Whilst I have found Ben Kane's books enjoyable in the past I feel that there is a bit of a singular note developing. The battle scenes are well-written but the interludes, whilst interesting historically, are marred by rather clunky and (to my eyes) modern dialogue. As far as 'sword and sandals' epics go, this is a superior one in the genre but my interest is waning.

I’m such a huge fan of this author as his books are always utterly fascinating and gripping, making the history come to life.

Once again the author has clearly done his research on an area of history that I didn’t know anything about. He has skillfully managed to bring the bloody battle field to life so that the reader feels that they are actually there. It was great to revisit Felix and Demetrios again as I enjoyed the personal battle between the two of them in Clash of Swords. As the story unfolds I found it interesting to watch their relationship have to change as they found themselves on the same side.

This is a really fast paced book with lots going on to keep the reader firmly gripped to the story. I enjoyed following the characters throughout the book and I felt invested in them so cared about what happened to them. Even though this is the second book in the series it can be read as a standalone as anything you need to know is explained. I do however highly recommend Clash Of Swords as it’s all absolutely brilliant!

Huge thanks to Tracy Fenton for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Virginia from Orion books for my copy of this book.

Wow! Another fantastic fast-paced amazing novel from Ben Kane! I absolutely loved Clash of Empires so couldn’t wait to read this to find out what our heroes were up to!

As with Clash of Empires, the story is told from the two sides – the Macedonians and the Roman’s. Parts of the story are told from the leaders’ points of view, General Flamininus and King Philip and the remaining parts are told by two of the army, Felix and Demetrios. It was great to be back with them as I fell in love with them in the Clash of Empires! They all go through their own stories…..family, friendships gained and lost, betrayal, murder, blackmail and victory. The supporting cast are brilliant and I was gutted that we had to lose some of them…..sadly, the inevitability of battle.

What blows me away is the amount of research that Kane must have to do to bring us these books and how fantastically written they are. The way the people, places and battles are described truly allows the reader to bring it to life, and be there with them in the thick of it.

This will honestly have you on the edge of your seat, wanting to see what the final outcome will be…..who will we lose and who will make it? Who will be victorious in battle? If you’re a fan of historical fiction then you need to read this! This can be read as a standalone, as the background information on the characters is provided, but I would highly recommend you read Clash of Empires too which is also a fantastic book, and will help you fall in love with the characters even more. You can read my review on Clash of Empires here.

I’m sad that these books are over now but I will definitely return to them for a re-read in the future; there is so much action I’m sure there are plenty of bits of missed! I’m looking forward to reading more from this fantastic future and will be seeking out his back catalogue of books! Highly recommended by me!

Another excellent story in this historical series of Rome and Macedonia featuring leaders and foot soldiers in equal measure. Violent battle scenes interspersed with political manoeuvrings keep the story ticking along nicely. Another feature is the authors willingness to kill off characters who have been essential to the narrative but enough survive to make the next episode well worth waiting for! Good stuff!

Thundering over the horizon like one of Hannibal's elephants comes the majestic and triumphant follow up to 'Clash Of Empires'.

You don't need to have read that one to read this but I would 100% recommend that you do in order to enjoy this sequel more, as you are invested in the characters and their losses, however, it's not necessary (do it! do it! it's a brilliant read!)

There is enough information about 'Clash Of Empires' to enjoy it but not not so much that the recap overtakes the new and exciting story which Ben swiftly-and bloodily-lays out over the course of 'The Falling Sword'.

Much like the sword of Damocles, this dangles precariously over the heads of Felix and Demetrios their skill in battle is absolutely assured but what happens when you get 2 men, who are the best at what they do, fighting each other?

The military precision with which Ben lays out this tale of Ancient Greece and Rome not only throws light on a relatively unknown period of history, he adds his own work to the canon of mythical literature. Many people know of Troy,Thermopylae and the Peloponnesian wars, however, how many are aware of General Flaminius and Philp the 5th of Macedon?

I didn't!

And Ben's work on Hannibal Barca  is groundbreaking in it's execution, he absolutely carries his enthusiasm for the classical world aloft like a flaming sword , and takes you along with him.

If, like me, you haven;t read a lot beyond the standard classics (Thucydides, Homer,Hesiod etc) this could feel a bit of a risk but honestly, I have no hesitation in recommending Ben's work as a gateway into this time period, as it comes fully supported by detailed maps as well as a comprehensive recommended reading list and glossary of terms.

That may sound like a textbook, but I guarentee that the enthusiasm engendered by reading 'The Falling Sword' will leave you wanting to investigate further. Dry, dusty and full of miltary manouevres this is not, you are plunged, after a brief, teaser-y reprieve into the heart of battle and political machinations that will leave you reeling, battle sore and hungry for more. The subtle shades that Ben uses to create Felix and Demetrios mean that you aren't sure whose side you are on-they are both so loyal to their commanders and their causes that you kidn of want them both to succeed and make it to the end of the book.

Who survives? On whose head will 'The Falling Sword' descend? Read it and find out for yourself, you won't regret it!

I struggled with Clash of Empires, book 1 of this series, and for that reason i want too fussed about book 2 coming out. However earlier this year i picked up Ben Kane's short story The March, and after a brilliant mornings reading i remembered just how damned good Ben Kane is.

So fast forward 3 months, and as soon as i got a chance to read this i jumped on it. Im so glad i did.

What followed was a vast improvement on book 1, and a thoroughly enjoyable read. The action is fast paced and relentless, it drives the story on wards. In between the dramatic battle scenes we have what read as almost retrospective scenes of calm, with PoV chapters from Flaminius and Philip, commanders on opposite sides. These insightful chapters balance perfectly with the intensity of Ben Kane's battle scenes.

Overall a great read, and again i cant wait to see what the author comes up with next.