leaves for him a vacuum that other women cannot fill—no matter how much they love him.
Allen opens the door to ancient Rome and to its many battlefields, battlefield often seeing Marcus fighting for his life. Brilliantly choreographed bloody battle scenes are set against a vivid Roman world. It is not a place for the fainthearted or those who wish to live long, peaceful lives. Treachery is a much a game for many highborn Romans as the games played in the blood-soaked arenas of the gladiators.
Allen does not flinch from creating this brutal time in history, nor shaping Marcus as a man of his times. The novel powerfully conveys Ancient Rome as a man’s world where women’s power is limited by strict rules and to what their men allow. Even so, Allen successfully crafts both men and men as three-dimensional individuals, crafting an epic work of historical fiction not only achieving verisimilitude in its construction of this complex Roman world but also abele to convey psychological insights into this man remembered so well by history.
Antonius: Second in Command is a man’s story. Marcus’s story. He shapes his destiny with decision and immense courage, while shielding his vulnerability—and his need to find that woman who he can entrust with his heart and soul. A woman he could die for. Now looking forward to reading book three to see that particular story played out.
December 2, 2020
My mother and I team-read this right after the first book. Recommended! We can understand why it's been winning all the awards and recognition that it has! Book 3 coming up!
August 28, 2021
An excellent sequel that starts where book 1 ended; this book has no slow moments and compels one to turn pages, though it is marred by some historical errors (eg the assassin Decimus Brutus was not an Optimate but one of closest of Ceasar generals who was actually named in his will as a secondary inheritor which of course angered the plebes immensely when the will was read) that are harder to dismiss than in the first volume where some of the stuff while unlikely, could have happened
October 26, 2019
If you enjoy historical fiction, you have to read this! Antonius: Second in command was a thrilling read that packed a whole lot of Marcus Antonius' life into engaging events that we've all heard about, but never understood the scope of this great man's life. I cheated a little and haven't read the first book, but I'm very glad I can go back to fill the time between now and when the third book is published.
Some of the writing would pull me out of a scene, but it was rare. I don't read much historical fiction, so some things stuck out to me that I would expect in an equivalent fiction book, but given how much Marcus Antonius lived through, I don't see how you could fit his life into any formula.
If you've read the first book, I guarantee you'll enjoy this sequel, if you have any interest in the Romans or the events of this time, you need to read this series, and if you enjoy sweeping battles mixed with the political intrigue of a culture that changed the world, you must read Antonius!
Some of the writing would pull me out of a scene, but it was rare. I don't read much historical fiction, so some things stuck out to me that I would expect in an equivalent fiction book, but given how much Marcus Antonius lived through, I don't see how you could fit his life into any formula.
If you've read the first book, I guarantee you'll enjoy this sequel, if you have any interest in the Romans or the events of this time, you need to read this series, and if you enjoy sweeping battles mixed with the political intrigue of a culture that changed the world, you must read Antonius!
June 26, 2025
‘Second in Command,’ the middle entry in Brook Allen’s Marcus Antonius trilogy, covers some of the most action-packed years of Marc Antony’s life. Stretching from Caesar’s Gallic campaign to the forming of the second triumvirate, Allen’s narrative explores this period of life expertly through Antony’s lens.
There’s the thrill of the near-defeat and then triumph of Alesia, the epic battle of Pharsalus, and the exciting climax of Philippi for the reader to enjoy. Marcus’s middling political career, and the turmoil he faced ruling Rome as Caesar’s second in command, are also explored with great depth. I enjoyed the political intrigues and seeing story arcs come full circle for a lot of characters introduced in ‘Son of Rome.’ The near-mutiny of Caesar’s Campanian legions is an oft-overlooked detail in this timeline, and I’m glad Allen’s book highlighted it. Antony’s skills as an orator, despite his political blunders, are skillfully written. He truly comes to life as a very real, very mortal man with realistic motivations. The betrayal he feels by the book’s end is wonderfully done.
Allen’s character work is what really kept me reading the next chapter, and the next. The female characters in particular are so, so good. I loved the chaos and drama Fulvia, Antonia, Antony’s mother, and Cleopatra brought to bear on this book’s narrative, and I really can’t wait to read how Allen develops Cleopatra further in book 3.
