Vespasian has managed to live through the brutal reigns of Tiberius and Caligula, and now struggles to survive under Claudius - all the more difficult when the power of the Roman Empire in really controlled by Antonia's warring freedmen, Pallas and Narcissus, one of whom wants to assure Nero's succession.
Suggestions that the Parthians are moving in on Armenia gives Vespasian a chance to gain imperial favour, as he's sent to ascertain the reality on the ground - only to find himself walking into a political trap bigger than anything he could have imagined...
Rome's Lost Son builds on the strengths of the previous Vespasian books, with the character continuing to develop. In Masters of Rome we saw Vespasian learning to seek his own advantage in the dirty world of politics he found himself in - now he begins to ruthlessly apply it.
Robert Fabbri has already built the character as one with Roman values that are arguably morally reprehensible to our own. Now the author really begins to turn the screws as Vespasian's ambitions grow, and the fall of political opponents becomes more sought after.
For some readers, Vespasian is going to come across as increasingly unlikeable, but I find the his slow but growing transformation into emperor material absolutely fascinating.
There is also the trademark violence, but there's far less actual fighting in this book than previous ones, though a couple of specific descriptions did make me cringe as perhaps going a little too far.
The main meat of this story, though, is the political intrigue of Rome - specifically, the continuing power play of Pallas and Narcissus behind the throne of Claudius. And how Vespasian must try not only to survive it, but also protect his family: no easy feat when his son, Titus, has such a close association with Brittanicus - the one obstacle to Nero's ascension.
As usual, the political figureheads of history are brought to life on the pages, and Nero's over-acting is wonderfully in accordance with the historical commentaries.
Perhaps most interesting, though, is that pretty much nothing is known about Vespasian during this entire decade, so Fabbri has to conjure a story from nothing here. Yet Fabbri has managed to construct a carefully knit plot from what could be imagined to be so very few cues - and yet it all comes across as mostly plausible. Even more so, it continues to make for a compelling story in a very enjoyable series of Roman Historical Fiction.
While this is book six in the series to date, as with the others, any relevant background the reader may have missed is explained, though thankfully quite succinctly.
Am very much looking forward to the next book in the series, Furies of Rome.
