R W Peake

Caesar Ascending-Pandya R W Peake

Caesar Ascending-Pandya, the fourth volume of the bestselling alternate history Caesar Ascending series, continues the story of a world where Caesar has survived the Ides of March, conducted the invasion and conquest of Parthia, and is now determined to surpass the accomplishments of Alexander the Great by conquering the vast expanse of India all the way to the Ganges, something that the men of his Legions have finally recognized, driving them to revolt. Consequently, before he can resume his campaign, he must appease his rebelling Legions in the Greco-Indian city of Bharuch, but not only that, he now must quell an uprising fomented by one of his own Legates, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, in far-off Merv, the most remote city in the new Roman province of Parthia Superior. To do this, he departs the newly conquered city to return to Parthia, taking most of the fleet with him and effectively stranding the men of his army in India. In Caesar's absence, Primus Pilus Titus Pullus of Caesar's famed 10th Legion, and the other Centurions of Caesar's army stranded in Bharuch must both maintain discipline and keep their disgruntled men from taking out their frustrations on the civilian populace. It falls on Pullus' shoulders to be the Roman liaison to Bharuch's Queen Hyppolita, and over time, Roman Centurion and foreign Queen form an unlikely bond. Her husband, King Abhiraka, humiliated and vengeful because he was forced to flee from Bharuch to avoid capture, has prevailed on the most powerful domain to the south, Pandya, to provide him with an even larger army to retake his kingdom, and they are marching back north to the city. Caesar returns from Parthia before their arrival, but only after tragedy has already struck his army in India, thereby spurring him to make a huge gamble, one in which, just as when he crossed the Rubicon, he risks all. Through it all, there are other trials; the Legions of Rome are encountering a harsh and foreign environment, filled with all manner of strange animals and challenges that will test Caesar and his Legions as they move out of the sphere of Greek influence into the southern part of this vast land and the nascent Pandyan Kingdom, the next obstacle in his path to everlasting fame.