Masinissa: Ally of Rome

Provided in digital form by the author for the purpose of reviewing, the second of Rob Edmunds' Masinissa books, this continues the story of the Numidian Prince during the Second Punic War between Rome and Carthage.

Masinissa had been impressed with the military prowess of Scipio, the Roman commander, and had met with him in a parlay late in book one. Early in this book, Masinissa is still weighing the opportunity to switch allegiance from Carthage to Rome. This he does after much deliberation, taking his military force with him. On balance, Rome offers a better pathway for the self rule of the Numidian Kingdom. As ally of Rome, Masinissa turns his military efforts back on his former comrades, and most importantly, the father of his lover, the Carthaginian aristocrat Sophonisba.

The level of detail in the story is consistently good, the narrative well planned and although we enter battle after battle, the narrative offers enough variance in the way it describes them to retain interest. Masinissa and Sophonisba and their interactions and relationship are also more prevalent in the second book, although the situation is different once Masinissa has changed sides and Sophonisba is married to another.

Anyone who has familiarity with the history of Masinissa will have an inkling how this story ends, after the victory of Rome over the Carthaginians. The factual end is poignant, and was a suitable point of history in which to stop the story. If you haven't researched Masinissa, and intend to read the books, it is probably better left until after to see how much is factual and how much fiction is woven through.

I enjoyed the second installation, but perhaps not quite as much as the first book. In the first we are meeting new characters and seeing their development much more that this one. It does, of course, tie up the loose threads of the story from the first book, which is satisfying. Even more satisfying the lack of a single typo or editing issues - incredibly rare for self published work.

3.5 stars, rounded down.