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S.J.A. Turney
Represented By: Sallyanne Sweeney
Having spent much of his childhood visiting historic sites, Simon fell in love with the Roman heritage of the region, beginning with the world famous Hadrian’s Wall.
His fascination with the ancient world snowballed from there with great interest in Egypt, Greece and Byzantium, though his focus has always been Rome. A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling the world visiting historic sites, writing, and researching the ancient world.
While working in IT, Simon spent his spare time on an epic journey to turn Caesar’s Gallic War diaries into a novel accessible to all. The first volume of Marius’ Mules was completed in 2003 and has garnered international success and bestseller status, spawning a series. Marius’ Mules is still one of Simon’s core series and as well as Roman fiction, he has now written Byzantine, Fantasy, Viking and Medieval series.
With in excess of 40 novels, Simon is a prolific writer, spanning genres and eras and releasing novels both independently and through renowned publishers including Canelo, Head of Zeus and Orion.
Represented By: Sallyanne Sweeney
Having spent much of his childhood visiting historic sites, Simon fell in love with the Roman heritage of the region, beginning with the world famous Hadrian’s Wall.
His fascination with the ancient world snowballed from there with great interest in Egypt, Greece and Byzantium, though his focus has always been Rome. A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling the world visiting historic sites, writing, and researching the ancient world.
While working in IT, Simon spent his spare time on an epic journey to turn Caesar’s Gallic War diaries into a novel accessible to all. The first volume of Marius’ Mules was completed in 2003 and has garnered international success and bestseller status, spawning a series. Marius’ Mules is still one of Simon’s core series and as well as Roman fiction, he has now written Byzantine, Fantasy, Viking and Medieval series.
With in excess of 40 novels, Simon is a prolific writer, spanning genres and eras and releasing novels both independently and through renowned publishers including Canelo, Head of Zeus and Orion.
Published Works
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Renowned warrior Agricola returns to Britannia as the commander of a legion... but with a rebellious Celtic tribe threatening Roman rule, securing the province won't be easy. The brilliant new Ancient Roman historical adventure from Simon Turney.
In the aftermath of Rome's civil war, Agricola returns to Britannia in command of his own legion.
This is not the honour it seems at first. Agricola's new legion threatens mutiny and the frontier province has suffered under troublesome governors. And the Brigantes, a powerful Celtic tribe in Britannia, are ready to make war against Rome.
To stabilise Roman rule and bring peace, Agricola must use all his political and military skills. But when a new commander is posted to Britannia, Agricola's efforts have counted for nothing.
For General Petilius Cerialis wants to completely destroy the Brigantes. With the tribe roused to throw off the Roman yoke for good, Agricola must prepare for the greatest war yet in Britannia... one which few will survive.
“'You should be reading Simon Turney”
- Anthony Riches
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
On the trail of a criminal collector of ancient treasures, the intrepid Marcus and Callie leave Egypt, bound for the island of Crete, where the mysterious villain known as ‘The Minoan’ awaits.
While Marcus and the men of the Twenty Second Legion hunt for information on this shadowy figure, Callie takes the opportunity to investigate the island’s shipping records, for it is in these very waters that their parents vanished three years ago.
Excitement and mystery, along with flee-bitten dogs and priceless statues await on the island of the pirates.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
An exciting new series for children: The prefect of Egypt needs money. And the men of the 22nd Legion must brave mazes and tombs and curses and crocodile gods to get to it.
Marcus and Callie, orphaned in ancient Alexandria and taken in by their uncle, the standard bearer in the legion, are about to travel up the great river Nile with the legionaries in a tense and funny adventure to grab the gold of the Pharaoh Amenemhat.
Join the legion and discover ancient Roman Egypt.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
The first volume in a thrilling new historical adventure series by Simon Turney, critically acclaimed author of Legion XXII and Sons of Rome.
