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The Thrice Named Man #1
Scythian
The year is 225 AD and the Roman Empire is on the brink of a precipice.
It will take a man with iron in his veins to set things right and accomplish the impossible.
From a humble upbringing, a boy emerges who is destined to change history.
This is the story of Lucius Domitius Aurelianus.
Part I: The Scythian
When the farm they work on is attacked, the boy Lucius and the old man Nik are forced to flee the clutches of their pursuers. They find refuge from Rome among the Roxolani, the noble horse warriors in the land of Scythia.
Nik reveals his true identity and his pivotal role in the fate of the Empire. The boy finds a home among the barbarians and is accepted into their warrior culture.
But a storm is descending upon the tribes when the warlike Goths migrate westwards towards the lands of Rome. Lucius is fostered to the distant Huns to strengthen ancient tribal bonds in a bid to repel the invaders
On his journey, he meets a mysterious stranger who becomes his friend and mentor. A man who has a desire for the Empire to prosper.
To survive the merciless Huns and the onslaught of the Goths, the boy becomes a warrior without equal, guided by the hands of the gods.
Will the half barbarian boy be able to save his people or does his destiny lie elsewhere?
It will take a man with iron in his veins to set things right and accomplish the impossible.
From a humble upbringing, a boy emerges who is destined to change history.
This is the story of Lucius Domitius Aurelianus.
Part I: The Scythian
When the farm they work on is attacked, the boy Lucius and the old man Nik are forced to flee the clutches of their pursuers. They find refuge from Rome among the Roxolani, the noble horse warriors in the land of Scythia.
Nik reveals his true identity and his pivotal role in the fate of the Empire. The boy finds a home among the barbarians and is accepted into their warrior culture.
But a storm is descending upon the tribes when the warlike Goths migrate westwards towards the lands of Rome. Lucius is fostered to the distant Huns to strengthen ancient tribal bonds in a bid to repel the invaders
On his journey, he meets a mysterious stranger who becomes his friend and mentor. A man who has a desire for the Empire to prosper.
To survive the merciless Huns and the onslaught of the Goths, the boy becomes a warrior without equal, guided by the hands of the gods.
Will the half barbarian boy be able to save his people or does his destiny lie elsewhere?
263 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 23, 2018
759 people are currently reading
486 people want to read
About the author
Hector Miller
26 books94 followersHector is a freedman. In 2016 he managed to escape from the corporate world, in which he played the part of a detribalised Chartered Accountant.
Nowadays he hides away in the Garden Route of South Africa with his wife and two daughters.
He is addicted to reading historical novels and his hobbies include hiking, wine and sustaining niggling injuries on the tennis court.
Nowadays he hides away in the Garden Route of South Africa with his wife and two daughters.
He is addicted to reading historical novels and his hobbies include hiking, wine and sustaining niggling injuries on the tennis court.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
February 10, 2023
Fast and furious!
This was a (sort of) coming of age story, told at a breathtakingly furious pace. A poor young boy escapes his would be Roman assassins, discovers that he is the nephew of a barbarian king and becomes the most feared and respected warrior on the Steppes. Phew! The much feared Huns even regarded him as the reincarnation of their God of war and he was still only a young man. I suppose this warrior was loosely based on Alexander the Great. The story was most enjoyable and, in its way, quite breath taking.
This was a (sort of) coming of age story, told at a breathtakingly furious pace. A poor young boy escapes his would be Roman assassins, discovers that he is the nephew of a barbarian king and becomes the most feared and respected warrior on the Steppes. Phew! The much feared Huns even regarded him as the reincarnation of their God of war and he was still only a young man. I suppose this warrior was loosely based on Alexander the Great. The story was most enjoyable and, in its way, quite breath taking.
June 14, 2020
Warning, some overarching plot spoilers are ahead. I tried to stay away from the details of the story but couldn't do so entirely to do a detailed review.
I really don't understand all of the high ratings this book has received. 4.4 stars seems way too high. I could imagine some thinking it a three-star read... but four or five? Sadly, no.
I was given this book as a gift but didn't get to it for a few months. I was excited by the concept - a warrior was needed to save the waning Roman empire. Once I got past the introductory chapters, I became more disappointed with the story with each page in many ways.
First, as mentioned by many other reviewers, the proofreading is pretty awful. It doesn't make or break the story but certainly distracts me as I read. Apparently it was proofread by two people, but they missed a LOT if mistakes. Extra spaces, verb tense inconsistency, and a few spelling errors still exist.
