The pulse-pounding epic about the end times of an empire

The Wall

AD 400. Rome and its Empire are failing . . . 
 
Veteran cavalry commander Marcus Flavius Victor sets out with his regiment to make what may be his final tour of the forts along Hadrian's Wall. 
 
Through a combination of military prowess, brutality and bribery, Marcus has spent twenty years keeping the savage Picts at bay. Feared by his enemies and hated by his superiors, his strength of will is the only thing that has held the disgruntled, poorly paid garrisons of the Wall in place as the failing Roman Empire's grip on Britannia weakened. 
 
Yet as this tour of the wall progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that this is more than a routine inspection. Why is Marcus stripping the defences of cavalry to strengthen his own force? Is he negotiating with the Picts - or conspiring with them? And who is the mysterious figure who follows Marcus' every move and yet hides in the shadows? 
 
Segeduno, Cilurno, Brocolitia, Vindolanda: each fort holds memories and friendships, hides rivals, or conceals enemies. But what exactly is Marcus Flavius Victor's ultimate objective? It would appear he is willing to risk bloody civil war in a bid to seize Britannia for himself? Or is he raising an army to save the province from the darkness that waits on the other side of the Wall? 
 
Hailed as one of our very best historical novelists, Douglas Jackson returns to the world of ancient Rome with this epic novel of a failing empire and a world on the brink . . .

Intrigue, murder, politics and plotting . . . it's a tour de force that hits harder than a Pictish axe . . . cements his reputation as not just one of Scotland's best historical fiction writers but one of our best writers. Brilliantly researched and written, The Wall is an all-conquering triumph from the first page to the last.

Roman historical fiction at its very best.

Douglas Jackson is one of the finest writers about today, irrespective of genre.

A journalist by profession, Douglas Jackson transformed a lifelong fascination for Rome and the Romans in to his first two highly-praised novels, Caligula and Claudius. His third, Hero of Rome, introduced readers to a new series hero, Gaius Valerius Verrens. Eight further acclaimed 'Rome' novels followed, confirming Doug as one of the UK's foremost historical novelists. His latest novel, The Wall, was published to coincide with the 1900th anniversary of the construction of Hadrian's Wall. A member of the Historical Writers Association and the Historical Novel Society, Douglas Jackson lives near Stirling in Scotland.

AD 400. Rome and its Empire are failing . . . 
 
Veteran cavalry commander Marcus Flavius Victor sets out with his regiment to make what may be his final tour of the forts along Hadrian's Wall. 
 
Through a combination of military prowess, brutality and bribery, Marcus has spent twenty years keeping the savage Picts at bay. Feared by his enemies and hated by his superiors, his strength of will is the only thing that has held the disgruntled, poorly paid garrisons of the Wall in place as the failing Roman Empire's grip on Britannia weakened. 
 
Yet as this tour of the wall progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that this is more than a routine inspection. Why is Marcus stripping the defences of cavalry to strengthen his own force? Is he negotiating with the Picts - or conspiring with them? And who is the mysterious figure who follows Marcus' every move and yet hides in the shadows? 
 
Segeduno, Cilurno, Brocolitia, Vindolanda: each fort holds memories and friendships, hides rivals, or conceals enemies. But what exactly is Marcus Flavius Victor's ultimate objective? It would appear he is willing to risk bloody civil war in a bid to seize Britannia for himself. Or is he raising an army to save the province from the chaos that waits on the other side of the Wall? 
 
Hailed as one of our very best historical novelists, Douglas Jackson returns to the world of ancient Rome with this epic novel of a failing empire and a world on the brink . . .

(Gaius Valerius Verrens 9): A thrilling and dramatic historical adventure that conjures up Roman Britain perfectly

Hammer of Rome

Brittania, AD 80. Gaius Valerius Verrens leads the ill-fated Ninth Legion north to face their destiny . . . With Hammer of Rome Douglas Jackson brings his epic Roman historical adventure to a triumphant close.

Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Ben Kane, this formidable and compelling historical thriller from bestselling author Douglas Jackson will have you absolutely gripped... 
 
