Oh look, another book!

Thursday, March 5, 2026

Review: Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure by Cliff Lovette

Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure
By Cliff Lovette

Soviet circus performers arrived in America hoping to build cultural bridges. Instead, they became unwitting pawns in a Cold War game of international intrigue.

When the first privately owned Soviet circus arrived in 1990 in America as the Soviet Union disintegrated, its elite performers expected to build cultural bridges through spectacular shows. Instead, this prestigious troupe faced a perilous journey through Cold War America.

Circus director Yuri had to navigate treacherous waters where American mobsters, Soviet agents, and political forces circled like predators. Young aerialist Anton dreamed of becoming a clown against his family’s wishes, while forbidden romances and unexpected connections bloomed between Soviet performers and Americans who saw past the ideological divide. As high-stakes conspiracies threatened to tear the circus family apart, they had to choose between the authoritarian chains of home and the uncertain promise of freedom.

As the Ringmaster reminds us, “The best Soviet stories are like vodka—they burn with suffering, intoxicate with conflict, keep you stewing in reflection, and yearning for your heart’s desire.” This genre-bending tale explores whether human connection can transcend ideology—and whether storytelling can bridge the divides that separate us.

Five Stars: Send Help (And Possibly a Ringmaster)

Circus Bim Bom reads like the result of a spectacularly bad idea that no one stopped in time. Someone said, “Let’s take a Soviet circus to America,” someone else said, “What could possibly go wrong?”, and this book exists to answer that question in exhaustive, hilarious detail.

From the outset, it’s clear that organisation is more of a vague suggestion than a plan. The cast lurches from one situation to the next with the confidence of people who absolutely believe things will work out, despite all available evidence to the contrary. When the circus lands in America, reality dials itself up to eleven: bigger roads, louder people, stranger customs, and a general sense that nothing is behaving as expected — including the circus itself. There’s no plan B — just making it up as you go.

The comedy comes from watching well-meaning performers repeatedly collide with a world that makes no effort to meet them halfway. Cultural misunderstandings pile up, dignity is abandoned without ceremony, and every attempt to regain control somehow makes things worse. It’s glorious chaos, and the book leans into it with glee.

Hovering at the edges of all this fun are the ever-present watchers, reminding everyone that while the circus may look freewheeling, it’s still on a very tight leash. The tension they bring only makes the ridiculous moments funnier, like telling jokes while someone stares at you very seriously from the corner of the room.

And then there are the QR codes. Scanning them feels like opening a trapdoor beneath the story — suddenly you’re listening to the exact music that’s fuelling the madness, and the scenes tip from funny into outright absurd. It’s an unexpectedly clever touch that turns reading into a slightly interactive experience, as if the book itself is nudging you and saying, “Go on, lean into it.”

Presiding over everything is the Ringmaster, cheerfully narrating events as though chaos is part of the programme (which, to be fair, it probably is). His commentary reinforces the sense that failure is never an option, only improvisation, and that forward momentum matters more than control.

Ridiculous and unapologetically over the top, Circus Bim Bom is a five-star spectacle that proves sometimes the best stories come from letting the circus run loose and seeing what survives.

Final note:
If you finish the book and feel like the curtain hasn’t fully fallen, you’re not imagining it. The Circus Bim Bom website is very much part of the act. It feels like wandering back into the tent after the audience has gone home — colourful, curious, and full of odd little surprises. Think of it as the encore you didn’t know you wanted. I LOVED the character Gallery - honestly, never seen a book presented in this way before! And you can even join the Bim Bom Bookclub - it just keeps getting better!

Did I mention I loved this book?!!!

Members receive:

✨ Discounts on Gifts and Merch

✨ Exclusive glimpses into the self-publishing journey

✨ Previews of historical curiosities about Soviet circus life that didn't make it into the book

✨ Exclusive "Rabbit Hole" bonus stories and other literary surprises

✨ A front-row seat to the book's development and launch

✨ Sign up for Free

What Makes This Novel Different, (apart from being absolutely brilliant)!

Circus Bim Bom offers an innovative multimedia reading experience. The novel includes 45+ YouTube links to period music, historical speeches, and cultural moments embedded throughout—readers can listen to the actual songs characters dance to as they waltz, and watch Reagan's Brandenburg Gate speech as it's referenced in the text.

