From Darkness: A Novel of the Ancient Roman World(1 Republic's End)

"...skillfully manages an extensive and diverse cast of characters to illuminate a complex, multicultural Roman world... A lavishly detailed, character-driven tale" -Kirkus Reviews - 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 the last hope for them and their families - A young freed-woman in the Italian countryside needs her brother the most when he's far away, fighting for the Ninth Legion in Gallia - The early loss of his father, persecution by Sulla, the kidnapping by pirates and ever-growing debt are what shape a young Julius Caesar into the person the world will come to know As disparate storylines interleave, the need for community and belonging unites people across different cultures, ultimately allowing them to triumph over their hardships. From Darkness is epic historical fiction set in the last years of the Roman Republic. --- Author's Notes: - Includes graphic descriptions of violence - No graphic sexual content - Includes LGB characters - Though Caesar and his personal history start this book and anchor the series, he is not the main focus.

About the Author :
C.K. Ruppelt lives in Oregon with his wife and two children. After spending most of his work life as a Mechanical Engineer, he dabbled in Program Management and moved on to Reliability. He considers himself very lucky for finally discovering his passion for storytelling. Please check out his personal website and blog at www.ruppelt-pdx.com where much support material for his work can be found.

Review :
"A debut historical novel captures the last years of the Roman Republic from varying perspectives. The story opens in Rome in 90 B.C. with the young Julius Caesar being tutored on the fall of the ancient empires of the Mediterranean. The narrative charts Caesar's development from eager scholar to esteemed soldier, awarded a civic crown for saving the lives of his fellow fighters. The story of Caesar's ongoing rise to power is but one thread in a larger fabric. Ruppelt recognizes that "a huge part" of Caesar's "fighting force and camp followers consisted of people from all walks of life and all over the Mediterranean." He therefore sets about creatively reimagining the lives of these individuals. The novel tells the story of Ozalkis and his nephew Adherbal, two Numidian archers who join the Ninth Legion after their family is slaughtered during a tribal raid on their home. The two men are assigned to Hispania, where they are to fight the Celts. The author also examines the theater of war from a Celtic perspective with a focus on female warriors such as Aina, who is battling for her clan's survival. Other characters, like Timon, a slave, allow Ruppelt to explore a broad cross section of Roman society, from the most powerful to the most vulnerable. This ambitious epic of more than 400 pages skillfully manages an extensive and diverse cast of characters to illuminate a complex, multicultural Roman world. The author has an exceptional eye for detail, and his corresponding depth of research is particularly evident when describing Celtic combat training, where future warriors are instructed on the "twelve doors to the soul." To discover one of these vulnerable points in their opponents, the young boys and girls are instructed: "Feel the back of your skulls, where the bone ends, and the soft tissue starts. Yes, that's the point." Ruppelt's use of informative and plausible dialogue heightens the narrative effect, transporting readers to the training ground...this book, illustrated with maps, diagrams, and a family tree, is a thorough and refreshingly far-reaching interpretation of Roman society...A lavishly detailed, character-driven tale about the Roman world." -Kirkus Reviews