Empire's Edge

The Borderlands #2

by Damion Hunter, Amanda Cockrell

Loyalty to your people. Loyalty to Rome. Only one can remain…

Centurion Faustus Valerianus marched with Julius Agricola on his six-year campaign to conquer the north of Britain. With Agricola now returned to Rome, Faustus is sent to Hibernia with exiled Irish prince Tuathal Techtmar to reclaim his throne, to crown a new king.

But victory is a fleeting thing, and back in Caledonia fears grow that the land won so convincingly may soon slip away. Both here, and across the narrow sea, Rome’s control and influence are at greater risk than ever before.

As events cascade towards a climactic, devastating battle, Faustus must finally come to terms with his heritage, resolve his complicated love for a British woman, and lay his father’s shadow, still stalking him from the afterworld, to rest, once and for all.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction

427 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 20, 2023

About the author

Damion Hunter also publishes under Amanda Cockrell.
See that page for more extensive and interesting information.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable. Further adventures of Faustus Silvius Valerianus. In this outing he is sent to Hibernia to train a native army to put the true High king on the throne. When that is concluded successfully, he returns to Roman Britain, he is then sent to the far north as Prefect of Batavians in one of the outlying northern forts. He has to contend with a most unhappy widowed sister, Silvia, who has come with her son to live with him. The boy is thrilled with his new life. Cleaning up after a mudslide, which destroys property and people is a challenge for him. He fights a band of rebels from the Orcades [today's Orkneys] and Hibernians and must reckon with his personal life, including a tribeswoman from the Orcades. The story was enthralling, and I do think the author's style is delightful.

[BJ Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empire's Edge is book 2 of a historical fiction series taking place in late first century Great Britain. Locations might seem to be confusing because the Romans here are located in what would today be the Scottish highlands, but one of the main local groups are the Cornovii, a hypothetical name for the people who originally inhabited modern day Cornwall. I am guessing Hunter was taking liberties.

Anyways, I did not read book 1, but it is fairly easy to pick up on what is happening in the story. Rome's reach has exceeded its grasp. After a six year campaign to control all of the island, troops are being steadily pulled to other parts of the empire and now they are beginning to realize that they cannot control everything they have conquered.

The main character, Faustus Valerianus, after helping to install the Irish high king on the throne of Hibernia, is tasked with leading the Batavians in an increasingly hostile north. An old flame returns to his life as well as a grieving sister whose husbands debts left her penniless on his death and so she travels from Gaul to Briton to live with her brother.

This book does skirt the edge between historical fiction and fantasy with Faustus regularly conversing with the ghost of his father, his love interest being a possible descendant of a selkie and believing she can understand seals, and the old people. The first two can be explained away as the two being just a little bit crazy and superstitious. The third... these fictional people play far too big of a role in this story and are one of the biggest drawbacks from what would otherwise have been an excellent historical fiction novel of British Rome just beyond the peak of its prime.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the first instalment in this series gripping and entertaining, this one was even better.
The historical background and the places are vivid and well researched. i appreciated the old and new characters and the solid plot.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Borderlands series is just as good as the first. Great characterisation, the history is fascinating and the story is compelling. Looking forward to reading the next book about Faustus Valerianus and his extended family.

[james baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

she is right up there with the best of the Roman era writers - very impressive command of detail, character and events overall.

[Missy Gagarin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Loved the characters, the history and the story- Can't wait for the next story about Faustus and his Legion and family. Brilliantly researched too.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book series.

[Thea Noneofyourbeeswaz · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a huge let down after reading the first book in the series, "Shadow of the Eagle." The opening is confusing, obscure and incomprehensible. I quickly lost interest.

[Mr Bill Dunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

Very enjoyable story, good character development, the feel of the story puts the reader right there. Thanks to the author.

[Sally Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-ordered this and read it in one gulp. Good as always. Faustus goes to Ireland to help Tuathal become High King at Tara, then comes back to Scotland to deal with fractious natives.

[Dilys Guthrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Took a few chapters to get back into the whole story, but once there it was unputdownable!