This book does NOT suffer from ‘middle book’ syndrome at all. This can be read independently of the other 2 and make complete sense. There is a TON that happens in the book and a lot of character arcs are neatly completed by the book’s end. But the story is just so good that you can’t help but want to read the next one! Highly, highly recommended!
There’s the thrill of the near-defeat and then triumph of Alesia, the epic battle of Pharsalus, and the exciting climax of Philippi for the reader to enjoy. Marcus’s middling political career, and the turmoil he faced ruling Rome as Caesar’s second in command, are also explored with great depth. I enjoyed the political intrigues and seeing story arcs come full circle for a lot of characters introduced in ‘Son of Rome.’ The near-mutiny of Caesar’s Campanian legions is an oft-overlooked detail in this timeline, and I’m glad Allen’s book highlighted it. Antony’s skills as an orator, despite his political blunders, are skillfully written. He truly comes to life as a very real, very mortal man with realistic motivations. The betrayal he feels by the book’s end is wonderfully done.
Allen’s character work is what really kept me reading the next chapter, and the next. The female characters in particular are so, so good. I loved the chaos and drama Fulvia, Antonia, Antony’s mother, and Cleopatra brought to bear on this book’s narrative, and I really can’t wait to read how Allen develops Cleopatra further in book 3.
This book does NOT suffer from ‘middle book’ syndrome at all. This can be read independently of the other 2 and make complete sense. There is a TON that happens in the book and a lot of character arcs are neatly completed by the book’s end. But the story is just so good that you can’t help but want to read the next one! Highly, highly recommended!
October 18, 2021
After the first book in the series, where we meet Marcus Antonius (Mark Anthony) as a young boy and see his character forming, here he is a man, a soldier, the character we know from history, and you'd think this is the story that we all know well. But do we?
He's a character who usually comes bursting onto the pages/screen when Julius Caesar is at the height of his powers and about to be taken down in the most bloody and brutal way. And we all know what happens: Antonius stands up, comes not to bury him but to praise him etc, and then gets to step centre stage, for a while.
Not so here. Here we see how the complex relationship between the two men develops, how Caesar begins to wonder if his faith in his deputy is misplaced, while Antonius at once loves and despairs of Caesar. No easy friendship this, and Brook Allen portrays these two characters extremely well, showing that nothing is as clear cut and straightforward as the history books might have us believe.
If you're looking for battle/fight scenes, they're here, and they're well done, from the sheer misery of life on the road in the army, to the depiction of the battle of Philippi. The complicated politics are explained with a light touch, too. But the personal stories are what shine through: Marcus' difficult relationship with Antonia and with Fulvia, his love for his family, the demons he still carries from his youth, and his growing mistrust of his supposed ally Octavian.
This sets us up nicely for Volume Three, of course...
Originally reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
He's a character who usually comes bursting onto the pages/screen when Julius Caesar is at the height of his powers and about to be taken down in the most bloody and brutal way. And we all know what happens: Antonius stands up, comes not to bury him but to praise him etc, and then gets to step centre stage, for a while.
Not so here. Here we see how the complex relationship between the two men develops, how Caesar begins to wonder if his faith in his deputy is misplaced, while Antonius at once loves and despairs of Caesar. No easy friendship this, and Brook Allen portrays these two characters extremely well, showing that nothing is as clear cut and straightforward as the history books might have us believe.
If you're looking for battle/fight scenes, they're here, and they're well done, from the sheer misery of life on the road in the army, to the depiction of the battle of Philippi. The complicated politics are explained with a light touch, too. But the personal stories are what shine through: Marcus' difficult relationship with Antonia and with Fulvia, his love for his family, the demons he still carries from his youth, and his growing mistrust of his supposed ally Octavian.
This sets us up nicely for Volume Three, of course...
Originally reviewed for Discovering Diamonds
December 10, 2019
"Please consider joining my staff as a legate. Should you accept, report personally to me at Portus Itius..."
