Bloody Dominions
(The Conquest Trilogy, Book 1)
By Nick Macklin
Journey with those at the heart of the conflict as Caesar embarks on the tumultuous conquest of Gaul 58-51 BC. Book One 58-56 BC.
As Caesar’s campaign begins, tests of courage and belief will confront the three protagonists, shaping them as individuals and challenging their views of the world and each other:
Atticus – an impetuous but naturally gifted soldier, whose grandfather served with distinction in the legions;
Publication Date: 28th June 2021
Publisher: Troubador Publishing
Page Length: 368 Pages
Genre: Historical Fiction
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INTERVIEW
Writing Interview questions.
Why did you choose to write your book in this era?
I always wanted to set the novel against the backdrop of a significant period in Roman history. Ideally, something offering the potential for meaningful character and plot development that hadn’t already received exhaustive coverage. I eventually settled on Caesars tumultuous occupation of Gaul. Spanning 8 years, the prolonged clash of cultures offered ample opportunity for the kind of dual perspective from which I was hoping to tell the story, whilst the violent conflict provided a wealth of material to explore the changing fortunes of war and its impact at a personal level. The switching of allegiances, nations fighting for and against Rome also provided the potential for some intriguing plot lines. As my research unfolded, I was struck by just how heavily the Roman psyche was influenced during this period by the scare they had received 50 years earlier when invading Germanic tribes defeated their legions. Seeing references to the veterans of that war watching their sons and grandsons enlist for a similar campaign, I began to think about the potential for developing that link, on both sides of the conflict. And so, the idea for the Conquest Trilogy was born.
What is the most surprising thing you discovered while you were researching this era?
The issue that had the biggest impact on me whilst completing my research was the sheer scale of the suffering created by Caesar’s incursion. I’m not entirely sure it was a surprise, but my reading until then had typically focused on stories surrounding individual battles and/or aspects of the campaign, I just hadn’t thought about the magnitude of the conquest in its entirety. I know that the tribes of Gaul weren’t living a life of peace and tranquility before Caesar’s arrival, raids and battles between nations would have been customary and the impact of war was something most individuals would have experienced to a greater or lesser extent. However, the scale of the Roman invasion and the effectiveness of their legions changed the dynamic significantly. Even allowing for the politically motivated inflation of enemy casualty numbers, and Caesar was as much a politician as he was a general, the conquest was exceptionally brutal, with untold numbers killed, maimed or enslaved, including huge numbers of civilians. It is one of the reasons that I wanted to dedicate the book to the memory of those whose lives feature in its pages.
Can you share something about the book that isn’t covered in the blurb?
A running theme throughout the Trilogy will be the ‘difficult’ relationship Atticus has with his legions Legate, Lucius Minicius Aquila. The animosity between the two begins when Aquila’s hesitancy to act forces the hand of his junior officers who send Atticus on a lone foray to turn the tide of battle. His success draws attention to the inactivity of a chastened Aquila, whose attempts to punish Atticus are thwarted by Caesar in a very public display of recognition. Determined to make life difficult for the young legionary, things become more complicated for Aquila when Atticus saves his life in battle. Unfortunately for Atticus, Aquila has no desire to honour his debt nor have it outstanding for any length of time. He would far rather the obligation simply cease to exist, que lots of attempts to place Atticus in jeopardy. As a character I drew inspiration for Aquila from an actual legion commander, Lucius Minicius Basilus, who lived through events in Gaul and the subsequent civil war where he supported Caesar. Basilus later joined the conspiracy to kill Caesar, angered at what he considered to be insufficient reward for his earlier support. He was eventually killed by his own slaves in 43 BC, who were driven to this desperate action by his cruel and violent treatment. His literary incarnation Aquila, shares these same tendencies but not necessarily the same fate!!
If you had to describe your protagonist, in three words, what would those three words be?