The companion website (www.bimbombookclub.com) extends the story beyond the page:

• Character Avatars: 25+ talking video introductions where characters speak directly to readers

• Re-Imagined Circus Posters

• Book Club Experience: Interactive forums, live chat, and community discussions

• Historians Room (under construction): A space for Cold War history buffs to fact-check the novel, explore primary sources, and debate historical accuracy

And get this, which I think is super cool - the tour has its very own circus train - you heard me correctly. You can view it Here!

You have to pick up a copy of this book, it is just brilliant. You can find it on Amazon.

Cliff Lovette

Father, storyteller, and dog lover living in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with London curled at his feet. Circus Bim Bom: A Cold War Adventure is the first book in his debut duology, followed by Circus Bim Bom: The Great Escape.

Social Media Links:

Tuesday, March 3, 2026

Love Lost In Time by Cathie Dunn

Love Lost In Time
By Cathie Dunn

A reluctant daughter. A dutiful wife. A mystery of the ages.

Languedoc, France, 2018

Historian Madeleine Winters would rather research her next project than rehash the strained relationship she had with her late mother. However, to claim her inheritance, she reluctantly agrees to stay the one year required in her late mother’s French home and begins renovations. But when she’s haunted by a female voice inside the house and tremors emanating from beneath her kitchen floorboards, she’s shocked to discover ancient human bones.

The Mediterranean coast, AD 777

Seventeen-year-old Nanthild is wise enough to know her place. Hiding her Pagan wisdom and dutifully accepting her political marriage, she’s surprised when she falls for her Christian husband, the Count of Carcassonne. But she struggles to keep her forbidden religious beliefs and her healing skills secret while her spouse goes off to fight in a terrible, bloody war.

As Maddie settles into her rustic village life, she becomes obsessed with unraveling the mysterious history buried in her new home. And when Nanthild is caught in the snare of an envious man, she’s terrified she’ll never embrace her beloved again.

Can two women torn apart by centuries help each other finally find peace?

Love Lost in Time is a vivid standalone historical fiction novel for fans of epoch-spanning enigmas. If you like dark mysteries, romantic connections, and hints of the paranormal, then you’ll adore Cathie Dunn’s tale of redemption and self-discovery.

Praise

"The writing is an absolute marvel. The plotline keeps you hooked from start to finish. The characters are brilliantly portrayed. The historical backdrop is depicted with astonishing accuracy. The meticulous historical detail brought the story to life, and the antagonists sent a shiver down my spine. The presence of paranormal phenomena was enough to make me shudder. It is a duel timeline - who doesn’t like a duel timeline?! Love Lost in Time is a captivating tale filled with hidden mysteries, passionate love stories, and exciting revelations. In other words, it is simply brilliant."

Oh Look, Another Book!

"From the richness of Charlemagne's court and the regret of a daughter, as she stands over her mother's grave, to the realisation of an enemy and a skeleton under the kitchen floor, Love Lost in Time: A Tale of Love, Death and Redemption by Cathie Dunn is the unforgettable story that traverses two very different times."

The Coffee Pot Book Club, 5* Editorial Review

"The narrative is ripe with emotions as two independent women are pulled in unexpected directions... Both landscapes are beautifully penned for readers to easily get lost in. Additionally, the storylines are engaging, and each helped bring a satisfying conclusion to the other. An enjoyable tale about love, sacrifice, and self-discovery."

Historical Novel Society

Excerpt

15th August, AD 778
The pass at Roncevaux, western Pyrenaei

“What? The king is leaving us to these heathens?” A young Frankish lord huddling down beside him stared at the trees, his eyes wide with horror. A gash on his temple was oozing blood.

“It would seem so. Look!”

Bellon watched in astonishment as the Vascones merged back into the forest, heading south, towards where his group had come from.

“What is happening? Where are they going?”

Around him, men gathered, always scanning the trees, but the attackers had left.

The eerie silence was broken moments later when scores of cries rose at once.

Bellon’s head shot up, and he stared at the deserted path behind them. “The rear guard!”

“God save them. The heathens are regrouping.”

“Milo!” He nodded grimly. King Charles had tasked Milo, together with several Frankish lords, to maintain the safety of the baggage train.

The clashing of metal mingled with the increasingly urgent cries.

“We must help them. The bastards will be after the spoils.” He took a step but a Visigoth warrior from his group stopped him.

“Wait! We have to tell the vanguard. We are but a few and can’t face the Vascones alone.”

Bellon hesitated, knowing the warrior was right. “Then send a man to let them know.”