Should he accept? Did Caesar really need to ask? Caesar had made Marcus Antonius a legate, regardless that he had never held office in the Senate. Marcus was to join Caesar and fight in his Gallic campaign. To be given such an honour was what Marcus had always dreamed of. Perhaps, at last, after his own father had failed the Senate, his stepfather had been seized and executed by the state, and his uncle had been shamed and sent into exile, Marcus could restore his family's name.
However, some said that Caesar's war was illegal, while others feared his true intentions. And Marcus would learn soon enough that loyalty to Caesar would come at a terrible cost to himself.
From the birth of a child to that fateful Ides of March and the desperate fight for power that was to follow, Antonius: Second in Command (Antonius Trilogy, #2) by Brook Allen is a historical fiction triumph.
As I read, I felt the ground tremble under the hooves of the Roman cavalry. I heard the desperate battle cries of the legions, and I smelt the carnage of battle. The despair of a siege, the hunger of an army whose supplies had not come, the acute anxiety of trying to win a battle at sea, the fear, the pain, the desire to be anywhere but where they were — all of this, I felt and more. This was a time of civil war, unrest, and despairing loyalty to a man who wanted power, while the Gods watched on despondently. And in the centre of it all was Marcus Antonius, whose loyalty to Caesar should have been without question, yet his enemies, desperate to bring Marcus down, would do anything and everything to make Caesar doubt his favourite kinsman. But such doubt meant that Caesar chose another as heir. Oh my, Allen has really outdone herself. We all know the story of how Caesar was betrayed and assassinated in the Senate. Allen has retold this story through the eyes of Marcus Antonius, and what a story it is.
Allen has vividly brought to life this time and these people with her elegant prose and her vivid descriptions. Allen's attention to detail has to be commended, and nothing was beyond the telling. The graphic battle scenes evoked the horrors of what it was like for those who fought for Rome and Caesar. As the Republic quivered on its last legs before eventually crashing down with the destruction of a tsunami, Allen has described in detail the absolute misery of civil war. Allen has also depicted the duplicity and the hypocrisy of the political climate. This was a time where one had to befriend an enemy and make enemies of friends. For a great soldier such as Marcus Antonius, Allen describes his deficiencies as a politician. Although a skilled speaker, his wayward past and his family name do him no credit. He is a friend of the people one moment and then thanks to vicious rumours, the enemy the next. This cut-throat atmosphere, the intimidation, and the threats covered beneath toga-clad decorum was beautifully portrayed throughout this book. It was almost as if I had slipped through a portal and found myself in Rome, watching the events unfold.
As with Book 1, Allen's portrayal of Marcus Antonius is sublime. She has captured the very essence of the man. Allen has not made Marcus Antonius a hero, for not everything he did was heroic, but she has made him very human. Marcus Antonius makes many mistakes, he is at times, completely out of his element, and he struggles with politics and pretending to be someone he isn't. He also has a very turbulent personal life which causes him no end of grief, shame, and regret. I don't think anyone has written such a vivid account of Marcus Antonius as Allen has done. Her devotion to his portrayal has to be commended.
Allen depicts Caesar in a slightly different light when compared to Marcus Antonius. Caesar plucks greats victories out of impossible situations. His determination means that he achieves what he set out to achieve. He gains power, and although he refuses that crown of laurel, he is very much a monarch. Caesar is, however, for someone who is very single-minded, easily led. It was surprising how quick he believed Marcus Antonius meant him harm when it was the complete opposite. As a reader, Allen has shown Marcus Antonius' frustration at Caesar. He did everything Caesar asked him to do and yet...It never seemed to be enough. And in the end, Caesar favoured another in his will. I thought Allen's portrayal was remarkable. Allen doesn't romanticise who Caesar was or what he did, but gave as a valid account as she could have about his personality.
Another character that deserves mention is Gaius Octavius (Augustus). Marcus Antonius instantly dislikes him, and as a reader, so did I. He is a very calculating type of character and a shrewd politician. Allen has obviously spent a long time thinking about how she wanted to portray Octavius, and I think she has done a commendable job. History tells us that there was no love between Octavius and Marcus Antonius. They were bitter rivals whose loyalty to Caesar was really the only thing they had in common.