I am going to have to cheat here as I have three protagonists, so if you will excuse the indulgence I will offer 9 words, three for each:
Atticus: - Headstrong, brave, conflicted
Allerix: - Honourable, thoughtful, courageous
Epona: - Strong-minded, intuitive, fearless
What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on Book 2 of the Conquest Trilogy, ‘Battle Scars’, which covers the period 56-53 BC. Against the backdrop of Caesars continuing invasion of Gaul, Atticus finds himself facing the challenges of leadership and a dangerous mission on the borders of the Empire, whilst Epona and Allerix fight for survival with Ambiorix as he leads the resistance to Rome’s incursion. Along the way Epona meets up with Aquila, Allerix and Atticus cross swords, again, and we are introduced to some new characters, including Titus Pollo, Lucius Vorenus and Vercingetorix.
Personal Interview questions.
What do you like to do when you are not writing?
I enjoy running, well, after I’ve been out, not necessarily whilst in the middle of a run, walking and have always been a keen traveler, although for obvious reasons more recently that passion has been confined to planning future trips. I also enjoy reading, watching sport and baking.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to join the Royal Air Force and in particular the Military Police. I’m sure the motivation had a lot to do with the idea of having a dog to accompany me on patrol but unfortunately my eyesight wasn’t good enough and it wasn’t to be. I still haven’t got the dog yet either but that is a plan I will realise at some point.
What’s your favourite food?
Am I allowed to say Crisps, as part of a balanced diet obviously!! My favourite meal would probably be some form of roast, although I am also partial to most things Italian.
Either or!
Tea or coffee: Tea
Hot or cold: Hot
Movie or book: Both
Morning person or Night owl: Night Owl
City or country: City
Social Media or book: Book
Paperback or ebook: Paperback
A history graduate, Nick enjoyed developing the skills that would stand him in good stead during the extensive research he conducted prior to writing his novel. Whilst the ancient world unfortunately didn’t feature to any extent in his history degree, (the result of failing miserably to secure the A level grades that would have permitted greater choice) he maintained a lifelong and profound interest in ancient history and especially the Roman Empire, continuing to read avidly as he embarked on a career in HR. Over the next 30 years or so Nick occupied a variety of Senior/Director roles, most recently in the NHS. Unsurprisingly, writing in these roles was largely confined to the prosaic demands of Board papers but Nick never lost the long-harboured belief, motivated by the works of writers such as Robert Fabbri, Robyn Young, Anthony Riches, Simon Scarrow, Matthew Harffy and Giles Kristian, that he too had a story to tell. When he was presented with a window of opportunity c3 years ago he took the decision to place his career on hold and see if he could convert that belief into reality.
Nick always knew that he wanted to set the novel against the backdrop of a significant event/period in Roman history. Looking to narrow that down to something offering the potential for meaningful character and plot development, but that hadn’t already received exhaustive coverage, he settled on Caesars tumultuous occupation of Gaul. Spanning 8 years, the prolonged clash of cultures offered ample opportunity for the kind of dual perspective from which he was hoping to tell the story, whilst the violent conflict provided a wealth of exciting material to explore the changing fortunes of war and its impact at a personal level. The switching of allegiances, nations fighting for and against Rome also provided the potential for some intriguing plot lines. As his research unfolded, he was also struck by just how heavily the Roman psyche during this period was influenced by the scare they had received 50 years earlier when Germanic tribes invaded their territories and defeated their legions. Seeing references to the veterans of that war watching their sons and grandsons enlist for a similar campaign, he started to think about developing that link on both sides of the conflict. And so, the idea for the Conquest Trilogy was born.
In Bloody Dominions Nick has sought to produce a novel in which unfolding events are experienced and described from the perspective of protagonists on both sides of Caesar’s incursion into Gaul. Conscious that the role of women in Roman fiction, Boudica aside, is largely confined to spouse, prostitute or slave, Nick wanted to ensure that one of his lead characters was female and a prominent member of the warrior clan of her tribe. The novel is driven by these characters but the framework against which their stories unfold is historically accurate, featuring actual participants in Caesar’s campaign and drawing on real events as they occurred. As such Nick is genuinely excited about his characters and the story they have to tell.
Nick lives in Exeter with his two daughters and is currently juggling work as an Independent HR Consultant with writing the second novel in the Conquest Trilogy, Battle Scars.
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