After the death of his first wife Aripele, Aulus rescues his Pontic love Hypsicratea—former queen of the indomitable Mithridates the Great—and with his newly inherited riches, thanks in part to Cicero’s legal savviness, they return to Rome with their two inherited sons, Bazes and Quintus. When Quintus—the son of Aripele—is mistaken for Bazes—the son of Mithridates—and is kidnapped by his half-brother and reigning Bosporan King, Pharnaces II of Pontus, Aulus will stop at nothing, including picking up his sword again, betraying the one he loves, and offering up his own life to bring Quintus home.

Author of more than a dozen books, Fredrik Nath’s feverous writing melds together the best of Kate Quinn and Ben Kane. Readers looking for a full plate of action, drama, historical context, and even a touch of romance need look no further than Amulet IV: Veni, vidi, vici’s robust storyline where characters come to life and one could easily assume were based on actual people alongside their non-fictional historical counterparts—Caesar, Cicero, Mithridates, etc.

“Trust is one of my few weaknesses. I give any man my confidence but if that is betrayed I never forget. Do you understand?”

Nath unfolds a prodigious story where readers will be relieved to know they don’t have to be history buffs, or even like Roman history, as the story itself and not the historical aspect acts as the supporting platform for this entire series. The intrinsic journey of a father’s love, choosing one’s morals over societal expectations, and the ever harrowing command and conquer and ruthless slaughter exposes the dark side of mankind and just how far we can fall in times of weakness.

Amulet IV isn’t a Roman hack-and-slash novel despite the book’s nonstop action. Nath maintains a gripping and consistently unpredictable storyline from cover to cover, overflowing with the harsh realities of ancient Rome that will have readers hearts palpitating as they easily devour Amulet IV in one sitting. Whether reading the series or as a standalone book, readers will feel a part of this perfectly executed story and is undeniably just the book to wet your palate. You will want to pick up Amulet IV, or even the entire series, as your next Roman adventure awaits!

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