I believe the reader doesn't need to read book one to understand the one following it, but it may serve a reader best if they do start with book one and not jump in elsewhere like I did. I liked the book and reviewed it last year. Since I prefer adult characters, I came in on book two, Hannibal: Fields of Blood. I skipped over the first one, Hannibal: Enemy of Rome, because it was taken up by the childhoods of our main characters. This is the third instalment in Ben Kane's Hannibal series. As we get beyond the book cover to imbibe of a battle royale between two mighty military forces of ancient history. While the cover of this Hannibal: Clouds of War edition does have a man in period costume on it, the combination of colours, the font choices and the pose make it something fresh and it is likely this will be my favourite cover of 2014.īut we are not here to read what I think about the book cover are we? We are here to talk about the words beneath it. Some of them are very well designed, inspirational to the imagination and eyecatching, but it is the sheer volume of man or woman in period costume covers that has me bored with them. I am so sick of seeing men or women in period dress on historical fiction covers. Of course, covers are as much about personal taste as stories are, so I don't expect everyone to feel the same way. One of the most eye catching covers I have seen in the genre of historical fiction. They are about to meet in one of the most brutal sieges of all time.įorget the book for a second, lets have a look at that cover! What a beauty. Pledged to bring death to all Romans, he is diverted from his mission by the discovery of Quintus' sister Aurelia, a captive within the city. Hanno has been sent by his general Hannibal to aid Syracuse in its fight against Rome.

But dangers face him from within his own ranks as well as from the enemy - who include his former friend, the Carthaginian, Hanno. Yet the city's incredible defences, designed by Archimedes, mean that Syracuse will not be taken easily.Ī veteran of the bitter war since its beginning, Quintus is ready to give his life in the service of the Republic.

Outside the walls, a vast Roman army waits. Under the merciless Sicilian sun, a city is at war. A new Hannibal novel by the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Forgotten Legion series.Ģ13 BC. As Rome's war with Carthage continues, two friends - now on opposing sides - confront each other in one of the most brutal sieges of all time.

Hannibal novel series