"Spectacular and satisfying...thrilling and dramatic...Roman historical fiction at its very best" -- SUNDAY EXPRESS 
"Douglas Jackson is one of the finest writers about today...this series is a glorious achievement" -- FOR WINTER NIGHTS 
"Rightly hailed as one of the best historical novelists writing today" -- DAILY EXPRESS 
"I was devastated to finish this novel and look forward to many more from the pen of Douglas Jackson" -- ***** Reader review 
"Superb in every way" -- ***** Reader review 
 
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IN THE FAR NORTH, GAIUS VALERIUS VERRENS' DESTINY AWAITS... 
 
AD 80: Gaius Valerius Verrens is back where he belongs, at the head of a legion. But this is no ordinary legion. His command is the 'unlucky' Ninth, tainted by four decades of ill fortune and poor leadership. A unit regarded as expendable by his superior, Gnaeus Julius Agricola... 
 
Yet all that can be swept aside by a single moment of glory, and the invasion of the north of the province provides the perfect opportunity. Valerius leads his men to a devastating victory against the Brigantes, infuriating Agricola... Soon, even greater honours beckon with the death of Emperor Vespasian and the succession of Valerius's friend, Titus. 
 
All Valerius can do is forget the great prizes on offer, concentrate on defeating the savage tribes who lie in the path of the Ninth, and ignore Agricola's intrigues. 
 
But watching his every move is another enemy - and this one is the most formidable enemy he has ever faced... 
 
Hammer of Rome is the last of the Gaius Valerius Verrens novels. Have you read the other eight?

Spectacular and satisfying . . .  thrilling and dramatic . . . Roman historical fiction at its very best.

A wonderful novel . . . the battle scenes are as thrilling as ever . . . Douglas Jackson is one of the finest writers about today, irrespective of genre. This series is a glorious achievement and so too is the book that completes it’

(Gaius Valerius Verrens 8): Roman Britain is brought to life in this action-packed historical adventure

Glory of Rome

The Roman grip on Britain is growing weaker and Druids are on the rise. Emperor Nero has turned away. Boudicca is preparing to lead tribes to war. 
 
Standing in her way is Gaius Valerius Verrens, commander of the veterans legion. In this battle he earns the accolade of Hero of Rome - but where will that title lead him next?

Gaius Valerius Verrens, once the friend of emperors and sometime Hero of Rome, returns to the furthest reaches of the Empire - to Britannia - to lead the Ninth Legion in its bid to quell a savage uprising by the Celtic tribes and their defiant and scheming Druids...

A riveting and all-action historical page-turner from bestselling author Douglas Jackson that will have you gripped from page one! Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Ben Kane. 
 
Readers are loving Gaius Valerius Verrens! 
"The best Roman historical series I've yet read. Just pips Ben Kane and Conn Iggulden." - 5 STARS 
"I found this one hard to put down as there was action and intrigue from start to finish" - 5 STARS 
"Fantastic story and character creation" - 5 STARS 
"A simple plot but pace never lets up and keeps you wanting to "just read the next chapter before I put it down" - 5 STARS 
 
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77AD. Gaius Valerius Verrens is an honoured member of Emperor Vespasian's inner circle, but the enmity between him and Vespasian's son Domitian means that, even in Rome, danger is never far away. 
 
Meanwhile, in the outer reaches of the Empire, in Britannia, trouble is brewing. 
 
The governor, Agricola is preparing to march his legions north and Valerius is Agricola's chief legal adviser and deputy governor. It's the opportunity he seeks to move his wife and son out of reach of Domitian's wrath. 
 
The massacre of a Roman garrison and suspicious death throw Agricola's preparations into confusion. Now his eyes turn west to Mona and the Druids, who still harbour hopes of ridding Britannia of Roman rule. But to deal with them, Agricola needs a soldier he can trust to lead the legion. Only one man in the province has the experience and the ability . . . 
 
So a reluctant Valerius picks up his sword once more. He soon comes to understand that any glory his new legion wins is likely to be fleeting and tainted - and that he has placed his family in deadly peril. 
 
Gaius Valerius Verrens's adventures conclude in Hammer of Rome.

Superbly written and packed with historical detail and action.

What a fantastic writer Douglas Jackson is . . . Glory of Rome is a thrilling novel from the outset and culminates in a brilliant battle sequence that had me on the edge of my seat.

The plot is taut and gallops along at a pace. The characters are all well-drawn and convincing, while the action sequences are exciting, bloody, and dramatic, without being overly graphic. The novel can be read as a standalone without any loss of enjoyment. A gripping tale from start to finish, and you will find it difficult to put down. Recommended.

