Set in Roman times and promising large-scale battles, Rivers Ran Red sounded a perfect read. I enjoyed it: a good premise with some interesting characters, and a solid chunk of action. But it was hard to connect with the characters, the pacing was off and the ending left me disappointed.

A lot of characters are introduced in quick succession, narrating different chapters. Normally, this works for me. But some of the storylines didn’t follow through. We get the backstory and character strengths and flaws, then that person is either killed off or never heard of again. You aren’t sure who you’re supposed to invest in.

I’m trying my best to avoid spoilers but… there’s no happy endings in this book. Or very few. So when you do invest in characters, when you get the chance to see their growth and development, you didn’t get the pay off. Once kept things interesting, but multiple times felt cheated.

The characters are well-crafted, though. You know who you’re supposed to root for. Brave generals fighting to defend the innocent against a maniac mad-man. Young poets looking for love and trying to protect their country from power-hungry politicians. You’re not left guessing who’s side you should be on.

Perhaps it was due to the changing narrators, but the pacing also felt off. At times, events happened very quickly: the betrayal of a favourite character and the consequences of that were over within a chapter, which felt an unjust end for someone you’d supported.

But other times, it felt slow. The centre of the book is taken up by a large-scale battle. That’s normally my favourite part of this genre. While I did enjoy the tactics of seeing the troops move into position, there was a lot of posturing going on. It dragged for too long of getting people into place, switching to the opponent, switching back and making you feel the wait the soldiers had to endure.

The changing pace undermined the tension for me. What should have been an epic battle felt a relief that it had finally started after pages of not a lot happening.

However, the writing itself was good. It felt the book had been well-researched and you were immersed in that period of history. Characters were easy to like and uncertainty over their fate kept you engaged in what happens next.

How did I feel about this one? It was good: it was a solid read for those with an interest in the time period. There were elements that didn’t work for me – personally – which makes it hard to rave about. But if you’re a roman-fiction fan and looking for something to pass the time, it’s a decent book.

I love well written historical fiction and Rivers Ran Red is exactly that. It gives me accurate historical information, epic battles and intrigues but manages to do so with characters that are brought to life and whom you cheer for or mourn when you follow them in victory or death.
Anyone who loves epic battles and political intrigue would do well to pick up this book and as a bonus you'll pick up some accurate history as well.

I really enjoyed this. I love stories about the time of the Romans so when I saw this I snagged it. My main issue with Roman times is that EVERYONE has names that are so close that I like to get characters confused. Which can make for an interesting read. I.E. Aetius and Avitus. Then I just tend to mix the two lines together until someone dies. Does this ever deter me from picking up another. NO...no it doesn't because I am fascinated by the era. This was a well written and from what I can tell a well researched read. I'd definitely recommend this book to a friend who likes historical fiction. For the most part it wasn't sexually graphic until it got to one scene about 3/4 through with Avitus' son, it wasn't long, but it was there, which didn't bother me but may bother others.

4 stars

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This is a well written and well researched historical fiction about the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains, one of Attila the Huns last battle against the Roman army.

The Empire is weakened due to an inept emperor, Valentinian III. Atilla has laid waste to huge swaths of the Roman Empire. The Empire must make one final stand to defend itself. Avitus, one of the Empire's greatest generals, convinces the Empire's enemies to align with them to defeat Atilla. The battle lasts an entire day and as the smoke clears the next day, Atilla's army is defeated and retreating.

The story is told from several different characters' perspectives and provides a small glimpse into life in the Roman Empire between 410-454 AD. I liked the book, but at times I found the story a bit disjointed. The transitions between story lines and chapters was occasionally clunky. Some characters were introduced for one single purpose and then never heard from again. Other characters had short story lines that faded out and weren't resolved. I also struggled to keep track of some of the characters because either their names were similar, or were difficult to decipher how to pronounce, but it was a minor distraction. Plus, there's nothing that can be done about the names of real characters.

I like historical fiction books, but haven't read any from this time period before. I found it very interesting and look forward to reading other books in this era.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to Books Go Social, J.A. Grierson and Netgalley.
I have a weakness for Roman books. I loved this.

Well written historical fiction; characters are well rounded and well developed, just enough action and romance to keep your interest. The Roman troops and generals encountering Atilla the Hun are hard pressed to outfight the barbarian horde, but with the knowledge and skills of General Avitus, the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains may turn the tide.