A messenger was dispatched to the vanguard whilst Bellon and the other survivors headed along the track, towards the growing noise. When they turned a corner, they halted.

He had not expected the sight that greeted him.

“Christ have mercy!” The Frankish soldier crossed himself.

“They’re like ants,” the Visigoth whispered hoarsely. “All over them.”

“We need more men.”

Desperate to join the melée and find Hilda’s father, Bellon blinked back tears as he watched the carnage before him. Rarely was he stunned into silence, but even when the Franks had burned Pamplona before their return, the king had allowed a level of mercy.

Those wild heathens showed none.

“Retreat!” A voice called out behind them. “By the order of King Charles, retreat!”

“No!” Bellon pushed away. “You should go back,” he told the soldiers around him. “I’m going down there.”

“And be slaughtered like the rest of them?”

“I…must!” He drew his sword and stalked down the path soon strewn with bodies, horses and donkeys. He could not make out Milo, or any other men he knew, as most of the men were already lying on the blood-soaked ground. The heathens hacked into anyone moving without flinching.

“Bellon, you have a wife; you have duties…” He barely acknowledged the voice as one of his own entourage. “It is too late.”

Tears brimmed in his eyes as he hesitated. Ahead of him lay the rearguard of Charles’ army, dying and massacred by a frenzied horde, and all the treasures they had collected in Iberia.

A howl went up. The Vascones had spotted his little group. Some let go of their victims and began to rush up the hill. Instinct told Bellon to run, loyalty to Milo to fight.

“Bellon!” He recognised the voice calling from behind him to belong to one of Charles’ closest advisers. “We must go. Retreat now or die!”

Three Vascones, their cries piercing the air, were coming closer, brandishing swings and swords, and others followed, sensing fresh blood.

“Milo…”

“He’s likely dead, Bellon. We can return later, once the heathens have gone.”

“I cannot—”

A horse approached him from behind, and the adviser pulled at his shoulder. “Come! This is an order from the king!”

He shrugged off the hand and turned to the lord. “Take my surviving men safely back to Carcassonne!”

Then he held up his shield and strode towards the approaching Vascones.

This book is amazing and I know you will love it, so go pick up your copy on Amazon, and get this, it is free to read with #KindleUnlimited.

Cathie Dunn

Cathie is an Amazon-bestselling author of historical fiction, dual-timeline, mystery, and romance. She loves to infuse her stories with a strong sense of place and time, combined with a dark secret or mystery – and a touch of romance. Often, you can find her deep down the rabbit hole of historical research…

In addition, she is also a historical fiction book promoter with The Coffee Pot Book Club, a novel-writing tutor, and a keen reviewer on her blog, Ruins & Reading.

After having lived in Scotland for almost two decades, Cathie is now enjoying the sunshine in the south of France with her husband, and her rescued pets, Ellie Dog & Charlie Cat.

She is a member of the Historical Novel Society, the Richard III Society, the Alliance of Independent Authors, and the Romantic Novelists’ Association.

Social Media Links:

Website

Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Audiobookclub - Listen of the month - Jurassic Park: A Novel by Michael Crichton

So, for the audiobook for this month’s book club, some idiot chose Jurassic Park.

Kathy over on Book Nook Shenanigans, I am absolutely looking at you.

But honestly? I’m really glad she did. Because despite being incredibly long, it was also incredibly brilliant—and one of those rare listens where you finish it slightly exhausted but very impressed.

Jurassic Park: A Novel by Michael Crichton

An astonishing technique for recovering and cloning dinosaur DNA has been discovered. Now humankind’s most thrilling fantasies have come true. Creatures extinct for eons roam Jurassic Park with their awesome presence and profound mystery, and all the world can visit them - for a price.

Until something goes wrong...

In Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton taps all his mesmerizing talent and scientific brilliance to create his most electrifying technothriller.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review — Oh look, another book, now with hands-on research

Daahhh… da-da-daahhh…

I opened Jurassic Park expecting the movie but in paperback form. You know the one: dinosaurs roar, kids scream, someone says “spare no expense,” and a paleontologist suddenly knows extremely specific dinosaur vision rules at exactly the right moment. What I got instead was a much grimmer, funnier, and far more honest experience—one where nobody knows anything for sure until a dinosaur is actively trying to eat them.