(Gaius Valerius Verrens 7): An action-packed historical page-turner you won’t be able to put down

Saviour of Rome

For fans of Simon Scarrow and Ben Kane, the spectacular new novel in Douglas Jackson's epic series sees Gaius Valerius Verrens summoned by the emperor Vespasian to undertake a mission that is tainted by treachery and seems like a death sentence...

A gripping and breath-taking novel of Roman adventure from bestselling author Douglas Jackson. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Ben Kane. 
 
Readers are loving Gaius Valerius Verrens! 
"Spellbinding" - 5 STARS 
"I didn't want to come to the end, some really fascinating detail and a great story." - 5 STARS 
"Unexpected twists and an ending full of surprise rates it among my favorite reads to date." - 5 STARS 
"Kept me absolutely gripped from start to finish [-] historically accurate with the fictitious stories and characters expertly weaved into the real makes it utterly believable." - 5 STARS 
 
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REBELLION SIMMERS...AND TREACHERY LIES IN WAIT. 
 
AD 72: Vespasian is Emperor of Rome - but his grip on power is weakening. Economic disaster threatens the city - and when Rome is threatened, so too is the Empire. 
 
Recently married and building a new home, Gaius Valerius Verrens thought he'd at last found a life away from the battlefield. But he is summoned by the Emperor to do one last favour for Rome: he must journey to the remote, mountainous region of Asturica Augusta and investigate claims that a bandit called 'The Ghost' is raiding the Empire's gold convoys. 
 
When Valerius arrives, he finds a tortured, gods-forsaken land whose native tribes, exploited for so long, are a growing threat. But treachery lurks in the shadows, and it seems the real danger comes from those closer to him. 
 
Valerius must put an end to a conspiracy that would plunge the Empire into a devastating new conflict - but first he must establish who is a friend, and who a foe . . . 
 
Gaius Valerius Verrens's adventures continue in Glory of Rome.

A thrilling adventure . . . the tale is, as ever, impeccably researched . . . as exciting as an action movie.

Such a fine addition to the series . . . Douglas Jackson writes beautifully . . . one of my very favourite series of novels, regardless of genre.

(Gaius Valerius Verrens 6): a compelling and gripping Roman adventure that will have you hooked to the very last page

Scourge of Rome

For fans of Simon Scarrow and Ben Kane, the spectacular new novel in Douglas Jackson's epic series sees Gaius Valerius Verrens banished from Rome only to be caught up in one of the most savage uprisings the Roman Empire had witnessed: the Judaean rebellion and the siege of Jerusalem.

Bestselling author Douglas Jackson expertly brings the Roman Empire to life in this riveting historical adventure of fire, blood and battle. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow, Ben Kane and Conn Iggulden. 
 
Readers are loving Gaius Valerius Verrens! 
 
"Storytelling of the highest order" - 5 STARS 
"Glorious Roman adventure." - 5 STARS 
"The drama never lets up - it is gripping" - 5 STARS 
"I'm just gutted to have finished it!" - 5 STARS 
"Verrens rules, ok?" - 5 STARS 
 
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BETRAYED, BANISHED BUT NOT BROKEN... 
 
70 AD: Disgraced, dishonoured and banished on pain of execution if he ever returns to Rome, Gaius Valerius Verrens makes his way East through the death and destruction of the savage Judaean rebellion. He knows his only hope of long term survival lies with his friend Titus, commander of the Army of Judaea and son of the newly crowned Emperor Vespasian. 
 
But when he reaches the Roman camps that surround the seemingly impregnable city of Jerusalem he finds Titus a changed man. Gone is the cheerful young officer he knew; in his place, a tough, ruthless soldier under pressure from his father to end the insurrection at any cost. 
 
Soon, Valerius finds himself at the centre of a web of intrigue spun by Titus' lover, Queen Berenice of Cilicia, and her sometime ally, the general's turncoat adviser, Flavius Josephus, who together have an ulterior motive for wanting the siege to end quickly. 
 
Yet the laurels Valerius needs in order to regain his honour cannot be won in the tunnels that run beneath Jerusalem. Only in the heat and blood of battle can he find the glory that brought him the title Hero of Rome. 
 
Gaius Valerius Verrens' adventures continue in Saviour of Rome.

