Londinium Series by John Drake

Londinium, 1st century A.D.Must every slave die? Fabius Gentilius Scorteus is a Britannic Celt, the richest man in Londinium. But he desperately wants to become a Roman citizen.He calls upon his Greek slave Ikaros of Apollonius. Ikaros was once a soldier, nobleman and engineer, but, after his country was invaded by the Romans, he was forced into a life of servitude. Known for his mind-reading abilities, Ikaros is believed by some to have magical powers... moreLondinium, 1st century A.D.Must every slave die? Fabius Gentilius Scorteus is a Britannic Celt, the richest man in Londinium. But he desperately wants to become a Roman citizen.He calls upon his Greek slave Ikaros of Apollonius. Ikaros was once a soldier, nobleman and engineer, but, after his country was invaded by the Romans, he was forced into a life of servitude. Known for his mind-reading abilities, Ikaros is believed by some to have magical powers.Londinium is in need of a method to raise the water for the Imperial Baths. So Scorteus calls upon Ikaros’ talents to design such a structure. If this project is accepted, Scorteus will finance the project for Londinium in the hope of winning citizenship. And once he becomes a Roman citizen, Scorteus promises to make Ikaros a free man.But, things do not go as planned… A member of the Scorteus household is discovered murdered. Everyone believes that it must be the work of a servant. Under a vicious Roman law Senatus Consultum Silanianum, if any slave killed the master, then every slave in the house was put to death, meaning hundreds of innocent people.Ikaros is sure no-one in the household is to blame. With his mind-reading powers, it is suggested that he may be able to solve the murder.With the support of Morganus, First Javelin of the Twentieth Legion and his men, Ikaros sets out to solve the mystery. And when further blood is shed their investigations take them to other parts of Roman Britain in an attempt to find the truth ...Will Ikaros unmask the culprit before innocent blood is shed?Death in Londinium is a gripping historical mystery set in Roman Britain.Praise for John Drake’s Fletcher series "Swashbuckling adventure on the high seas doesn't get much better than this. […] John Drake writes beautifully, and you'll be torn between savoring the words and quickly flipping the pages. Any favorable comparison to Stevenson or Patrick O'Brian is totally justified." – Nelson DeMille, #1 New York Times bestselling authorJohn Drake trained as a biochemist to post-doctorate research level before realizing he was no good at science. His working career was in the television department of ICI until 1999 when he became a full-time writer. John's hobby is muzzle-loading shooting, and his interests are British history and British politics (as a spectator), plus newspapers, TV news, and current affairs. He is married with a son and two grandchildren. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading independent digital publisher. For more information on our titles please sign up to our newsletter at www.endeavourpress.com. Each week you will receive updates on free and discounted ebooks. Follow us on Twitter: @EndeavourPress and on Facebook via http://on.fb.me/1HweQV7. We are always interested in hearing from our readers. Endeavour Press believes that the future is now. less

Ikaros of Apollonis is a long way from home. An educated and noble man enslaved by the Roman Empire that killed his family and destroyed his city, he is stranded in the bleak and inhospitable colony of Britannia. His only consolation is to be living in the city of Londinium, a place where all races, tribes and intellects meet, within the household of his dear friend, the military hero Morganus. But all is not well in Londinium... moreIkaros of Apollonis is a long way from home. An educated and noble man enslaved by the Roman Empire that killed his family and destroyed his city, he is stranded in the bleak and inhospitable colony of Britannia. His only consolation is to be living in the city of Londinium, a place where all races, tribes and intellects meet, within the household of his dear friend, the military hero Morganus. But all is not well in Londinium. As the provincial governor plans an impressive spectacle to further his own ambitions, others see the Londinium games as a chance to pursue their own agenda, even it brings them into direct conflict with Rome. In particular, the Celtic tribes of Britannia have been causing problems for the authorities. Officially colonised and suppressed, their druidic spiritual leaders are determined to rise up, even if blood must be spilled. Then, people start to die. And it falls to Apollonis and Morganus to find the common factor behind their brutal murders. Games in Londinium is a meticulously researched detective story set in the ancient Empire, and readers will enjoy not only the twists and turns of its compelling story, but also the many fascinating insights into British Roman life and times that it offers. Praise for John Drake: ‘Broad comedy, high drama, plenty of action, a pinch of sex …’ – Daily Mail ‘John Drake writes beautifully, and you’ll be torn between savouring the words and quickly flipping the pages’ - Nelson DeMille, New York Times bestselling author ‘Wildly energetic eighteenth century romp … eminently readable’ – Mail on Sunday John Drake is married with grandchildren and lives in Cheshire. Until 2000 he worked for ICI Pharmaceuticals (now AstraZeneca) where he was anchorman in what was then, the world’s biggest live-TV corporate broadcasting unit. Before that he was a research biochemist at Leeds University, having previously gained a Ph.D. working on anti-malarial drugs. He is now a full-time writer of prolific output, and author of the sea-faring, 18th Century Fletcher series, described as being a mixture of Flashman and Hornblower. less