This is not a light dinosaur romp. This is a book that explains chaos theory, ignores it in practice, and then demonstrates it by having every system fail in sequence. The science is deeper, the tone is darker, and the story has a wicked sense of humor about human confidence. Every chapter feels like the book leaning in to say, “So anyway, that assumption you made? Yeah. About that.”

One of the most satisfying differences from the film is how the book handles Dr. Grant and the T. rex. There’s no magical moment of sudden expertise. Grant doesn’t know the T. rex can’t see movement—he figures it out the worst way possible: by being extremely close, extremely still, and extremely motivated to survive. It’s less “brilliant insight” and more “frantic field research conducted under immediate threat of death,” which feels… fair.

The dinosaurs themselves are also far less cinematic and far more alarming. The raptors are not just scary; they are methodical, curious, and disturbingly good at learning. They don’t announce themselves. They observe. They adapt. They behave like the kind of problem you definitely should not have engineered.

The book is similarly unforgiving with its characters. It has no interest in tidy hero arcs or inspirational speeches. People make bad decisions, cling to bad ideas, and are shocked—shocked—that bad outcomes follow. Confidence is treated as a flaw, not a virtue.

As an audiobook, this is a joy in the most stressful way possible. Calm explanations lull you into thinking someone might regain control, only for the narrative to gently set that thought on fire. You keep expecting a turnaround. You do not get one.

By the end, Jurassic Park feels less like a dinosaur adventure and more like a brutal, hilarious reminder that nature does not care about your plans, your park maps, or your certainty. If you loved the movie but want something sharper, darker, and significantly more amused by human panic, this audiobook is a five-star experience—and proof that sometimes the book lets people earn their knowledge the hard way.

This book is well worth reading, or listening to. You can get it at the moment for free with audio-membership.https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jurassic-Park-A-Novel/dp/B00U8GUFAG

***

Next Months audiobook is Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.

If you would like to join our audio book club drop me a line!

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Wolf of the Nordic Seas (Valiant Vikings Book 2) by Jennifer Ivy Walker

If you enjoy your Vikings accompanied by interfering supernatural creatures with agendas, and fate turning up uninvited, Wolf of the Nordic Seas wastes no time delivering exactly that. Scroll down to read my five star review!

Wolf of the Nordic Seas
(Valiant Vikings Book 2)
By Jennifer Ivy Walker

Book Title: Wolf of the Nordic Seas

Series: (Valiant Vikings Book 2)

Author Name: Jennifer Ivy Walker

Publication Date:

Publisher: Green Mermaid Publications

Print Length: 357 Pages

Genre: Historical Romance / Norse Mythology / Fantasy

Named after the Norse God of the Sea, Njörd grew up sailing, swimming, and fishing the fjords of Norway. Endowed with extraordinary senses, speed, and strength, he became known as Wolf of the Nordic Seas, leading lucrative Viking raids from the Baltic shores to the Black and Caspian Seas. When a Viking völva foretells his future through a seidr vision, Njörd learns that his fate and his mate—the siren with the sea goddess eyes—lie on the alabaster coast of Normandy in the distant Land of the White Chalk Cliffs.

Elfi Thorfinnsdóttir is a skilled shieldmaiden who seeks vengeance against the ruthless Frankish count who killed her brother and abducted her father in an attempt to seize her clifftop castle. But rather that submit to the count’s relentless demand for her hand in marriage, Elfi allies with Richard the Fearless—the Viking Duke of Normandy— and the Danish Jarl of Ribe known as the Wolf of the Nordic Seas.

As Elfi and Njörd discover startling secrets about their respective pasts, they find that the three Norns have entwined the threads of their fates not just as political allies, but as mates destined to fulfill a divine prophecy.

Wolf of the Nordic Seas— book 2 of the Valiant Vikings series set in tenth century Normandy— is a sizzling, scintillating blend of historical fiction, Norse mythology, paranormal fantasy, and steamy Viking romance!

I opened Wolf of the Nordic Seas expecting some Vikings, a bit of romance, and perhaps the odd battle. What I got instead was elves plotting, wolves doing decidedly un-wolf-like things, and fate stomping about like it owns the place. Subtle, this book is not—and honestly, that’s half the fun.

Right from the start, the story makes it very clear that the mortal world is only part of what’s going on. Humans may think they’re making decisions, but the gods, the Norns, and various supernatural beings are hovering just out of sight, tugging threads and nudging events along. Every time you think, “Ah, this feels settled,” along comes a prophecy or vision to remind you that absolutely nothing is settled.