But beyond that the story badly needs an editor - someone who can challenge the ideas as presented by the author and question why or how the story is written so it makes sense to the target audience and is an enjoyable, engaging read. It is plainly obvious that this story was not professionally edited. I have seen high school students or skilled eighth graders produce writing of similar quality, though the length of this book is certainly beyond most high school students. Students would and should be proud of this writing, but it isn't ready for the big leagues. This book has been published after what seems like the second draft. It isn't finished. I believe this could be an excellent piece of historical fiction after a lot of glaring (and very basic) writing elements are addressed.
Let's look at some examples. First, character development is quite poor. Lucius, the protagonist, develops skills in a few years as a teenager that hardened adult warriors spend decades acquiring. And they're specialists typically. He specializes in everything... From a character development perspective, this makes me cringe. I would challenge the reader (and especially the author) to find believable character flaws in Lucius. I found very few. Beyond passing hints at the impatience or inexperience of youth, Lucius has none. And those that are briefly mentioned are mastered in the same chapter in which they're introduced. There's nothing he can't do exceptionally well. Horseback riding, archery, athletics, running and riding in full armor, surviving extended periods in ice-cold river water, swordsmanship, martial arts, Daoist breathing techniques (yes, really), treaty negotiation, political maneuvering, large-scale tactical warfare, native fluency (i.e. unaccented speech as well as reading and writing) in multiple languages, and scouting are among the skills not merely learned but MASTERED between the ages of 13 and 19. This is a ridiculous proposal, as is the incredible coincidence of the multi-ethic nobility of his birth. To accomplish all this in the story, believable personal growth is replaced by the equivalent of "I was amazed at how quickly I picked this up and was able to best my teachers after just a few years." I would love to respect Lucius for his hard-fought progress, but he overcomes, well, EVERYTHING far too naturally with nigh a transition period between vomiting trainee to god-like warrior skills. Because Lucius is not a believable protagonist, he is not relatable. As a reader I don't cheer for him to grit through the struggle for the reward on the other side. The struggle just doesn't seem to last, and after the first hurdles he's already overcome any ineptitude that would take the most talented individuals far more time & training to best. Beyond Lucius, all the characters in the story are rather flat, static people. They don't change, they don't grow, they don't learn, and they do little to drive the story forward. They aren't complicated, realistic human beings. (And neither is Lucius, for all the reasons I just mentioned.) They're really bystanders in the story of a golden-haired god-boy. Little care was given to minor characters as well. They're too often homogeneous, dim-witted, unnamed barbarians, and even the protagonist feels they're boring enough to forget their names. Yes, that's actually in the story.
Next, the story is obviously told from the perspective of Lucius. This isn't a poor choice - many fantastic books are written in the first person. But Lucius uses 21st century language and idioms far too often. And unfortunately the one thing it seems he cannot do well is tell a good story. Who is the target audience? Warriors? Children? Nobles? A close friend? Barbarians around a campfire? The story seems to be directed at no one in particular, as if he were dictating the story to his third-century Siri-powered journal for posterity and left as is without refinement. The reader is assumed to be unfamiliar with barbarian and Roman culture and warfare, but these topics are "taught" to the reader in matter-of-fact statements. It is as if I was simply spectating the facts of the setting without being pulled into the story as a participant. All of these historical contextual details could be delivered to the reader in a natural way through conversation, inner monologue, observation, colorful setting descriptions, etc. by painting a picture of the place and time, of the troop movement, or the heavy feeling in the gut before (or after) battle. As a reader the nonstop action of this novel without deep storytelling leaves me wanting more rich depth. I'd love to taste the story like nutty, complex artisan bread, but was served Wonder Bread as a cheap substitute. Overuse of "(un)surprisingly" and similar exclamations, especially at the beginning of sentences, is rampant throughout the book. It felt like my intelligence as a reader was insulted by having to explain the painfully obvious thoughts of the protagonist while leaving out the deeper senses of the characters.
Finally, the ending left me terribly dissatisfied. Despite the book's many shortcomings I read through to the end to give the author the chance to pull me into the next installment of the series and wow me with the wrap-up of Lucius's genesis, perhaps end this book leaving some intrigue regarding the next phase of Lucius's life. But the story just fizzled out. There wasn't a resolution after the climax of the story (which was, again, simply stated matter-of-fact instead of immersing the reader in the final big battle). Sure, he realized he didn't want to farm, but of course everyone knew that. Why would he settle into a farm after being part of epic battles and training for half of his short life to make war? Too-good-to-be-true coincidences are sprinkled all throughout the story, and the chance rescue of a Roman soldier at the end if the book is no exception. Queue another eye-roll. Yep, just the right person magically happened to show up needing some bandits to be dispatched with mega-speedy-horseback-riding-archery-ninja-slayer skills. A friendship is made that gives Lucius a path to chase his warfare passion just as he's struggling with boredom on the farm. I feel this is yet another storytelling tragedy - he could have grown as a person, but these intentionally coincidental meetings allowed the main character to progress through the story without growing as a human being.
