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The Tribune #1
The Tribune
“My name is Lucius Aurelius Valens, and I am a soldier in the service of Rome.”
A young Roman officer with a strong sense of justice and duty thwarts corrupt officials plundering the province of Syria and is marked for death. To save his life, he is sent to command a cavalry regiment stationed in ever-restless Judea. He expects only the thankless task of maintaining the Roman peace in a land where he and his soldiers are despised and feared. But this peace is shattered when he and his men discover the massacre of a detachment of Praetorian Guards and the man they were protecting—a member of the Roman Senate and an ally of the emperor Tiberius himself. Plunged straight into a deadly web of murder and intrigue, Valens soon realizes far more is at stake than just his own life and honor.
Valens must find those truly responsible. If he fails, he will be forced to destroy the nearest village in savage reprisal. But time is running out fast and there are many—including some under his own command—who are sure the Roman peace can only be maintained by terror and the use of overwhelming force. To save innocent lives, he must first pierce the veil of secrecy surrounding the senator’s strange journey through one of the empire’s most dreary backwaters. What was Decimus Junius Silanus seeking? And why was he killed?
Surrounded by strange prophecies, eerie omens, and hidden agendas, Valens races to uncover the truth, to confront a ruthless, powerful enemy, and to meet a destiny that he could never have imagined.
A young Roman officer with a strong sense of justice and duty thwarts corrupt officials plundering the province of Syria and is marked for death. To save his life, he is sent to command a cavalry regiment stationed in ever-restless Judea. He expects only the thankless task of maintaining the Roman peace in a land where he and his soldiers are despised and feared. But this peace is shattered when he and his men discover the massacre of a detachment of Praetorian Guards and the man they were protecting—a member of the Roman Senate and an ally of the emperor Tiberius himself. Plunged straight into a deadly web of murder and intrigue, Valens soon realizes far more is at stake than just his own life and honor.
Valens must find those truly responsible. If he fails, he will be forced to destroy the nearest village in savage reprisal. But time is running out fast and there are many—including some under his own command—who are sure the Roman peace can only be maintained by terror and the use of overwhelming force. To save innocent lives, he must first pierce the veil of secrecy surrounding the senator’s strange journey through one of the empire’s most dreary backwaters. What was Decimus Junius Silanus seeking? And why was he killed?
Surrounded by strange prophecies, eerie omens, and hidden agendas, Valens races to uncover the truth, to confront a ruthless, powerful enemy, and to meet a destiny that he could never have imagined.
400 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 3, 2003
42 people are currently reading
361 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Larkin
19 books60 followersWhen I was nine years old, I caught the writing bug. My fourth-grade teacher read one of my stories to the whole class—something I found both embarrassing and exhilarating, all in the same moment.I doubt that story would qualify as great literature, but it was pretty darned exciting for a bunch of kids caught inside on a rainy day, full of archers and knights, ambushes, and thundering cavalry charges. I've been interested in history, especially military history, for as long as I can remember. (As a three-year-old, one of my favorite books was a collection of illustrated stories about some of the great battles of history. My parents grew a bit worried when they found me arranging my blocks as an Athenian phalanx and formations of Persian archers and cavalry to fight the Battle of Marathon, but it was too late...the damage was done.)
After graduating from the University of Chicago with a degree in English, I went to work in Washington, D.C.—doing my bit as a researcher for a committee of the House of Representatives. Other jobs as a political and corporate speechwriter followed. Along the way, I wrote adventures for a Star Trek role-playing game and created the background history for Battletech—which has now spawned a whole series of popular board games, computer games, and novels.
In 1985, I met Larry Bond while he and Tom Clancy were finishing their book RED STORM RISING. Larry and I teamed up in 1987, and our first book, RED PHOENIX, hit the New York Times best seller list as soon as it was published in 1989. With bolstered confidence (or an inflated ego, depending on whom you ask!), I abandoned speechwriting to work as a full-time novelist. Over the next nine years, Larry and I wrote four more novels together—VORTEX, CAULDRON, THE ENEMY WITHIN, and DAY OF WRATH.
