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Magnus #1
Rising Sun
"An epic work of historical and military fiction. . . a prime work for Roman history lovers."
- InD'Tale Magazine
Caesar and Brutus. Marius and Sulla. Cicero, Antony, Clodius and Augustus. The century before the current era gave us a host of larger-than-life characters hailing from Rome.
Only one was named Great.
In the year 90 B.C.E., chaos and unrest erupts across the Italian peninsula. Rome's allies have rebelled and taken up arms against the most powerful military on earth. Leading Rome's legions - and his only son - to the city's defense, an unproven and unloved commander will taste victory and defeat outside the capital's gates. The name Pompey had yet to be praised and revered, but fate would soon alter the course of one man's life.
RISING SUN is the first book in Robert Allen Johnson's captivating MAGNUS trilogy. Narrated by the last living son of Gnaeus Pompey, RISING SUN sets the stage for the man historians would later name the Roman Alexander.
- InD'Tale Magazine
Caesar and Brutus. Marius and Sulla. Cicero, Antony, Clodius and Augustus. The century before the current era gave us a host of larger-than-life characters hailing from Rome.
Only one was named Great.
In the year 90 B.C.E., chaos and unrest erupts across the Italian peninsula. Rome's allies have rebelled and taken up arms against the most powerful military on earth. Leading Rome's legions - and his only son - to the city's defense, an unproven and unloved commander will taste victory and defeat outside the capital's gates. The name Pompey had yet to be praised and revered, but fate would soon alter the course of one man's life.
RISING SUN is the first book in Robert Allen Johnson's captivating MAGNUS trilogy. Narrated by the last living son of Gnaeus Pompey, RISING SUN sets the stage for the man historians would later name the Roman Alexander.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
366 pages, Paperback
First published March 10, 2014
7 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Robert Allen Johnson
4 books27 followersRobert Allen Johnson is an award-winning social entrepreneur and the author of three books. His first two novels, Rising Sun and Triumphator, were released to rave reviews in 2014. His third novel, Wraith, was released in late 2015. His followup to Rising Sun and Triumphator will be released in early 2020.
He lives in Indiana with his wife and two children.
He lives in Indiana with his wife and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
July 9, 2014
MAGNUS, RISING SUN a book a received free from the author through Goodreads, is a fine historical novel of Ancient Rome.
Usually historical novel of Rome are set in the time of, and deal with , the Caesars, whether Julius, Octavian or one of the many successors. MAGNUS is about Pompey, whose rose to great fame and power before Julius Caesar came on the world scene. Although later, if I remember history correctly, their careers intersect.
This novel, the first in a series of three, is told in the voice of Pompey's son who relates his father's reminiscences of a spectacular rise to fame and power. We see Pompey learning how to lead men into battle, how to swim in the treacherous waters of Roman politics and how to confront the temptation of his own fame. It is a book for anyone who loves reading of Roman history, of men who shaped the world and of the forces which determine a man' s fate.
The author relies on historical sources for the framework of his story, but he does not neglect to surround history with well-drawn characters. Pompey ,Sulla, his ally and eventual enemy, and Cicero, the famed orator are presented well. Details of Roman political, military and daily life add greatly to the reader's understanding of Roman times and to the enjoyment of the book. This volume is about Pompey's beginning his strides to fame; he is a young man. His private life is sketched in. But the book is about how Pompey the boy became Pompey the Great, so the author concentrates on that part of Pompey's life, touching on his kindness to his servants, his fairness to his men and his love for his wife.
Pompey won fame on the battlefield, and the descriptions of combat are vivid and describe what battle between great armies of men hacking at each other was like without overly dwelling on blood and gore.
The cover artwork is eye catching and simply different from the usual faux-heroic style seen on novels for this period .
Pompey was a great general, as great as, perhaps even greater than the more famed Julius Caesar, though less known to most of us. This book, along with the following books will help to remedy that. I very much look forward to further books by Mr. Johnson about his hero, Pompey the Great.
Easily a five-star rating.
Usually historical novel of Rome are set in the time of, and deal with , the Caesars, whether Julius, Octavian or one of the many successors. MAGNUS is about Pompey, whose rose to great fame and power before Julius Caesar came on the world scene. Although later, if I remember history correctly, their careers intersect.
This novel, the first in a series of three, is told in the voice of Pompey's son who relates his father's reminiscences of a spectacular rise to fame and power. We see Pompey learning how to lead men into battle, how to swim in the treacherous waters of Roman politics and how to confront the temptation of his own fame. It is a book for anyone who loves reading of Roman history, of men who shaped the world and of the forces which determine a man' s fate.
