Praetorian The Great Game edition by SJA Turney Literature Fiction eBooks
Download As PDF : Praetorian The Great Game edition by SJA Turney Literature Fiction eBooks 
Promoted to the elite Praetorian Guard in the thick of battle, a young legionary is thrust into a seedy world of imperial politics and corruption. Tasked with uncovering a plot against the newly-crowned emperor Commodus, his mission takes him from the cold Danubian border all the way to the heart of Rome, the villa of the emperor’s scheming sister, and the great Colosseum.
What seems a straightforward, if terrifying, assignment soon descends into Machiavellian treachery and peril as everything in which young Rufinus trusts and believes is called into question and he faces warring commanders, Sarmatian cannibals, vicious dogs, mercenary killers and even a clandestine Imperial agent. In a race against time to save the Emperor, Rufinus will be introduced, willing or not, to the great game.
"Entertaining, exciting and beautifully researched" - Douglas Jackson
"From the Legion to the Guard, from battles to the deep intrigue of court, Praetorian The Great Game is packed with great characters, wonderfully researched locations and a powerful plot." - Robin Carter
Praetorian The Great Game edition by SJA Turney Literature Fiction eBooks
Praetorian, The Great Game focus' on the end of the reign of Marcus Aurelius and the beginning of the reign of Commodus. Unlike other depictions of Commodus, and his personality (e.g. Gladiator), this one is developed and realistic. As individuals who have read about the life and death of Marcus Aurelius know, Commodus did not murder his father. (This is one of the many problems that I have with Gladiator - whose only good part is the initial battle scene which by the way has problems also...)The story is told from the perspective of Rufinus, a legionary who saves the life of the Praetorian Prefect, Paternus, and gets rewarded for this and becomes a member of the Praetorians. He is immediately thrown into the middle of a complex situation where the sister of Commodus, refuses to accept his emperor title, wants the thrown for herself, and actively conspires to have him murdered. (This is also based upon historical fact, so unlike Gladiator, this is very accurate.)
The author, of course, throws in his own slight changes to the story (although we really don't what exactly happened so this is OK) to place Rufinus in the middle of the action. To assure that I don't ruin the story for you, I won't go on from there, but needless to say, the book is excellent and worth the read, especially for anyone interested in Roman history. Further, the story is believable at all levels.
The "Great Game" deals with the politics around the emperor's throne - the jockeying for power. Having worked at a high level of management in a US corporation, it reminds of that environment - people stabbing each other in the back in order to get ahead. However, in this situation, the stab in the back is real and figurative. People die when they become expendable.
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Praetorian The Great Game edition by SJA Turney Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews
Sidebottom is once again at the top of his game as he leads off a new series based on a character who is drafted due to valor into the Praetorian Guard during the start of the rule of Comodus. Unlike some of his earlier work, this latest effort has a less scholarly tone making it more approachable for those who are looking for good old fashioned, well written action, adventure and intrigue with a solid historic basis. While less scholarly in tone, the authenticity of the writing is borne smoothly and knowledgeably, a truly enjoyable read and immersive in the time. My one disappointment was that the historical accuracy was such that in a fit of "what happens to these characters', Wikipedia gave away some salient plot resolution points -) Make no mistake though, this is great historical fiction!
Can't wait for the next in the series!!
I have enjoyed all of Turney's novels set in ancient Rome, and this was definitely one of the best. The subject matter is fresh--I haven't come across anything else that dealt with Commodus. Turney is correct when he says that the popular image of Commodus comes from a couple of motion pictures which pictured him as an arch villain, and his less than stellar legacy in scholarly historical accounts. However, this story, what I hope will be the beginning of several novels featuring Rufinus, shows Commodus when he first becomes emperor and before he descends into whatever darkness Turney has in store. Rufinus is a marvelous central character--intelligent, courageous but with a survivor's instincts, trying to do the honorable thing while dealing with the cesspit of internal politics and deception that was ancient Rome.
It was hard to put it down--exciting, great action, well-drawn characters, believable storyline--terrific introduction to a new hero of ancient Rome!
Once again Simon Turney has picked a point in history that if it was not true, you would not believe it. Marius Mules takes place in the life and career of Caesar. Praetorian takes place in the time of Commodus. Julius Caesar's life could not be more exciting. Commodus's could not be more filled with treachery and intrigue.
Praetorian opens with our hero Rufinus as an innocent. He is lost in the murky depths of plots in the beginning. Who can he trust? Who is good or bad? Turney is his usual brilliant self and keeps his cards close to the chest. Gradually, we the reader, and Rufinus, start to see what is really going on. Part of the tension in the book is that most of what we see is false at first. Many surprises, thrill the reader. As an aside though, I am thrilled to see that Turney has added a great dog character to the mix. Please don't kill Acheron Simon!
One of the many good reasons to read Turney's books is that he is a writing machine. I know that I will not have to wait too long for my next fix.
Fans of Turney’s ’Marius’ Mules’ will not get the raw gritty action that has set that series apart, but this book is nonetheless quite entertaining. ‘The Great Game’ is more in the ‘Jason Bourne’ vein, although set in antiquity. I was pleased to see that in this book at least, the Romans did not behave like they were British. I corresponded with Mr. Turney and I pointed out to him that his characters in ‘Marius’ Mules’ drank far too much to come through as Romans so I was pleased to see that in ‘The Great Game’ the drinking was kept to a believable level. I also rather liked the premise that Commodus may not have been evil as much as overwhelmed. While that is clearly Turney’s take on Commodus in this novel it is entirely possible that future scholarship may bear him out; we shall see. All in all, this was an entertaining book, perhaps not Turney’s strongest effort but for Turney fans, it is well worth reading.
Seeking a book about ancient Rome and the legions fighting barbarian tribes, this is NOT your book. Rather this is a James Bond version of ancient Rome in the time of the emperor Commodus. While there is some fighting between the legions and the barbarians at the beginning of the book, the book quickly shifts to Rome and the political infighting that takes place among the emperor and various parts of his Court and advisers. So if you enjoy the James Bond books and books of that type this will be a good read for you. If you would rather read about the Roman legions facing various enemies of Rome there are many other series to choose from.
Praetorian, The Great Game focus' on the end of the reign of Marcus Aurelius and the beginning of the reign of Commodus. Unlike other depictions of Commodus, and his personality (e.g. Gladiator), this one is developed and realistic. As individuals who have read about the life and death of Marcus Aurelius know, Commodus did not murder his father. (This is one of the many problems that I have with Gladiator - whose only good part is the initial battle scene which by the way has problems also...)
The story is told from the perspective of Rufinus, a legionary who saves the life of the Praetorian Prefect, Paternus, and gets rewarded for this and becomes a member of the Praetorians. He is immediately thrown into the middle of a complex situation where the sister of Commodus, refuses to accept his emperor title, wants the thrown for herself, and actively conspires to have him murdered. (This is also based upon historical fact, so unlike Gladiator, this is very accurate.)
The author, of course, throws in his own slight changes to the story (although we really don't what exactly happened so this is OK) to place Rufinus in the middle of the action. To assure that I don't ruin the story for you, I won't go on from there, but needless to say, the book is excellent and worth the read, especially for anyone interested in Roman history. Further, the story is believable at all levels.
The "Great Game" deals with the politics around the emperor's throne - the jockeying for power. Having worked at a high level of management in a US corporation, it reminds of that environment - people stabbing each other in the back in order to get ahead. However, in this situation, the stab in the back is real and figurative. People die when they become expendable.
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