While writing these books, I was also lucky enough to meet and marry a wonderful woman. We live in Central Texas with our two children, Olivia and Rhys.
THE TRIBUNE was the first book to appear under my own name, and it is the first in a planned series involving the same lead characters. The first sequel, with the working title of THE STANDARD-BEARER should appear as an eBook sometime this summer or fall.
I've also written two fast-paced contemporary thrillers in Robert Ludlum's Covert-One series, THE LAZARUS VENDETTA and THE MOSCOW VECTOR. If you enjoy international intrigue, cutting edge science, and spine-tingling action, these books are for you. Both novels are available in bookstores now.
After graduating from the University of Chicago with a degree in English, I went to work in Washington, D.C.—doing my bit as a researcher for a committee of the House of Representatives. Other jobs as a political and corporate speechwriter followed. Along the way, I wrote adventures for a Star Trek role-playing game and created the background history for Battletech—which has now spawned a whole series of popular board games, computer games, and novels.
In 1985, I met Larry Bond while he and Tom Clancy were finishing their book RED STORM RISING. Larry and I teamed up in 1987, and our first book, RED PHOENIX, hit the New York Times best seller list as soon as it was published in 1989. With bolstered confidence (or an inflated ego, depending on whom you ask!), I abandoned speechwriting to work as a full-time novelist. Over the next nine years, Larry and I wrote four more novels together—VORTEX, CAULDRON, THE ENEMY WITHIN, and DAY OF WRATH.
While writing these books, I was also lucky enough to meet and marry a wonderful woman. We live in Central Texas with our two children, Olivia and Rhys.
THE TRIBUNE was the first book to appear under my own name, and it is the first in a planned series involving the same lead characters. The first sequel, with the working title of THE STANDARD-BEARER should appear as an eBook sometime this summer or fall.
I've also written two fast-paced contemporary thrillers in Robert Ludlum's Covert-One series, THE LAZARUS VENDETTA and THE MOSCOW VECTOR. If you enjoy international intrigue, cutting edge science, and spine-tingling action, these books are for you. Both novels are available in bookstores now.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 57 reviews
June 24, 2013
I won an e-copy of "The Tribune" in a contest, and was delighted to have a chance to read and review it. While historical fiction is not my first-pick genre, I do enjoy it occasionally - especially if the plot is good, the characters are realistic, and the novel is well-written. For the most part, "The Tribune" succeeded on these fronts. Larkin's research and knowledge of the time period (Roman Empire around 20-30 AD) is evident, his characters are driven throughout the book by internally-consistent motivations, and the novel does read well.
However, in my opinion, the last few pages of the novel and then the epilogue (which contained the big reveal of the book) detracted from the authentic feel of the rest of "The Tribune." Without giving spoilers, the last few pages of the novel felt unfortunately cliched, and the epilogue made very unrealistic claims about known historical figures for the sake of revealing to the audience what became of the main character.
If not for the book's epilogue, I would have given it four stars. I very much enjoyed its military scenes, its discussion of religion, and its well-thought-out strategy and tactics. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the ending of "The Tribune" didn't live up to the rest of the book.
However, in my opinion, the last few pages of the novel and then the epilogue (which contained the big reveal of the book) detracted from the authentic feel of the rest of "The Tribune." Without giving spoilers, the last few pages of the novel felt unfortunately cliched, and the epilogue made very unrealistic claims about known historical figures for the sake of revealing to the audience what became of the main character.
If not for the book's epilogue, I would have given it four stars. I very much enjoyed its military scenes, its discussion of religion, and its well-thought-out strategy and tactics. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the ending of "The Tribune" didn't live up to the rest of the book.