Scourge of Rome is a compelling and urgent account of one of the darkest events in Roman history. Douglas Jackson brings history to life in a compelling way.

A writer at the top of his game, his books are the complete package, filled with intrigue, action and adventure. But more than that they are filled with history, with heart and emotion and characters that will make you bleed and cry and love . . . I cannot recommend this highly enough.

(Gaius Valerius Verrens 5):  Bravery and brutality at the heart of a Roman Empire in the throes of a bloody civil war

Enemy of Rome

Bravery and brutality at the heart of a Roman Empire in the throes of bloody civil war - Gaius Valerius Verrens returns in the new historical novel from a writer to rank alongside Ben Kane and Simon Scarrow.

A gripping, adrenalin-fuelled historical page-turner from bestselling author Douglas Jackson. Perfect for fans of Simon Scarrow and Ben Kane. 
 
Readers are loving Gaius Valerius Verrens! 
"Once you have started you will want to read every volume in this exciting series [set] during one of the most turbulent times in Roman history" - 5 STARS 
"Douglas Jackson undoubtedly holds the crown as king of his genre" - 5 STARS 
"It is another tough book to put down" - 5 STARS 
"An entertaining and compelling read that makes you feel as if you were there!" - 5 STARS 
 
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LIVE BY THE SWORD. DIE BY THE SWORD. 
 
Summer, AD 69: Rome and its empire are in turmoil. The emperor Otho is dead by his own hand and his rival, Aulus Vitellius, occupies the imperial throne. However, a new challenge has arisen in the East - the legions of Titus Flavius Vespasian have declared him their Emperor. 
 
In the dry heat of an August morning, Gaius Valerius Verrens prepares for his last day on Earth. Wrongly accused of deserting his legion on the field of Bedriacum, it seems he is destined to die a coward's death. Then the executioner's hand is stayed. Vitellius' enemies will spare his life if he pledges allegiance to Vespasian. Valerius - tired of the endless slaughter - agrees. 
 
And so he must battle his way south to Rome in order to persuade his friend Vitellius to stand down for the greater good. But this is civil war and this is Rome, and Valerius - his loyalties divided and branded an enemy of the people - is trapped in a maze of distrust, corruption, betrayal and blood-letting . . . 
 
Gaius Valerius Verrens's adventures continue in Scourge of Rome.

Douglas Jackson

A novel steeped in history . . . his battle scenes are as bloody and violent as any Tarantino movie. Yet he does this in a matter of fact way. There is no horror for horror’s sake . . exhilarating reading . . . full of incident and adventure, the product of the author’s fertile imagination and knowledge of the period.

A rollercoaster ride through lands riven by conflict – both political and military . . . the battle scenes are expertly described and underpinned by careful research . . . Jackson has created another blockbuster historical fiction.

AD 406. Abandoned by friends and hounded by enemies, Roman cavalry commander Marcus Flavius Victor and a small band of loyal warriors know that the time has come to leave an increasingly fractured Britannia. 
 
Their journey takes them across the bleak, pirate-infested seas of the Mare Germanicum to Saxonia and on into the dark heart of barbarism. It seems the Britons' only salvation lies with an old comrade, General Stilicho - based far to the east but still within the sanctuary of the Empire. But the general has troubles of his own: his influence with the Emperor Honorius is waning, and a great warrior people are on the march - for Radagaisus, king of the Ostrogoths, has promised his subjects all the riches of Italia, and they will leave a sea of Roman bones in their wake. 
 
But as Marcus and his companions battle their way towards what they hope will a safe haven of sorts, they stumble across a secret which could decide the fate of the Empire. But who can they really trust, and can Marcus reach Stilicho in time - because his every step is dogged by a son who wants him dead... 
 
Set during the desperate twilight years of Rome's once all-powerful empire, The Barbarian is the action-packed and thrillingly authentic new historical novel from one of the genre's very best.

Douglas Jackson

Praise for The Barbarian

A novel steeped in history . . . his battle scenes are as bloody and violent as any Tarantino movie. Yet he does this in a matter of fact way. There is no horror for horror’s sake . . exhilarating reading . . . full ...

A rollercoaster ride through lands riven by conflict – both political and military . . . the battle scenes are expertly described and underpinned by careful research . . . Jackson has created another blockbuster his ...

Books by Douglas Jackson

Series by Douglas Jackson

Gaius Valerius Verrens

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