The author relies on historical sources for the framework of his story, but he does not neglect to surround history with well-drawn characters. Pompey ,Sulla, his ally and eventual enemy, and Cicero, the famed orator are presented well. Details of Roman political, military and daily life add greatly to the reader's understanding of Roman times and to the enjoyment of the book. This volume is about Pompey's beginning his strides to fame; he is a young man. His private life is sketched in. But the book is about how Pompey the boy became Pompey the Great, so the author concentrates on that part of Pompey's life, touching on his kindness to his servants, his fairness to his men and his love for his wife.
Pompey won fame on the battlefield, and the descriptions of combat are vivid and describe what battle between great armies of men hacking at each other was like without overly dwelling on blood and gore.
The cover artwork is eye catching and simply different from the usual faux-heroic style seen on novels for this period .
Pompey was a great general, as great as, perhaps even greater than the more famed Julius Caesar, though less known to most of us. This book, along with the following books will help to remedy that. I very much look forward to further books by Mr. Johnson about his hero, Pompey the Great.
Easily a five-star rating.
February 14, 2016
nicely done...full review ahead....
Pompey the Great - I think the first time I heard or read about this remarkable Roman was at the tail end of the movie Spartacus. Of course in that scenario he was vastly overshadowed by the greed driven Crassus (who. come to think of it, reminds me of Donald Trump). From that initial recognition of his name I had to wait until Colleen McCullough's magnificent rendering of the Marius through Gaius Julius period of Roman history to be fully introduced to this incredible, yet unlikely Roman icon. In Magnus - Rising Sun, Robert Allen Johnson brings to life the beginning of the story of Pompey's ascension to the pantheon of Roman greats. His is an unusual climb up the ladder as he is given commands that are usually reserved for serving Consuls or Senators, yet there we find him, a mere boy raising his own army to serve Cornelius Sulla. The author kept me glued to the pages with his storytelling and his knack of making his characters ring true to the historical record. The speeches, for example, that Magnus delivers to his legions convincingly portray him as a General who cares more for his men than he does for his glory...at least until Sulla tries to deprive him of his men and that glory. I found myself extending my reading sessions of this book far longer than I intended and was immersed to the point where I would neglect that nice hot cup of coffee until it had turned cold. Halfway through Rising Sun I picked up book two in anticipation of another fine read. 4 stars
Pompey the Great - I think the first time I heard or read about this remarkable Roman was at the tail end of the movie Spartacus. Of course in that scenario he was vastly overshadowed by the greed driven Crassus (who. come to think of it, reminds me of Donald Trump). From that initial recognition of his name I had to wait until Colleen McCullough's magnificent rendering of the Marius through Gaius Julius period of Roman history to be fully introduced to this incredible, yet unlikely Roman icon. In Magnus - Rising Sun, Robert Allen Johnson brings to life the beginning of the story of Pompey's ascension to the pantheon of Roman greats. His is an unusual climb up the ladder as he is given commands that are usually reserved for serving Consuls or Senators, yet there we find him, a mere boy raising his own army to serve Cornelius Sulla. The author kept me glued to the pages with his storytelling and his knack of making his characters ring true to the historical record. The speeches, for example, that Magnus delivers to his legions convincingly portray him as a General who cares more for his men than he does for his glory...at least until Sulla tries to deprive him of his men and that glory. I found myself extending my reading sessions of this book far longer than I intended and was immersed to the point where I would neglect that nice hot cup of coffee until it had turned cold. Halfway through Rising Sun I picked up book two in anticipation of another fine read. 4 stars
July 15, 2014
An epic work of historical and military fiction, told like an autobiography and narrated by the last living son of Gnaeus Pompey, “Rising Sun” is the first in the exciting “Magnus” trilogy.
Read full review in the 2014 June/July Double Issue of InD’tale Magazine.
Read full review in the 2014 June/July Double Issue of InD’tale Magazine.
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December 1, 2019Hi there, Rome lovers!
Here's some great news for the end of 2019: the revised/updated version of Rising Sun is now available in both Kindle and print formats. You can find it on Amazon or wherever you prefer to buy your books.
In January, the audiobook edition will be released, as narrated by Patrick Ussher.
Updated versions of Rising Sun and Triumphator are being reissued to herald in the release of Foreign Shores (Book 3) in early 2020. Keep your eyes peeled here, on Amazon, or Facebook for future updates.
Vitam aeternam!
Here's some great news for the end of 2019: the revised/updated version of Rising Sun is now available in both Kindle and print formats. You can find it on Amazon or wherever you prefer to buy your books.
In January, the audiobook edition will be released, as narrated by Patrick Ussher.
Updated versions of Rising Sun and Triumphator are being reissued to herald in the release of Foreign Shores (Book 3) in early 2020. Keep your eyes peeled here, on Amazon, or Facebook for future updates.
Vitam aeternam!
January 2, 2018
could not get into this at all.
