The Road to Rome

Strong characters hack and slash their way through this Roman sword and sandal epic, the third book in Kane's ancient Rome series (after The Silver Eagle). Former slaves Romulus and Fabiola are twin brother and sister, and now he is a Roman legionnaire serving in Caesar's army, and she is Brutus's lover. Fabiola is consumed with hatred of Caesar for past crimes against her family, and while she begins a risky plot to kill the emperor, Romulus and his friend Tarquinius engage in brutal combat in Egypt and North Africa. When the twins and Tarquinius are finally reunited in Rome, violence, bloodshed, and the threat of betrayal stalk them every day, with Romulus shocked at his sister's plan to kill the man he serves, and Tarquinius divining a tragedy on the Ides of March. Kane is a natural storyteller, merging suspense and intrigue with graphic battlefield scenes and historical color into a ripping story that will please series fans and new converts alike. (Apr.)