The Fort

City of Victory, Book 1

By: Adrian Goldsworthy

Narrated by: Stephen Perring

Length: 12 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

From best-selling historian Adrian Goldsworthy, a profoundly authentic, action-packed adventure set on Rome's Danubian frontier.

AD 105: Dacia

The Dacian kingdom and Rome are at peace, but no one thinks that it will last. Sent to command an isolated fort beyond the Danube, centurion Flavius Ferox can sense that war is coming but also knows that enemies may be closer to home.

Many of the Brigantes under his command are former rebels and convicts, as likely to kill him as obey an order. And then there is Hadrian, the emperor's cousin, and a man with plans of his own.

©2021 Adrian Goldsworthy (P)2021 W F Howes

Awful Narrator

Love the series but unfortunately the narrator change is a disaster for me. Voice never changes, you can't tell whose talking so constantly trying to piece the story together as your not sure who is who.
Please bring back the narrator from previous books

Another good book

I loved this book just as much as I loved the first series I just wish they made it known it is a continuation

good book

I can't get enough of this series. I can't wait for the next one.

adherence to time period

Overall the bookwas ok. I think it had a rushed and bad ending. Additionally the characters were too fantastical.

Falls a little short of the 3 previous Novels

Changing the reader was a disappointment for me Stephen Brand is among my very favorite performers. This was also good but I found it lacking compared to the first three novels which are among my all time favorites. I hated the end and the entire story was a let down compared to Vindolanda etc. I believe I have read everything Goldsworthy has written and will continue to do so. A terrible way to treat such a loved character. You left him no way out. The entire premise was off from the start. Not Mr. Goldsworthy’s best work. It just didn’t fit and screws up the future. I guess I just didn’t like it.

In the top tier of historical fiction.

Goldsworthy is a rarity in historical fiction: someone with a catalogue of dedicated academic works. His true appreciation for historiography enables the building of an environment for his story that powerfully captures the era as well as anything can hope. Thank you again, Adrian Goldsworthy.

Difficult to follow at times

The storyline was good, and the main characters likable. However, the author introduced a lot of characters, and skipped forward randomly which made the story difficult to keep up with at times. But was still enjoyable.

Give Me More, Give Me More

I really enjoyed the Vindolanda series and this new series continuing the great experience. It was really hard to stop listening. Can't wait for the next installment

Loved it!

This is very good. I have been loving the entire series, although the reader for this fourth book does not pronounce names the same as the first three books. But I like the stories and I appreciate the history. Perhaps there is a bit much in the description of battles . I am actually more interested in the historical context and the politics of the time and not so much about how the fought, although I do like a little bit of that.

Terrific novel. A delightful portrait of Hadrian.

Though he is not the central character, Hadrian is a major character and I kept waiting for him to reappear.
I also enjoyed the description of life in a Roman fort on a dangerous edge of the Empire and the various British soldiers far from home, but the politics of Rome and the early career of Hadrian gave me the most pleasure. Mr. Goldsworthy is not only a great historian but he also has the imagination and talent of a wonderful novelist. Bravo!
Mr. Perring did an excellent job with creating the many different voices in the novel,with again Hadrian being a most surprising one.

I hope this series continues and Mr. Goldswothy’s muse prods him to hurry.