58 AD, Rome. Agricola, teenage son of an impoverished yet distinguished noble family, has staked all his resources and reputation on a military career. His reward? A posting as tribune in the far-off northern province of Britannia.
Serving under renowned general Suetonius Paulinus, Agricola soon learns the brutality of life on the very edges of the empire, for the Celtic tribes of Britannia are far from vanquished.
To take control of the province, the Romans must defeat the ancient might of the druids – and the fury of the Iceni, warriors in their thousands led by a redoubtable queen named Boudicca…
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
A powerful new novel set in the fourth-century Roman Empire by critically acclaimed historical novelist Simon Turney, Para Bellum will delight fans of Scarrow, Kane and Cornwell.
AD 381. Five years have gone by since a Roman governor ordered the deaths of a Gothic king and his attendants at a feast in their honour. This disastrous act led to warfare in the Roman Empire and the death of the Emperor Valens.
The Empire is now at peace, but the powerful brother of the murdered king has sworn revenge on the regicides, and will not rest until they are hunted down. For the eight legionaries who carried out the killings, the bloodshed is only just beginning.
Flavius Focalis is one of those legionaries. After narrowly surviving an attempt on his life, Focalis seeks to warn his former comrades, for he knows their enemy is implacable. So begins a deadly game of cat-and-mouse across the Empire, with far more than eight lives at stake. For war is coming – and the only question is: do they die now, or die later?
“A page turner from beginning to end... A damn fine read.”
- Ben Kane
“First-rate Roman fiction.”
- Matthew Harffy
“You should be reading Simon Turney.”
- Anthony Riches
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
The unforgettable finale to S.J.A. Turney’s epic Knights Templar series.
As Arnau and his battle-weary Templars head home from battle, they face a new, insidious challenge: one seemingly from within the Order of the Temple itself.
Word reaches them that the stronghold of Rourell is under the command of a new preceptor, but why?
Surrounded by old friends, Arnau must now face enemies of his past, and present. This time the rot goes deep – and high.
From gilded palace libraries to blood-soaked sieges, this is a fight that will test him like never before…A thrilling story of revenge, this is the blistering conclusion to Turney’s masterful Knights Templar series, perfect for readers of Bernard Cornwell and Ben Kane.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
An epic battle of the Reconquista; a personal struggle to survive; a fight for glory.
War is brewing, and the Pope has summoned a crusade. The nations of Christendom are rallying to fight the Almohad caliphate, but they are a formidable foe.
Meanwhile, behind Moorish lines, a fortress held by Castile is under siege. As the siege falls, a knight is lost. Arnau leaves on a dangerous, near-suicidal quest to save him, a new squire in tow.
In the heat of the sierras though, things are not as they seem. War is coming to Iberia and all will be tested. Arnau’s sword arm will need practice, as will his mind.
A riveting and brutal historical adventure, the latest instalment of S.J.A Turney’s Knights Templar series, perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
A murder in a far off castle. A deadly struggle to survive… An intense and gripping Medieval thriller.
In the depths of winter at an ancient German castle, high up in the mountains, a noble is found dead under mysterious circumstances.
Back at Rourell, Arnau is taking on the responsibilities of a full Templar Knight. But when he is tasked with returning Brother Lütolf’s papers to settle a legal dispute between his family and the Order, Arnau is unexpectedly drawn into the killing at the castle. Here he enters a dark game of knives and double-crosses.
Trapped in the ice-bound fortress, mastery of the sword is no longer enough. This is a different kind of war: one of shadows and whispered threats. Arnau must use all the guile he possesses, or risk succumbing to an icy tomb.
The latest instalment of S.J.A. Turney’s unputdownable and bestselling Knights Templar series, The Winter Knight is perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Ben Kane and Christian Cameron.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Journey to the heart of an empire: a jaw-dropping historical adventure from master storyteller S.J.A. Turney.
Arnau de Vallbona and his fellow Templar Brother Ramon are bound for the Holy Land to take part in the great Crusade when fate intervenes.