The elves are where things really start to spiral in the best possible way. The clash between the Ljósálfar and the Dökkálfar adds a whole extra layer of chaos, and it’s hard not to enjoy how unapologetically mythic it all is. These aren’t polite, distant creatures—they’re ambitious, dangerous, and deeply invested in using the human world as their battleground. Every appearance comes with the sense that someone, somewhere, has just made things much worse.

Then there are the wolves. Not just wolves, of course—this is Norse mythology, so naturally they come with teeth, loyalty, and a tendency to blur the line between man and beast. Every time they enter the story, you know things are about to get intense, possibly violent, and definitely unforgettable.

And yes, there’s a lot of romance too, threaded through all this divine chaos. The gods have mate-fated the protagonists, which works out nicely, seeing as eternity would be rather awkward if the attraction didn’t go both ways. The passion is real, occasionally inconvenient, and adds just enough heat to remind you that mortals are just as capable of questionable decisions as the gods who meddle in their lives.

By the end, Wolf of the Nordic Seas feels like a full-throttle dive into Norse myth, complete with gods who won’t mind their business, creatures who refuse to stay in their lanes, and humans doing their best to survive in the middle of it all. If you enjoy fantasy that leans into its mythology with confidence and a wink, this one is an absolute ride.

This book is utterly amazing and so much fun. You can find your copy over on Amazon, and get this, it is free to read with #KindleUnlimited.

Jennifer Ivy Walker

Jennifer Ivy Walker is an award-winning author of medieval Celtic, Nordic, and paranormal romance, as well as contemporary romance, historical fantasy, and WWII romantic suspense.

A former high school teacher and college professor of French with an MA in French literature, her novels encompass a love for French language, literature, history, and culture, including Celtic myths and legends, Norse mythology, Viking sagas, and Nordic lore.

Social Media Links:
Website • Facebook • Instagram • BookBub • Tiktok • Bluesky • Pinterest

Tour Schedule

Tuesday, February 10, 2026

Book Review: Quillan Creek and the Little War: Time Stones Book I by Ian Hunter

Quillan Creek and the Little War:
Time Stones Book I
By Ian Hunter

Jessie Mason lives with her nose in the pages of history. But she is about to discover that the past is a dangerous place where she doesn't belong, and knowledge alone is not going to save her.

In Jessie’s troubled life her aunt is the only constant and comfort she has. But when she inexplicably disappears, and Jessie uncovers her mother's Time Stone, that unhappy life turns unreal and terrifying.

She is summoned to a world in crisis, 250 years in her past, to three unlikely companions, and the aged Onondaga shaman, Nishkamich, who promises an education in the powers of the stones which they each possess.

Over one glorious summer, Jessie reluctantly settles to village life and the developing bond with her prickly friends, until they are forced to accept that their stones are being hunted through history.

But in the depths of winter, their friendship, their wits, and the very limits of their endurance, will be tested by an unforgiving Nature as war finally erupts around them.

Oh brilliant, a quiet read before bed, I thought. Next thing I know people are falling through time, soldiers are charging about, and I’m emotionally attached to four teenagers clutching suspiciously powerful stones while history itself starts wobbling. This book does not ease you in gently; it grabs you by the collar and drops you straight into the wilderness with a firm “good luck”.

Jessie barely has time to process where she is before everything goes wrong again. One minute modern life, the next she’s staring at a world that looks familiar but feels completely wild and alive. And just as you start to catch your breath, in tumble the others from entirely different times, equally confused and absolutely not prepared for any of this. I spent a good portion of the opening chapters mentally yelling, “Just stay together and don’t touch anything else magical!”

The group dynamic is gloriously messy at first. Nobody fully trusts anyone, everyone’s frightened, and cultural misunderstandings pop up left and right. But slowly, through danger and necessity, they begin to click. Not in a grand heroic speech sort of way, but in the small moments: shared watches in the dark, hesitant questions, split-second decisions to protect one another. Before you know it, you’re fiercely protective of all of them.

Hovering over it all is the weary, wise shaman who clearly knows far more than he has time to explain. Every time he appears you get that sinking feeling of “this is important, pay attention”, because the threat hunting those stones is not messing about. There’s a constant sense that something nasty is drawing closer, and that these kids are very much underqualified for the job fate has handed them.

It’s tense, heartfelt, occasionally brutal, and surprisingly funny in places thanks to the sheer absurdity of their situation. You get sweeping forests, sudden violence, ancient magic, and teenagers trying very hard not to make everything worse. I laughed, I worried, and I absolutely muttered “oh no, don’t do that” more than once.

