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  • Spartacus: The Gladiator

  • Spartacus 1
  • By: Ben Kane
  • Narrated by: Michael Praed
  • Length: 17 hrs and 43 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (33 ratings)

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Spartacus: The Gladiator

By: Ben Kane
Narrated by: Michael Praed
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Publisher's Summary

Warrior. As winter approaches in 74 BC, few travellers are abroad. But one man is making the long and weary last stage of his way home. Large parts of his homeland, Thrace, a land north of Greece, has fallen under the hated power of Rome. This Thracian has fought in the Roman legions for nearly a decade. He is skilled, hardened in battle, a sophisticated fighter. Spartacus.

Slave. But home is no longer the safe haven of his imagination. A new king sits on the throne. Treacherous and cunning, he has seized the crown by murder and he will hold onto it by violence. When a Roman slave trader comes to the village in search of men who will fight as gladiators, Spartacus is betrayed and sold. His odyssey has begun.

Hero. The legend that is Spartacus has come down to us through the centuries - the story of a man who took on the might of Rome and nearly brought her down. Now Ben Kane, the brilliant author of The Forgotten Legion and Hannibal: Enemy of Rome, brings to glorious life the first part of the Spartacus story.

©2012 Ben Kane (P)2012 Random House AudioGo

Critic Reviews

“There is much to enjoy in this saga of the downtrodden triumphing temporarily over their oppressors, and the portrait of Spartacus as charismatic leader is a vivid one.” ( The Sunday Times)
“Ben Kane is a master of blending action, storytelling, living characters and historical and military detail … highly recommended.” ( Editor’s Choice Historical Novels Review)
“Historically little is known about the real Spartacus but in the hands of Ben Kane his legend has been crafted into two fantastic novels and this is the first.” (4 stars, Daily Express)
"The vestigial knowledge we have of Spartacus’s life is cleverly woven into a well-researched realisation of Thrace and Rome in the first century BC…a tense, bloody and page-turningly good novel." ( Lynn Roberts , The Tablet)

What listeners say about Spartacus: The Gladiator

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Excellent

A great historical story that is action packed and fast paced. I do recommend it for any fan of Ben Kane.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Legendary

The story, the writer and the man ....all are legends. Thank you Ben Kane for another great series and gratitude also for the facts and details given after the book. Knowing what of this book is real and the decisions behind artistic license just goes to cement why I enjoy and appreciate all Ben Kane book series. Simply genius.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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outstanding take on Spartacus

love it! outstanding take on Spartacus without being to far fetched and keeps you hooked on the story line.

another great book by ben kane

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Decent read, but only half the story!

Glosses over the time Spartacus spent as gladiator, and the book abruptly cuts off halfway through the story but otherwise a good book. Not as much technical detail in the fighting/battles as was expected. Great narration.

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