The first chapter from the first of two epic novels which tell the story of one of the most charismatic heroes history has ever known - Spartacus, the gladiator slave who took on and nearly defeated the might of Rome, during the years 73-71 BC. Historically very little is known about Spartacus. We know that he came from Thrace, a land north of Greece, that he once fought in the Roman legions and that, during two fateful years, he led a slave army which nearly brought Rome to its knees. In Ben Kane's brilliant novel, we meet Spartacus as he returns to Thrace, ready to settle down after a decade away. But a new king has usurped the throne. Treacherous and violent, he immediately seizes Spartacus and sells him to a Roman slave trader looking for new gladiators. The odyssey has begun which will see Spartacus become one of the greatest legends of history, the hero of revolutionaries from Karl Marx to Che Guevara, immortalised on screen, and now brought to life in Ben Kane's great bestseller - a novel which takes the story to its halfway point and is continued in Spartacus: Rebellion.

In many instances, the liberation of a single soul requires blood to be shed. And when there's an escaped Roman gladiator shedding that blood, it becomes a torrent. This is his story.

What if when Glabber captured Spartacus and his wife Sura they had someone else with them. Spartacus had a little sister. Her name was Athena, but as Glabber and his men captured Spartacus and his wife. But Athena got away. For two weeks she ran before eventually being captured. She was from Dominus to Dominus before eventually landing up by chance in the house of Batiatus. She was untouched. To protect her Oenomaus went to Batiatus and asked for her hand in marriage. What would happen if they fell in love? Currently on hold

She's stunningly beautiful, her looks could rival Venus (goddess of beauty and love). She's strong and quick and has the grace of a fighter you couldn't understand until you watch her. But that's the thing, shes a girl. Kidnapped from her home and sold into slavery, she winds up in the house of Mydoe and in the end, trains to be a gladiator. With some help along the way from the gods, she just might make it. Besides the fact that she's a girl, there's other things brewing in the house of Mydoe. Unedited-beware

A war between rebels and romans to fight for love, family and freedom. Pray to the Gods that we all survive.

Spartacus finds a girl as they are raiding villas. She is shy and won't speak but does as told in a heartbeat. She fears the men of the Rebels. So Spartacus does the one thing he can think of: He marries her to Agron, to protect her and keep her from harms way. Can she love the German Dog or will she live in fear of what her Dominus did to her?