David Lingard

Set within the ancient Roman Empire, this is a story of Gladiators, the arena, magical symbols and The Gods.

Astra inclinant, sed non obligant.

The stars incline us, they do not bind us.

In the ancient Roman town of Liternum stood one of the bloodiest gladiator arenas in the land; Brutal matches between gladiators frequently graced it’s golden sands, though out of the view of the bloodthirsty crowds, there is so much more happening than simply gladiators fighting for the adoration of the people.

Titus Gaius Brutus is the son of a Lanista, an owner of a gladiator school, a ludus. Titus had spent the first six years of his life inside of his parents’ ludus, learning the ways of the arena and benefiting from the coin that the games provided. However, tragically, everything he had ever known was torn away from him and he was thrown to the mercy of the people of Liternum, who could either aid him, or ignore his plight.

With nothing but a family name that has become all but ashes, and his best friend and pet dog, Dinari, Titus discovers a secret that some of the more proficient gladiators had been keeping from the public, and possibly even each other: these gladiators have a way to channel the might of the Gods.

Flectere si nequeo superos, Acheronta movebo.

If I can not bend the will of Heaven, I shall move Hell.

Titus eventually finds himself stuck in the middle of a conflict between the Gods, though can he use his newfound abilities to channel their power to help rather than harm? And can he revive his family name and become a lanista at the head of a ludus that can shake the very foundations of the Roman Empire?

Only time will tell...

This book is a historical fantasy story, where magic and divine intervention are used alongside historical events to create a thrilling and deep narrative.