Michael Livingston
THE GATES OF HELL
TOR / A Tom Doherty Associates Book
Historical Fiction / Fantasy
After reading the first book in this new series, THE SHARDS OF HEAVEN, I couldn't wait for more. Thankfully, I didn't have to wait. And with relish, dug right in!
The dust jacket says: Alexandria has fallen, and with it the great kingdom of Egypt. Cleopatra is dead. Her children are paraded through the streets in chains wrought of their mother's golden treasures, and within a year all but one of them will be dead. Only her young daughter, Cleopatra Selene, survives to continue her quest for vengeance against Rome and its emperor, Augustus Caesar.
To show his strength, Augustus Caesar will go to war
against the Cantabrians in northern Spain, and it isn't long before he calls on
Juba of Numidia, his adopted half-brother and the man whom Selene has been made
to marry -- but whom she has grown to love. The young couple journey to the
Cantabrian frontier, where they learn that Caesar wants Juba so he can use the
Trident of Poseidon to destroy his enemies. Perfidy and treachery abound.
Juba's love of Selene will cost him dearly in the epic fight, and the choices
made may change the very fabric of the known world.
THE GATES OF HELL takes
place two and a half years after THE SHARDS OF HEAVEN.
Characters are reintroduced nicely. Juba --Octavian's step brother, who was
once meant to rule Numidia before Rome seized it, is married to the young
Cleopatra Selene. With Cleopatra and Antony dead, Selene was destined to rule
as queen of Egypt, but again, Rome interfered with her fate, as well.
There are at least four collected Shards. Pieces of
Heaven that splintered when God died. Each holds its own mystical power. Only
the select few can even touch, much less, wield the power contained in the
black crystals. Juba and Selene are headstrong about seeking revenge
against Octavian (who know calls himself Augustus). They are intent on
destroying Rome. And with the Shards, they know they have the power
to accomplish anything.
The Ark of the Covenant is safe (for the time being).
Caesarion (son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra) and his wife Hannah have the
Biblical relic hidden. Vorenus and Pullo know that the Ark needs to
be moved to a better location. Transporting the powerful ark will not be
simple, if anything doing so could prove very dangerous.
Augustus wants to move against the Cantabrian, to bring
even more to Rome! The barbarians have more than arrows and steal on their
side. They too possess one of the Shards. The battle, with Juba at the
frontline, is nothing shy of destructive.
Tiberius, the stepson of Augustus, knows that Selene
stole from Rome. He is determined to figure out what she took. He will stop at
nothing until he has all he wants. And what he wants is to rule in Augustus'
place!
Can one man bring peace to the world What if that one man is wanted dead by so many because of his aspirations? Or will the revelation of an evil truth ignite a new war where wielding the Shards brings death, destruction, and literally opens the gates of hell? THE GATES OF HELL was impossible to put down. Livingston uses a host of complex characters, each some kind of bizarre mix on family trees, and somehow manages to make the reading simple, and concise. The tale his told at a heart-pounding pace. The action is constant, and the suspense always building. Always. I love the characters, and the dialogue, both informative, and witty! Folks, do yourself a favor. Add Michael Livingston to your to-be-read list of authors. He's going to be around for a while. Jump on his bandwagon now, ahead of the game!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of the Severed Empire Series, and
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