The first two chapters of the next book are included as a sneak peek at the end if this one. I started to read them, hoping again that the author would improve on the gripes that I had with the first book. Nope. He dove right into a 20 year-old young man besting trained officers in physical prowess, academic learning, quick thinking, and... you get the point.
Please don't get me wrong - I LOVE historical fiction. But this book doesn't do the genre justice. The concept is intriguing and the author obviously did a lot of research. But the poor proofreading, lackluster settings, modern language, unknown audience, matter-of-fact storytelling, and shallow, static, unrelatable characters make for a poor implementation of a good concept.
I really don't understand all of the high ratings this book has received. 4.4 stars seems way too high. I could imagine some thinking it a three-star read... but four or five? Sadly, no.
I was given this book as a gift but didn't get to it for a few months. I was excited by the concept - a warrior was needed to save the waning Roman empire. Once I got past the introductory chapters, I became more disappointed with the story with each page in many ways.
First, as mentioned by many other reviewers, the proofreading is pretty awful. It doesn't make or break the story but certainly distracts me as I read. Apparently it was proofread by two people, but they missed a LOT if mistakes. Extra spaces, verb tense inconsistency, and a few spelling errors still exist.
But beyond that the story badly needs an editor - someone who can challenge the ideas as presented by the author and question why or how the story is written so it makes sense to the target audience and is an enjoyable, engaging read. It is plainly obvious that this story was not professionally edited. I have seen high school students or skilled eighth graders produce writing of similar quality, though the length of this book is certainly beyond most high school students. Students would and should be proud of this writing, but it isn't ready for the big leagues. This book has been published after what seems like the second draft. It isn't finished. I believe this could be an excellent piece of historical fiction after a lot of glaring (and very basic) writing elements are addressed.
Let's look at some examples. First, character development is quite poor. Lucius, the protagonist, develops skills in a few years as a teenager that hardened adult warriors spend decades acquiring. And they're specialists typically. He specializes in everything... From a character development perspective, this makes me cringe. I would challenge the reader (and especially the author) to find believable character flaws in Lucius. I found very few. Beyond passing hints at the impatience or inexperience of youth, Lucius has none. And those that are briefly mentioned are mastered in the same chapter in which they're introduced. There's nothing he can't do exceptionally well. Horseback riding, archery, athletics, running and riding in full armor, surviving extended periods in ice-cold river water, swordsmanship, martial arts, Daoist breathing techniques (yes, really), treaty negotiation, political maneuvering, large-scale tactical warfare, native fluency (i.e. unaccented speech as well as reading and writing) in multiple languages, and scouting are among the skills not merely learned but MASTERED between the ages of 13 and 19. This is a ridiculous proposal, as is the incredible coincidence of the multi-ethic nobility of his birth. To accomplish all this in the story, believable personal growth is replaced by the equivalent of "I was amazed at how quickly I picked this up and was able to best my teachers after just a few years." I would love to respect Lucius for his hard-fought progress, but he overcomes, well, EVERYTHING far too naturally with nigh a transition period between vomiting trainee to god-like warrior skills. Because Lucius is not a believable protagonist, he is not relatable. As a reader I don't cheer for him to grit through the struggle for the reward on the other side. The struggle just doesn't seem to last, and after the first hurdles he's already overcome any ineptitude that would take the most talented individuals far more time & training to best. Beyond Lucius, all the characters in the story are rather flat, static people. They don't change, they don't grow, they don't learn, and they do little to drive the story forward. They aren't complicated, realistic human beings. (And neither is Lucius, for all the reasons I just mentioned.) They're really bystanders in the story of a golden-haired god-boy. Little care was given to minor characters as well. They're too often homogeneous, dim-witted, unnamed barbarians, and even the protagonist feels they're boring enough to forget their names. Yes, that's actually in the story.
Next, the story is obviously told from the perspective of Lucius. This isn't a poor choice - many fantastic books are written in the first person. But Lucius uses 21st century language and idioms far too often. And unfortunately the one thing it seems he cannot do well is tell a good story. Who is the target audience? Warriors? Children? Nobles? A close friend? Barbarians around a campfire? The story seems to be directed at no one in particular, as if he were dictating the story to his third-century Siri-powered journal for posterity and left as is without refinement. The reader is assumed to be unfamiliar with barbarian and Roman culture and warfare, but these topics are "taught" to the reader in matter-of-fact statements. It is as if I was simply spectating the facts of the setting without being pulled into the story as a participant. All of these historical contextual details could be delivered to the reader in a natural way through conversation, inner monologue, observation, colorful setting descriptions, etc. by painting a picture of the place and time, of the troop movement, or the heavy feeling in the gut before (or after) battle. As a reader the nonstop action of this novel without deep storytelling leaves me wanting more rich depth. I'd love to taste the story like nutty, complex artisan bread, but was served Wonder Bread as a cheap substitute. Overuse of "(un)surprisingly" and similar exclamations, especially at the beginning of sentences, is rampant throughout the book. It felt like my intelligence as a reader was insulted by having to explain the painfully obvious thoughts of the protagonist while leaving out the deeper senses of the characters.
