Whom Gods Destroy

The Sertorius Scrolls #4

by Vincent B. Davis II

"Whom the Gods would Destroy, they first make mad"


Rome - 97 BC. Quintus Sertorius is now serving as a legate in Greece. It's supposed to be a peacetime mission, but quickly Sertorius discovers there is more happening beneath the peaceful veneer of democracy's birthplace.

Roman citizens are disappearing. Whispers are spreading that there is a force operating in the shadows bent on Rome's destruction.

Sertorius and his companions are determined to find out who is behind all this, but quickly the enemy is on the offense. Friends disappear. Attacks in the night. Blood in the streets.

Sertorius must stop at nothing to snuff out this grand conspiracy before it engulfs the Republic in flames.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

356 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 1, 2021

About the author

Vincent B. Davis II writes historical fiction books to keep the past alive through the power of storytelling. He is also an entrepreneur, speaker, and veteran who is a proud graduate of East Tennessee State University and was honorably discharged from the US Army in 2022. Armed with a pen and an entrepreneurial spirit, Vincent quit his day job and decided it was as good a time as any to follow his dream. He went on to publish six historical fiction novels, four of which have now become Amazon International Best Sellers.

Vincent is also a devoted and depressed Carolina Panthers fan and a proud pet parent to his rescue pups, Buddy and Jenny. Join Vincent in celebrating the past through the pages of his books. His newsletter, The Legion, is more than just another author email list. It’s a community of readers who enjoy free additional content to enhance their reading experience—HD Maps, family trees, Latin glossaries, free eBooks, and more. You can join the community and snag your freebies at https://vincentbdavisii.com/join-the-....

Vincent also loves connecting with his readers through social media. Find him on Facebook or Instagram @vbdavisii, vincentbdavisii.com, or email him at Vincent@thirteenthpress.com.

Reviews

[Sumit · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book's ARC from the author in exchange for my honest review



“𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙚: 𝘼𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙣𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙙𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙖𝙬 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙮 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝 𝙝𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙣, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙝𝙚’𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜. 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙘. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨, 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮.”



“𝙒𝙖𝙧 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚. 𝘽𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠, 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙧𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙙𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙣. 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙡, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙫𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙡.”



🔥Rome. 97 BC. Quintus Sertorius went to Greece to serve as Legate under his commanding officer Proconsul Titus Didius. It was supposed to be a peacetime mission but everything is not as it seems to be. A mysterious cult called Cerberus is lurking in the shadow with the singular objective of Rome's destruction. Roman citizens are disappearing, there were night attacks on the Roman legion and Roman blood is spilled on the streets of the democracy's birthplace. Sertorius and his companions have to find out this cult who are behind all of these and quash their grand conspiracy before it engulfs the Roman Republic in flames.

🔥The book - 4th in The Sertorius Scrolls series - is divided into 3 parts and chronicles Sertorius' adventure in Greece. Like the previous books this one also structured as a memoir, written in the first-person narrative of Quintus, and for a change, his friends- Lucius and Spurius' POVs are also added in the last part.

🔥Davis's writing is smooth and flawless. I liked how he intricately plotted the entire story around the mysterious cult of Cerberus, its discovery, and finally its complete annihilation and how beautifully he incorporated the historical facts in the story without giving it a bookish feeling. His battle sequences are graphic and the pacing is perfect.

🔥All the characters are perfectly fleshed out. I enjoyed reading Quintus, now more mature remains steadfast towards his duties without compromising his humanity, and his friend Lucius struggles to come out of his shadow to claim glory for himself. Some interesting new characters - Didius, Kirrha, Kallias, Niarchos, Aulus, and Spurius - added, but among them the most admirable one is Castor. He may not be an important character, but his innocence certainly moves your heart.

🔥The climax of the book is satisfactory and how everything wraps up at the end is very dramatic. There is a bloody last stance, a deadly revelation, and a sad goodbye which make me emotional.

Overall, Whom Gods Destroy is an enjoyable read and it certainly raised my expectation level for the next book. Highly recommended if you are into historical fiction and Roman history.

𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨(4.5/5)

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed these four books following Legate Sertorius whose thoughts, actions and interactions shine through with honor during challenging times. Serving in Greece is a treacherous assignment from start to finish and whether he will survive events in Greece and return home provides tension that is sometimes unbearable, making a compelling read.

Kindle Unlimited

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written and engaging work, with a strong sense of reality and believabilitly mixed in with the history. This story is set in the period right before Sulla takes power in Rome, following the career of one Legate Sertorius, a very skilled military commander and soldier.

Whom Gods Destroy focuses on a movement to undermine and destroy Roman rule by conquered nations, and includes quite a bit of quite authentic seeming military action. Reading this I thought "this guy has seen real action" and it turns out that the author has.

This makes me want to read more of Davis' work.

[Richard Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book again!

Quintus Sertorius once again is on the march. As a Legate he is responsible for getting his legion to the fights. He is older now and wants to be home with his family. He has to go to Greece to put down a rebellion and we see and feel his thoughts and actions during this time. I can’t wait to read what happens when he heads to Italy to fight.

[Mercedes Rochelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Book IV, our hero Legate Sertorius has been assigned to Proconsul Titus Didius, an arrogant, disagreeable general with a chip on his shoulder and a need to excel no matter what it took to get there. This time they are traveling to Greece, which by all rights should be an easy mission. Except for the general’s mandate:

“Is this not a peacetime campaign, sir?” I asked. Of course it was, but I already knew it was erroneous to assume anything with my new commander.
“For now. We expect no trouble with the Greeks. They’ve been beaten into submission for some time now. But I’ve worked too hard to secure the wealthy province of Greece to return home without a triumph, so at some point we will have to find 5,000 men to kill.”
“On a peacetime mission?” I did not question what he meant about working hard to secure his province… they were supposed to be drawn by lot. He twisted his neck to pop it, poorly restraining his irritation at my insolence.
“Correct, legate. My last command was in Macedonia. There we found a tribe of reprobates who needed to be wiped from Gaia’s earth. Now they are rotting on the fields of Pella and I am a triumphator. I will not be returning to Rome with less than I did last time.” Didius stopped again and met my eye. “Your job as my legate is to find the right men to kill.”

Needless to say, Sertorius is not thrilled with this stipulation. But he is a good soldier and does his best to keep order, though the Romans soon discover that the Greeks are not nearly as peaceful as they expected. In fact, rebellion is brewing. There’s lots of action here, and every time Sertorius gets his men out of a potential disaster, Didius eyes him askance, suspecting him of vainglorious behavior—or possibly even treachery. This certainly makes the legate’s job even worse. There really is treachery afoot, from someone inside the Roman legion, for there are too many instances where they are caught unawares and attacked by forces larger than their own. This book is a real page-turner and once again, Sertorius comes within a hair’s breadth of destruction. But he has more adventures ahead! And, if I’m not mistaken, a confrontation with Sulla who has taken Sertorius’s wife under his alleged protection.

[frank012887 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating and heartfelt

This series thus far has been amazing. This current reading was no different. It captivates your attention from the very beginning and holds onto it throughout. It was well written and pulls you right into the emotions the characters are feeling, especially Quintus Sertorius, the main character.

[Jessica Higgins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Davis is back in his element with Quintus Sertoris again on the war path!

After his tenure as senator and following the disaster that befell the senate, Quintus Sertoris is now serving as a legate for Rome to Greece. While this should be a mission of peace, he quickly realizes that his new commander expects to return with a tribute of at least 5,000 deaths. Once the legion is in Greece, Quintus begins to realize that Roman citizens are disappearing, some being sold into slavery, which is illegal. As he investigates, he realizes that he is up against a villain known as Cerebus that is bent upon the full destruction of Rome. Sertoris must devise a way to put an end to the conspiracy while making new friends, and losing some, along the way.

I love this series, but after Bodies in the Tiber, I was ready to get back on the war path and leave the politics behind. Luckily, Davis does just that in his new Sertoris Scroll. Now under the command of Proconsul Titus Didius, he is dispatched to Greece as a legate. Unfortunately, this leaves readers without the Quintus/Arrea love story that many were hoping to get back on track, but it does allow for good banter with his old friend Apollonius once again. This book introduces new friendships and sees some old friendships start to dwindle. The drama with Sulla continues at a distance, mainly through letters of Rome’s impending civil war. Everything is being set up nicely for the Social War that Sertorius is greatly known for.

