The Last Dying Light: A Novel of Belisarius (The Last of the Romans Book 1)

Rome has fallen into darkness, but its legacy persists in Constantinople, where leaders struggle to maintain control of a deteriorating empire. Famine, war, and encroaching darkness threaten the Eastern Empire with ruin. Hope emerges when a new dynasty takes the throne of Caesar. Varus, a young Herulian slave to the aging and powerful Justin, witnesses these events and learns of an ambitious plan held by two generations of Romans—to retake the West and reclaim their homeland. Varus enlists in the Roman Army to follow Justin's vision and encounters the brutal realities of 6th Century warfare. When a mysterious force of black-shielded invaders devastates the Empire's northern provinces, Varus' unit is called to defend under the command of Belisarius, one of Justin's most promising commanders. As Varus prepares for the coming sacrifices, he begins to question Justin's secrets and seeks answers about his own true identity and role in the Empire's survival.