Finally, the ending left me terribly dissatisfied. Despite the book's many shortcomings I read through to the end to give the author the chance to pull me into the next installment of the series and wow me with the wrap-up of Lucius's genesis, perhaps end this book leaving some intrigue regarding the next phase of Lucius's life. But the story just fizzled out. There wasn't a resolution after the climax of the story (which was, again, simply stated matter-of-fact instead of immersing the reader in the final big battle). Sure, he realized he didn't want to farm, but of course everyone knew that. Why would he settle into a farm after being part of epic battles and training for half of his short life to make war? Too-good-to-be-true coincidences are sprinkled all throughout the story, and the chance rescue of a Roman soldier at the end if the book is no exception. Queue another eye-roll. Yep, just the right person magically happened to show up needing some bandits to be dispatched with mega-speedy-horseback-riding-archery-ninja-slayer skills. A friendship is made that gives Lucius a path to chase his warfare passion just as he's struggling with boredom on the farm. I feel this is yet another storytelling tragedy - he could have grown as a person, but these intentionally coincidental meetings allowed the main character to progress through the story without growing as a human being.
The first two chapters of the next book are included as a sneak peek at the end if this one. I started to read them, hoping again that the author would improve on the gripes that I had with the first book. Nope. He dove right into a 20 year-old young man besting trained officers in physical prowess, academic learning, quick thinking, and... you get the point.
Please don't get me wrong - I LOVE historical fiction. But this book doesn't do the genre justice. The concept is intriguing and the author obviously did a lot of research. But the poor proofreading, lackluster settings, modern language, unknown audience, matter-of-fact storytelling, and shallow, static, unrelatable characters make for a poor implementation of a good concept.
February 11, 2019
I will continue to enjoy this three-book series as I have this first entry, I'm sure. I have been looking for different kinds of books to try in Kindle Unlimited before my subscription expires and this fits the bill. I like seeing the growth of a young man with interesting background, and the author introduces us to the young man when he does not know his own heritage but has been trained in sword and bow. His training continues over the years and is put to the test after leaving Rome with his father for other lands. Goths and Huns play a part in this travelogue, eventually bringing him back to Rome to become a legionnaire.
Yes, there are many teachers that prepare him for his destiny.
Yes, there are many teachers that prepare him for his destiny.
December 25, 2023
Läsning 2: Håller med mig själv. Väl läsvärd.
Läsning 1: Strålande bok; detaljrik spännande och med intressanta tolkningar av skyter och hunner.
Läsning 1: Strålande bok; detaljrik spännande och med intressanta tolkningar av skyter och hunner.
October 2, 2019
Good cultural descriptions
If this were a science fiction novel, I'd probably rave about the background. The standard for science fiction is so much lower than for historical fiction, the writer has to work a little harder to tie his characters to a time and place a non-expert can recognize.
I Liked the story and the characters. The politics of Rome in the period are not covered very well. Since most of the action takes place outside the border, that wouldn't matter so much if Commodus hasn't been described so incomplete!y. That threw everything else about the historical background into question.
Commodus was insane and put himself in a class with Caligula for embarrassing Rome. The book presents a family friendly version that doesn't set the tone for his assassination. His gladiator lovers were tolerated (imperial decorum and old Roman values had transformed into something unrecognizable to Caesar Augustus - who was quite the prick really) but running through the streets pulling a chariot and other behaviors was damaging the Roman image enough that he was finally assassinated by the Praetorian Guard. I don't remember a lot of the details that I read about end of the second century? but putting a little more attention into the inner politics of the empire at that point would have anchored the story more securely.
After reading this Commodus, I started seeing the heavy handed descriptions of the barbarians with no references to the state of or extent of the empire. The undefined borders, no mention of the various Gothic peoples seeking shelter behind the imperial walls and the the story taking place along the black sea without multiple maps for a sense of how far East and North, the characters are traveling, made the book seem like a well defined fantasy novel, rather than historical fiction.
That's not to say that the background was inaccurate as much as confusing and/or skimpy. It's not a badly written book, though the editing was not good. I found myself wanting to study the period more to fix in my mind, the peoples and nations from which the characters derive and in which they survive. The overall feel was fantasy and I don't have the energy or time to refresh and expand my historical understanding to better enjoy a mediocre novel.
