Merriam Press Historical Fiction Marcus Livius, last year's war hero, is angry at the ungrateful Romans for convicting him on phony charges. Disgraced in exile, he vows never to return to Rome. Then tragedy strikes home after the disaster at Cannae. A grieving Marcus plunges into depression, blaming his hubris for losing his mind, career and family. Hannibal defeats one Roman army after another, poised to conquer Rome itself. Marcus's countrymen turn to him as their last hope to avert destruction. Can Marcus overcome his anger and bitterness especially when the other consul, Nero, is the man responsible for his unjust conviction? The fate of Rome hinges on his ability to recover his senses and defeat the enemy at the Battle of the Metaurus. The author states, "I have endeavored to tell the story of a man whose life seemed most unusual to me. In the process, I’ve attempted to synthesize the historical narrative of the War with Hannibal around Livius’s imagined life, maintaining a healthy respect for the actual characters and events as gleaned from the pages of Livy and Polybius, my primary sources." Steven Manchester, #1 Best Selling author, The Rockin' Chair, said, "In Gugino's epic novel characters are real and relatable, scenes are vivid, plot is a true page turner. Gugino's writing is powerful, invoking a constant state of intrigue. I highly recommend this book."