The Last Roman by B.K. Greenwood | Blog Tour Spotlight

Title: The Last Roman
Author: B.K. Greenwood
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Publisher: Bat City Press
Format: e-Arc
ISBN: 9781736794906

disclaimer: a special THANK YOU to Breakeven Books, the host of this tour, and B.K. Greenwood, the author of The Last Roman.

Summary: Some debts you cannot repay, even if you live forever…

Seasoned imperial officer Marcus Sempronius Gracchus leads the 9th Roman Legion into a bloody battle against a fierce barbarian rival. It’s a battle he won’t survive.

When he awakens three days later, clawing his way from a shallow grave, Marcus must face the reality of his new existence. He cannot be killed–but that won’t stop him from dying time and again over the next 2,000 years.

Meanwhile, others like Marcus plan to bring the world crashing to its knees. Can he prevent the inevitable and find redemption?

About the Author

B.K. Greenwood lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife and wolfpack of 4 rescue dogs. He loves to travel and has incorporated his experiences into his writing. B.K. enjoys works of fiction and nonfiction, with a heavy emphasis on history, adventure, and classics. His passion for history is on display in his debut novel, The Last Roman: Exile.

A Brief Review of
The Last Roman

Content warnings : strong Christian themes, opens with a crucifixion

The Last Roman by B.K. Greenwood is an unexpected journey into the past. It follows Marcus, a man who had once administered nine crucifixions, including Christs’. But rather than revisit the same ol’ Christian tale of the death of the King of Jews, The Last Roman focuses on the lives who played a hand in that death, and the dire consequences such an action has had in their lives. It was equally action-packed and reflective as Marcus revisits his long-dead past while living in the 21st Century. Immortality, it seems, is a consequence of killing Christ.

My husband absolutely loves Roman history, and we watch documentaries on the subject all the time. So, many of the people, places, religious references, and Roman terms were familiar to me. So it’s perfect that we meet Marcus in Gaul, on the edge of battle, with no one but his fellow soldiers for company and comfort. But what I loved about The Last Roman was Greenwood’s ability to weave a story of the daily life of Roman soldiers. His story balances moments of heart-pumping action and quiet pauses filled reflections and regret. It’s not often that we get such an intimate look into a male character’s internal thoughts and feelings, so I appreciated the delicate way Greenwood crafted Marcus.

Another aspect of the story that I loved was the contrast between the old world and the new world, and Marcus’ struggle to reconcile the two. I think Greenwood nailed this perfectly, and the transitions between times felt natural, as if we’re just as trapped in the ebb and flow of time and memories as Marcus himself. While I’m not a huge fan of time hopping, I actually loved this part of The Last Roman. It reveals so much context and history of the relationships between not only Marcus and same, but also he and Thomas. So much is revealed slowly, unfolding as the past and present converge, and I found myself drawn in by this aspect of storytelling. It was thrilling, insightful, and engaging.

I think the only thing I wasn’t really a fan of was the super long prologue (24 pages) at the beginning of the book. It does give some context as to who Marcus was before and the horrible act he committed, but since the rest of the book oscillated from Roman times to modern day, I felt this could have easily just been chapter one. BUT this is entirely a preference of mine. So it’s not really a big deal, and I still very much enjoyed the story as a whole.

In the end, The Last Roman was worth it! If you enjoy historical fantasies in the vein of The Da Vinci Code meets The Old Guard with all the thrills and action of a espionage story, then this is absolutely for you!

Sneak Peek of the Book

Marcus moved along the faltering line and soon encountered the largest man he had ever seen, hacking his way through the thinning ranks. A legionnaire tried to bar his path, but the ogre swung his massive blade, catching the soldier just below his jaw. A crimson arc of blood sprayed from the fatal wound, much of it splattering across Marcus’ face and chest. Behind the giant, more barbarians advanced to exploit the breach.

Marcus grabbed the shield of a fallen soldier and rushed the behemoth, who welcomed the attack with a vicious blow. The force drove Marcus to one knee and nearly knocked him unconscious. Marcus raised the shield to protect his head and shoulders and thrust his sword upward. The point struck metal, so he shoved it harder until he felt the blade dig into the soft underside of a trunk-like arm. Marcus could hear the giant’s howl above the din of the battle and knew that retribution was near. Another thunderous blast crashed into the shield, the metal and banded leather splintering from the attack. The next blow would rip Marcus asunder.

Desperate, Marcus hastily covered his head with the remains of his ruined shield. He mustered all his strength and drove forward into the beast. The shield thudded against his waist, eliciting an angry grunt. Marcus reached around the barbarian’s leg with the blade of his sword, finding the naked thigh. Thought never meant as a weapon for slashing, the edge of his sword was still razor-sharp. He drew it across the giant’s hamstring, cutting through flesh and sinew as Marcus pushed forward. The Suebi screamed in agony as the two men crumpled to the ground. The barbarian smashed the hilt of his sword into Marcus’s head, knocking off his helmet. The world spun as Marcus stood and staggered away. Blood flowed down his face, blurring his vision. His opponent, writhing in pain, screamed at him.

Marcus heard several men shout, “The giant is down!”

A loud cheer erupted from the Romans, but that only encouraged the other barbarians. Marcus raised his sword in time to block another attack, but the force knocked him to the ground. The barbarian raised his sword to strike a death blow when Gaius appeared out of nowhere and ran him through. With great effort, Marcus regained his footing, lumbering forward to rejoin the melee. He lost his balance again and had to lean on his sword to keep from falling. As he stood watching the raging battle, a sharp pain shot through his side.

He looked down and saw the blade of the stricken giant sliding beneath his armor. The barbarian was sitting on his haunches, trying to stab him again. Marcus summoned his remaining strength and, swinging for the neck, felt the cold steel bite into flesh, then bone. A low gurgle escaped the laceration as the colossal body slumped forward, and the barbarian’s head fell to the ground.

Marcus dropped the sword, trying in vain to reach his wound and stem the flow of blood. His breath grew labored, and he coughed, a coppery trace spilling into his mouth. Marcus slipped to the ground, his gaze fixed on the gray, sunless sky.

Moments later, Gaius knelt beside him. He tried to undo the bloody clasp of his armor, but Marcus pushed his hand away. Their eyes met.

“The men did good,” Marcus said.

“Yes, they did.”

Marcus continued, but it was inaudible.

Gaius leaned over, and Marcus whispered, “Tell my wife—” He coughed up specks of blood onto Gaius’s soiled cheek. “I’m so sorry…” Marcus swallowed back the warm fluid rising in his throat, “sorry I left her.”

“I will,” he promised. “I will tell her myself.”

Marcus nodded as a white horse arrived, the rider dismounting. Somewhere in the distance, he could hear the general’s voice.

“Gaius?”

The old centurion did not reply, but the answer was written on his troubled face. Quintus knelt to the ground.

“Marcus, your actions have saved the day. I plan on submitting your name to the Senate…”

Quintus paused when their eyes met, then shifted to the pool of blood gathering around them. Marcus looked beyond him to the sky above as the general spoke of honor rolls and victory marches. There was a shimmer in the cloud that resembled a bird. He tried to focus on the form as it grew closer, but he could not keep his eyes open. As he slipped into the darkness, he thought of his wife and the fact that he would never see her again.