Delayed in Cyprus, they learn of a growing rift in Christendom: the crusading army has diverted from its course and threatens Rome’s allies in the Byzantine Empire. Arnau and Ramon, alongside the irascible Preceptor Bochard, race to Constantinople, encountering a grand and crumbling world of alliances and betrayals, emperors and armies.
The fate of the world is at stake. As Christian forces inexorably collide, Arnau is caught in the middle of an epic siege of the greatest city in the world. He will be tested to his limits: follow his vows… or do what’s right?
A novel of awe inspiring scale, battle and story, this is a masterly telling of one of history’s great turning points from S.J.A. Turney, perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Michael Jecks and K. M. Ashman.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
An extraordinary, breathless story of the Knights Templar.
Europe is aflame. On the Iberian Peninsula the wars of the Reconquista rage across Aragon and Castile. Once again, the Moors are gaining the upper hand. Christendom is divided.
Amidst the chaos is a young knight: Arnau of Valbona. After his Lord is killed in an act of treachery, Arnau pledges to look after his daughter, whose life is now at risk. But in protecting her Arnau will face terrible challenges, and enter a world of Templars, steely knights and visceral combat he could never have imagined.
She in turn will find a new destiny with the Knights as a daughter of war… can she survive? And can Arnau find his destiny?
An explosive novel of greed and lust, God and blood, Daughter of War marks the beginning of an epic new series from bestseller S. J. A. Turney, perfect for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Conn Iggulden and Matt Harffy.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Can the Empire survive its most awesome challenge yet?
Aram of the Inda, a scattered people, has seen his lands pillaged, his sons taken and his empire crushed by the all-powerful Jade Empire. Its numberless armies have crushed the disunited Inda, swarming in from the East.
But to the West lies another power, the Empire, ruled by mad Emperor Bassianus. And something powerful is stirring in the wild mountains…
Power abhors a vacuum, and the Inda lands are now fair game. The stage is set for a showdown of cataclysmic proportions. Aram and his sons will find themselves at the heart of events that will shake empires to their very foundations.
This clash of titans is the blood-curdling conclusion to S.J.A Turney’s Tales of the Empire, perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow, Ben Kane and Gordon Doherty.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
For the glory of Empire!
At the Empire’s northern edge lies Alba: strange, savage, unconquerable. Twenty years ago this rain-sodden island defeated a huge Imperial army.
Now the Empire returns. Disgraced generals are looking for vengeance. Their forces are accompanied by three promising Tribunes: warlike Bellacon, intelligent Convocus and the joker in the pack, Cantex.
As the armies journey into the interior, it becomes clear all is not as it seems. Beyond the realms of the Emperor, treachery is never far away. The invasion will be harder than anyone could have imagined. Can the Tribunes triumph against the odds? Or is this the very limit of Empire?
Explosive and unputdownable, Invasion is perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden and George R.R. Martin.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
A forbidden love. A daring escape. A gathering storm.
Forty years have passed since the Empire was restored. Emperor Kiva the Golden, his wife Jala Parishid, and his brother Marshal Quintillian have together overseen decades of peace and prosperity, a time when the horrors of the civil war could begin to fade from memory.
But nothing can last forever. A forbidden love drives Quintillian from the capital far into the eastern deserts, where he discovers an unprecedented threat to the Empire’s very survival. And when Jala is kidnapped by a sinister and ruthless group of warriors, it will take all of Kiva’s strength to defend her, his people, and their destiny…
Insurgency is the fourth novel in S.J.A. Turney’s Tales of the Empire series, set in a world inspired by Roman history. A sweeping tale of deception, cunning, and military valour, this will appeal to readers of Matthew Harffy, Simon Scarrow, and K.M. Ashman.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
From barbarian slavery to conquest and treachery
For centuries, the Khmar have eked out a nomadic existence on the fringes of civilisation. Tenzhin is only a boy when his tribe strikes deep into the Jin Empire and faces the might of the Jade Emperor. After his father is killed before his eyes, he is plunged into a new world: ancient, courtly – and brutal.
Adopted by the Emperor, the boy must forget his old life and learn to survive the challenges of life as a prince. Tenzhin must perfect his mind, his soul and finally his body, in order to prepare for what lies ahead. Allies are few and far between, and eventually he must face the biggest trial of them all…
Emperor’s Bane is a novella set in the Tales of the Empire universe. A gritty tale based on the Mongolian invasions of imperial China, it will engross readers of Guy Gavriel Kay and Conn Iggulden.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
When stranded on the fringe of a crumbling Empire, how do you defend what really matters?
The nomads of the southern deserts have a saying: “When something is broken it should never be discarded. So long as the pieces remains, the whole can be remade.”
A time of trials, war and terror is coming to the desert city of M’Dahz, the Empire’s southernmost outpost. As Imperial power falters, then withdraws, the population lives in constant fear of invasion by vicious Pelasian satraps. Meanwhile, brothers Samir and Ghassan, and their childhood friend Asima, are about to discover that while people can change the world, the world can also change people.
They must follow separate paths – as courtesan, naval officer, and pirate – yet their destinies are forever intertwined. Nothing is ever as it seems in this distant corner of the Empire, and a world of unexpected alliances, dangerous jealousies and deepest betrayals awaits them…
The third book in S.J.A. Turney’s Tales of the Empire series, Dark Empress is a heart-stopping journey by land and sea through a world of deception, scheming, and surprising valour. Reminiscent of C. S. Forester, Simon Scarrow, and Conn Iggulden, this is historical fantasy at its most readable, its enlightening and exciting best.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
In the riveting second instalment of a new and epic historical fantasy series, an Imperial captain must confront an ancient treachery…
Lucius Varro, a captain in the Fourth Army, is about to have the worst day of his life. Wounded and poisoned in battle, and fearing for his life and his future, he stumbles upon a plot that reaches deep into the past and the roots of everything in which he believes.
Accompanied by a young engineer from his unit and the daughter of his commander in chief, he begins to unpeel layers of treachery and murder that threaten not only himself, but the people that he loves. Varro is determined to find his betrayer, but the poison is incurable, and there isn’t much time left…
Ironroot is set twenty years after the events of the first Tales of the Empire novel, Interregnum. Inspired by Roman history, this is an evocative and action-packed tale of treason and revenge, sure to delight fans of Conn Iggulden, Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
The Empire has fallen. The Empire must rise
A historical fantasy of valour, honour, and determination against all odds
For twenty years civil war has torn the Empire apart; the Imperial line extinguished after the mad Emperor Quintus was burned in his palace, betrayed by his greatest general and oldest friend, Kiva Caerdin.
Against a background of war, decay and violence, men who once served in the proud Imperial army now fight as hands for hire, little but fodder for greedy lords fighting over the remnants of more glorious times.
Kiva’s memories of the Empire are reignited when fighting alongside a fearsome mercenary unit, the Grey Company. Forced to face a dark and shameful past, he struggles to put his life back together. To achieve redemption, he and his men must defeat an ancient, cunning and bitter rival. Only then can the Empire be unified and become reborn…
Set in a hugely imaginative and atmospheric world inspired by Roman history, Interregnum is the first novel in S.J.A. Turney’s epic Tales of the Empire series, and is perfect for readers of Conn Iggulden, Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Plots, murder and a return to Istanbul form an epic conclusion to S.J.A. Turney’s Ottoman Cycle.
Five years since Skiouros left the city of Constantine, he has come to understand the dreadful price exacted by vengeance.
Saved from the French authorities by Dragi – the Romani crewman of a Turkish galley – he and his friend Parmenio are once again bound for the east. But Dragi’s aid comes with a price…
In the Ottoman capital, the populace prepares for a great festival; for the first time in years the Sultan’s three sons are all to be present. But a sect of disenfranchised Romani are plotting a deadly coup.
Can Skiouros thwart the mysterious Kingbreaker and save the Sultan’s sons? The sequence of events that shattered Skiouros’ life is finally coming to an end.
This is the brilliant and unputdownable final conclusion to bestseller S.J.A. Turney’s Ottoman Cycle, and is perfect for readers of Ben Kane, Peter Darman and Matt Harffy.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
The Old World. The world of sin. The world of death.
Italy, 1493: As the inquisition takes hold in Spain and the Vatican seethes under the rule of the Borgias, Skiouros finally sets his mind to his ultimate mission since leaving the great city of Istanbul: the death of the usurper sultan, Cem.
Gathering old friends and new, Skiouros travels the length of Italy in his quest for vengeance and the quieting of his brother’s restless soul. But on his dreadful quest he will face more than just physical danger…
For beneath all his strength, does Skiouros have a heart black enough to commit murder in the name of revenge?
The Assassin’s Tale grips like steel, and is the ideal read for fans of David Gilman, Giles Kristian and C. R. May.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Blood and adventure on the Mediterranean battlefield.
Crete, 1492: After a sojourn on a Venetian-controlled island, Skiouros has learned everything he needs to know for his true quest: destroying the person responsible for his brother’s death.
Meanwhile, across the Mediterranean, a small fleet of Turkish galleys is engaged in a desperate last attempt to save Islamic influence on the Iberian Peninsula. While the great naval commander Kemal Reis battles to survive, his subordinate yearns to murder every hint of Christian life.
When Skiouros’ ship crosses paths with the violent would-be pirate, things turn sour. Tested to the limits of his endurance, with his life at stake, Skiouros must confront unpleasant truths about his past…
A riveting historical adventure, perfect for fans of Griff Hosker, Ben Kane and Christian Cameron.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
In the first of an extraordinary series from bestseller S.J.A. Turney, the fate of Empire hangs in the balance…
Istanbul, 1481: The once great city of Constantine, a strange mix of Christians, Turks and Jews, now forms the heart of the Ottoman empire. The conquest, still a recent memory, means emotions run high; danger is never far away.
Skiouros and Lykaion, sons of a Greek farmer, are conscripted into the infamous Janissary guards and taken to Istanbul. As Skiouros escapes into the Greek quarter, Lykaion remains with the slave chain, becomes an Islamic convert and guards the Imperial palace.
But one fateful day Skiouros picks the wrong pocket and begins to unravel a plot reaching to the highest peaks of Imperial power… He and his brother are left with the most difficult decision faced by a conquered Greek: is the rule of the Ottoman Sultan is worth saving?
The epic and unputdownable first book in S.J.A. Turney’s Ottoman Cycle, The Thief’s Tale is perfect for readers of Simon Scarrow, Conn Iggulden and Bernard Cornwell.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
For one to rule, the other must die.
AD 312: A year of horrific and brutal warfare.
Although outnumbered, Constantine’s legions seem unstoppable as they surge through Maxentius’ Italian heartlands. Constantine is determined to reach and seize the ancient capital of Rome from his rival, yet his army is exhausted, plagued by religious rivalries and on the verge of revolt. Maxentius meanwhile contends with a restive and dissenting Roman populace. Neither general can risk a prolonged war.
When the two forces clash amidst portents and omens in a battle that will shape history, there are factors at work beyond their control.
Only one thing is certain: Constantine and Maxentius’ rivalry must end. With one on a bloodied sword and the other the sole ruler of an Empire…
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Their rivalry will change the world forever.
As competition for the imperial throne intensifies, Constantine and Maxentius realise their childhood friendship cannot last. Each man struggles to control their respective quadrant of empire, battered by currents of politics, religion and personal tragedy, threatened by barbarian forces and enemies within.
With their positions becoming at once stronger and more troubled, the strained threads of their friendship begin to unravel. Unfortunate words and misunderstandings finally sever their ties, leaving them as bitter opponents in the greatest game of all, with the throne of Rome the prize.
