| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
nallap
Single Cell Organism
1 Posts |
 Posted - 12 October 2009 : 9:15:40 PM
|
I have read everything Simon has written and bought Gladiator without reading any reviews. I took the book on holiday and what a suprise I was reading a book set in Crete whilst in Crete.
The last part was magical, there I was reading about the bay where the Roman grain ships were moored , actually looking at the bay and the hills where Ajax was camped. Just a couple of small issues, there may be a small amount of water on the hills, but streams!!!no way and certainly not enough water to support an army.
The name of the long low hills is SPINALONGA , which is latin (so I have been told many times) for long thorn or needle. The Island now known as Spinaloga is not a natural Island, it orginally formed part of the low hills but a channel was cut to separate it and create an island to protect the bay. Some locals say the Romans did it some say it was later when the salt pans at the end of the bay were created.
For all fans of the book the area is a great place for a holiday with the bonus of being where Simon is writting about. Simon knows the area is old and has a long long history whilst another popular writer only thinks about the last 50 years when it was a leper colony.
Great book and I assume that Ajax will appear again in later books
|
|
|
ToxicJR
Single Cell Organism
United Kingdom
39 Posts |
Posted - 12 October 2009 : 9:40:25 PM
|
No doubt and with any luck he will appear. Sounds like you had an epic time!
Madness is a gift that has been given to me |
 |
|
|
stuartr
Single Cell Organism
32 Posts |
Posted - 13 October 2009 : 9:05:16 PM
|
While it probably fails to trump your reading the book on the Island in which it is set (and it certainly isn't as glamorous) I was catching up on a few chapters while we were staying at the out-laws house this weekend, when I realised I was reading about Gortyna sitting in a house called Gortyna!
Both of the outlaws are retired classics teachers, and the Mother in Law studied much about the Gortyna code while at University. Unfortunately this is now likely to lead to Simon being accosted by my Mother-In-Law while out walking his dog, as they often go for a walk around the site at Caister whenever they are staying at ours.
If only Simon had given even a passing nod to the code in his Authors Notes he coud have saved himself from this fate worse than death! (Fortunately the in-laws aren't like to read the forums or I'm in big trouble). Having said that I haven't finished the book yet, so if he mentions the Code later in the story, then he may well find himself accosted by a pair of slightly batty retired classic teachers deep in the wilds of Norfolk needlessly. 
|
|
|
|
Coritanian
Homosapien
United Kingdom
2031 Posts |
Posted - 21 October 2009 : 01:04:42 AM
|
Does anyone know when this book will come out in paperback? I'm a bit weird, in that I only read these books in paperback, even if I have to wait. Anybody know?
So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
Matthew 27:54 |
|
|
|
Ankhsy
Homosapien
United Kingdom
7861 Posts |
Posted - 21 October 2009 : 11:15:01 AM
|
Amazon is saying the paperback version will be out in 4 February 2010. That's a long time to wait!
Legum servi sumus ut liberi esse possimus. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Gladiator
