Review of Fire in the East by Harry Sidebottom

Rich, complex, and deeply textured with a cast of well-rounded characters.

Ballistra is a German-born Roman officer sent by the two emperors on an impossible mission to shore up the defenses on the eastern outskirts of the empire against the rising Sassanid threat. He’s surrounded by enemies from outside and within who want nothing more than to see him fail. As the great battle looms, Ballistra must navigate a maze of spies, saboteurs, and murderers if he’s to survive and save the city of Arete from the overwhelming Persian horde.

I really enjoyed Fire in the East. I found out that Harry Sidebottom is first, a historian and college professor who has published several nonfiction works on ancient Rome and ancient warfare. It certainly shows in this novel with its depth of understanding of Roman tactics, weapons, and siege machines. I learned quite a bit, which is always a goal for me in reading historical fiction. Sidebottom follows up the narrative with a historical note in which he lists his sources, some of which are his own scholarly works. There’s a glossary and a list of characters that denotes the ones who are historical. The action sequences are riveting and diverse like a navel battle against pirates, cavalry charges, artillery duels, covert night missions, and all-out siege warfare. I was sucked in immediately with the opening sequence.

Fire in the East is book one of the Warrior of Rome six-book series set in the tumultuous third-century Roman Empire. If the rest of the novels are as good as the first, this looks like an exciting and well-researched series. So, if you’re looking for authentic Roman adventure, put on your helmet, strap on your sword, and jump into the Fire in the East!

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