December 17, 2021
4.5 stars
June 8, 2016
While the story started out slow, once the Pompey's father Strabo died and Pompey started carving his own path, things got really interesting. Even the tone itself improved and was more interesting to read (it was somewhat... dry in the beginning, but livened up after Strabo's death.
The historical groundings of everything seemed very solid to me, and in the few instances where Johnson took liberties, he said exactly what he did at the end of the novel in the afterword (and usually, why he did it).
It sort of read like a 'first novel'-type of book, with the writing basically warring with itself on show vs tell. The narrator (Pompey's son) often said how level-headed, difficult to anger, and lacking in huge emotional expressions Pompey was in, but then a few pages later Pompey would be overcome with emotion or even extremely angry. (Admittedly the circumstances definitely warranted him having an emotional outburst, but it contradicted the 'tell' we had gotten from the narrator.) In the second half the writing did seem to "settle" and become more confident in its expression (though the emotion-showing scenes of Pompey happened more often at this time).
As for the dialog in the novel: I didn't find very much noteworthy about it, it seemed more rather the cut-and-dry-type of dialog. However, there were a few bits that especially stood out for me at the end of the novel(under the spoiler):
All told, when I started this book and up until about halfway through it, I didn't think I would either seek the second book nor suggest it to a friend of mine who loves Roman history. But from the second half it changed my mind, and I found myself wanting to read the next book to see what happens for Pompey Magnus.
The historical groundings of everything seemed very solid to me, and in the few instances where Johnson took liberties, he said exactly what he did at the end of the novel in the afterword (and usually, why he did it).
It sort of read like a 'first novel'-type of book, with the writing basically warring with itself on show vs tell. The narrator (Pompey's son) often said how level-headed, difficult to anger, and lacking in huge emotional expressions Pompey was in, but then a few pages later Pompey would be overcome with emotion or even extremely angry. (Admittedly the circumstances definitely warranted him having an emotional outburst, but it contradicted the 'tell' we had gotten from the narrator.) In the second half the writing did seem to "settle" and become more confident in its expression (though the emotion-showing scenes of Pompey happened more often at this time).
As for the dialog in the novel: I didn't find very much noteworthy about it, it seemed more rather the cut-and-dry-type of dialog. However, there were a few bits that especially stood out for me at the end of the novel(under the spoiler):
All told, when I started this book and up until about halfway through it, I didn't think I would either seek the second book nor suggest it to a friend of mine who loves Roman history. But from the second half it changed my mind, and I found myself wanting to read the next book to see what happens for Pompey Magnus.
July 10, 2014
I was recommended this book by a friend and stumbled upon a pleasant surprise. While I had been a fan of ancient Rome for some years (especially the last days of the Republic), I found my interest in the genre fading with time. Most books set during this time period revolve around Julius Caesar. Not so with Magnus.
The book takes place during Pompey the Great's early years, starting with him heading off to war with his hated father and tells the tale of his rise to fame from there.
While there are plenty of battles throughout the book, the focus is not usually on the violence and it tends to swerve away from gratuitous gore. This is a story about a man, his rise to fame, and his relationships with those around him.
If you love Rome or historical figures, you must check this out! It will certainly give you a broader view of the time period it is set within.
The book takes place during Pompey the Great's early years, starting with him heading off to war with his hated father and tells the tale of his rise to fame from there.
While there are plenty of battles throughout the book, the focus is not usually on the violence and it tends to swerve away from gratuitous gore. This is a story about a man, his rise to fame, and his relationships with those around him.
If you love Rome or historical figures, you must check this out! It will certainly give you a broader view of the time period it is set within.
September 11, 2014
Received a signed copy from the author on Goodreads. Rising Sun is a historical account of Rome. This book does not focus on J.C but on Pompey. His story is told by his son. The book starts off a little slow, but picks up as it goes a long. If you love to read about Rome and are looking for a different view point, this is the book for you.
August 2, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The author covers a very well known but rarely written about figure on Roman history. Historical fiction most often only mentions Pompey as he interacts with Julius Caesar. That is what makes this novel unique and fun. I didn't know the story going into it. I enjoyed the novel so well I plan to immediately move on to the second book.
October 20, 2015
Excellent
I generally don't care much for books with long battle scenes but it would have been impossible to tell this story without that which made Pompey the man he was. I enjoyed learning more about this period of time and look forward to reading more work from this author
I generally don't care much for books with long battle scenes but it would have been impossible to tell this story without that which made Pompey the man he was. I enjoyed learning more about this period of time and look forward to reading more work from this author
November 26, 2016
I actually really enjoyed this book, there not a lot of books out there truly devoted to Magnus Pompey and that baffles me, he was main part of roman history. The book was well written and cant wait to start the 2nd one
October 17, 2014
Review to come...
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May 7, 2014Read my review in the June release of InD'Tale's magazine. http://indtale.com/
July 29, 2014
It is interesting to see the story told with a positive view of Pompey.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews