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Empire XV: Field of Blood
- Author
- Anthony Riches
- Narrator
- Damian Lynch
- Publisher
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Publish Date
- 26 February 2026
- Run Time
- 10 hours 44 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
A masterful novel of war, history and political intrigue, beloved by readers.
'Vivid military action, inner circle intrigue and Dumas-style characters'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'A++++'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'[Riches is] head and shoulders above his contemporaries'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'Excellent historical adventure with a twist'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
'I absolutely LOVE this series'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ONCE MORE THE ROMAN EMPIRE HAS BEEN TORN APART BY A WAR OF IMPERIAL SUCCESSION.
Following the Year of the Five Emperors, three are left in the field. A final bloody confrontation is inevitable as the ruthless Septimius Severus advances through Cappadocia and Cilicia on the heels of the retreating legions of the Emperor in the East, Percennius Niger.
Co-opted into Severus's legions are two veterans who, after long service, now crave peace: Gaius Rutilius Scaurus, restored to legion commander, and his client, the tribune Marcus Valerius Aquila. Unknown to all but a few, Marcus is an emperor killer. Perhaps this fate beckons him again...
As Niger retreats towards the impregnable fortress of Antioch, thus threatening to extend the conflict for years to come, it falls to these two men to plan a series of daring raids to delay the enemy.
But it is not long before they are cornered on a climactic field of blood. And on this sanguine soil, one of the imperial pretenders must be annihilated.
Critics Review
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PRAISE FOR ANTHONY RICHES
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Fast-paced and gripping "read-through-the-night" fiction with marvellous characters and occasional moments of dark humour. Some authors are better historians than they are storytellers. Anthony Riches is brilliant at both
Conn Iggulden
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A damn fine read . . . fast-paced, action-packed
Ben Kane
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A masterclass in military historical fiction
Sunday Express
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A master of the genre
The Times
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Stands head and shoulders above in a crowded field . . . Real, live characters act out their battles on the northern borders with an accuracy of detail and depth of raw emotion that is a rare combination
Manda Scott
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A gripping narrative full of breathtaking action, unforgettable characters, and dazzling twists and turns
Peter Tonkin
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Anthony Riches
- Narrator
- Damian Lynch
- Duration
- 10 hours 44 minutes
- Release Date
- 26 February 2026
- ISBN
- 9781399741798
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Genre
- Historical adventure fiction, War, combat and military adventure fiction, Historical fiction
Synopsis
**Pre-order Swords of Troy, the brand new epic series of myth and legend from Sunday Times bestseller Anthony Riches**A masterful novel of war, history and political intrigue, beloved by readers.'Vivid military action, inner circle intrigue and Dumas-style characters'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'A++++'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'[Riches is] head and shoulders above his contemporaries'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'Excellent historical adventure with a twist'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐'I absolutely LOVE this series'⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ONCE MORE THE ROMAN EMPIRE HAS BEEN TORN APART BY A WAR OF IMPERIAL SUCCESSION.Following the Year of the Five Emperors, three are left in the field. A final bloody confrontation is inevitable as the ruthless Septimius Severus advances through Cappadocia and Cilicia on the heels of the retreating legions of the Emperor in the East, Percennius Niger.Co-opted into Severus's legions are two veterans who, after long service, now crave peace: Gaius Rutilius Scaurus, restored to legion commander, and his client, the tribune Marcus Valerius Aquila. Unknown to all but a few, Marcus is an emperor killer. Perhaps this fate beckons him again...As Niger retreats towards the impregnable fortress of Antioch, thus threatening to extend the conflict for years to come, it falls to these two men to plan a series of daring raids to delay the enemy.But it is not long before they are cornered on a climactic field of blood. And on this sanguine soil, one of the imperial pretenders must be annihilated.
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