Total War Rome: Destroy Carthage

by David Gibbins

Overview

How far would you go for Rome?

Carthage, 146 BC.

This is the story of Fabius Petronius Secundus – Roman legionary and centurion – and his rise to power: from his first battle against the Macedonians, that seals the fate of Alexander the Great's Empire, to total war in North Africa and the Siege of Carthage.



Fabius's success brings him admiration and respect, but also attracts greed and jealousy – the closest allies can become the bitterest of enemies. And then there is Julia, of the Caesar family – a dark horse in love with both Fabius and his rival Paullus – who causes a vicious feud.

Ultimately for Fabius, it will come down to one question: how much is he prepared to sacrifice for his vision of Rome?

Inspired by Total War: Rome II, the bestselling Total War series, Destroy Carthage is the first in an epic series of novels from David Gibbins. Not only the tale of one man's fate, it is also a journey to the core of Roman times, through the world of extraordinary military tactics and political intrigue that Rome's warriors and citizens used to cheat death.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250054852
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	11/18/2014
Series:	Total War Rome , #1
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

DAVID GIBBINS is the New York Times bestselling author of seven previous historical adventure novels that have sold almost three million copies and are published in thirty languages. After taking a PhD at Cambridge University, he spent almost a decade teaching archaeology, ancient history and art history as an academic in England, before giving up teaching to write fiction full-time. He is a passionate diver and has led numerous underwater archaeology expeditions, some of which have resulted in extraordinary discoveries of ancient shipwrecks and prehistoric artifacts. David divides his time between England and Canada, where he does most of his writing.

Editorial Reviews

Gibbins delivers the last battle in superb scenes of the horrid surprises of war… ‘Carthage must be destroyed' is the endgame of this novel, but the road to that Roman victory is the true reading enjoyment.” —Kirkus

“One of the best historical novels of the year. Gibbins has done a stunning job piercing together various historical sources to create an extraordinary tale of Scipio and his role in the siege of Carthage. A tale based in actual history. As such, I would recommend Destroy Carthage not only to fans of the computer game series but to anyone willing to discover that past is sometimes much more excited than fantasy.” —upcoming4.me

“The novel manages to capture the true spirit of the Total War series and gives anyone with even a passing interest in Roman history a tempting taste of what scholars imagine that life was like during the rise of the Roman Empire. Destroy Carthage is certainly one of the more convincing and entertaining attempts at companion fiction I've seen and could even entice readers to pick up the Total War: Rome II game to see if they could match - or better - Scipio's achievements.” —Geek chocolate

“Perhaps the most impressive element of Destroy Carthage is that it finds such a large thread of history that's so accurately able to parallel the action of the game…. the book is, by and large, a political thriller…. It also shows Gibbins' attention to detail—he paints a vivid picture of what ancient Roman life would've been like circa the second century B.C…. If you enjoy immersing yourself in a historical time period and learning a bit about long-extinct cultures—or find yourself obsessed with the corresponding game and need something else to help augment your experience—this is a solid read that's definitely worth your time.” —Electronic Gaming Monthly

From the Publisher

2013-08-15
The long memory of an unfinished war drives this historical novel from archaeologist Gibbins. The novel is a companion piece to the computer game series Total War. Merchandising aside, Gibbins knows his history and uses arcane facts and vivid military sequences to tell the story of Rome before the emperors, presented through 22 years in the lives of two friends. This is a violent world: Greece, Egypt, Carthage, Celtic Europe and Rome are waypoints on the routes of trade, culture and the social advancement provided by war. Scipio and Fabius begin as teenagers in military training, their mantra--to finish the destruction of Carthage, defeated by Rome 55 years before by Scipio Africanus, the boy's adoptive grandfather. Fabius is the fictional bodyguard of the historic Scipio, and theirs is a coming-of-age story on an imperial scale. Beginning at the academy in Rome, they march together through war in Macedonia and Spain until Scipio is at the forefront of a final confrontation, as Carthage has become a threatening force again. Social and political intrigue illuminate a mix of characters from the patrician families, whose motivations are best described by Polybius, Greek tutor of the young Scipio, who states that "Gods do not win wars, just men." Gibbins delivers the last battle in superb scenes of the horrid surprises of war, and although he rewrites an alternative death for Hasdrubal, the general defending Carthage, his work rings true. "Carthage must be destroyed" is the endgame of this novel, but the road to that Roman victory is the true reading enjoyment.

Kirkus Reviews