Shadow of Arat by Thomas Harlan
It was an okay book. I really enjoyed the first part of the story but it got a little weird towards the middle with the whol "Oath of the Empire" bussiness. I was expecting a nice little Roman story not some way out their fanatsy one. So I guess that's why I didn't enjoy it as much as I would've had I been expecting the latter rather than the former. That being said I read it to its end and whilst I wont be rushing off to find the next books in the series I am curious. Ahmet is my favourite BTW. So what IS it about? It is set in Roman times, the Persians are warmongering whilst the Emperor of the West goes to the East to help that Emperor quelch the Persians once and far all. We follow Maxian, the Western Emperor's younger brother, Dwyrin a young Scottish 'mage' and Thyatis a Roman woman of many talents. It is good though a little weird read it if you enjoyed Ash by Mary Gentle.