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Hannibal: A Novel (Carthage Trilogy) Paperback – February 1, 2008

by Ross Leckie (Author)
3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 79 ratings
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An epic vision of one of history’s greatest adventurers, the almost mythical man who most famously led his soldiers on elephants over the Alps. In Ross Leckie's unforgettable recreation of the Punic wars, it is Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, who narrates the story, and who is carried by his all-consuming ambition through profoundly bloody battles against the great Roman armies of early empire. In a breathtaking chronicle of love and hate, heroism and cruelty, one of humanity's greatest adventurers is brought to life, and learns through suffering that man is but a shadow of a dream.
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 3
    The Punic Wars
  2. Print length
    246 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Canongate UK
  5. Publication date
    February 1, 2008
  6. Dimensions
    5 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    1847670997
  8. ISBN-13
    978-1847670991
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Written in a simple, visceral style that brings a raw immediacy to descriptions of ancient battle . . . A ripping good read whose lesson in ancient history is yet another reward."  —Publishers Weekly

"Hannibal tells his own story in this splendid historical novel . . . Leckie writes unflinchingly of this world of blood, battle and atrocity."  —Sunday Telegraph

From the Back Cover

'Leckie writes unflinchingly of this world of blood, battle and atrocity.'
Sunday Telegraph

In the third century BC, the two greatest empires of the ancient world are locked in bitter struggle. The wars
between Rome and Carthage will see some of the most bloody and savage battles of all time, in which hundreds
of thousands of men will die, and Rome will win mastery of the known world. Amid this, a figure will emerge who
has become the stuff of myth and legend: Hannibal.

In this breathtaking chronicle of love and hate, heroism and cruelty, one of humanity's greatest adventurers and
warfare's greatest generals returns to life. Hannibal learns, through suffering, that man is but a shadow of a dream.

'Full of wonderful scenes . . . Leckie lights up this world for us with fabulous energy.' The Times

'A tremendous novel in the class of I, Claudius.' Allan Massie

'Its triumph is to bring the world of Carthage to life again.' Spectator

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Canongate UK; Main edition (February 1, 2008)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 246 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1847670997
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1847670991
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.7 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars 79 ratings

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Ross Leckie

Ross Leckie

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Customer reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars
3.9 out of 5
79 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

shawn matteke
5.0 out of 5 stars All around good.
Reviewed in the United States on October 25, 2020
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Good book, engaging and entertaining all the way through! Tells the story from life to death of Hannibal, romance, war, revenge, this book has it all.
2 people found this helpful
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Daisy
4.0 out of 5 stars HANNIBAL
Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2014
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GREAT INFO ON A GREAT SUBJECT.
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pablolie
3.0 out of 5 stars Hannibal was manic-depressive, really...?
Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2007
It's a bit of an odd book in its flow. It starts off well enough, Hannibal's childhood and his growth into adulthood are written convincingly. But then something goes astray, it's as if the writer had lost some interest in the topic, or simply grew to dislike hannibal's character as the book progressed and took it out on him.

Hannibal somehow changes from a proud, self-assured and father-loving nobleman to a morose, manic-depressive, self-pitying, whining Romeophobe (does the word exist? :) and loses all depth as a character. At some point in the book, you're just like "put that dagger through your throat already, for heaven's sake!".

And that's just the book as far as engaging prose goes. As far as accuracy goes... Well, the historians are still debating quite a bit of this stuff, since the Romans did a thorough job getting even and erasing Carthage's side of the story, so historians only have the Roman records to go by (which will of course be biased), and excavations of the leftovers. I somehow have a bit of a hard time envisioniing Hannibal as quite as shallow as the book portrays him, kinda running out of motivation and desire while in Italy and just hanging out. The reasons must have been different. I can't help but feel Leckie should have taken more creative freedom when it came to that side of the Hannibal story. No one knows anyhow. The Leckie story of someone like Hannibal being destroyed by his wife's death (and rape) and going downhill from there... I don't know. At least it didn't convince me - if it'd been that I'd assume he'd attacked Rome head-on for revenge, damn the consequences. If he'd been apathic and disinterested he'd let his generals march against it, too. Oh well, we will never know.

