King of the Romans

By John Gorman

I just finished "King of the Romans" by John Gorman and thoroughly enjoyed it. The novel has elements of history, a touch of mythology, and wonderful characterizations of people from the period of the late Roman Empire. I particularly found it realistic in describing the decayed state of the Roman provinces when Rome could no longer protect them or maintain their roads, structures, etc. Gorman created an admirable Syagrius who embodied the ancient Roman values and struggled against the corruption of tribal war lords and unscrupulous members of the court of Constantinople.

"Gorman has put a human face on a period of history which is usually covered in a few short paragraphs. Syagrius (is) true to the values that built the Empire; he simply lives in a world that has discarded them." —Mike Huck reviewer for Inscriptions