Highly recommended for lovers of ancient roman literature.

[Johnny Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am no good at writing reviews. It is very difficult for me to articulate all the emotions and thoughts I have about most things. What I can say is that this story, Quintus' story, is one I think all men can read and find themselves questioning who they are as a man. Asking what purpose they serve here in this life. It forces us to ask ourselves are we fulfilling our duties as men, and if so are we fulfilling them in the way that honors God and our families? And ourselves? And if not, why? Why have we fallen so far as a men that we see none of Quintus or Lucious in us anymore? These are men whose honor and pride for their country and their families and themselves lie so deep in their souls that they are willing to continuously face death to defend it. There is no shortage of this honor in the first three books and it certainly only expands exponentially in Whom Gods Destroy, all while allowing the men not to lose who they are in the midst of the turmoil. To continue to have faith in what they believe in despite the betrayal of those they thought they could trust and being faced with the evils committed by less honorable men. I pray one day we are able to find this in ourselves. That we may one day find a friend, and brother like Lucious to trust. And maybe even a Castor to guide our conscience when faced with unthinkable decisions. The best book in the Sertorius scrolls thus far. And I cannot wait for the 5th.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Read

Sertorius. I had read nothing about him, so I spent quite a while placing him in history. From what Wikipedia told me, he was most famous for the wars in Iberia and his tenure in the government. I could not find the names of the battles he fought in Greece. Different spelling of the same names hindered my research. All of my quest for background knowledge would have been unnecessary had I only read the first book in the series! For being read in the dark, it was a fine book. It was easy to read because the author's writing mechanics were good. I followed the battle scenes with no trouble. The peacekeeping mission to Greece turned out to be anything but peaceful. I could not resist the urge to get Sertorius back home to his wife and child. Now I have to read the first books to find out how Sertorius lost an eye and read the next book to see what awaits him at home. This read was free on Bookbub. Read the reviews above mine because they get into the meat of this historical fiction. I rely on reviews when choosing my reads.

Thank you, Mr. Davis, for a good read.

[Birgit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a different "whodunit" from what I usually read - and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Legate Sertorius has to go on a peace campaign (at least officially) to Greece, and he and his fellow Romans find themselves in a net of intrigue, kidnapping, and riot. Who or what is leading a rebellion against Rome?
Very well told, and quite adequately in "Scrolls", like diary entries written mostly by Sertorius, but some by his friends when circumstances separate them. Very likeable characters, good plot, and storytelling at its best, and not without humour, although at parts the story (mostly the mood of Sertorius himself) became rather sombre.
This was the first book in this series that I read, and although it is #4 in the series, the author masterfully wove important events of previous books into the story, so that I as a reader never had the feeling I was lacking information.
The more the pity that I was a bit disappointed in the numerous spelling errors, which detracted a bit from fully enjoying the book.
And still, I want more of this series.

[Brook Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Davis is a phenomenal plotter and easily fleshes out winning characterizations. However, the ONLY reason he's got a 4-star and not a 5-star from me is the editing. As great a writer as he is, he needs a top-notch editor for copyediting. Sadly, there are far too many spelling errors and words used in the wrong context for this to be a five-star book. In the first chapter, there is one example when someone was supposed to have "donned" a cloak, but instead "dawned" a cloak.

Indie authors don't have as many eyes on their work, that is true, but a copyeditor worth their salt would catch most of these types of errors and they could be dealt with prior to a book launch. That being said, NEVER underestimate independent authors. I said above and I'll say it again; Davis is a FINE storyteller. He simply needs to invest in some better editing, and he'd have five-star work all the time.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Battle weary

I cannot imagine how warriors in ancient times managed to fight on through the days. I’m worn out just reading about them. Seriously though, this is an excellent continuation of the story of a Roman legate’s rise to leadership. In this book, Sertorius travels with an army to Greece, where they discover an underground rebellion forming to break free of the empire’s hold. New friendships are formed in the midst of the attempts to find the rebels. Davis does a good job of describing emotions and battles equally well.