January 31, 2013
I really enjoyed this book about young tribune Lucius Aurelius, a first century Roman whose personal guiding star is honor. Unfortunately for Lucius, few of his superiors have that same value and the ones who do are not very good at guarding their backs against their ambitious counterparts. Weaving his way through greed and corruption while trying to unravel a mystery which constantly has just one more thread to a larger story, Lucius must feel his way to the truth. His family physician, a small boy, and a corps of Gallic cavalry are on his side but that doesn't seem like enough when the odds are stacked against him. There are a couple of very nice twists in the story which I foresaw only a few pages ahead of Larkin's explication.
This is the first of Patrick Larkin's books that I've read. He has written a string of political thrillers from the looks of his body of work and you can see that history in this lean, tautly driven story. I was often surprised by the direction the plot took. The only lack of surprise was when our hero finds himself in Judea meeting a few recognizable characters, albeit often briefly. I enjoyed those encounters, especially since Larkin made them enough his own that I gradually forgot to think of a Biblical association.
Sometimes Larkin's background as a thriller author shows in other ways such as the occasional lack of character development. For example, in the case of a romantic encounter, the subsequent attachment seems all out of proportion, as does the guilty response. A little more depth would have been welcome.
These things aside, I did enjoy reading the book which kept my undivided attention until I finished it. That is no mean feat. I was glad to see a chapter of the sequel at the end of the e-book because I had grown fond of Lucius Aurelius and would like to read more of his adventures.
[Update]
This review was revised because of a significant change made to part of the book, which is not reflected in the print version. I would give the print version 3 stars because of a graphic sexual encounter.
This is the first of Patrick Larkin's books that I've read. He has written a string of political thrillers from the looks of his body of work and you can see that history in this lean, tautly driven story. I was often surprised by the direction the plot took. The only lack of surprise was when our hero finds himself in Judea meeting a few recognizable characters, albeit often briefly. I enjoyed those encounters, especially since Larkin made them enough his own that I gradually forgot to think of a Biblical association.
Sometimes Larkin's background as a thriller author shows in other ways such as the occasional lack of character development. For example, in the case of a romantic encounter, the subsequent attachment seems all out of proportion, as does the guilty response. A little more depth would have been welcome.
These things aside, I did enjoy reading the book which kept my undivided attention until I finished it. That is no mean feat. I was glad to see a chapter of the sequel at the end of the e-book because I had grown fond of Lucius Aurelius and would like to read more of his adventures.
[Update]
This review was revised because of a significant change made to part of the book, which is not reflected in the print version. I would give the print version 3 stars because of a graphic sexual encounter.
April 18, 2014
Have you ever read a book that was really good...and then you got to the ending and said, "AAAARGH!!! NO!!!" This was that kind of book.
For the most part, The Tribune is a Roman military mystery novel. When an important senator on a secret mission to Judea turns up dead, it's up to the protagonist--a young Roman cavalry commander, Lucius Aurelius Valens--to solve the murder before the other Roman authorities in the area exact random vengeance on the nearby Galilean peasants. The mystery itself is well-constructed. In fact, the only frustrating aspect of the mystery is that the protagonist is too dumb to solve it! It's just fortunate that, in spite of being stupider than he ought be, he's a really likeable character. But Falco he's not.
I must admit that I started reading this book with some trepidation. Historical fiction that intersects with Biblical characters has a depressing tendency toward propaganda, either pro-religion or anti-religion. And nine times out of ten, propaganda makes for TERRIBLE art. Happily, though, this book mostly steered clear of that problem. Despite the fact that Lucius encounters more than a reasonable number of people who turn out to be important in the New Testament, they are (until the ending) treated simply as normal characters. ()
So what is it about the ending? It really isn't the miraculous stuff--we're kind of set up for that from the first page. It's that Lucius turns out to be . That's so far from reasonable, considering his profession and his Roman identity, that I just wanted to give the author a Warner Bros multi-slap. This book would have been 4 stars. Now more like 3.5 stars. *sigh*
April 10, 2012
Patrick Larkin brings his talent for framing treacherous political situations and desperate tactics to first-century Rome and the Judean occupation. His title character, a Tribune named Lucius Valens, is a man of the old honor who must thread this way through the complex knot of greed and corruption woven by the Emperor Tiberius and his political henchmen. Valens tries to complete the task assigned to him by noble Germanicus, while his only allies are a corps of loyal Gallic cavalry and the family physician who travels with him. Larkin has researched the history and culture thoroughly, yet he can still tell a story full of old-fashioned action, adventure, and surprises. Don't miss this book, because it's shaping up to be an exciting series.