It is a matter that can only be settled by outright war…
“The Rise of Emperors series is first-rate Roman fiction.”
- Matthew Harffy“A page turner from beginning to end ... A damn fine read.”
- Ben Kane
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Four Emperors. Two Friends. One Destiny.
As twilight descends on the 3rd century AD, the Roman Empire is but a shadow of its former self. Decades of usurping emperors, splinter kingdoms and savage wars have left the people beleaguered, the armies weary and the future uncertain. And into this chaos Emperor Diocletian steps, reforming the succession to allow for not one emperor to rule the world, but four.
Meanwhile, two boys share a chance meeting in the great city of Treverorum as Diocletian’s dream is announced to the imperial court. Throughout the years that follow, they share heartbreak and glory as that dream sours and the empire endures an era of tyranny and dread.
Their lives are inextricably linked, their destinies ever-converging as they rise through Rome’s savage stations, to the zenith of empire. For Constantine and Maxentius, the purple robes beckon…
“A page turner from beginning to end... A damn fine read.”
- Ben Kane
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Two brothers founded Rome. Will two brothers tear it apart?
AD 193. After a year of brutal civil war, Rome is settled under Septimius Severus and his aspirations for a new dynasty of emperors.
Severus’s sons, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus – better known as Caracalla – and the younger brother, Geta, promise a stable future, a clear line of succession to steer Rome into the future.
A promise that might be hard to deliver upon.
With two brothers, there are two possible heirs, and Severus’s close friend Plautianus has his own ideas about the succession, favouring Geta over Caracalla. Though the pair are still children, the praetorian prefect sows in young Geta’s mind seeds of superiority, resentment and bitterness against his older brother.
As these seeds take root, the relationship between the pair grows strained, and their parents desperately attempt to reconcile the feuding siblings before it is too late.
Are the brothers able to set their differences aside, or will Rome see the blood of a fratricide?
The masterful final novel in the Damned Emperors series by S.J.A. Turney, perfect for fans of Harry Sidebottom and Conn Iggulden.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Raised in chaos. Forced to rule. Abandoned by the gods.
Rome, AD 52. The Julio-Claudian dynasty is in its death throes. Over the next twenty years, chaos descends as Claudius then Nero are killed. The whole empire bucks and heaves with conspiracy, rebellion and civil war.
Out of the ashes and discord, a new imperial family emerges: the Flavians. Vespasian is crowned emperor, with his sons, Titus and Domitian, next in line.
Domitian, still only a teenager, has known only fear, death and treachery for as long as he has been alive. Suspicious of the senate as a breeding ground for treachery, and fiercely protective of his surviving family members, he uses a network of spies to stay one step ahead of any would-be conspirators.
When Titus unexpectedly falls gravely ill, the throne beckons for Domitian, something he never wanted or prepared for. As in all his darkest moments, Domitian’s childhood guardian, Nerva, is the man he turns to with his fears, and his secrets…
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
From the author of Caligula (an engrossing new spin on a well-known tale – The Times) comes a new standalone novel in the Damned Emperors series: Commodus.
Rome is enjoying a period of stability and prosperity. The Empire’s borders are growing, and there are two sons in the imperial succession for the first time in Rome’s history.
But all is not as it appears. Cracks are beginning to show. Two decades of war have taken their toll, and there are whispers of a sickness in the East. The Empire stands on the brink of true disaster, an age of gold giving way to one of iron and rust, a time of reason and strength sliding into hunger and pain. The decline may yet be halted, though.
One man tries to hold the fracturing empire together. To Rome, he is their emperor, their Hercules, their Commodus.
But Commodus is breaking up himself, and when the darkness grips, only one woman can hold him together. To Rome she was nothing. The plaything of the emperor.
To Commodus, she was everything. She was Marcia.
“Best New Historical Fiction: Commodus provides a nuanced portrait of an intriguing emperor.”
