Games in Londinium

By John Drake

Ikaros of Apollonis is a long way from home.

An educated and noble man enslaved by the Roman Empire that killed his family and destroyed his city, he is stranded in the bleak and inhospitable colony of Britannia. His only consolation is to be living in the city of Londinium, a place where all races, tribes and intellects meet, within the household of his dear friend, the military hero Morganus.

But all is not well in Londinium. As the provincial governor plans an impressive spectacle to further his own ambitions, others see the Londinium games as a chance to pursue their own agenda, even it brings them into direct conflict with Rome.

In particular, the Celtic tribes of Britannia have been causing problems for the authorities. Officially colonised and suppressed, their druidic spiritual leaders are determined to rise up, even if blood must be spilled.

Then, people start to die. And it falls to Apollonis and Morganus to find the common factor behind their brutal murders.

Games in Londinium is a meticulously researched detective story set in the ancient Empire, and readers will enjoy not only the twists and turns of its compelling story, but also the many fascinating insights into British Roman life and times that it offers.

John Drake is married with grandchildren and lives in Cheshire. Until 2000 he worked for ICI Pharmaceuticals (now AstraZeneca) where he was anchorman in what was then, the world’s biggest live-TV corporate broadcasting unit. Before that he was a research biochemist at Leeds University, having previously gained a Ph.D. working on anti-malarial drugs. He is now a full-time writer of prolific output, and author of the sea-faring, 18th Century Fletcher series, described as being a mixture of Flashman and Hornblower.