Description

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In 213 B.C., as the forces of both Rome and Hannibal’s army from Carthage are still reeling from the losses at the Battle of Canae, the second Punic War rages on. With more and more of Rome’s Italian allies switching allegiance to Carthage, the stakes continue to increase. When the major Sicilian city of Syracuse defects to Hannibal, Rome sends all that it has to retake the city. Now, outside the nearly impregnable city walls, a vast Roman Army besieges the city. Inside the city, tensions and politics are an even greater threat.

Two men—once boyhood friends, through circumstance now find themselves fighting on opposing sides—are about to face each other once again. Caught between them is a woman. All three trapped in one of the most famous and brutal sieges of all time.

Ben Kane's Clouds of War is a vivid, exciting, and very human novel about one of the most defining conflicts in history, seen from the very top, where the generals make bold gambits, all the way down to the very bottom, where the people who are caught in the crossfire are trapped.

About the Author

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BEN KANE is the bestselling author of The Forgotten Legion trilogy as well as Spartacus: The Gladiator, a top-three bestseller on the London Sunday Times. A lifelong student of military history, Kane has traveled widely, visiting more than sixty countries on seven continents. He currently lives with his family in North Somerset, England.

Praise For…

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“Gritty, passionate, and violent..a thrilling page-turner.” —Steven Pressfield, author of Gates of Fire

“The rising star of historical fiction!” —Wilbur Smith

“Epic… a gripping blend of history, battles, gore, ancient politics, betrayal, consummate and casual cruelty, and sex… a pleasure for those who like history and great adventure.” —Library Journal on The Forgotten Legion

“Lively...riveting...rich in accurate historical detail. The characterizations are finely drawn and set against a dangerous, cruel, but often thrilling landscape.” —Booklist on The Forgotten Legion

“Kane is a natural storyteller, merging suspense and intrigue with graphic battlefield scenes and historical color into a ripping story that will please series fans and new converts alike.” —Publishers Weekly on The Road to Rome

“This historical yarn from Kane isn't your grandfather's Spartacus.” —Kirkus Reviews on Spartacus: Rebellion