I bailed after the fifth percent mark.
If this were a science fiction novel, I'd probably rave about the background. The standard for science fiction is so much lower than for historical fiction, the writer has to work a little harder to tie his characters to a time and place a non-expert can recognize.
I Liked the story and the characters. The politics of Rome in the period are not covered very well. Since most of the action takes place outside the border, that wouldn't matter so much if Commodus hasn't been described so incomplete!y. That threw everything else about the historical background into question.
Commodus was insane and put himself in a class with Caligula for embarrassing Rome. The book presents a family friendly version that doesn't set the tone for his assassination. His gladiator lovers were tolerated (imperial decorum and old Roman values had transformed into something unrecognizable to Caesar Augustus - who was quite the prick really) but running through the streets pulling a chariot and other behaviors was damaging the Roman image enough that he was finally assassinated by the Praetorian Guard. I don't remember a lot of the details that I read about end of the second century? but putting a little more attention into the inner politics of the empire at that point would have anchored the story more securely.
After reading this Commodus, I started seeing the heavy handed descriptions of the barbarians with no references to the state of or extent of the empire. The undefined borders, no mention of the various Gothic peoples seeking shelter behind the imperial walls and the the story taking place along the black sea without multiple maps for a sense of how far East and North, the characters are traveling, made the book seem like a well defined fantasy novel, rather than historical fiction.
That's not to say that the background was inaccurate as much as confusing and/or skimpy. It's not a badly written book, though the editing was not good. I found myself wanting to study the period more to fix in my mind, the peoples and nations from which the characters derive and in which they survive. The overall feel was fantasy and I don't have the energy or time to refresh and expand my historical understanding to better enjoy a mediocre novel.
I bailed after the fifth percent mark.
May 10, 2022
As best as I can recall, not a single female has a spoken line in "The Scythian."
In addition, the protagonist goes from age 12 or so to age 20 without once showing any interest in any female in any manner -- and no, he's a manly man, so the likelihood of him being gay is extremely low.
So first, remove half of the human population from this book, and really, from the pool of potential readers.
In a related note, as best I can recall, not one of Hector Miller's many descriptions of meals included a vegetable. We're talking meat and cheese here, folks.
All that said, "The Scythian" wasn't a bad read because the coming of age story for Lucius (or Eochar) rolls along pretty smoothly. Granted Lucius is a pretty phenomenal warrior, mastering every skill put before him while withstanding the brutal training of barbarians in the 3rd century CE. And he just so happens to not only get that training from the Huns, the toughest of the tough on the steppes, but also comes across a Chinese warrior who teaches him the Dao and the way of the warrior.
Naturally, Lucius triumphs over almost every obstacle -- though that's made a lot easier when he doesn't have to deal with half of humanity -- before ending the book in a most unlikely fashion.
Again, the book is well-written in the sense that the prose is competent and plot well-constructed, but "patriarchal" doesn't even come close to describing Miller's one-sided world. And no, that comment isn't about being politically correct; it's about the fact "The Scythian" is an ultimate male fantasy of a world without the influence of females, a fantasy that just doesn't interest me that much.
In addition, the protagonist goes from age 12 or so to age 20 without once showing any interest in any female in any manner -- and no, he's a manly man, so the likelihood of him being gay is extremely low.
So first, remove half of the human population from this book, and really, from the pool of potential readers.
In a related note, as best I can recall, not one of Hector Miller's many descriptions of meals included a vegetable. We're talking meat and cheese here, folks.
All that said, "The Scythian" wasn't a bad read because the coming of age story for Lucius (or Eochar) rolls along pretty smoothly. Granted Lucius is a pretty phenomenal warrior, mastering every skill put before him while withstanding the brutal training of barbarians in the 3rd century CE. And he just so happens to not only get that training from the Huns, the toughest of the tough on the steppes, but also comes across a Chinese warrior who teaches him the Dao and the way of the warrior.
Naturally, Lucius triumphs over almost every obstacle -- though that's made a lot easier when he doesn't have to deal with half of humanity -- before ending the book in a most unlikely fashion.
Again, the book is well-written in the sense that the prose is competent and plot well-constructed, but "patriarchal" doesn't even come close to describing Miller's one-sided world. And no, that comment isn't about being politically correct; it's about the fact "The Scythian" is an ultimate male fantasy of a world without the influence of females, a fantasy that just doesn't interest me that much.
August 28, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyable.
This is an interesting time in history and Miller brings it to life.
Lucius is a likeable main character and although this book covers the "coming off age" years it never feels like a simplistic book. Lucius grows up quickly in a series of strange environments giving us a little history lesson and he is surrounded by interesting and brutal men.