Marcus Antonius has many enemies in this story, some much closer to home than even he realised, but for most of this novel, he has to pretend friendship, on Caesar's orders, with Marcus Tullius Cicero. Marcus Antonius' hatred runs deep, yet he puts that aside for his loyalty to Caesar runs deeper. Allen has depicted a shrewd politician in Cicero. Allen has a wonderful novelist eye for the human condition. Power corrupts, they say, and it really does in this book. It corrupts absolutely.
If you are looking for your next great historical fiction series set in Ancient Rome, then look no further than the Antonius Trilogy.
I Highly Recommend.
Review by Mary Anne Yarde.
The Coffee Pot Book Club.
February 11, 2022
Brook Allen has a knack for bringing the ancient world to brilliant life. I never had a reason to care about Marcus Antonius until I discovered Brook Allen’s excellent series. Now I imagine the Roman leader as a three-dimensional individual, driven by courage, passion, ambition, and emotion—a man who made many mistakes but gained wisdom from them all, who lived in Caesar’s shadow and was loyal to a fault, whose brilliance as a soldier built him a vast following. Allen is a master world-builder who deftly weaves Marcus Antonius’s personal triumphs and failures with the dazzling backdrop of ancient Rome. Marcus Antonius’s action-packed, vivid struggle to save the Roman Republic after Caesar’s assassination is a thrilling ride through one of history’s most famous events. Highly recommended.
September 14, 2022
Antonius: Son of Rome By Brook Allen is a compelling historical fiction novel that I found hard to put down. The descriptions in the novel evoked vivid images of life in Republican Rome.
I walked with Antonius through the Roman Forum, sat with his mother in the atrium of their Domus, and watched senators wearing voluminous togas deep in political discussions.
Brook Allen’s well-researched novel had all the components that make historical fiction my genre of choice. I highly recommend this novel.
I walked with Antonius through the Roman Forum, sat with his mother in the atrium of their Domus, and watched senators wearing voluminous togas deep in political discussions.
Brook Allen’s well-researched novel had all the components that make historical fiction my genre of choice. I highly recommend this novel.
November 10, 2021
Fantastic follow-up!
This was a wonderful second book about Marc Antony. Allen tells a masterful story filled with facts, tense battle scenes, and a time of upheaval after Ceasar was assassinated. The young Octavian, and heir to Julius Ceasar, doesn't see eye to eye with Marc Antony but one thing they do agree on is getting revenge for Ceasar. I really enjoyed reading part 2 in this series.
This was a wonderful second book about Marc Antony. Allen tells a masterful story filled with facts, tense battle scenes, and a time of upheaval after Ceasar was assassinated. The young Octavian, and heir to Julius Ceasar, doesn't see eye to eye with Marc Antony but one thing they do agree on is getting revenge for Ceasar. I really enjoyed reading part 2 in this series.
April 8, 2021
Another fantastic addition to Marc Antony's intriguing life! Danger literally waits around each corner for Antonius, and I think he's faced with more in the political senate world. Again, Brook Allen masterfully balanced historical accounts, suspense, disbelief--mainly at Caesar's madness--and heartbreak to make a readable story for modern audiences.
October 2, 2020
Second in Command
Great follow up ,lots of insights and historical asides. Anthony’s loyalty is tested and found wanting ,eventually sitting the table for his and Octavian’s march into history. Well done !
Great follow up ,lots of insights and historical asides. Anthony’s loyalty is tested and found wanting ,eventually sitting the table for his and Octavian’s march into history. Well done !
January 15, 2021
I couldn’t put this book down and am so excited to be completing the trilogy. I cannot wait to see what the author will do next! She uses such descriptive writing that it transport the reader to Ancient Rome right alongside Marc Anthony.
November 18, 2019
Excellent reading
This was a personal tale from Marc Anthony, delivered with accurate information on the time with personal details added to make a great story
This was a personal tale from Marc Anthony, delivered with accurate information on the time with personal details added to make a great story
October 13, 2020
We are proud to announce that ANTONIUS: Second in Command by Brook Allen is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!
July 21, 2023
Good book
If u like Roman history you will enjoy this book. Good plot and characters with a lot of action and drama.
