Book Review: Fire on the Frontier

Reviewed by Jadidsa Perez

A grand story that illustrates how the blood spilled from revenge can never wash away

Set in Ancient Rome, Fire in the Frontier begins with an epic ambush upon a Roman village by local Germanic tribes. During this attack, a young infant, Marcus, is saved by his uncle and adopted by a Roman couple to raise. 

While his life in Rome is peaceful as a soldier, his vindictiveness against the tribe who are responsible for his biological parents’ deaths continues to fester. He eventually meets and becomes enamored with Helena, another soul tortured with the temptation of revenge. Helena’s life is split in two—in the morning, she’s an abused and neglected daughter; in the evening, she becomes Maxima, a famed gladiator with incredible talent. The infatuation between Helena and Marcus is immediate and effervescent, but their quest for revenge may be more costly than they realized. 

The Roman empire feels alive and bustling as you read through Marcus’s adventures and interactions. Discussions among the characters sound realistic and are always relevant to each person. In one instance, Rakan is passionately discussing the lack of children’s rights to Augustus; the clothes, food, and general countenance of ancient Rome are incredibly detailed, giving the reader an opportunity to step inside and understand Marcus’s world. 

Author Kenneth Kunkel also does an excellent job candidly portraying the lives of women at the time. Helena’s chapters provide her singular point of view and difficult circumstances, while echoing portions of her life shared by other women in the novel. She and many of the other female gladiators are victims of sexual assault, which is depicted with vulnerability and respect. Despite her immense pain, Helena has one of the most poignant moments of growth within the story. The focus on multifaceted women adds some captivating layers of emotional depth.

I was glad to encounter Cassia, essentially the foil to Helena. I was so interested in her motivations and constantly wondering about her vague origins, but she ends up being underutilized and disregarded. Her storyline fizzles out, and lets go of the otherwise dark, edgy ambiance of the text. 

Above all, it’s the twists and turns of Fire on the Frontier that shine most. Even though I had inklings and theories, I was completely shocked at what ended up being true. Rather than conjure up something implausible for shock value, Kunkel drops subtle moments of foreshadowing that snowball into an intense climax. Nearly each piece of the story converges smartly, and at each point along the way, I needed to know what would happen next. 

I would certainly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Roman Empire and those who enjoy well-researched historical fiction. It’s invoked with mystery, love, and all of the epic heroics that we have come to associate with this time period.

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