Wounded in the Battle at Tigranocerta, Roman Ninth Legionnaire, Aulus Veridius Scapula, recovers under the watchful care of Pontus Queen, Hypsicratea. Upon a sounding alarm that the King is returning, Aulus must say his goodbyes, depart for Rome, claim his pension back pay, and find his stolen amulet. Accompanied by his female companion Aripele, nothing goes as planned. But does it ever? Roman history enthusiasts will find Amulet II a gratifying and a worthwhile read.

Based in the mid first century BC, readers are transported through several overlapping storylines that harmoniously intertwine, moving between forbidden romances, street fights, cold-blooded murder, war campaigns, and the mysterious whereabouts of his stolen amulet. The book’s initially smooth and causal pacing is unexpected, opening the storyline with a thick emotional drama void of action. This could confuse readers who were expecting action from the get go, but patience is a virtue, as is the case with Amulet II, that is well rewarded by the end of the book. Without warning author Fredrik Nath quickens the pace, pouring action into the drama which remains steadfast right up until the very end.

“I’m going to kill you this time. You survived last time because you were lucky, this time nothing will save you.”

Readers will delight with the well balanced fight scenes, justly detailed and tending to never drag on longer than need be. The battles, while often detailed and graphic, are thoroughly riveting creating glorious visuals. Aulus, the main character, is an exquisite example of character building. He has the greatness of a champion, but he’s not without humility as he’s not invincible, willing to go to great lengths to do whatever he must even at the expense of his own life. While historical buffs might point out several historical inaccuracies, they don’t compromise the actual story and readers will find flawless transitions between the various scenes. Amulet II is easily a stand alone book that might start out a little too casual, but packs a punch you won’t want to miss. Whether or not Roman history is your forte, Amulet II is definitely worthy of your time

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