If u like Roman history you will enjoy this book. Good plot and characters with a lot of action and drama.
March 5, 2020
"Antonius: Second in Command" by Brook Allen is the second book in the Antonius Trilogy, spanning the period of 54 BC to 41BC. The saga of Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) continues in this book at the time he is accepted as a military officer under the command of Julius Caesar. Marcus demonstrates his prowess as a strategic, courageous military leader that Roman soldiers can enthusiastically follow on the battlefields of Britannia and Gaul. With undying loyalty to Julius Caesar, Marcus becomes second-in-command to the renowned Roman general. However, when Marcus assumes political power in Rome on the behest of Caesar, his reputation and marriages flounder. Even though Caesar repudiates him for his political blunders, Marcus remains loyal. After winning Caesar's trust again, Marcus becomes consul and adeptly administers Rome through chaos after Caesar's assassination. However, he then faces his greatest challenger, the nineteen-year-old Octavian and adopted son of Caesar. He eventually allies with Octavian to wreak revenge on Julius Caesar's assassinators at the battle of Phillipi, where the third book of the series will continue.
Author Brook Allen masterfully weaves battle scenes, family drama, and political conspiracies into the saga of Marcus Antonius. There is no doubt that Marcus is a formidable military commander with flashes of brilliance in the political arena. Yet, his womanizing, gambling and drinking continue to lurk him at critical times which his political rivals can use against him. The epic storytelling is engaging and addictive. The battle scenes are described with vivid details. The characters pop off the page, particularly Flavia (Marcus's third wife) and Octavian. As a fan of the HBO series, "Rome," I found this book even more intriguing with its rich historical background. One of the most fascinating incidents is when Marcus Antonius has to exchange his young son as a hostage so he could negotiate a truce with the senators who murdered Julius Caesar.
I highly recommend this superb series for fans of historical fiction set in Rome. The essence of Mark Antony and Roman politics rings true back then as it does in modern politics today.
Author Brook Allen masterfully weaves battle scenes, family drama, and political conspiracies into the saga of Marcus Antonius. There is no doubt that Marcus is a formidable military commander with flashes of brilliance in the political arena. Yet, his womanizing, gambling and drinking continue to lurk him at critical times which his political rivals can use against him. The epic storytelling is engaging and addictive. The battle scenes are described with vivid details. The characters pop off the page, particularly Flavia (Marcus's third wife) and Octavian. As a fan of the HBO series, "Rome," I found this book even more intriguing with its rich historical background. One of the most fascinating incidents is when Marcus Antonius has to exchange his young son as a hostage so he could negotiate a truce with the senators who murdered Julius Caesar.
I highly recommend this superb series for fans of historical fiction set in Rome. The essence of Mark Antony and Roman politics rings true back then as it does in modern politics today.
November 1, 2019
Book two in the Antonius Trilogy takes us through the uneasy middle years. As expected, Antony excels in warfare but he is terribly uncomfortable dealing with politics. Nonetheless, he does his best to shore up Caesar’s hectic pursuits and keep Rome at an even keel; it seems that Caesar trusts no one else to navigate the Senate for him. It doesn’t help that Antony’s impetuous friend and mentor is busy trouncing ages-old traditions and carving out a controversial reputation for himself—regardless of the consequences. Caesar is a force of nature, and Antony is compelled to follow:
“This isn’t an option, Antonius, it’s an order!” Caesar roared, slowly rising to his feet, his face like stone.
Marcus stood up too, raising his voice, “You know this man (Cicero) is my enemy! You were there the day he killed Lentulus without a trial. It nearly destroyed my family!” One of his fists clenched of its own volition and his voice broke with indignation.
Caesar’s eyes narrowed, and he lowered his voice. “Let me tell you something. Pompeius and Crassus are both my enemies, and yet we’ve governed together now for years, peacefully. Do you think for one moment I loved Pompeius as a son because he married my daughter—may she dwell with the gods?”
“Caesar, there are some things I simply will not compromise—”
“Oh, but you will!” Caesar slammed the scroll onto the desk, causing a neat stack of correspondence to topple haphazardly to the ground. “You’ll consider your career, putting it first, instead of holding grudges against Cicero with your long list of grievances..."
