Robert Bruton has a wonderful ability to seamlessly combine the horrors and cruelty of war with the tenderness and joy of romance, love, and comradeship. I appreciated the opportunity to further know and understand the characters I had read about in his previous book. Empire Resurgent is another wonderful read from this author and one that I can highly recommend.
Description
For fans of the Gladiator! Flavius Belisariusis a man’s man, a young and brilliant general who stands out amongst the other tyrannical and conniving men in his class. Unlike the others, he seeks the glory and restoration of Rome and needs little for himself. Or so he thought. All at once, he is enamored by a startlingly beautiful and famously promiscuous woman, Antonina. Despite his awkwardness around women, he wins her heart. But her heart does not stay in the same place for too long. Belisarius is called upon to reconquer an ancient Roman colony. Fueled by the greatness of his mission, he completely loses sight of his wife, until he finds her in the enemy’s cellar tangled in the arms of another man. The scene is more wretched, gorier than any he had seen on the battlefield. And it is one that he cannot shake. Will the great man of Rome, Belisarius General of the East, buckle under a broken heart? Or will he have the courage to stand, even wounded?
Reviews
Bruton’s historical fiction novel does its utmost to stay true to the facts while steeping this adventure in vivid realism where it concerns the notable events. His efforts result in highly detailed battles which are told with the ultimate intention of subconsciously immersing the reader into the story completely
Author Robert Bruton portrays the historical setting with great enthusiasm, detailed research, and vivid description, providing readers with a visceral and immersive sense of what it was like to live in Roman times whilst also conveying the era's politics, culture, and societal norms.I would recommend Empire Resurgent to historical fiction fans seeking a well-balanced blend of personal drama and big-picture action.
Empire Resurgent by Robert Bruton, book one of the historical fiction Double-Edged Sword series, begins in the year 530 A.D. when General Flavius Belisarius makes a name for himself in combat by defeating the Persian army during Emperor Justinian's rule in the Eastern Roman Empire.The book ends with a blow, but thankfully its sequel is already out, so there's no waiting to move forward in the series.
