Although I enjoyed this book, it was terribly unsettling; I finished it yesterday but am still trembling and angry at Caesar for how he sought to fulfill his so-called vow. Perhaps it should be termed "Caesar's Mad Obsession" instead. Very seldom has a book affected me so strongly; once or twice before I've identified with certain sympathetic characters. This Caesar and several other characters both old and new are absolutely odious, even the protagonist's patronizing wife. For his genocidal policy and unmitigated razing of settlements and firing of crops and animals, I could have very easily taken a pilum to Caesar and others who buy into his brutality with no opposition. Several times I felt like throwing the book across the room. I'm glad the protagonist is decent; he and his commando-like group are willing to put themselves into danger and to seek the villain alone; he hopes to end the unnecessary violence against whole peoples. They face treachery among one of their own. I feel the author has thrown us some red herrings as to the traitor's identity; they serve to keep us guessing.

The author must be doing something right to get such an extreme reaction from me. His books are improving with each one. His filling in the gaps in the history seemed absolutely plausible to me. I will be eager to see how he treats the final confrontation in Book 7. ( )