There are a few twists in the plot although no real surprises and there is plenty of action.
One strange thing is that there are absolutely no women in this book, in any capacity, perhaps this is to gloss over the rape and brutal treatment of them that would make some of the battles seem less noble, it doesn't harm the story and is better than a forced romantic story line but it did seem strange.
It is a light read but an interesting one.
This is an interesting time in history and Miller brings it to life.
Lucius is a likeable main character and although this book covers the "coming off age" years it never feels like a simplistic book. Lucius grows up quickly in a series of strange environments giving us a little history lesson and he is surrounded by interesting and brutal men.
There are a few twists in the plot although no real surprises and there is plenty of action.
One strange thing is that there are absolutely no women in this book, in any capacity, perhaps this is to gloss over the rape and brutal treatment of them that would make some of the battles seem less noble, it doesn't harm the story and is better than a forced romantic story line but it did seem strange.
It is a light read but an interesting one.
September 11, 2020
Disappointing Series
I would have given this book four stars, and the first three books of the series 3-1/2 stars, given the option. This book, the first of the series, began with promise. I was a bit concerned with small lapses of grammar and dialogue marred with modern idioms, but the storyline was engaging and the descriptions of cultures and history interesting. By the middle of the third book of the series I lost any interest in seeing the tale through to its conclusion. The two primary issues for me were modern phrasing imbedded within 300AD dialogue and the repetitive and ultimately predictable victories of the protagonist over a host of intermixed “barbarian” cultures. Sadly, a series that began with promise simply ran out of steam for this reader.
I would have given this book four stars, and the first three books of the series 3-1/2 stars, given the option. This book, the first of the series, began with promise. I was a bit concerned with small lapses of grammar and dialogue marred with modern idioms, but the storyline was engaging and the descriptions of cultures and history interesting. By the middle of the third book of the series I lost any interest in seeing the tale through to its conclusion. The two primary issues for me were modern phrasing imbedded within 300AD dialogue and the repetitive and ultimately predictable victories of the protagonist over a host of intermixed “barbarian” cultures. Sadly, a series that began with promise simply ran out of steam for this reader.
January 28, 2019
Overall entertaining read , good plot line and the historical background was very good. The various tribes life styles and styles of combat were detailed and interesting. Our hero is just a little too shiny , he is damn near untouchable . He has little in the way of inter demons or physical limitations..as he grows I hope he will be a little more grounded in real life , like pick up a few scars and women. He reminds me of the Superman comics I grew up with in the 60's . That being said that is my only negative observation , the book fl0ws well and tells a overall very good tale...I look forward to the second in the series.
June 11, 2024
Good content but more in the style of a fairy tale
Author offers a good deal of detail of historical period in BC’s 3 rd century. Problem is the that every event experienced by the two main characters are flawless and they never are wounded never fail in their goals. Only hard time is fleeing from Rome and that goes without a hitch. The young hero experiences in six years of a perfect life what most people do in a life time and becomes in fallible. I can imagine these types of “lucky events and wise plans” continue in the next 14 books. I wish life’s was this fair and perfect!
Author offers a good deal of detail of historical period in BC’s 3 rd century. Problem is the that every event experienced by the two main characters are flawless and they never are wounded never fail in their goals. Only hard time is fleeing from Rome and that goes without a hitch. The young hero experiences in six years of a perfect life what most people do in a life time and becomes in fallible. I can imagine these types of “lucky events and wise plans” continue in the next 14 books. I wish life’s was this fair and perfect!
December 26, 2018
Good warrior superhero
I enjoyed this book although I am not a particular fan of violence. It looses a star as it is in particular need of a proofread by a grammarian focused on tense and number. By the end the the grammatical mistakes were very distracting. But that aside, I did like the book enough to look forward to the next installment. Mr. Miller does a good job of [world building and providing characters I'd like to know better, even if they are all too good to be true.
I enjoyed this book although I am not a particular fan of violence. It looses a star as it is in particular need of a proofread by a grammarian focused on tense and number. By the end the the grammatical mistakes were very distracting. But that aside, I did like the book enough to look forward to the next installment. Mr. Miller does a good job of [world building and providing characters I'd like to know better, even if they are all too good to be true.
March 1, 2024
An excellent narrative on ancient warfare, particularly the less known barbarian societies that surrounded the Roman Empire. It is fast paced and absorbing. The chief weakness is the depiction of the protagonist. He has no foibles, no desires other than to fight, no inner life. He is the simplified cartoon of the Hero. He goes through puberty without any indication of any sexual impulse, gaffes or other teenage issues. It makes it hard to identify with him. I hope he is more developed in the later books. Otherwise well worth reading by military history buffs.
