Colossus

"Historical fiction at its best." - SJA Turney, author of Caligula and Marius' MulesJudea, AD 66. A Roman legion suffers a catastrophic defeat at the hands of a band of Hebrews. Knowing Emperor Nero's revenge will be swift, they must decide how to defend their land against the Roman invasion.Caught in the turmoil is Judah: a mason who now finds himself rubbing shoulders with priests, revolutionaries, generals and nobles, drafted to help defend the land of Galilee. Denied the chance to marry, he turns all his energy into defending the besieged city of Jotapata.But with a delusional general, friends falling each day, and the Roman army at the walls, Judah must brave a nightmare to save those he loves and preserve his honor.

Under Emperor Nero's rule, Rome is a dangerous place. His cruel, artistic whims border on madness, and anyone who dares rise too high has their wings clipped with fatal results.For one family, this means either promotion or destruction. While his uncle Vespasian goes off to put down a rebellion in Judea, Titus Flavius Sabinus struggles to walk the perilous line between success and notoriety as he climbs Rome's ladder.When Nero is impaled on his own artistry, the whole world is thrown into chaos, and Sabinus must navigate shifting allegiances and murderous alliances as his family tries to survive the year of the Four Emperors. Author and playwright David Blixt's work is consistently described as "intricate," "taut," and "breathtaking." A writer of Historical Fiction, his novels span the early Roman Empire (the COLOSSUS series, his play EVE OF IDES) to early Renaissance Italy (the STAR-CROSS'D series) up through the Elizabethan era (his delightful espionage comedy HER MAJESTY'S WILL, starring Will Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe as inept spies). His novels combine a love of the theatre with a deep respect for the quirks and passions of history.As the Historical Novel Society said, "Be prepared to burn the midnight oil. It's well worth it." Colossus, a series of historical fiction set in ancient Rome, by David Blixt.