This is a thriller set in ancient Rome and it is fabulous

Ballista is back in Rome and discovers a plot against the emperor. and this action packed and pacy read is filled with suspense and tension.

I love novels such as this, they keep you entertained whilst transporting to a time that is atmospheric and descriptive 

recommended read

A plot is a foot to kill the Emperor but it's not Sherlock it's back in the Roman Era close to 2000 years ago,  and Ballista is a Barbarian and the Emperor a former school friend. Having been in the Roman army and out of loyalty to his old friend and the love of his family Ballista has less than a day to save Gallienus the Emperor. The plot is set to be executed at the Colosseum after a days entertainment which is the usual mix of executions, fights till the death and the odd animal eating various people. 
There is a race against time against various foes, unexpected obstacles normally armed plus tall buildings. This is a true Roman hero battling the odds and nail biting suspense that had me gripped through out a great page turner that can rob you of sleep, but i felt it well worth the effort and wasn't disappointed.
I have been given a free copy of this book from NetGalley in return for a honest review

While it is not made clear on the blurb, I don’t think it will do the novel any harm if fans understand that this is a Ballista novel.

So what do we have? Ballista is back in Rome and discovers a plot against the emperor. Right from the start of this fast-moving, action-packed thriller, Ballista is attempting to get to the emperor and warn him of the plot, while the plotters, which include some of Rome’s most powerful men, do their very best to stop him. Does he succeed? Is Gallienus assassinated? The author has some fun here keeping the suspense going. Be warned: a visit to Wikipedia may help – or may not!

As I was reading, another thought kept occurring to me. How might a Classical scholar today reach a large audience to teach his readers about life, social status, urban dangers, as well as the buildings and topography of the city of Rome in the Third Century? Answer: write a Ballista novel which covers almost every part of ancient Rome, includes almost every famous and not so famous building and discusses life in almost every social class – and disguises it as a bloody and thrilling adventure story. 

Now, there’s an idea!

I have read Harry Sidebottom novels before, but found this rather pale  by comparison to previous experience.  The problem is that you can be sure of the ending from the first chapter, so after that it becomes no more than a detailed description of a man on the run who repeatedly gets himself out of sticky situations with courage and violence.  A little bit of Deus Ex Machina going on here too, I think, which is very classical but not very imaginative.

The lack of surprise is a bit disappointing.

A fast moving Roman thriller which could have been Jason Bourne meets The Emperor. More escape routines than Houdini and all of them nail-biting and plausible. An enjoyable romp through the dark and dirty streets and rivers of Rome that suspends disbelief in a thoroughly professional way. The movie will be Gladiator on speed, pity Russell Crowe is getting a little old for the part.

A third-century tale of murder and mystery. Set in the Roman Empire with all of its splendour and history. Essentially a tale of greed and murder, The Last Hour tells of a 24-hour race against time to stop the assassination of the Emperor. Fast-paced and intriguing. Well-researched.

In one typical fare from this master of the Roman politico-military thriller, but this one has a few twists, both in terms of plot arc and format that raises it slightly above his oeuvre.

This is a brilliant return to the Warrior of Rome series. After a few years away from Ballista and his familia, its great to finally be back. 

In 'The Last Hour', Sidebottom takes a different and unique approach to not just this series, but Roman fiction as a whole. The previous books in the series focus strongly on military action around the Empire. With his 'Throne of the Caesars' series, we get a heavy political themed series. However this new novel can be best described as a thriller. At has the feel of a highly intense action novel, set in the mould of a TV  series such as '24'. Its so fast paced, the action is non-stop, and the story is very direct.

Sidebottom presents such a vividly real Rome, his research and knowledge, as always, is articulate and extensive. Its such a great book, heartily recommended!