ANTONIUS – Son of Rome, Book 1

Eleven-year-old Marcus Antonius becomes head of his family after the shameful deaths of his father and stepfather in first century Rome. Swearing to return dignity and honor to his family’s name Marcus must overcome his grief to help his mother raise his two younger brothers, Gaius and Lucius. Failing to quiet his nightmares, he slips into a life of debauchery and depravity. As he tries to pay off his massive gaming debt, he is dealt another tragic loss. Commanded by his older cousin, Julius Caesar, to leave home to study in Greece, Marcus connives his way into finally becoming the soldier he has always dreamed of and begins his career as a brilliant young general in the Roman Army.

This is a saga loaded with corruption, politics, war, wickedness, young love, and heartrending loss!  Although much isn’t truly known about Marc Antony’s early life, Brook Allen manages to bring his tragic and brutal formative years to life.  Readers that are not history buffs of ancient Rome may find it difficult to fight through slow pacing sometimes caused by the abundance of information. If one manages to win that battle they will enjoy this insightful chronicle of a young boy learning to deal with life’s hard knocks. His scandalous slide into whore mongering and gambling will have readers wondering how Marcus ever became a soldier with a much-touted glorious military career. Ms. Allen’s attention to detail and zealous storytelling leaves readers wanting more as she strategically leads them to the point where the much-heralded Son of Rome meets the young, beautiful Egyptian princess Cleopatra. Here’s hoping the second installment of this trilogy is even better than the first!

 Tonya Mathenia