May 5, 2013
This book is well-written - far more so than the large majority of books set in Ancient Rome - but there's just not any depth to it. The narrator's voice is clear and interesting. Also, there's sufficient period detail and history in the book to set the scene for the reader, and it doesn't feel too contemporary (unlike the books by Ruth Downie, which basically feel like they could be taking place down the street from me in the 20th century). But for me, the book is superficial at best, and the narrative is just a series of events, described but not delved into. The chapters are sometimes just three or four pages. I was disappointed, particularly because the book isn't badly written, and I feel the author could deliver far more than he chose to here.
February 4, 2014
This is a good one. Got a bit fragmented half way through. But an interesting greco/roman perspective of Judea, during the early years of Jesus' life. The story is compelling, and well researched. I found myself remembering the different stops i had when I traveled around the Sea of Galilee, and the different distances between the towns in that area. The use of a young Paul was an interesting aside.
Hard to fault; except that Lucius, the main character, is way too nice to be truly Roman. I guess there must be exceptions to the rule in every culture.
Hard to fault; except that Lucius, the main character, is way too nice to be truly Roman. I guess there must be exceptions to the rule in every culture.
July 10, 2013
Best Historical Fiction I've read in a long time. Fantastic book. I would definitely recommend this for anyone who is interested in learning about Rome. The ending has an interesting twist. I want to start the next novel immediately.
November 17, 2015
I thought that the Apostle Luke was a doctor.
April 14, 2023
I have to say that I did spend the first portion of the book being baffled by trying to figure out exactly who Larkin's intended audience was for this book. The reason why I say that is because there was nothing that specifically identified this book as being a work of YA fiction, but the narrative style, and a certain simplicity in the writing gave it that distinct YA feel. Content wise the book was just on the border of what would be generally appropriate for YA and what would appeal to an adult. I feel as if Larkin was maybe trying to straddle the line of writing for both adults and YA, without wanting to be officially classified as YA.
Ultimately though I let that go and just let the book be what it was, and allowed myself to get lost in the story, and I did find that the more I read the more I enjoyed it. It was a for the most part compelling and fast paced story which kept me interested to find out what was going to happen next. Now even though this was an entertaining and enjoyable read, there are a still a few things (both good and bad) which need to be addressed.
I will start with the fact, that as I previously mentioned there was a certain lack of complexity to the story. This is what I would call a sort of Beach Read/Airport Ancient Rome HF. By which I mean, it is a book that can be easily read in an environment with a lot of distractions. It is not a book which is necessarily very demanding of your concentration. Now I know that sounds like an insult to the book, but it is not entirely a bad thing. I do appreciate the occasional easy to read book and I will say that while the writing itself was somewhat simplistic in nature, there were some complexities in the plot. As someone who reads a lot of Roman HF I can say a lot of books go in the opposite extreme by which I mean they can really bog the reader down with a lot of tedium and be overly verbose. I did like the way in which Larkin was able to address the political intrigue and create a story with twists turns, without actually moving at a snail's pace. Perhaps instead of calling the book simplistic I should say it was very concisely written.
One thing that did bother me though was the shallowness of the characters. The characters in this book are very archetypal, they are not fully fleshed out, multi-dimensional human beings. The good guys are obviously the good guys, and the bad guys are obviously the bad guys. This does also bring into one of the other comments I have to make about the book is that it does for Ancient Rome what a lot of the old classic Westerns did for the Wild West by which I mean there is a lot of white washing, idolizing, and Romancising. While Larkin gives a nod to the corruption of Rome, and some of the cruel and brutal things Rome has done, he does kind of frame it as of course all the "bad" people did such things, and focuses a lot on his ideals of the heroism, honor, and justice of Rome.
