Conflict of Empires (Eskkar Saga) [Import] [Paperback]

Sam Barone (Author)

Book Description

Series: Eskkar Saga | Publication Date: March 8, 2010

A sweeping historical saga in the tradition of Conn Iggulden, Bernard Cornwell, and Jean Auel

 

The beginning of civilization is fraught with war, invasion, plunder, and rapine. The little city state of Akkad is carving out a mini-Empire on the banks of the mighty Tigris river—prosperity has returned after the bloody pitched battles waged by Akkad’s ruler Eskkar and his beautiful wife Trella. But now comes Akkad’s greatest threat from the south: Akkad’s rival Sumer, a port city at the hub of the great sea trade routes. Sumer is poised to give birth to the mightiest empire in history. It is ruled by an incestuous parricide and his power hungry sister who are determined to crush and enslave the nation state on their northern borders. Esskar and Trella must prepare their fledgling nation for total war before it is too late. This time it will be a battle not of villages or of roving warrior bands, but a battle for Empire, for the known world, with no quarter given. As ever Eskkar, the ultimate warrior and battle tactician, must pit his wits against a vastly superior force in a battle to the death.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sam Barone is the author of Dawn of Empire and Empire Rising. He lives in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Product Details

• Paperback: 624 pages
• Publisher: Random House UK (March 8, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846056101
• ISBN-13: 978-1846056109
• Product Dimensions: 2 x 6 x 9.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #830,655 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Released in UK already. Great 3rd installment., February 6, 2010

By 

Flippers - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conflict of Empires (Eskkar Saga) (Paperback)

Both of Sam Barone's previous books are fun to read, historical fiction. This one doesn't disappoint. They take place before there was much recorded history so who knows if they are historically accurate? But, based on what historians and anthropologists do think they know, it is a very believable story.

Lots of violence and political intrigue as the main characters exhibit wisdom and leadership skills that would be wholly appropriate today. In fact, I'm certain we would all be better off if these folks ran our government instead of the jokers we've elected.

If you are one of those people that hates to wait 2 years for the next Wilbur Smith book, pick up one or both of these books in the mean time. I'm not saying that Barone is as famous and widely read as Smith yet, but if you liked Sunbird or any of the Taita / River God / Quest series, you'll definitely enjoy these books about a pair of Taita's contemporaries. The stories take place in roughly the same time frame and across the desert from Taita's Egypt.......

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "One Way or the Other, Tomorrow Would Decide Which City Ruled in the Land Between the Rivers", March 16, 2010

By 

Ronin - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Conflict of Empires (Eskkar Saga) (Kindle Edition)

Conflict of Empire is a great 3rd book in the series from Mr. Barone about Akkad in ancient Mesopotamia, which starts off in 3154 BC. If you haven't already done so, start with Dawn of Empire and finish Empire Rising before picking up Conflict. If you enjoyed the first two books, Conflict will not disappoint with more politics, intrigue, action, and a fast pace that really brings this world to life.

The writing is more mature than the early books, with less micro-details thought out from start to finish, which I found to be a welcome change. Eskkar and Trella are back and dealing with the rapid growth of Akkad on the Tigris. In the previous books Akkad was threatened by a horde of nomads who had never faced a walled city. In Conflict, Akkad faces a new threat from rival Sumer, which adds a rich new layer to this fascinating series.

Without spoiling too much of the story, some armchair generals may take issue with Eskkar's tactics in the big battle. I certainly had my questions. At the end of the book Barone compares his battle to Alexander's actions and the odds against him at Gaugamela. This is an unfair comparison because Alexander's army was significantly more advanced than the armies of ancient Mesopotamia, and the Akkadians and Sumerians were on a more equal footing than Macedonians and Persians. That aside, I would look forward to a 4th installment, but unfortunately Mr. Barone did not offer any clues to his future plans. Enjoy!

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Conflict of Empires (Paperback edition), March 24, 2010

By 

Frank C. Okusako "v.g.golfer" (Davis, CA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Conflict of Empires (Eskkar Saga) (Kindle Edition)

I received this book on Thursday, and for the next four nights I didn't turn the lights off before 2:00 AM in the morning. That's how good this book was, and in a week or so, I will savor it again but at a slower pace. I have read the first two books in the Eskkar and Trella series, and I believe that this one is the best of the three. There are many things to like about this epic, and the first one I can think of is that at over 600 pages, Sam Barone gives you a huge bang for your buck. The enjoyment of a good read is VERY prolonged, and I like that! Secondly, the battle scenes are extended and very well done. The action flows and is exciting as the reader experiences the haze of battle from a half dozen characters. Conflict of Empires is not a one man show, and through the eyes of many characters, a fluid battlefield unfolds before one's eyes. Next, the detail is excellent. As I read the story, the visual imagery was very strong, and the actions and planning done by the main characters followed very logical courses. Lastly, the endings of Sam Barone's stories tend to be uplifting. When you finish reading one of his novels you feel like life is hard but good with a bright future ahead. Criticisms? Publishers should make any 600+ page book available in hardcover since they need the extra strength and just plain look and feel better. I'm laughing as I write this, but in book one, I liked Jalen's character and look what happened to him. In book three, Oh Mr. Barone, how could you? And to..............and.............and a few others. I'm just kidding, you know. Really, thanks for the hours of happy reading.