A Man at Arms: A Novel

Steven Pressfield

Mar 2021 · W. W. Norton & Company

About this eBook

From the acclaimed master of historical fiction comes an epic saga about a reluctant hero, the Roman Empire, and the rise of a new faith.

Jerusalem and the Sinai desert, first century AD. In the turbulent aftermath of the crucifixion of Jesus, officers of the Roman Empire acquire intelligence of a pilgrim bearing an incendiary letter from a religious fanatic to insurrectionists in Corinth. The content of this letter could bring down the empire.

The Romans hire a former legionary, the solitary man-at-arms, Telamon of Arcadia, to intercept the letter and capture its courier. Telamon operates by a dark code all his own, with no room for noble causes or lofty beliefs. But once he overtakes the courier, something happens that neither he nor the empire could have predicted.

In his first novel of the ancient world in thirteen years, the best-selling author of Gates of Fire and Tides of War returns with a gripping saga of conquest and rebellion, bloodshed and faith.

Ratings and reviews

This is a good read if you are one for action-packed writing and thorough description of the surroundings. The story does not give much in terms of revealing the personalities of the characters outside of their main motivations, save for a few heart-wrenching scenes. Overall, it was a decent story.

Pressfield again marches into ancient history with a tale set in an underserved time and an overserved subject. Yet, the story describes the intricacies of intrigue, conflict, fear, and determination of an empire fighting a faith movement with what it knows - warfare. And a faith movement fighting an empire in what is revealed - love and belief. Our hero, Telemon of Arcadia, a solitary bellator, is conflicted within himself by his unaware conversion from his own internal code and revelation of faith presented by his companions. A would-be teen warrior, a wild mute girl and her proselyte guardian, and an avowed witch, stir in Telemon considerations he has comfortably avoided throughout his life. First tasked with tracking and recovering emissaries of the Apostle Paul carrying the Epistle to the Corinthians, Telemon holds true to his own beliefs but evolves to become the carrier of the message. From Jerusalem to the Sinai to Greece, the band is sought by Romans, Arabs, and Jews each with a reason to deny the message reaching the Christian community. As in his other novels, Pressfield ably portrays the landscape, culture and conflict of the time and area. Telamon passes on the way of the warrior to his companions and receives lessons in return. The characters are vivid and real, each garnering interest of the reader. While delivery of the Epistle is expected, method and acceptance form a tale of their own. A sequel is expected and anxiously anticipated!

Easy reading.

About the author

Steven Pressfield is the author of the best-selling novels Gates of Fire and Tides of War, as well as The Legend of Bagger Vance. He is also the author of the classics on creativity The War of Art and Turning Pro. He lives in Los Angeles, California.