The gist of the story focuses on young Valens who is eager to serve Rome, but keeps getting himself in trouble on account of his inability to keep his mouth shut, and his at times rather naive ideas of truth, honor and justice. Ultimately he finds himself in the middle of a high-steaks murder investigation. He struggles to find the truth while various factors work against him.
If you can overlook some of the flaws I have mentioned this book having, and allow yourself to just get into the story, than as I have said it really is not a bad read. It is quite engaging, action-packed, entertaining, with a little bit of something for everyone. Political intrigue, battle, a touch of romance, a murder mystery.
Ultimately though I let that go and just let the book be what it was, and allowed myself to get lost in the story, and I did find that the more I read the more I enjoyed it. It was a for the most part compelling and fast paced story which kept me interested to find out what was going to happen next. Now even though this was an entertaining and enjoyable read, there are a still a few things (both good and bad) which need to be addressed.
I will start with the fact, that as I previously mentioned there was a certain lack of complexity to the story. This is what I would call a sort of Beach Read/Airport Ancient Rome HF. By which I mean, it is a book that can be easily read in an environment with a lot of distractions. It is not a book which is necessarily very demanding of your concentration. Now I know that sounds like an insult to the book, but it is not entirely a bad thing. I do appreciate the occasional easy to read book and I will say that while the writing itself was somewhat simplistic in nature, there were some complexities in the plot. As someone who reads a lot of Roman HF I can say a lot of books go in the opposite extreme by which I mean they can really bog the reader down with a lot of tedium and be overly verbose. I did like the way in which Larkin was able to address the political intrigue and create a story with twists turns, without actually moving at a snail's pace. Perhaps instead of calling the book simplistic I should say it was very concisely written.
One thing that did bother me though was the shallowness of the characters. The characters in this book are very archetypal, they are not fully fleshed out, multi-dimensional human beings. The good guys are obviously the good guys, and the bad guys are obviously the bad guys. This does also bring into one of the other comments I have to make about the book is that it does for Ancient Rome what a lot of the old classic Westerns did for the Wild West by which I mean there is a lot of white washing, idolizing, and Romancising. While Larkin gives a nod to the corruption of Rome, and some of the cruel and brutal things Rome has done, he does kind of frame it as of course all the "bad" people did such things, and focuses a lot on his ideals of the heroism, honor, and justice of Rome.
The gist of the story focuses on young Valens who is eager to serve Rome, but keeps getting himself in trouble on account of his inability to keep his mouth shut, and his at times rather naive ideas of truth, honor and justice. Ultimately he finds himself in the middle of a high-steaks murder investigation. He struggles to find the truth while various factors work against him.
If you can overlook some of the flaws I have mentioned this book having, and allow yourself to just get into the story, than as I have said it really is not a bad read. It is quite engaging, action-packed, entertaining, with a little bit of something for everyone. Political intrigue, battle, a touch of romance, a murder mystery.
October 29, 2025
Kind of like watching an entire movie that tells you it is about Brad Pitt, and then in the final scene of the movie it turns out you have been watching Leonardo Dicaprio the whole time, and you're pulled in two directions, cuz on the one hand it's kind of cool that you didn't notice that it was Leo the whole time, (He really looked like Brad) but then on the other hand it changes the implications for the rest of the book because now I need to mentally retcon in that the character will not date women older than 25. It doesn't change the story all that much, it just makes me like the character less, and I kind of wish I knew that it was Leo the whole time so that I could dislike the character BEFORE they tell you at the end, 'oh and by the way, I'm world renowned actor Leonardo Dicaprio, like from Titanic. Did you like my story?' No, dude, because I was rooting for Brad Pitt, like from Fight Club, so I didn't appreciate you hijacking this story dawg, especially on like the final page. This was Brad's story to tell.