More often than not, the consequences fall on Antony’s head, and our poor hero often falls short of Caesar’s expectations. Given impossible tasks, Antony finds himself the scapegoat when things go awry, and Caesar’s lack of appreciation eventually takes its toll. Not only is he undervalued, but his enemies line up to take advantage of his misfortunes. Things go from bad to worse when Caesar is assassinated. Antony finds himself on the wrong side of the law when he tries to take matters into his own hands; he is consul, after all, for what good it did him. Unfortunately for Antony, early on he makes an enemy of Caesar’s shocking and absurd heir Octavian, and he has to struggle to form an uneasy alliance with his unworthy adversary. Caesar’s murderers are finally dealt with, but we are left with an uncomfortable feeling that the worst is yet to come. This novel is full of conflict and unhappiness, and Antony never seems to get a break. But we all know that he is, in many respects, a man of the people, and no matter what happens to him, he will always be a hero.
“This isn’t an option, Antonius, it’s an order!” Caesar roared, slowly rising to his feet, his face like stone.
Marcus stood up too, raising his voice, “You know this man (Cicero) is my enemy! You were there the day he killed Lentulus without a trial. It nearly destroyed my family!” One of his fists clenched of its own volition and his voice broke with indignation.
Caesar’s eyes narrowed, and he lowered his voice. “Let me tell you something. Pompeius and Crassus are both my enemies, and yet we’ve governed together now for years, peacefully. Do you think for one moment I loved Pompeius as a son because he married my daughter—may she dwell with the gods?”
“Caesar, there are some things I simply will not compromise—”
“Oh, but you will!” Caesar slammed the scroll onto the desk, causing a neat stack of correspondence to topple haphazardly to the ground. “You’ll consider your career, putting it first, instead of holding grudges against Cicero with your long list of grievances..."
More often than not, the consequences fall on Antony’s head, and our poor hero often falls short of Caesar’s expectations. Given impossible tasks, Antony finds himself the scapegoat when things go awry, and Caesar’s lack of appreciation eventually takes its toll. Not only is he undervalued, but his enemies line up to take advantage of his misfortunes. Things go from bad to worse when Caesar is assassinated. Antony finds himself on the wrong side of the law when he tries to take matters into his own hands; he is consul, after all, for what good it did him. Unfortunately for Antony, early on he makes an enemy of Caesar’s shocking and absurd heir Octavian, and he has to struggle to form an uneasy alliance with his unworthy adversary. Caesar’s murderers are finally dealt with, but we are left with an uncomfortable feeling that the worst is yet to come. This novel is full of conflict and unhappiness, and Antony never seems to get a break. But we all know that he is, in many respects, a man of the people, and no matter what happens to him, he will always be a hero.
November 15, 2019
Brook Allen’s Second in Command, book number two in her Antonius trilogy, delivers on the promise of the first. We find Antony still desirous of securing favor and glory with Julius Caesar by skillfully building his reputation as a warrior and leader of legions. Caesar, demanding absolute allegiance, prefers his cousin’s support back in Rome in the guise of politician, a role that chafes the younger man and sets him at odds with certain senators who care little for the ambitions of either.
Allen’s years of research and easy flowing style deliver an enlightening portrait of Antonius the man and his turbulent times throughout all his struggles and his triumphs. I highly recommend Antonius, Second in Command.
Allen’s years of research and easy flowing style deliver an enlightening portrait of Antonius the man and his turbulent times throughout all his struggles and his triumphs. I highly recommend Antonius, Second in Command.
December 6, 2019
In this second installment, author Brook Allen demonstrates yet again her expert knowledge of Marc Antony's fascinating life experiences, as well as the world in which he struggled with adversaries, and overcame them.
I anxiously await the third, and final, installment of the trilogy. If Book I and II are any indication, Allen is sure to give us a tightly-paced, suspenseful narrative about Antony's later years.
I anxiously await the third, and final, installment of the trilogy. If Book I and II are any indication, Allen is sure to give us a tightly-paced, suspenseful narrative about Antony's later years.
November 18, 2019
AWESOME
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