In the year 354 A.D., Julian, a sheltered scholar and pacifist lives in peace — until a summons from Emperor Constantine the Great changes the young man's life forever. Dispatched to Gaul to help reclaim a beaten Roman territory from German barbarians, Julian displays a surprising and brutal genius for survival against impossible odds. Emerging as an unlikely hero and adored by a legion of zealots, his untapped ambition is ignited-to reign as the new emperor. It's a position of power that'll test the loyalty of his friends, stir the ire of enemies, and cast an ominous shadow over his mad, and most magnificently impossible conquest of all...

From the author of the acclaimed The Ten Thousand comes a breathtaking recreation of the historic rise to power of a ruthless yet unlikely leader plunged into the chaos of war — and his shocking fall that would become one of the most fascinating mysteries of the ages. A novel of courage and conviction, of loyalty and betrayal, of personal victory and dark ambition, Gods and Legions is epic storytelling at its most riveting.

"[A] powerful and passionate second novel by Ford....[T]he moments of humor and personal valor make this a truly compelling story....Highly recommended." Library Journal (Starred Review)

"Ford has crafted another magnificent piece of historical fiction....Narrated by Caesarius, [Julian's] close friend and personal physician, this fictional chronicle details the swift rise and fall of one of history's most unlikely leaders." Booklist

"Rousingly old-fashioned....Stirring and adventurous tragedy of the first rank, written with all the gusto of a master pulp stylist." Kirkus Reviews

"In showing Julian from the distorted perspective of a treacherous enemy, Ford gambles, with mixed results." Publishers Weekly

From the author of the acclaimed bestseller The Ten Thousand comes a breathtaking recreation of the historic rise to power of the ruthless yet unlikely ruler, Emperor Julian.

Outstanding praise for Michael Curtis Ford's The Ten Thousand:

The descriptive language throughout is heroic, at times echoing the Iliad. Ford brings an interesting, fictively personal outlook to one of the classics. Inspired and highly informed, The Ten Thousand may lead many readers back to the original [Anabasis by Xenephon]."

--Kirkus Reviews

"The Greek mercenaries of the time of Socrates lost a war to the Persians but gained immortality. Thrilling, eloquent, illuminated by scholarship comes this retelling of the epic running battle of The Ten Thousand from Babylon to the sea."

--James Brady, author of the bestselling The Marines of Autumn

"There is no more gripping story of desperate courage than the march of The Ten Thousand. Yet few Americans know anything about their astonishing trek out of Asia some 2,400 years ago. Michael Curtis Ford's moving account of the fighting and dying of these heroic Greek mercenaries is not only historically sound, but very human, in making Xenophon's tale come alive in a way that no ancient historian or classicist has yet accomplished."

--Professor Victor Hanson, author of Carnage and Culture

"Michael Ford is at his best when he is describing or philosophizing. At times, as in his description of a trip to the oracle at Delphi, this can be genuinely thought-provoking...Pressfield's fans will...be delighted to discover this new author."

-The Historical Novel Society

"For anyone interested in thinking about the ancient world, the degree to which cultures have clashed, and the process of survival this is a thought-provoking book."--Newt Gingrich

"A swift, often brutal, and thoroughly compelling novel. It is a book that makes the reader feel the story has been lived, not merely read."-The Statesmen Journal

"An incredible tale of survival...a truly heroic story with wonderful battle scenes, and all brought vividly alive by this new author. An epic adventure, full of fascinating detail of the

qlperiod." --Publishing News (UK)

Michael Curtis Ford, a native of Washington State, worked for many years as a consultant and banker. He currently lives in Oregon, working as a translator and helping his wife, Cristina, educate their two children at home.