Once Upon A Time In Ancient Rome: A Fantasy Of Supernatural Myth and Humor (English Edition)

The demigod Marcus Scaeva, sired by Mars, the god of war, and born of the mortal Alanta, his heart damaged while he was still in the womb by an arrow shot by the jealous and enraged Diana, goddess of the hunt, survives the wrath of Diana and grows into a fine young demigod warrior, normal in all respects, if there is such a thing as a normal demigod, except that the arrow of Diana destroyed his sense of negative emotion. At the age of four he kills the Scaeva family pet, an immense and vicious war dog, when it attacks him. He rips out its beating heart with his bare hand, and to the pride of his purported father, Magnus Scaeva, a notorious Roman centurion and gladiator stronger in arm than in wit, shows no emotion as he holds the great heart in his hand as it spurts blood, and writhes and leaps as if trying to escape his little fist. Adventures and misadventures follow the demigod and his family throughout their lives, as the demigod wades through the violence and gore of ancient Rome, including combats in the coliseum and a war in Gaul, always with a happy heart and a smile on his face, while the gods on Mount Olympus take sides and intervene for and against him, and a mini war on Mount Olympus erupts that parallels the strife of the mortals below. The gods and goddesses are colorful and quirky. The mortals are eccentric and wacky, such as Rigor Mortis the likable pirate, and Gluteus Maximus the biggest and ugliest gladiator who ever fought in the Roman coliseum. There is a surprise around every corner and the comedy builds with each turn of a page. This book is a tale of myth and adventure as well as comedy, and if you find it a tremendously fun book to read, the author will have achieved his purpose.