this one surprised me…

i really don’t like fiction but last week a copy of anthony riches ‘wounds of honour’ THIS was left in my holiday cottage and as i have a small bit of interest in Roman stuff i had a quick look and was well and truly sucked in. As i keep boring my wife with, its like a grown up commando comic (which i love, always buy from car boots and still read but only the 60s and very early 70s ones).

So, can anyone recommend anything similar, roman or otherwise, that i should maybe look at that is a similar sort of style.

This sort of thing? I could do with a clear out so if you send me your address I’ll pop them in the post.

I really liked Conn Iggulden’s Emperor (Julius Caesar) series when I read them a few years back. Seemed like a good balance of non-fiction politics and battles wrapped up with some completely invented characters to make the plot a little more humoured/easy going.

If you like the Emperor series he also has some on Genghis Khan (OK, but not as good as Emperor) and the War of the Roses (not read personally but my brother liked them)

For a non-fiction take on it I’d wholly recommended Rubicon by Tom Holland, and for a heavier (literally and academically) read SPQR by Mary Beard.

As above, Kane and Iggulden Roman series are very good, look at Simon Scarrow too.

The Flashman Papers.

thanks guys i will check them out.

midlifecrashes that is very kind, i have emailed you.

Harry Sidebottom is very good, his Warrior of Rome series books are excellent. Sort of fiction based on real people and events.