By: Leah
Originally posted on Leah’s Books.
Caesar’s Soldier
- Author: Alex Gough
- Genre: Historical Fiction
- Publication Date: June 22, 2023
- Publisher: Canelo Adventure
- Series: Mark Antony #1
Thank you to Alex Gough for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CONTENT WARNING: suicide, violence, death of a parent, murder, death, grief, blood, gore
Plot Summary
When his stepfather is executed for his involvement in the Catilinarian conspiracy, Mark Antony and his family are disgraced. His adolescence is marked by scandal and mischief, his love affairs are fleeting, and yet, his ambition is vast. Antony’s path to prosperity leads him to an education in Athens, a campaign for a seat in the Senate, and a position of military command. Undeterred by his baptism of fire on the battlefields of Judaea and Egypt, he climbs the ranks to become the right hand man of Rome’s most famous general, Julius Caesar . The first of an epic new four book series, Caesar’s Soldier brings to life the world of one of history’s greatest warriors and romantics, as he becomes an integral part of the Roman Republic in its moment of glory and crisis.
Overall Impression
After reading most of the Imperial Assassin series, I was approached by the author with the opportunity to read an ARC of this book. And I was really excited about it, because I love reading about the Roman Empire, but it’s a period of time that I don’t know much about outside of what I’ve read in books. I’m one of the people mentioned in the author’s note who have a passing familiarity with the name Marc Antony, but don’t actually know much about him. So this book was a fantastic opportunity to not just enjoy a good book by a fantastic author, but also to learn about a major historical figure.
The book starts out by allowing us to get to know a young version of Mark Antony. We watch him grow up and learn about the period of the Roman Empire in which he lives. It was a bit slow in the beginning, but after his stepfather is executed, the story picks up a bit. As the member of a disgraced family, he decides that his best bet is to seek his fortunes by taking an alternate path. First he travels to Athens for education, and then picks up a military command position.
As Mark Antony grows up, it was interesting to see how much he changed. He went from being a headstrong and brash youth known for his rowdy exploits on the streets of Rome to an accomplished military commander. What I especially liked was the way that we get to see not only his strengths, but also the flaws in his personality, allowing us to get a well-rounded view of Mark Antony and his character. However, these change a little as the story goes on and Mark Antony gains more life experience.
I have to say, I’ve read a lot of battle scenes, and Gough writes some of my favorites. There’s a lot of battle in this book, and it takes place in a variety of settings as Mark Antony’s postings change. We get to see the full might of the Roman Army, their innovative and seemingly unstoppable techniques, and how they fight against different military strategies. In some settings we see full-on attacks with pitched battles, while others involve guerrilla warfare and enacting sieges or storming forts. I was always excited to see how a battle scene would turn out.
This book is a fantastic start to a series, and I can’t wait to see what’s next. There were some great plot twists, although I suspect if you’re more familiar with this area of history you’ll be less surprised by some twists. I’m incredibly impressed with the amount of research that must have gone into this, and can’t wait to read more of this series.
People who have sat around with me while I’m reading, especially when there’s a surprising reveal, a shocking plot twist, or an unexpected event often look up in alarm when I gasp audibly. The gasp factor is directly related to the number of times I audibly gasp during a reading, and there isn’t an upper limit.
Gasp Factor: 13
Functionally Fictional 
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