Sam Barone takes the reader to the beginning Bronze Age where the Barbarians rules and those who try to stand against them don't die a swift death, but one Man, Woman and Town are willing to try what no one has tried before, staying to fight.The people of Orak cherish their peaceful village but it has had a violent past. They has been raided time and time again by the Barbarians. Though these people are not fighter, they have the unique ability of coaxing food from the ground. The Barbarians believe this way of living dishonors their own culture and spend their lives raiding and destroying, those who they call the "dirt eaters". It has been 10 years since the village of Orak was last raided and it has prospered into a large village. The Barbarians hear of this village and make ready to plunder and kill once again. But there is a different attitude in Orak, the Want to save the village, but the people have no experience in fighting. Their only hope is an outcast Barbarian Eskkar, who wants to help achieve the impossible, stop the Barbarian hoard from destroying the people and peace of Orak.I have been wanting to read this book for sometime now, and I finally picked up off my TBR shelf, it some how got pushed to the back. This book took me a bit of a process in order to get. I have discovered that it is no longer in print in North America, even though it was originally published in 2006, so you may have trouble finding it at your regular book store. I recommend that you search for this book at a used book store (though I was not able to find it there I had to order if off of http://www.biblio.com/ ), but it was worth the work and wait to get this book.This book takes place at the beginning of the bronze age, and I will admit that I have limited knowledge of this time in history, so i'm unsure of how accurate some of the information that Barone used within the story. For the most part the book seemed plausible about what could occur in those time, except for the way that Eskkar treated Trella. I'm pretty sure that the master and slave dynamics would not have been close to what their relationship was, but for the sake of the story it really works.Barone has created a rich world that I believe would hold true to what that time was like, people always worry if they will survive each year due to weather, lack of food, and the inevitable raid by the Barbarians. I enjoyed how Barone portrayed the Barbarians. He did not portray them as stupid or unwise, but as warriors who are strong and yes egotistical but a warrior and clan who has never lost a battle before would always gain a little bit (or a lot) of ego. The are portrayed tactical individuals who were able to solve problems and had been surviving years through a migration pattern. I also liked that there were a few chapters that were told from the Barbarians point of view to show part of what their culture was like and the way in which the view and think of things.I enjoyed Trella and Eskkar as the main characters in the story, they are well matched for each other and you can really tell who is the brains and who is the brawn in this novel, though Eskkar does develop into a somewhat complex character as he tries to be both the thinker and a fighter (like any good general should be). Trella's manipulation skills are like those that I have never read before, from not only manipulating Eskkar, but the town Nobles and inhabitants. Trella was the true master planner of everything that occurs. Though some of her ways were subtle, there is no doubt that she was a force to be reckoned with.There are several battles and action scenes within the book, which helped make up some of the mundane points, like when Eskkar was learning about farming. The battle scenes were well done and I was not left scratching my head, wondering how each event happened. They were also fairly realistic, in my opinion, as each time a battle was fought there was not always as big of a gain to favour the protagonist as you would expect. There is also a lot of questioning who is truly loyal to Eskkar and who is just waiting to stab him in the back. This added to a bit of suspense in the novel as you did not know who would be next to betray Eskkar or Trella. The one thing I would have wished that Barone would have done, was takes some more risk with his main few characters, or described the toll that the battles took on the people of Oark. I think there was a lack of a human aspect on this part, The Barbarians are at the gate, I think that the villagers will start running away or try to escape even though they have been forbidden to.All and all a really good read. I have not read too many prehistoric novel really only Jean Auel's books (which I think that everyone should read and I am very excited for the newest book to come out, 10 years is a long time to wait), but I found this book really entertaining and a nice change from everything that I have been reading lately. I look forward to reading the another book by Barone.Enjoy!!!!
I read the second in this series “Empire Rising” some years ago and enjoyed it and have finally got around to reading this one, the first in the series.Set three thousand years BC this is at a time when setting down long term roots in terms of farms and villages was always at risk from marauding barbarians who would rape, pillage and take slaves. Orak is such a village, under threat from a vast barbarian hoard who will be arriving in a few months, their eyes set on the prosperous village. Rather than flee the villagers decide to defend themselves and take the unheard of tactic of walling the village in, and appointing a new Guard Chief, Eskkar, to train soldiers and work the defence. Our chief has the assistance of a slave girl, Trella and between them they aim to transform Orak and hope to defeat the barbarians.Lots of good things here, the title is apt as it is set at a point where farming started to become the norm and mankind started to settle. There have been plenty of books of this kind, centred around a siege but this is told well. It blends the politics and leadership (with the usual issues and treachery) with the occasional bit of hack and slash. On the down side there is too much of a focus on sex, it just got tedious and I couldn’t put it out of my mind that Trella is only 14/15 so the regular sexual activity (although the norm for the time) felt uncomfortable in modern day terms.But it is a well-paced and well written book and an easy page turning read.
Do You like book Dawn Of Empire (2015)?
I seriously doubt how closely it fits with a realistic vision of ancient history. I know I'm not an expert on ancient history, but there are too many things in the book that seem to be ahead of their time from how I understand what life must have been like in 3000BC (bronze being so commonly used for everything, Eskkar inventing much of castle warfare for the next 4000+ years over a period of 6 months,...). Whatever the case, as I was reading the book, I did not feel part of another time period as I did with Pillars of the Earth or Last of the Wine. Perhaps if the setting were 2000BC it would have seemed more realistic.Having said that, for the most part I did enjoy the book. Sam Barrone has a wonderful way of describing battles unlike anything I've read before. I didn't find it long and dragged out like many of the other critics found it.
—Jerome
I thoroughly enjoyed this tale of the growth of civilisation; of Eskkar and Trella, the Adam and Eve of all we know. The story is simple yet fascinating, and really well-told. A large village, town, city call it what you will, becomes aware of a grave threat to its existence; a great horde is about to descend on it. The only choices are run or die. One man doesn't want to run. He has build up the town from nothing - he doesn't want to do that again. He turns to the barbarian Eskkar serving in the town guard and seeks help.The answer is a wall and the conscription of the inhabitants into a defensive force.It is a boy's own adventure, simple and thrilling. The whole is well-written, gripping and exciting. I shall certainly be reading the next in this series.
—Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk
what a brilliant idea, i cant think of anyone else writing in this time period.Ok so the characters take a little time to develop, but they do develop, and i think thjats the charm, this whole book the whole plot the characters everything, its all about the begining, and development, turning wanderers into a civilisation.Its a great paced story though and runs the reader along, and you find yourself easily caught up in the plot, you become a warrior defending the walls, a villager building the walls, a member of the council planning the walls.I highly reccomend this book, not because its the best written around, but because its different and it does have potential and growth.(Parm)Product Description (From back of book)Three thousand years before the birth of Christ and the world is dominated by savage tribes of barbarians who despise the first farmers and townsfolk trying to settle the land. In the Tigris Valley, the first primitive farmers attempt to bring civilization to a dark world. But every few years Barbarians sweep in raping, killing and burning. This time the people of Orak are going to fight, but their military commanders flee as the enemy army approaches, leaving only Eskkar a lowly lieutenant in charge. But Eskkar has one advantage: he understands the barbarians better than anyone: he was once one himself but fled a vendetta. Eskkar is given Trella, a slave girl as a reward for his loyalty. They form a partnership forged on mutual desire and courage; he with his ability to command men and his military expertise, she with her insight into the minds of the townsfolk. Together they rally the people. What follows is an orgy of battle, bloodshed and sex that is simply unputdownable.
—Robin Carter
