Robert Fabbri Books In Order

Publication Order of Vespasian Books

Publication Order of Crossroads Brotherhood Books

Publication Order of Alexander's Legacy Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Robert Fabbri is a writer of fiction best known for his historical novels about Emperor Vespasian.

+Biography

Robert was born in1961 in Geneva. The author’s educational background includes stints at Christ’s Hospital School and London University.

Robert Fabbri, who has made a home in both London and Berlin, has always harbored a love for history. However, he did not immediately use that love for any particularly focused purpose.

Instead, Robert spent the first twenty five years of his working life in television and film. The author had the opportunity to work on productions like Hornblower and Hellraiser, not to mention Patriot Games.

And unlike what most people presume, life in the production business was no picnic. Robert has a lot of distressing memories of cold nights spent in muddy fields and smolderingly hot days in arid areas. And the sound stages where no better: very stuffy and crowded.

For Robert, writing was a blessing. It gave him a chance to make a living from the peace and quiet of his home. Robert will be the first person to admit that writing gave him an escape from a career he was no longer enthusiastic about pursuing, and the author has since made effective use of his passion for history, especially roman history.

While Robert doesn’t think he can trace his love for historical fiction back to any one factor, he has admitted that Simon Scarrow played an important role in the decision Robert made with regards to his future as a writer. Robert remembers reading Simon Scarrow’s ‘Under the Eagle’ and being moved by what Simon wrote in the Sleeve Notes. Simon basically said of ‘Under the Eagle’ that he had chosen to write the book he would have wanted to read.

Robert read that in 1999, at a time when he was starting to question his future and contemplating the possibility of changing careers. It took Robert nearly ten years to do something about the inspiration Simon Scarrow gave him

2008 was the year Robert Fabbri finally acted. He sat down in February of that year and, after doing a lot of research for potential ideas, he began to write.

Robert Fabbri got people talking when he arrived on the publishing landscape with his series of novels about Emperor Vespasian collectively called ‘The Emperor’s Fate’. Robert was attracted to Vespasian as a subject because Vespasian traveled a lot.

His career took him to all corners of the empire, so Robert knew that a story about the conquering legend would allow him to play with a variety of settings. More importantly, Vespasian’s story is remarkable.

The historical figure came from nothing and rose through the ranks to rule over Rome as emperor. What appealed to Robert Fabbri was the opportunity historical fiction gave him to take the innocent little boy that Vespasian was and to drag him through hell in order to make him a strong and sometimes brutal character.

Writing historical fiction has never been difficult for Robert Fabbri. This is because the author is constantly doing research about history. In fact, the author always starts his day by reading.

That is actually the reason why Robert doesn’t think he will ever write fantasy fiction. He has so many historical texts to read that he doesn’t imagine he will ever have time to engage in research regarding the fantasy genre.

But because Robert is such an avid reader of history, he never has to worry about writer’s block. Any time the author encounters a wall of sorts in the writing process, he simply dives back into the primary sources for his story and, by the time he re-emerges, his creative pools have been rejuvenated and he is more than ready to write.

Interestingly enough, Robert does a lot of his writing at night. If cricket doesn’t distract him, he can usually deliver 1500 words in an average day.

The biggest challenge Robert Fabbri has faced in writing his Vespasian stories is producing books that can stand alone but which also pour into one another to form a single cohesive story.

Robert detests the idea of changing history for the sake of entertainment. Robert always presents historical facts as they happened. As far as he is concerned, it is better to change the fictional plot of a book to fit real history than to change historical facts for the sake of making a fictional story more entertaining.

+Tribune of Rome

When Vespasian heads to Rome at the age of sixteen, his only goal is to locate a Patron and, hopefully, find a place in the army like his brother. Vespasian is surprised to find that Rome has descended into so much chaos.

Sejanus rules Rome now that its aging emperor has chosen to maintain his seclusion. However, Sejanus is hardly a beloved ruler and rumors about his greed and ambition begin to swirl.

Vespasian doesn’t know what to make of Rome or how to swim in its waters, and he keeps making friends and enemies in equal measure. As Rome’s descent into madness continues, the fates conspire to drag Vespasian out of the city and to strand him on the Balkan frontier as tribune of a legion.

Unfortunately for Vespasian, Roman politics seems to follow him wherever he goes.

This book brings Roman history to life rather vividly. There is a plot to remove Emperor Tiberius from his throne, a plan that will see the legions of Rome kept busy by a rebellion in Thrace even as the politics of Rome grow poisonous.

Vespasian is elevated as the hero of this tale, a young man that learns many hard lessons as he is forced to lead men to their deaths in glorious battle.

+Rome’s Executioner

Vespasian has spent four years fighting at the fringes of the Empire. Rome has fared no better during those years and seems set to disintegrate. When Vespasian’s patrons send him to get an old enemy out of a fortress before the forces besieging it finally overwhelm it, the warrior doesn’t yet understand the impact his mission will have on the future of Rome.

There is a plan to destroy Sejanus, but it hinges on Vespasian succeeding in his mission.

One Response to “Robert Fabbri”

1. Paul Davidson: 3 years ago

   I am a fan of most types of history, but I particularly like the Roman history. I have read Books by Simon Scarrow etc and they are very good also. I discovered Robert Fabbri about 6 months ago and decided to read his first Vespasian book Tribune of Rome, I’m so glad I did. I’m just about finished it and have purchased the next two books in the series.
   Continue with your great work Robert, I’m really enjoying it.
   Kind regards
   Paul Davidson

   Reply