In short, this is time travel with teeth, adventure with heart, and a band of unlikely allies you can’t help rooting for. If you enjoy stories where history collides with magic and ordinary people are forced to become brave very quickly, you’ll be grinning, gasping, and turning pages far too late into the night.

***

You can grab your copy of this book over on Amazon. And get this, if you have #KindleUnlimited you can read for free - can't say fairer than that!

Oh, and incase you are not convinced to buy this book from my review, then check out what other people have said about it:

"...the kind of book that one would forgo sleep to finish."

The Coffee Pot Book Club

"...fantastical and riveting."

booklife

"...an exciting adventure for readers with unforgettable companions."

The Book Commentary

***

Ian Hunter

Books have been an important part of my life as long as I can remember, and at 54 years old, that’s a lot of books. My earliest memories of reading are CS Lewis’, “The Horse and His Boy” – by far the best of the Narnia books, the Adventures series by Willard Price, and “Goalkeepers are Different” by sports journalist Brian Glanville. An eclectic mix. My first English teacher was surprised to hear that I was reading, Le Carré, Ken Follett, Nevil Shute and “All the Presidents’ Men” by Woodward and Bernstein at the age of 12. I was simply picking up the books my father had finished.

School syllabus threw up the usual suspects – Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Hardy, “To Kill a Mockingbird” – which I have reread often, and others I don’t immediately recall. By “A” level study, my then English teachers were pulling their hair out at my “perverse waste of talent” – I still have the report card! But I did manage a pass.

During a 35 year career, briefly in Banking and then in IT, I managed to find time, with unfailing family support, to study another lifelong passion, graduating with an Open University Bachelors’ degree in History in 2002. This fascination with all things historical inspired me to begin the Time Stones series. There is so much to our human past, and so many differing views on what is the greatest, and often the saddest, most tragic story. I decided I wanted to write about it; to shine a small light on those, sometimes pivotal stories, which are less frequently mentioned.

In 1995, my wife, Michelle, and I moved from England to southern Germany, where we still live, with our two children, one cat, and, when she pays us a visit, one chocolate labrador. I have been fortunate that I could satisfy another wish, to travel as widely as possible and see as much of our world as I can. Destinations usually include places of historic and archaeological interest, mixed with a large helping of sun, sea and sand for my wife’s peace of mind.

Social Media Links:

Gradarius Roman: Equestrian Series by A.M. Swink

Gradarius

Roman Equestrian Series

By A.M. Swink

WAR IS ON THE HORIZON

Sworn enemies turned lovers, Decimus and Luciana face new challenges that put their love to the test. Decimus, haunted by his past, struggles with his feelings in the present. Luciana, when confronted with her old friend Boudicca's struggles, questions which of her loyalties is more important: her loyalty to Decimus, or her loyalty to her people? When sent to investigate a Roman traitor in Decimus's legion, both will have to decide which side of the coming battle they'll be on.

Rome and Britannia are hurtling toward a reckoning. Will Decimus and Luciana find a way forward together before war tears them apart?

Excerpt

‘Wedge! On me!’ Decimus beckoned with his gladius. Shields linked up on either side of his as the men fell into formation. Plancus, holding the cohort standard aloft, walked behind him. To his right, Vulso took up a rallying yell: ‘Gemina!’ The rest of the men added their voices, turning heads as they marched. They engulfed their beleaguered comrades on the right flank, investing the Romans with fresh energy.

Decimus didn’t stop until his gladius crashed against an enemy sword. He quickly brought his shield up, blocking the brute’s parry. He sought his next thrust. The large Briton overcorrected, throwing his sword up to steady himself. Decimus snaked forward, plunging his blade deep in his enemy’s armpit. The warrior howled as Decimus twisted the gladius away. His skin parted with a horrible sucking noise, dark blood spouting from the wound. As the man tumbled away, Decimus’s eyes widened in recognition. It was the wiry fellow from the Silure capital, the friend of the warrior who’d nearly revealed Decimus’s true identity.

An icy finger of dread pierced his heart. He squeezed his eyes shut. Mithras god, he silently prayed, please don’t let Luciana be here. The very thought of facing the woman he loved on a battlefield was enough to make his stomach churn.