What we *do* know (at least I have read it repeatedly) is that Hamilcar drowned crossing a river after a battle - he didn't die in combat for all I know.
6 people found this helpful
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Toni Rex
5.0 out of 5 stars A great piece of historical fiction.
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2014
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If you are interested in ancient empires and appreciate good writing, this is it. Compelling and of great interest. What a character. And quite a contrast to Scipio Africanus (the first of this trilogy for me).
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Rich Gubitosi
4.0 out of 5 stars The dilemma of the single-minded man
Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2009
In Hannibal, Ross Leckie portrays one of Rome's greatest enemies as a man driven by hatred for the empire. As a child, Hannibal learned to loathe Rome from his father and his only goal in life is to invade Italy and besiege Rome. This single-mindedness surpasses even the love for his family, who he essentially sacrifices in his quest to topple Rome. As he comes close to fulfilling his mission, he wonders, "What next?" His life has been shaped around defeating Rome--once he succeeds, he will have no purpose. His dilemma encapsulates the quandary of the soldier, who knows only fighting and cannot face life without war.

I am surprised by the similarities between Hannibal and Alexander the Great. Both had military masterminds as fathers. Both treasured a close male companion--Maharbal for Hannibal and Hephaestion for Alexander. According to this book at least, both tamed wild horses. Both had a passion for Homer. Are these similarities fact, or was Leckie inspired by Mary Renault's exemplary fiction about Alexander? I will have to read a Hannibal biography to find out.

When people think of Hanniball, they usually think of him crossing the Alps with elephants. Again, I am surprised that Leckie does not dwell on this chapter of Hannibal's life. Compared to the rest of the book, the crossing of the Alps is mostly gleaned over by the author in a few pages. Leckie seems more interested in the psychology of Hannibal than in his military exploits.

Leckie provides an engaging account of Hannibal's achievements and mindset, however I wonder if it is too fictional. In particular, I am suspicious of the fate of his wife. Did that really happen? It is a pivotal event in the novel, and if it is not recorded in history, I question whether it should have been included.

Anyone who wants to read more historical fiction about Hannibal should try Pride of Carthage by David Anthony Durham.
5 people found this helpful
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JOE CHEPREGHI
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2017
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excellent, book in very good condition as promised
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Kaolin Fire
4.0 out of 5 stars A revenge tragedy
Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2008
This is a nasty book. If you're expecting to read about Hannibal the famous general, Hannibal who crossed the Alps and gave the Romans the thrashing they deserved, forget it. This is Hannibal the man, one who doesn't care how many die in his pursuit of the revenge-wish he inherited from his father. He takes his wife and newborn baby through the alpine ice and snow, and then butchers some Roman women because the baby dies (the death is the Romans' fault--parse that one if you can).

Of course, there's also his good side--after his wife is brutally raped and killed by the Romans, he forbids his troops to rape. If you're thinking he's a mess of contradictions, then yes, he is--and it's not helped by the first person narrative giving the illusion of an insight into his motivations and character that isn't really there. Sometimes, Hannibal, who's writing this narrative as an old man in the expectation of imminent capture, feels the need to justify his actions. Othertimes, even such insufficient justification is lacking. The book would probably have worked better in third person, or with a different narrator, as it isn't able to get under Hannibal's skin and explain how his mind works.

At certain points in this book, I had to stop reading because what was portrayed was so viciously and needlessly cruel. In fiction it would be bad enough; in a novel based on true events, it's unbearable.

The book's well written, evokes the violence convincingly, is crammed with period detail, and has elephants. Excellent for those with strong stomachs. Not so good for sensitive souls.

[Reviewed by Debbie Moorhouse]
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Top reviews from other countries

Mr Michael Feldberg
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2018
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item is as expected
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5.0 out of 5 stars Hannibal - Book1
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 17, 2012
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These has are up there with my favourite historical novels. The savagery of the age and the almost mythical exploits of Hannibal are captured exceptionally well in these books. I loved these as paperbacks and they were the next books I went for on Kindle after Steven Pressfields Gates of Fire.
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Baal Hammon
3.0 out of 5 stars A bare-bones account of Hannibal's times
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 4, 2020
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The book feels really bare-bones, not surprising given that its less than 300 pages long, but for a book about a figure so interesting as Hannibal Barca, you'd expect something with a little more meat to it. I know we know little of Carthaginian culture and history but at times its like all the author did for research was just glance at the Wikipedia entry. Even in instances where the author had the opportunity fill in the gaps with his own imagination, he doesn't bother; Hannibal's mother and sisters don't even get names - it just makes it feel unnatural and clunky. .
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Brian Hamer
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 31, 2015
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good
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M. Eldergill
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 18, 2015
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Great Thank You
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