October 2, 2019
The Tribune is a superbly crafted piece of historical fiction. The characters are well-rounded and very credible. The main character has believable motivation and (from what I have read elsewhere) the people he meets seem like the people who would be present in the first-century Roman Empire. Since he was sent to what we call the Mideast, I was waiting for him to meet some Bible characters. It did not disappoint. I will give no spoilers, you will have to read it for yourself. Enjoy!
September 16, 2022
Readers of Ancient Rome
For readers of ancient Rome, this book tells the tale of a young Roman soldier who tries to follow the dictates of honesty and truthfulness. In his postings to Syria and Judea, he fights treacherous Romans and locals to carry out his mission. An excellent read.
For readers of ancient Rome, this book tells the tale of a young Roman soldier who tries to follow the dictates of honesty and truthfulness. In his postings to Syria and Judea, he fights treacherous Romans and locals to carry out his mission. An excellent read.
May 11, 2019
An interesting and entertaining story of biblical times. I liked the protagonist, and the progression of the story, how the writer introduced aspects of this history I was unaware of. I recommend this novel for those who like historical fiction.
August 20, 2020
Similar to Fate’s Thread
That’s a novel I wrote about Jesus and his impact on the family of a Roman Centurian living in Judea. Reading the Tribune brought back the research about the Roman military that went into my novel. I enjoyed this book.
That’s a novel I wrote about Jesus and his impact on the family of a Roman Centurian living in Judea. Reading the Tribune brought back the research about the Roman military that went into my novel. I enjoyed this book.
August 5, 2017
Good book
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
You people should just read this book yourselves and write your own review on this novel yourself and I really enjoyed reading this book very much so. Shelley MA
February 25, 2014
This is unquestionably the best book I've read in some time. It is fast-paced and action packed, so it kept my interest throughout. It appears that Patrick Larkin did considerable research into the times and cultures of those he portrays so aptly within the pages of this. With corruption rampant in many of those in positions of authority, it was heartening to read the account of Lucius Aurelius Valens, a young Roman officer steeped in honor and bound by duty. He finds himself embroiled in the aftermath of a strange murder of a Roman senator and his party(including several Praetorian guards) traveling on some sort of secret mission in Judea which takes place in the outskirts of the small town of Nazara. The remaining guard blames the people of Nazara and wants to wipe them out, but Valens outranks him and furthermore doesn't believe any of the villagers were involved. His sense of justice and honor doesn't allow room for an unjust massacre. He thinks that others are behind the murders and sets out to prove it at great personal cost. During the course of the tale, he meets several historic figures and his interactions with them were believable. The ending was well done and came as quite a surprise.
June 28, 2014
The TRIBUNE is easy to enjoy historical fiction, not to heavy on the history and pleasantly smooth on the fiction.it is the beginning of a sword and sandal series set in Biblical Judea. Most of the important historical figures of the time are to be found in the story. Apparently, further installments will cover all the events of the Gospels, rather like Ben Hur, but told from Messala's viewpoint rather than Judah Ben-Hur. This is not a religious / fiction/ historical novel, per se, but I think that it will play a strong part in future books.
I won't outline the plot, you can read synopses elsewhere. The story is presented in a workmanlike manor so that the book is easy to read, maintaining the reader's interest, although surprises are not too surprising, and maybe a bit of a stretch. The military combat scenes are exciting, but brief, so as not to horrify anyone. There is some love interest, but nothing even faintly erotic.
Summary: a workmanlike novel that gives the reader a taste of what it might have been like to be a young officered Judea just as earth-shaking events were about to occur.
I won't outline the plot, you can read synopses elsewhere. The story is presented in a workmanlike manor so that the book is easy to read, maintaining the reader's interest, although surprises are not too surprising, and maybe a bit of a stretch. The military combat scenes are exciting, but brief, so as not to horrify anyone. There is some love interest, but nothing even faintly erotic.
Summary: a workmanlike novel that gives the reader a taste of what it might have been like to be a young officered Judea just as earth-shaking events were about to occur.
