New Reedit Sep-2020 - "...skillfully manages an extensive and diverse cast of characters to illuminate a complex, multicultural Roman world... A lavishly detailed, character-driven tale" In the first century BC, under the backdrop of actual historical events, a series of characters from all walks of life struggle with their circumstances: - Their old life destroyed, a young Numidian and his nephew sign up as auxiliary archers for the Roman legions and ship out to Hispania - Their homeland overrun, the fierce Celtic men and women warriors of a small clan of the Gallic Aedui nation see Caesar and his legions as their last hope - A young freed-woman in the Italian countryside needs her brother the most when he's fighting for the Ninth Legion in Gallia - Julius Caesar's early personal life and history are the anchor for various converging storylines As destinies interweave with the Ninth legion's history, the need for community and belonging unites people across different cultures. --- Author's Notes: - Includes graphic descriptions of violence - No graphic sexual content - Includes LGBTQ characters - Though Caesar and his personal history start this book and anchor the series, he is not the main focus.