April 12, 2019
Well Constructed
The story so far is well constructed, allowing the reader to thoroughly get to know the main character while also feels by connected withth some of the lesser characters. The storyline is compelling. there is som repetitiveness in descriptions but overall the story offers a l. Interesting glimpse into a less known ancient culture. Be sure to look up images of Hun heads, quite fascinating. Several minor typos.
The story so far is well constructed, allowing the reader to thoroughly get to know the main character while also feels by connected withth some of the lesser characters. The storyline is compelling. there is som repetitiveness in descriptions but overall the story offers a l. Interesting glimpse into a less known ancient culture. Be sure to look up images of Hun heads, quite fascinating. Several minor typos.
July 17, 2019
A fun read
This book covers a topic in which I am interested, Roman empire. I considered it a light read; something I would read for entertainment, not knowledge. What spoils it somewhat for me are the numerous grammatical errors. It left me wondering whether the book had been translated poorly, or if the author really has that poor a grasp of the language. I will probably finish the series, but with hesitation
This book covers a topic in which I am interested, Roman empire. I considered it a light read; something I would read for entertainment, not knowledge. What spoils it somewhat for me are the numerous grammatical errors. It left me wondering whether the book had been translated poorly, or if the author really has that poor a grasp of the language. I will probably finish the series, but with hesitation
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March 6, 2020Breathtaking
With the narration of Cornwell, the delivery of Scarrow and the detail of Igulden. I have rarely enjoyed reading a first novel of an author I have never read before.
Hector Miller take a bow.
Engrossing from the first paragraph to the last. Fantastic pace,characters who leap off the page and sprinkled with a little light wit and dark humour.
Could barely bring myself to put it down and time just evaporated as I devoured and devoured every page.
With the narration of Cornwell, the delivery of Scarrow and the detail of Igulden. I have rarely enjoyed reading a first novel of an author I have never read before.
Hector Miller take a bow.
Engrossing from the first paragraph to the last. Fantastic pace,characters who leap off the page and sprinkled with a little light wit and dark humour.
Could barely bring myself to put it down and time just evaporated as I devoured and devoured every page.
July 18, 2020
Outstanding!
The Emperor Aurelian held off the fall of the Empire. Credited with navigating the crises of the third century, his brief reign allowed Rome to stagger on for another century. What kind of man could bring about such a shift? From humble beginnings, Aurelian would rise through the ranks of the Legions to the highest pinnacle of power. The author does an outstanding job in showing you the rise of such a man. Well recommended!
The Emperor Aurelian held off the fall of the Empire. Credited with navigating the crises of the third century, his brief reign allowed Rome to stagger on for another century. What kind of man could bring about such a shift? From humble beginnings, Aurelian would rise through the ranks of the Legions to the highest pinnacle of power. The author does an outstanding job in showing you the rise of such a man. Well recommended!
August 30, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a competitive genre in that there are some established authors who have dominated the genre. Some of which, have had games based on their storylines.
I'm biased toward books that are easy to read which makes the story more enjoyable, as opposed to something that is impossible to read and I eventually give up. As I find the time, I will continue to read the series.
I'm biased toward books that are easy to read which makes the story more enjoyable, as opposed to something that is impossible to read and I eventually give up. As I find the time, I will continue to read the series.
April 17, 2021
A Great Start
This is an entrancing escapade of a young man who comes of age in a truly fictional way. The progress of knowledge and physical skills brought me to tears in the protagonist’s travails.
It’s only the ending that is very weak. No resolutions or big thoughts are present. Only the elitist means of getting a step up on others by an inordinately large inheritance to start the young silver spoon on his way.
This is an entrancing escapade of a young man who comes of age in a truly fictional way. The progress of knowledge and physical skills brought me to tears in the protagonist’s travails.
It’s only the ending that is very weak. No resolutions or big thoughts are present. Only the elitist means of getting a step up on others by an inordinately large inheritance to start the young silver spoon on his way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2022
Very good opening book for the series
I stated reading Erilar series first so i somewhat have an idea whom this main character will turn into. Having said that, Hector Miller does a really reliable job of telling the story without a bunch of unnecessary filler which is great. Both series are well done and buying the books would be well worth the monies. I wish these were job Audible as well. Easy 5 stars without hesitation.
I stated reading Erilar series first so i somewhat have an idea whom this main character will turn into. Having said that, Hector Miller does a really reliable job of telling the story without a bunch of unnecessary filler which is great. Both series are well done and buying the books would be well worth the monies. I wish these were job Audible as well. Easy 5 stars without hesitation.
November 22, 2018
Excellent
Excellent book. I cannot wait to start reading the next book in the series and see what the future holds in store for Lucius. This book is extremely well written and makes you as the reader feel like you are a part of the action. Or at the very least a spectator just a step away from all the action.