March 29, 2014
This historical novel with the main character being a roman soldier has it's setting in a region that would later be known as the holy land. Lucius Aurelius Valens is an honest courageous young man who discovers unspeakable corruption within the government he serves. Even his own supervisor proves to be complicit in the massacre of many innocent individuals all in the name of gaining more power. Central to the storyline are not only Lucius' adventures and battles but also a highly spiritual experience that leads a surprising ending of the book. Furthermore, Mr. Larking weaves much period detail into his work to help the reader envision the lives and surroundings of those mentioned in the book. 'The Tribune' offers an interesting an exciting glimpse into Roman history via a first person account of a young Roman soldier.
May 5, 2016
Recommend
I like this author and this book. It is set after the birth of Christ but before his crucifixion. The author alludes to several Biblical characters and a miracle or two, but the book is not 'preachy.' The author's writing mechanics are excellent. The main character, Lucius, is a soldier of great importance to Rome and all the lands that are under Roman rule. Lucius travels from Rome to the Holy Land in carrying out his assignment from the powers that be, but he is a cowboy. Somehow, he turns his military orders into orders that he believes are more important to his cause. When the book opened with the discovery of several dead bodies, I was hooked to the read. I think you will be very intrigued with the storyline and the way the author puts his words together.
Thank you, Mr. Larkin, for a good read.
I like this author and this book. It is set after the birth of Christ but before his crucifixion. The author alludes to several Biblical characters and a miracle or two, but the book is not 'preachy.' The author's writing mechanics are excellent. The main character, Lucius, is a soldier of great importance to Rome and all the lands that are under Roman rule. Lucius travels from Rome to the Holy Land in carrying out his assignment from the powers that be, but he is a cowboy. Somehow, he turns his military orders into orders that he believes are more important to his cause. When the book opened with the discovery of several dead bodies, I was hooked to the read. I think you will be very intrigued with the storyline and the way the author puts his words together.
Thank you, Mr. Larkin, for a good read.
September 26, 2016
This started out well for me-a Roman tribune dedicated to maintaining honor in a system that is becoming increasingly corrupt. The tribune Lucius Valens uncovers an extortion scheme run by his superiors out in Syria and, as a result, stumbles onto a murder of a high-ranking Roman senator. I enjoyed the military and investigative side of this story highlighting the corruption of the Roman Empire. I just lost interest when the story veered off into an introduction to Yeshua and his mother Miryam (Jesus and Mary) as Valens tried to protect a Jewish town from a vengeful destruction by Roman soldiers (and Valens' miraculous healing). It was interesting to see how Yeshua and Miryam fit into the historical timeline but the detour into religious fiction just isn't my thing.
August 6, 2013
Good when it's not clumsily and way-too-obviously trying to bring the Bible into the story. I caught on when there was a Jewish guy named Saul/"Paulus" and Antioch involved, but Yeshua the carpenter being the only peasant named? Hmm... What could he possibly be getting at?? The soldiering and story of the narrator are interesting, it's just annoying as the author hits you over the head with one Bible reference after another and they get more badly done as the story goes on.
Expect modernization of terms, language, and expressions, which is an interesting way of making the soldiers feel more everyday to a modern audience.
Expect modernization of terms, language, and expressions, which is an interesting way of making the soldiers feel more everyday to a modern audience.
September 13, 2013
I picked this book out for free from Amazon Prime Library mostly as research for a long short story I set in the same historical period. One of the two main characters in my story is a Roman commander in Anatolia, and the titular character of The Tribune is a Roman commander in Syria who gets transferred to Judea. I thought I might glean some details of or at least a feeling for everyday life as a Roman soldier of the period in the provinces. I enjoyed the depiction of Roman military life as well as the unexpected murder mystery aspect of the book, but I could have done without all the New Testament characters.
May 9, 2016
A highly satisfying read.
One would expect nothing less than a highly satisfying read from an author of Larkin's caliber and he does not disappoint. The pace is steady and even the minor characters have depth.
