And now for something completely different. No, not the Spanish Inquisition (bet you weren’t expecting that!) I’ve mentioned in previous updates how I have In Victrix drafted and half edited, and how I just don’t seem to find the time to finish it. This is mostly because of my day job — I enjoy it […]
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Book Review: A Practical Guide to Conquering the World, by KJ Parker
The Siege is one of modern fantasy most unique series, coming from one of the best authors out there, so of course I jumped on the latest (and probably last) installment. What to Expect Expect a story happening in parallel to the previous novels. This could be a different starting point (at least for those […]
Book Review: Invisible Romans, by Robert C. Knapp
As someone who writes fiction inspired by Ancient Rome, I am always fascinating by the lives of the ordinary people. I find the adventures of the ones comprising 99.5% of the population much more fascinating than the movers and shakers. What to Expect Expect a review of non-elite (as much as possible) sources, where Knapp […]
Book Review: Demon’s Dagger, by Douglas Lumsden
I find Lumsden’s urban fantasy series one of the best out there, and I will never get tired of saying it. So obviously I was very excited to see a companion novella. What to Expect Expect something a little different that the usual Alex Southerland novel. This one is doesn’t involve him, but one of […]
Book Review: Architecture 101: From Frank Gehry to Ziggurats, an Essential Guide to Building Styles and Materials, by Nicole Bridge
Architecture has been on my mind lately, so what’s better than a book with a review of the development of architecture throughout the ages? While this is a bit if the expansion of the usual remit of the Roman history side of this blog, I know many of you appreciate related topics like food history […]
Books Review: ‘Doughnut’ and ‘The Outsorcerer’s Apprentice’ by Tom Holt
Every time I read one of Holt’s books (often under his KJ Parker pen-name), I end up loving it. Since I was in the mood for light fantasy and he’s known for that, I picked this one up from my TBR. What to Expect With a deft pen, Holt packs a lot into a fantasy […]
Roman titbits: Life, Laughs, and Wild Boars
This, that, a nod to Asterix in our latest collection of antiquarian curios 🙂 The picture on the is from recently uncovered Roman slave quarters in Pompeii. Readers of my novels know the attention I pay to the “invisible people” of society, those who weren’t mentioned much in the writing of the 1% elite. Because […]
Book Review: The Secret History of Food, by Matt Siegel
I love history, I love food, I love the food in history (and as a reader of this blog you’re probably aware of – and share – this passion) — so naturally this book held a great appeal. What to Expect Expect 10 chapters in rough chronological order about certain less well-known episodes or aspects […]
Book Review: A Night Owl Slips Into a Diner, by Douglas Lumsden
I loved the Southerland urban fantasy series from the moment I first came across it, so obviously jumped on this one as soon as I could. (See my previous reviews here – as well as a wonderful guest post on Meso-American things that go bump in the night!) What to Expect Expect Alex to get […]
Detecting Roman Britain
I sometimes wish I could visit Britain, where, it seems, Roman ruins are everywhere and you can just randomly fall on them. No, really – a UK farmer went for a walk, stumbled on remains of rare Roman mosaic and villa. Really pretty mosaics and I suggest you read that article, but this post is […]
FELIX THE FOX MYSTERIES 