Arena by Simon Scarrow & T.J. Andrews (2013)

Arena is a book I have 'accidentally' come across during one of my recent hospital visits it is written by Simon Scarrow, an author who comes highly regarded by a master of the genre Bernard Cornwell; and T.J. Andrews.

I have never read anything written by either Cornwell, or the two authors of this book, until now.

Book Synopsis: "It's AD 41 in Rome, and the Emperor is fraught with danger. Citizens live at the mercy of the newly crowned Emperor who is determined to asset his authority.

Recently decorated after a successful raid, Optio Macro of the Second Legion is preparing to return to his cohort. Instead, he is tasked by the imperial secretary with training Marcus Valerie's Pavo, a young gladiatorial recruit.

Though fearless novice Pavo has fought for his life before, he has much to learn, and nothing in Ancient Rome is certain. For the upstart has a goal dearer than his own survival - to average his father's dea the at the hands of a champion gladiator. Will he live to face his nemesis?"

It is again a work of fiction but as I'm reading it I'm reminded of just how brutal life has been, and still is for some.

After reading so much  (suppposedly) non-fiction material, reading fiction had really captivated my imagination by aiding the distinction between them both.

This book has really kept my attention and also helped me to find some comfort from the writing and flow of the story. 

At first, prior to reading it I was a bit concerned that it was going to be a tough task to ask for something original, and as I don't have a comparison to go off of yet, I still do not know if it's a typical trope story and subject or not; not until I read some more of this genre.

The reason for reading this book first out of Simon Scarrow Books is due to it being set in the earliest time of the Roman Empire  that he is written about.

I understand that in this book is a sort of origins story of some characters who have been present throughout Scarrow's The Eagles of the Empire series, and up next chronologically on my reading list for this author is to read book 1 titled Under the Eagle, and set in 43AD.

I've really enjoyed reading this book and I appreciate the historical lessons throughout to a layperson like myself am. 

The characters are likeable, and dislikable for the nasty ones but I do hope it will be improved upon in the books authored by Scarrow minus the copilot in Andrews.

I didn't have high expectations prior to reading this book, especially given how many scenarios, tropes, and clichés of gladiatorial fighting dramas. Which may be slightly close minded, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wanted something totally original. But I will hold any further judgements until I read another book on such a subject, and the next in this series.

All in all, I have been collecting all of Simon Scarrow's books and I'm looking forward to reading the next historically based fiction book. 

I haven't quite decided what I want to read next out of my library, fact or fiction? Which genre? Whatever it may be I can assure you it will be interesting.

In my next post I will be sharing my thoughts on a few books I have read sometime ago which have been already revealed via my past "Reading Currently Update" blogs.

Until next time friends 🧡...E.S.

Alastair Reynolds' 'Revelation Space: Space Opera and Hard Science Fiction (2000)

I came across this book and got hooked straight away and I now have purchased the entire series of Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds and I'm really looking for always getting through them, which will take time!

Revelation Space is a hard science fiction space opera and was the first to be released in the Revelation Space universe. There are four main books and six others with the final book in the collection being released in September 2024 to bring it to an even ten books total.

Synopsis: "Nine hundred thousand years ago, something wiped out the Amarantin. For the human colonists now settling the Amarantin homeworld Resurgam, it's of little more than academic interest, even after the discovery of a long-hidden, almost perfect Amarantin city and a colossal statue of a winged Amarantin. For brilliant but ruthless scientist Dan Sylveste, it's more than merely intellectual curiosity - and he will stop at nothing to get at the truth. Even if the truth costs him everything. But the Amarantin were wiped out for a reason. And that danger is closer and greater than even Sylveste imagines...

Revelation Space : a huge, magnificent space opera that ranges across the known and unknown universe ... towards the most terrifying of destinations."

The story I feel has has been really stimulating and an absolutely enjoyable time has been had throughout my first reading. I have avoided interviews with the author and peoples reviews. I did do a search though to identify the series book titles and in which order to read them in. There is a choice to either go chronologically time-wise of the in universe events, or the order they were published in. 

I think that after reading the first published, I am familiar enough to both the author and the universe this Space Opera is set in, and I'm deciding to now begkn the entire series in chronological order.

In my opinion the author is an extremely good writer and the use of the English language is mighty impressive, with a smooth flow and cadence is just about excellent. 

Why haven't I read fiction for a long time? 

Well...to be honest, due to ignorance mostly, I can now analyse this from a step removed, and observational stand point of view because this book has been an awakening for me to the fact that fiction turns to reality with things touching on space and the future fate of our human civilization. 

The science in this book is impressively paraded proudly to the reader right from the off.

My reason for sticking to nonfiction, was because I was oblivious and ignorant to the fact that some of these fictional books offer a lot to be learned, thanks to the intelligence and background of the author presenting their wisdom via their stories. But this is of course what religious and spiritual institutions are built upon.

As a person who enjoys writing, the lessons in writing skill and the grammar of such, form, layout, descriptors and level of craft in such fictional writings are incredibly valuable even regardless of the topic also when gleaned from a stood-away-step or two...

I have just finished the book and my gosh what a masterpiece of science fiction it is.

So deep and vast that only a student of science fact could have created such rich, and intelligently philosophised underpinning of conceptually advanced concepts that is Alastair Reynolds Revelation Space. 

The skill of authorship Alastair Reynolds displays in his writing by utilising the English language from the first to the very last word leaves me in awe, and with nothing less than a profound respect and effect of just how good a science fiction novel can be.

How Revelation Space has got past me all the years since it was published is beyond me.

The story subject matter is so relevant to today, with things like ai, consciousness and medical implants all are themes carried throughout the book I think. 

I mean, I think there's a lot of possibles and plausibles for predicting futures within Revelation Space' pages.

I'm torn as to see why this hasn't graced cinema bigscreens in box-office movies, or also Netflix or Prime etc as a moreish bingeable series.

Personally, I love this book. If you enjoy hard science fiction written with good intelligence as is author Alastair Reynolds, with likeable characters and grandiose scaling , both in time and in space; Revelation Space may be worth some consideration on your next read.

I'm looking forward to reading next in the Revelation Space Universe; Chasm City.

The book I am reading now is taking the reader back in time to the age of the Romans and is titled Arena by Simon Scarrow and T.J. Andrews. Which is the first in a series and part of my series' reading rotation.