What sets this book apart from the usual Roman era soldier fare is the premise. We have all heard the story of how Pontius Pilate washed his hands of any decision about the crucifixion of Jesus, but what was the Roman response to the rising popularity of this unlikely rebel? Larkin takes us to the very beginning of that story as told by one who might have been there, the Tribune. The outcome will delight you.
One would expect nothing less than a highly satisfying read from an author of Larkin's caliber and he does not disappoint. The pace is steady and even the minor characters have depth.
What sets this book apart from the usual Roman era soldier fare is the premise. We have all heard the story of how Pontius Pilate washed his hands of any decision about the crucifixion of Jesus, but what was the Roman response to the rising popularity of this unlikely rebel? Larkin takes us to the very beginning of that story as told by one who might have been there, the Tribune. The outcome will delight you.
November 22, 2009
Good read about a Roman tribune during the time of Emperor Tiberius until about 1/3 way into the book. The main character is sent to Judea (around the sea of Galilee) and becomes involved with a tiny village called Nazara and a young carpenter living there with his mother, Miriam. Hmmm...ok, where is this plot going? The plot got wilder when he spends the night at the estate of a young widow named Marah of Magdala who, by the way, sleeps with him that night. Again...hmmmm. Not a bad book for a quick read but not one of my all-time favorites.
June 10, 2013
I read this a couple of months ago and thought it was a really good book. Mr Larkin obviously knows his stuff and has a great eye for detail. Not a word is wasted; the writing is tight, neat and descriptive. My one niggle is that there was a perfect opportunity for a good sex scene between Lucius and Lady Marah and the whole thing was glossed over if though the author found the idea of his characters having sex just to embarrassing for words. It was a glaring ommission and for that reason it is not quite an all round read as it could be but nevertheless, very well done.
September 5, 2015
Read this book
I have been a Roman Empire geek for a long time starting with Colleen McCullough's series. This book is just as good and probably better since it includes the most important person who lived when Rome ruled the world. From the time 12 year old Paul of Tarsus makes his appearance, I was hooked. Then along comes a shepherd with a lost lamb and finally a young carpenter named Yeshua. Plot twists lead to a superb ending. Where is Book 2? I'm jumping right into it next.
I have been a Roman Empire geek for a long time starting with Colleen McCullough's series. This book is just as good and probably better since it includes the most important person who lived when Rome ruled the world. From the time 12 year old Paul of Tarsus makes his appearance, I was hooked. Then along comes a shepherd with a lost lamb and finally a young carpenter named Yeshua. Plot twists lead to a superb ending. Where is Book 2? I'm jumping right into it next.
October 14, 2013
I bought it as a freebie from amazon this summer and my belief is that the book is worthwhile, especially if you are addicted to Historical Fiction or the Roman period.
The writing isn't bad, but I often felt that the author didn't dwell enough on the events, as well as on the overall descriptions in terms of religion or politics. It felt way too rushed or ended way too abruptly.
Waiting for book number two.
The writing isn't bad, but I often felt that the author didn't dwell enough on the events, as well as on the overall descriptions in terms of religion or politics. It felt way too rushed or ended way too abruptly.
Waiting for book number two.
August 26, 2014
I really enjoyed this right up until the end. The characters are interesting and created well. The edges of the Roman empire are brought to life in fascinating detail. Larkin did a good job with creating a character that I feel is fairly historically accurate as far as his beliefs, morals, and world view, yet a modern reader can still identify with him. The last few pages just seemed completely out of the blue and destroyed in some ways this character that I had come to really like.
June 30, 2011
Good historical fiction and adventure story. The ending, where it is implied that he meets Jesus, is a big cliff hanger and would suggest that there was going to be another book with these charcters, but none was ever made. As a result, the ending doesn't quite tie things up as neatly as one would expect or want in a stand-alone book.
October 16, 2014
I picked this book up years ago in Iraq at the PX as I was waiting to fly out and come home. Its not a great book, but its okay. It is told from the perspective of a Roman Tribune (Junior Officer think Lieutenant) who was charged with capturing and bringing a troublemaker and rabble rouser to justice, a troublemaker named Jesus.
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