To Move the World [Hardcover]

Brent Monahan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 30, 2005

"Would that there was another earth above our own or a way to ascend to the moon. For if I but had a place to stand upon, I could move the world!" Archimedes In the third century, B.C., Greek Siracusa is the dominant city on the is-land of Sicily. It is also the strategically-critical fulcrum point between the Mediterranean's two greatest military powers. Hannibal's invasion of the Italian peninsula and the death of Siracusa's benevolent dictator compel both Carthage and Rome to control Siracusa. Leonides, ambitious young soldier and pentathlon champion of Sira-cusa, knows that only a miracle can save peaceful Siracusa from destruction. That savior emerges as his great-uncle, the genius mathe-matician and inventor, Archimedes. His engines of war, like none ever seen before, hold back two desperate Roman legions and Roma's best general, Marcus Claudius Marcellus, season after season. At the same time, Leonides faces a fearsome war of passions. His new wife, Aurora, product of a hasty political marriage, is the daughter of Consul Marcellus, the very man who leads the legions besieging Leon-ides' city. His beloved Thalia, the most beautiful woman in Siracusa, is forced by her family to marry Leonides' rival. Undaunted, she tempts him night and day to repudiate his marriage and take her as his mis-tress. Explore fascinating ancient history entwining a tale of relentless adven-ture and fiery passions! "If you are a fan of Spartacus, Gladiator, Ben-Hur, and every ancient historical grand epic ever told, filled with action, intrigue, passion, violence, adventure, conspiracies, and true heroes and villains-this book is for you. An instant Classic!" Robert E. Gelinas Author, The Mustard Seed

Product Details

• Hardcover: 396 pages
• Publisher: ArcheBooks Publishing (October 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595071148
• ISBN-13: 978-1595071149
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,504,086 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Historical fiction!, September 20, 2009

By 

Isabella "BookLover" (los angeles, ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: To Move the World (Hardcover)

This book held my interest from beginning to end... I couldn't put it down. If you are a history buff who likes a good story, then this is a book for you. You'll learn something new about that era to boot.

5.0 out of 5 stars Eureka! At last, an historical novel on a little-covered era, November 20, 2005

By 

Martin Stundel (Princeton, New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Move the World (Hardcover)

Most people know the story of Archimedes and the bathtub -- for those who don't, a soak sparked his solution to determining the purity of a gold object -- but few know of his other contributions to math, physics and science. Fewer still may know that, like da Vinci centuries later, he was a master engineer. The book's title comes from a statement attributed to Archimedes who, when commenting on an illustration of the lever, said, "Give me a place to stand, and I will move the world."

For two to three years of the Second Punic War his engines of war, never before (some never since) seen on the battlefield, helped him defend his home city of Syracuse against the general Marcus Claudius Marcellus and two legions of the Roman army.

Monahan's telling of this story is based upon meticulous research -- and it shows. He has magnificently captured the cultural (and military) richness of a bygone era and spins an excellent story of ancient warfare in the time of Hannibal and the Roman Republic.

The tale is told from the point of view of a rising young soldier, related to Archimedes, who also must defend his Greek colony from Roman expansion. To tell any more than that would deprive you of an amazing read.

Whether you read it on the couch, in bed or, if you're so inclined and feeling Archimedian, in the tub, you will soon discover for yourself why this book is worth a few ounces of your gold.