Excellent book. I cannot wait to start reading the next book in the series and see what the future holds in store for Lucius. This book is extremely well written and makes you as the reader feel like you are a part of the action. Or at the very least a spectator just a step away from all the action.
December 11, 2018
"In any event" - mentioned 11x in this book, 62x total in first 3 books
"allow me to digress" - mentioned 5x in this book, 14x total in first 3 books.
4 star book but repeating these two phrases extremely repeatedly through not just this book but all 3 books in the series so far was extremely distracting so 3 stars.
"allow me to digress" - mentioned 5x in this book, 14x total in first 3 books.
4 star book but repeating these two phrases extremely repeatedly through not just this book but all 3 books in the series so far was extremely distracting so 3 stars.
March 7, 2019
Highly entertaining
Well written, but pretty sketchy version of the history of the period.
IMHO would have worked better as a fantasy novel with obvious borrowing from the Roman period. That way the author could be entirely forgiven for the liberties he takes with the historical, anthropological and ethnic facts.
Well written, but pretty sketchy version of the history of the period.
IMHO would have worked better as a fantasy novel with obvious borrowing from the Roman period. That way the author could be entirely forgiven for the liberties he takes with the historical, anthropological and ethnic facts.
August 23, 2019
An entertaining read
As an amateur historian myself, I take great pleasure in reading well written historical fiction. This book has all the requirements, though I would have enjoyed it even more if it was twice as long and more detailed. I'm also a fan of political intrigue and strategy.
As an amateur historian myself, I take great pleasure in reading well written historical fiction. This book has all the requirements, though I would have enjoyed it even more if it was twice as long and more detailed. I'm also a fan of political intrigue and strategy.
January 18, 2020
Good Historical Writing
I appreciate the efforts of these self published writers I find in Kindle Unlimited. This was not perfect but definitely pleasantly readable. The characters and scope of the tale were engaging and well developed. As historical fiction, it was very believable.
I appreciate the efforts of these self published writers I find in Kindle Unlimited. This was not perfect but definitely pleasantly readable. The characters and scope of the tale were engaging and well developed. As historical fiction, it was very believable.
August 12, 2020
I loved this book. I read it all at one time. Gentle writing meaning so very well written. It flows. I like learning about the military strategies and the various cultures. The characters are excellent. I actually have already read the next two books in record time! Such a marvelous discovery. I am a fan. Thank you to the author!
September 2, 2021
A fun read looking forward to more!
I've been tempted by this series many times and I'm finally glad I picked it up. As a historical martial artist, I love books that speak to my inner warrior, this book definitely does that. Well written, witty, and excellently researched it's a great read for fans of Bernard Cornwell or Miles Cameron.
I've been tempted by this series many times and I'm finally glad I picked it up. As a historical martial artist, I love books that speak to my inner warrior, this book definitely does that. Well written, witty, and excellently researched it's a great read for fans of Bernard Cornwell or Miles Cameron.
October 24, 2021
An interesting start
I was looking for a new author writing historical fiction with heroic characters. This did not disappoint. Miller's writing is not lavish and the reader is left to enjoy the characters more than the scenery. A lack of a female is puzzling, but perhaps I just need to be patient.
I was looking for a new author writing historical fiction with heroic characters. This did not disappoint. Miller's writing is not lavish and the reader is left to enjoy the characters more than the scenery. A lack of a female is puzzling, but perhaps I just need to be patient.
December 24, 2018
Fun yarn
Lots of adventures. Unfortunately when our hero gets settled he gets restless. He figures he should go on more adventures. He's twenty and never been with a woman. No wonder he's restless
Lots of adventures. Unfortunately when our hero gets settled he gets restless. He figures he should go on more adventures. He's twenty and never been with a woman. No wonder he's restless
March 2, 2019
A fun and interesting, story
This is a fun read and a great action/adventure story. I looked at a few reviews that criticized the story because the main character is too good. One said he found it unbelievable. I say, get over yourself. It is fiction and a really great story.
This is a fun read and a great action/adventure story. I looked at a few reviews that criticized the story because the main character is too good. One said he found it unbelievable. I say, get over yourself. It is fiction and a really great story.
March 29, 2019
Tried it and enjoyed it
Compliments to Mr. Miller...With the Thrice Named Man, he has created a quick moving tale that captures the reader's interest. I enjoyed the book and will be acquiring the series. Thanks for a book constructed by an artist.
Compliments to Mr. Miller...With the Thrice Named Man, he has created a quick moving tale that captures the reader's interest. I enjoyed the book and will be acquiring the series. Thanks for a book constructed by an artist.
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