- The Times“This is a fascinating, detailed and dramatic story of one of Rome's most notorious emperors.”
- Sunday Express
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
This is Rome’s most infamous emperor as you’ve never seen him: a loving brother, reluctant ruler and tortured soul.
Narrated by his youngest sister Julia Livilla who was ultimately banished by him, Caligula takes the reader through Caligula’s reign and beyond, packed with twists and turns, intrigue, conspiracies and violence – and attempts to re-define what Roman means forever.
The first in the Damned Emperors series by SJA Turney.
“Energetic and intelligent.”
- Mary Beard, TLS“Evocative, researched to the inch and a truly different take on one of history's villains . . . All through this I am seeing Al Pacino in The Godfather, slowly stained darker and darker by power and blood.”
- Robert Low“A cracking book, alive with the sights, sound - and stench - of an ancient Rome brought vividly to life by one of the rising stars of the genre.”
- Manda Scott“Enthralling and original, brutal and lyrical by turns.”
- Anthony Riches“An inspired new take on Caligula that combines the pace of a thriller with the grand sweep of a tragedy - a gripping read that echoes in the memory long after the last page is turned.”
- Ruth Downie, author of the Medicus series“A harrowing and visceral tale that draws you into the pulsing heart of Ancient Rome.”
- Gordon Doherty, author of The Legionary series“In this compelling ancient-world saga, Turney skilfully reimagines the life of history's most reviled emperor. Told from the eyes of Caligula's clever and devoted sister, it's a fascinating, fast-paced, page-turner!”
- Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling author of Lily of the Nile“A powerfully moving read from one of the best ancient world authors in the business.”
- Kate Quinn“Compelling, claustrophobic, and utterly convincing, this is a story of gilded lives on the edge of a precipice.”
- Ian Ross“A mesmerising, haunting and disturbing portrait of Caligula, his family and Rome during the first century AD.”
- Sunday Express“[M]asterful, persuasive writing ... finding humanity and redeeming qualities in one of history's most reviled villains is a bold move but, in Turney's hands, it pays off.”
- The Lady
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
Warrior and combat medic of the Twenty Second Legion, Titus Cervianus, must fight the armies of the fabled Warrior Queen in this blistering new Roman adventure from Simon Turney.
Egypt, 25 BC. Titus Cervianus is no ordinary soldier. And the Twenty Second is no ordinary legion. Formed from the personal guard of a conquered king, the Twenty Second’s ways are strange to soldiers of the Empire – yet the legion has proved itself in the blistering heat of the desert.
Cervianus and his comrades march into the unknown as he and the Twenty Second Legion contend with the armies of the Bellatrix: the Warrior Queen of Kush. The Kushites and the Egyptians are united against the Roman presence in their lands – but there are complex political and military forces at work. Deep in the deserts, Cervianus and his comrades must brace themselves for a furious onslaught as they take on the might of the Bellatrix.
Author: S.J.A. Turney
Genres: Genre Fiction
This is a biography of the last man who can truly be considered a ‘Roman’ emperor.
Maxentius was the last pagan emperor to rule in Rome itself, the last emperor to reside on the Palatine, the last emperor with a Praetorian Guard. He was a prolific builder, popular with the people and armies of Rome, and surprisingly successful against impressive odds, fighting off two opposing emperors, until felled by disaster at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. Simon Turney examines his background (he was the son of Emperor Maximian) and describes the context of the imperial situation of the Tetrarchy leading to his rise. He sifts all the evidence, architectural, numismatic and inscriptive, attempting to identify where Christian (and Constantinian) bias has warped the truth. He narrates Maxentius’ six year reign during a tumultuous time of civil wars, culminating in the dramatic battle of the Milvian Bridge, where he fell. He peels back the later vilification by Christian sources and reveals a capable emperor, a great builder (with a legacy of monuments still visible) and, ironically, a tolerant ruler who ended the Great Persecution of Christians in his territories years before Constantine followed suit.