The King in Rome

Warrior #1

by Simon Scarrow, T.J. Andrews

AD 61. Rome. Boudica's rebellion against Roman rule has failed. At a huge celebratory banquet, an ambitious budding historian, Caius Placonius Felicitus, takes an interest in a mysterious guest: Caratacus. Once a high king of Britannia, now living in exile, Caratacus gradually opens up to Felicitus. And the young Roman soon realises that Caratacus' is the story he has been waiting all his life to tell.

AD 18. Britannia. Caratacus' tale begins as he - quick-witted youngest son of the tribal king Cunobelinus - humiliates his own brother in a war of wits. Cunobelinus decrees that the teenage prince continue his studies under the Druids at a sinister sanctuary, nestled in a remote valley in the lands of the Silures . . . But with a dangerous new Druid sect lurking in the shadows, Caratacus will need all his new skills, as well as his natural cunning, to survive. . .

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2022

About the author

Simon Scarrow is a UK-based author, born in Nigeria, and now living in Norfolk. He completed a master's degree at the University of East Anglia, and, after working at the Inland Revenue, went into teaching as a lecturer at City College, Norwich.

He is best known for his "Eagle" series. This is Roman empire military fiction, starting with the second invasion of Britain, and continuing with subsequent adventures in every corner of the empire. The stories are told through the eyes of two centurions, Macro and Cato. To date there are eighteen books in the series.

Scarrow has also written a series of four novels on the Napoleonic wars, focusing on the lives of Wellington and Napoleon.

Reviews

[J.J. Kennard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simon Scarrow is an accomplished author. I’ve read and enjoyed several of his books. My issue with this isn’t the story so much as it’s length. It’s very short and clearly designed to encourage the reader to part with money for the next instalments. Authors have the right to make money but I think carving up a book just to cash in is rather cynical. It has put me off and so I’ll be looking to other authors from now on.

[Andrea Oliverio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prima parte di cinque puntate. Ancora una volta la collaborazione di Scarrow con TJ Andrews ha prodotto una bella storia. In questo caso viene approfondita la vita di uno dei più temibili “villain” della serie di Catone & Macrone: Carataco, una specie di Vercingetorige dei britanni. Il temibile re dei Catuvelliani farà penare i nostri durante l’invasione della Britannia.
In questa prima parte lo vediamo bambino, già promettente ma ancora acerbo.
Personaggi credibili, dialoghi immersivi...insomma Scarrow è davvero una garanzia e avendo letto i suoi libri sia in inglese sia in Italia ano ammetto che la traduzione non gli rende giustizia.

[Wendy Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too short

It's not really a book with so few pages !!!!! Disappointed and not really prepared to spend more money for another couple of chapters. Sorry.

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

As an author, Simon Scarrow is - IMO - most associated with the genre of historical fiction.

Even more so - again, IMO - with those set during the time of the Roman Empire: I think we're approaching 20, now, of his full length Cato and Macro novels ([i]edit[/i]: as of typing this, 22).

I can't say much about Tj Andrews, other than I'm aware he has collaborated with Scarrow on a a few e-book novella's.

This is the latest in that collaboration, taking - as it's inspiration - the tale of Caratacus, the British warlord who defied the Empire before the time of Boudica, and who appeared in some of the earlier Eagle (aka Cato and Macro) novels as an antagonist. Eventually defeated by the Roman legions, Caratacus was spared by the Emperor Claudius to live out his life in the confines of Rome (and with Prefect Cato being name dropped when he mentions that in this novella), which is where this series of novellas picks up, as Caratacus is persuaded to tell his life story to a Roman historian who first encounters him at a banquet hosted by the Emperor Nero.

Told, therefore, from the 'other point of view' than the usual, I'm interested in seeing where this goes!

[Rob · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't believe Simon Scarrow wrote much of this novella. Or what is really the first handful of chapters in a book about a King in Briton who battles the Roman Empire. Scarrow collaborates with another author. I just didn't like the writing style... it reads like a novel written for middle school readers or perhaps written by an advanced middle school english student? Very plain with too many sentences to describe mundane things. Poor character development. Extremely predictable. And the premise of an aged warrior re-telling his childhood to a Roman scholar seems to be an unnecessary burden on the reader. Just more useless text to read through. Didn't like it. Unfortunately I also bought the 2nd kindle in this series.

[C.E.COLEMAN · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short review in keeping with a short story...

A good read,it leads you into a finish that you cannot see the end of the tale unless you buy the next book.I myself prefer a beginning,,middle and exciting end in the books I read,not be forced to purchase the next instalment..........🤔

[Keith Beddard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Warrior in hardback covers the early years of Caractacus and is in the form of a narrative to a Roman author in 61 AD after Caratacus has been in Rome for 10 years as an exile from Britain and kept a virtual prisoner. It deals with Caractacus early years at the druid training camp with the silures and his coming to a knowledge of his future. A really good read

[Martin Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good but short

I find Simon Scarrow a really good storyteller who pulls you in right from the beginning. My only problem is that this is a short book so no doubt going to cost me a fair bit by the time I get to the end

[Nick Morris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good opener

Caractacus is a character in the Cato series by the same author and is an important part of history. A great choice for historical fiction as he scared the Romans but they let him live. I look forward to the next in this series

[Simon Welton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exceptional story telling as always.

Simon Scarrow draws you into t
he narrative and the world around you dissolves and there you are in Rome or England living the tale; you can almost see, hear and smell the story. Masterful!