As the warrior staggered off, clutching his haemorrhaging wound, Decimus lifted his eyes. He glimpsed two men bearing the old crone Luciana had called the Ancient One. The trio surveyed the scene from the safety of the treeline. The woman’s wrinkled old face gazed expressionlessly at the violence. Her long white hair melded with her shroud, enveloping her in an otherworldly cocoon. Just before her, Taraghlan the druid waved his staff about, chanting angry curses.

Then these sights were lost to him as another warrior charged, poised to strike. The smaller, lither figure rushed up in a blue whirl, his long ponytail flying behind him. He lifted his sword high and knocked the butt against Decimus’s helmet, momentarily stunning him. Decimus came to before he planted his face against the warrior’s woad-painted chest, the aroma of sweat heavy in his nostrils. He lifted his shield, catching the warrior on the chin. The Briton yowled as he stepped back, sword arm brushing Decimus’s shoulder. The blade harmlessly grazed his cuirass and kerchief, nicking only the leather ties securing his helmet, before falling away.

Decimus retracted behind his shield, awaiting the warrior’s next attack. When the screaming Silure charged at him, Decimus jabbed it up at just the right moment. The shield’s iron boss crushed the Silure’s nose. The man swung his weapon wildly over Decimus’s shield rim, his war cry petering into a whine. Decimus curtly knocked the blade aside with his gladius and pressed forward. The warrior toppled onto his back. Pausing only to stab the man’s groin, Decimus stepped back into the protection of the wedge.

He didn’t see the threat hurtling towards him until it was too late.

‘Sir!’

Decimus turned to see Morcant nearly upon him, dark eyes feverishly bright. The chieftain charged, sword whirling aloft. He was too close when Decimus finally saw him, swinging towards his unguarded neck before he could react. Just as Morcant’s blade sang for his throat, Vulso’s shield punched its way between them.

Decimus stumbled aside at the shove, his crested helmet toppling off in the grass. He recovered his balance and turned to see Morcant had nearly cleaved Vulso’s shield in twain, rendering it useless. As he wrestled his sword free of the twisted wood and metal, Vulso jabbed with his gladius. The short blade disappeared into Morcant’s shoulder, and he roared. He stepped back with such force that Vulso lost his grip on the hilt before he could recover his gladius.

Vulso fumbled frantically for his dagger. Decimus watched in growing horror as the chieftain rallied again for his next assault. He lurched towards them, knowing he was already too late.

‘Vulso! No!’

Vulso helplessly lifted his busted shield to repulse Morcant’s charge. The chieftain’s sword passed directly through its gaping tear and impaled Vulso through the throat.

Decimus watched Vulso’s head snap back. The pointed edge of Morcant’s blade emerged from the nape of his neck. His eyes rolled sightlessly towards the sky, his gaping mouth spewing blood.

‘Bastard!’ Decimus screamed, pummelling his shield into Morcant’s side. The chieftain backed up with the force of the blow and neatly recovered, turning his attention to the helmetless centurion.

Decimus crouched behind his shield, panting. His trembling hand gripped his gladius at the ready.

The Silure chieftain frowned slightly, taking in the distinctive scar along Decimus’s cheek. His eyes roved up to the recently stitched line over Decimus’s brow. His gaze widened with shock. ‘Leucus!’ He growled.

His low, rasping voice curdled Decimus’s blood. It was a shade from the mouth of Hades, calling him home. Gathering himself, Decimus thrust forward, lifting the tip of his gladius to Morcant.

The weapons rang with a deafening clang as they met, blades glinting in the sun. They fell away and met again, each man thrusting his shield at the other. The blackened stumps of Morcant’s fingers, curled round the gilded hilt of his sword, hauntingly reminded Decimus of their confrontation last winter. Here they were again, back to finish what they’d started so many months ago. This time, he knew, at least one of them would die.

If this book piques your interest then head over to your favourite bookstore.

A. M. Swink

A.M. Swink, the author of the award-winning Roman Equestrian series, grew up in Dayton, Ohio, obsessed with two things: books and horses. After a childhood of reading, writing, showing, and riding, she moved to Lexington, Kentucky to complete three degrees and work as a college professor of reading and writing.

She’s travelled extensively around Europe, exploring ancient sites and artefacts relating to the Iron Age and Roman era. She is fascinated by our connection to the past and the ancestral tether that draws us back into the mists of time.

Social Media Links:

Website • Facebook • Instagram • Threads

Bluesky • TikTok • BookBub

Amazon Author Page • Goodreads