The Last King - by Michael Curtis Ford (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

To the Romans, the greatest enemy the Republic ever faced was not the Goths or Huns, nor even Hannibal, but rather a ferocious and brilliant king on the distant Black Sea: Mithridates Eupator VI of Pontus, known to history as Mithridates the Great.

At age eleven, Mithridates inherited a small mountain kingdom of wild tribesmen, which his wicked mother governed in his place. Sweeping to power at age twenty-one, he proved to be a military genius and quickly consolidated various fiefdoms under his command. Since Rome also had expansionist designs in this region, bloody conflict was inevitable.

Over forty years, Rome sent its greatest generals to contain Mithridates and gained tenuous control over his empire only after suffering a series of devastating defeats at the hands of this cunning and ruthless king. Each time Rome declared victory, Mithridates considered it merely a strategic retreat, and soon came roaring back with a more powerful army than before.

Bursting with heroic battle scenes and eloquent storytelling, Michael Curtis Ford has crafted a riveting novel of the ancient world and resurrected one of history's greatest warriors.

Review Quotes

"Michael Curtis Ford's love for the ancient world emanates from every page: in his magical settings and spectacular recreation of monuments and landscapes, in his bold portraits of the protagonists, and in his intriguing and swiftly-moving plot." --Valerio Massimo Manfredi, author of the "Alexander Trilogy" and Spartan

"Ford captures the Roman first century B.C. from a novel perspective, viewing it through the prism of one of Rome's most formidable enemies. Battle scenes are described with great skill... the book demonstrates the author's ability to imagine the Roman world from its periphery and shows the same mastery of military history as his first novel, The Ten Thousand." --Publishers Weekly

"The Ten Thousand and Gods and Legions, were so detailed that they seemed real. Now Ford has done it again. Brutal, straightforward, exciting and informative, The Last King is a hair-trigger ride on ancient sands and hills. This is Ford's best so far, and only those who have read his first two know just how good that makes this book." --The Statesman Journal (Salem, OR)

"Powerful telling of historical drama. Michael Curtis Ford brings the Roman Empire to life. The Last King is complete with battle scenes and powerful storytelling about one of history's most feared warriors." --Oregonian

"Ford has crafted a fascinating fictional biography of King Mithradates the Great. Eloquently narrated by Pharnaces, the illegitimate son of Mithradates and one of his favorite concubines, this rousing saga also provides an illuminating glimpse into the often vast divide that separated Eastern and Western warfare, culture, and philosophy during antiquity." --Booklist

"A swashbuckling account of the exploits of Mithradates the Great. Solid fun: a good, old-fashioned adventure tale with plenty of action." --Kirkus Reviews

About the Author

Michael Curtis Ford is forty-three years old and is a translator and novelist. He has bachelor's degrees from the University of Washington and a graduate degree from Princeton. He speaks several languages and is an avid reader of the classics. He and his wife educate their three children at home in Oregon.