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Brook Allen has a passion for ancient history—especially 1st century BC Rome. Her current work is a trilogy on the life of Marcus Antonius—Marc Antony, which she has worked on for the past fifteen years. The first installment, Antonius: Son of Rome was published in March 2019. It follows Antony as a young man, from the age of eleven, when his father died in disgrace, until he’s twenty-seven and meets Cleopatra for the first time. Brook’s new book is Antonius: Second in Command, dealing with the Antony’s tumultuous rise to power at Caesar’s side and culminating with the tumultuous civil war against Brutus and Cassius.
In researching the Antonius Trilogy, Brook’s travels have led her to Italy, Egypt, Greece, and even Turkey to explore places where Antony once lived, fought, and eventually died. While researching abroad, she consulted with scholars and archaeologists well-versed in Hellenistic and Roman history, specifically pinpointing the late Republican Period in Rome. Brook belongs to the Historical Novel Society and attends conferences as often as possible to study craft and meet fellow authors. Though she graduated from Asbury University with a B.A. in Music Education, Brook has always loved writing. She completed a Masters program at Hollins University with an emphasis in Ancient Roman studies, which helped prepare her for authoring her present works.
Brook's personal interests include travel, cycling, hiking in the woods, reading, and spending downtime with her husband and two amazing Labrador Retrievers.
Reviewed by Maria Victoria Beltran for Readers' Favorite
Brook Allen's Antonius: Son of Rome is about the life of young Marcus Antonius after his father dies in disgrace in Rome. The Roman Republic is waning and the young man yearns to restore his family’s honor. Handsome and possessed of military talent, he's now entering manhood and falls prey to the excesses of a licentious Roman society. After an episode of whoring, gambling, and drinking, he finds himself mired in debt and grieving the death of his wife and unborn child. The political situation is dangerous while personal and political tragedy haunts his family. With help from a relative, the rising politician Julius Caesar, he finally earns a military commission, where he struggles to earn the respect and admiration of the soldiers, proconsuls, and kings that he deals with on his way to his destiny.
Antonius: Son of Rome by Brook Allen is the first installment in a trilogy about the life of Marcus Antonius. More popularly known as Marc Anthony, a lot of books have been written about him but none is probably more introspective than Brook Allen's compelling trilogy. One of history's most controversial figures, Marc Anthony's life seems like an open book, but it is largely based on accounts written by his enemies. Allen's book, however, is an objective and microscopic look at the early life of Rome's iconic symbol of love and power. Antonius: Son of Rome is a revealing story of the young Marc Anthony. Growing up in the shadow of a disgraced father, this noble son of Rome has a very uncertain teenage life but he will go on to become a very promising soldier and this is just the beginning of his remarkable life story. Kudos to Brook Allen for introducing us to the real person behind the enigma that is Marcus Antonius.