[R Pata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well worth the Read

The author does an excellent job in all major areas of the writer’s responsibility to the reader. The action and the reflection, the heroism and the treachery, the love and the hate; all are handled very well and passed all my expectations .

The only criticisms I saw was the need for more attention to editing that should’ve been done. Seeing ‘passed’ when it obviously should’ve been ‘past’ is distracting. I’d ask all authors to read it all one more time to rid yourselves of those distraction. P

[Susan and Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Great Story

This is a great war story, with intelligence gathering, insurgency, conventional battles and betrayal in Greece during the late Roman Republic. The series is of consistently 5 star quality. The main character, Sertorius, was a significant historical figure. The series is a prequel that explains his later military and political successes. The author's historical knowledge is flawlessly blended into his great stories.

[Lynda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very thought provoking.

I usually re-read the previous book in a series but with there wasn't enough time. So I just jumped back into Sertorius' universe and sat back, ready for an adventure. As usual, with Mr.Davis' talent, I was not disappointed. Truly a book well worth indulging in!

[Michele Eccleston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Roman Epic

I loved the Sertorius Scroll Series. These four books are a modern day classic and should be required reading for every high school English class.

Vincent B. Davis II, has outdone modern writers and earned himself a place next to the great Roman and Greek authors of antiquity.

A must read for any ancient history buff.

[Rodger E Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Read

Enjoyed the book. Part history, part mystery, and just hard to put down. Set in ancient Greece the Roman army confronts a conspiracy that remains in the shadows and has to fight for it's life. This story follows four Roman friends as they face their trial and come out the other side.

[Vickie L Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait for the next chapter

This period of Roman history has always been my favorite. Mr. Davis has a way of seamlessly intertwining the fictional story with the historical facts. Quintius Sertorius, in my humble opinion, has always been the most underwater of all the great Roman generals, just ask Pompey! He's the perfect, if not unlikely, hero for such a great saga!

[Charles Harris]

Great read!

This book kept my attention all the way to the end. It was well written and the characters were well fleshed out. The descriptions of battle pulled me right in and I felt the excitement of the fighting. I really enjoyed this book!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whom Gods Destroy is the best one of all the Sertorius Scrolls. In it, Quintus Sertorius becomes his own man, not just receiving directions and information from others, but thinking for himself, directing and developing confidence in his own decisions. Don't miss this one.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Written Account

Many disparate characters, mysterious plots, religious fanatics, traitors, wonderful horses and dogs, good battle accounts, and few editing errors. Overall my sense is that it was a worthwhile use of my eyes.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

I chose 5 stars as the book kept me enthralled. I would have liked more in this series.
I prefer ancient Rome with an in depth story rather than only battles.

[Mike Beason · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of Rome

For readers who enjoy stories about Roman times... Vincent Davis weaves a splendid tale about their army going to Greece to maintain their control and finds the peace is not as tranquil as it seems.

[Rebecca Augustine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quintus Sertorius is Off to Serve in Greece

His commander is General Didius who seems to be bound and determined not to listen to anything Legate Sertorius has to say. Can Quintus Sertorius serve Rome honorably, obey his commander, and still maintain the respect of his men?

[Kerry P Kohnke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read

I took a number of ancient Roman history courses in college. This has filled in so many blanks. Although it is fiction, it still tells so much truth about ancient Rome. Definitely a series worth reading.

[R Mitch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

The saga of a Roman warrior is a fast-paced, action packed read for those that enjoy military tales. Don't pass it by.

[Betty Guarraia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great history of Rome:

I read worthwhile with great heroes and even greater villains. Enjoy the book very much and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys Roman history.

[Herbert Rosenblum · Rating 4 out of 5]

Weird names

I should have looked at the glossary first.The story kept me interested though I did get confused with who was who but the story was very informative.

[Deborah Migues · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book!

Good book! I liked the open camaraderie these soldiers felt for one another. Truly a band of brothers. I would read the rest of the books.

[Sharla Elcock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

I always enjoy his writing. Lots of war and fighting and no ruinous subplots. Simple yet effective writing and very well researched.