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Empire XV: Field of Blood by Anthony Riches

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Empire XV: Field of Blood

Empire series (Book 15)

Narrator
Damian Lynch
Publisher
Hodder & Stoughton
Publish Date
26 February 2026
Run Time
10 hours 44 minutes
Format
Audiobook
$13.95

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What to expect

**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.

Critics Review

  • PRAISE FOR ANTHONY RICHES
  • 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

  • A damn fine read . . . fast-paced, action-packed

    Ben Kane

  • A masterclass in military historical fiction

    Sunday Express

See more reviews
  • A master of the genre

    The Times

  • 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

  • A gripping narrative full of breathtaking action, unforgettable characters, and dazzling twists and turns

    Peter Tonkin

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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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