Showing results by author "Richard Foreman" in All Categories

Alesia, 52 BC: The besiegers have become the besieged. Caesar's army stands upon the brink of annihilation, caught between two enemy armies. Ramparts have been constructed, but they must also be defended. The centurion Lucius Oppius believes he will be part of the defence, but Caesar has other plans for the former standard bearer. Oppius is ordered to venture north of Alesia to capture Vercingetorix's war chest of gold.

171 AD. Rome is at war with the northern tribes - and is yet to win a significant battle. The Germanic armies have crossed the Danube and have attacked the Empire, slaughtering thousands. The Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, is losing the support of the people and the Senate. Yet he has formed a plan he believes will change the balance of power in the region. Aurelius has dispatched an officer in the Praetorian Guard, the centurion Gaius Maximus, to escort the son and daughter of a powerful German tribal chief.

Rome, 51 BC: The centurion Lucius Oppius has left the battlefields of Gaul to venture to Rome. But he is about to discover the capital of the Empire can be every bit as dangerous as its provinces. Under orders from Caesar to secure an item of intelligence that will help him become a Consul again, Oppius is manipulated into taking part in a gladiatorial contest. The soldier must not only fight his enemies in the arena however. Marcus Porcius Cato warns "Caesar’s Champion" that victory inside the arena will bring death outside of it.

Ravenna, 50BC. Caesar’s forces stand upon the borders of Gaul and Italy. The prospect of a civil war grows ever likelier each day. But for the veteran soldier Lucius Oppius, this may be one conflict too far. With a new lover, he is tempted to end his long military career - and start a new life. But can any man truly be free of his past and who he is? In Rome, Cicero attempts to secure a peace. Against him, a powerful faction in the Senate is bent upon destroying Caesar, for personal and political reasons.

Britain, 55 BC: Julius Caesar’s invasion of the wild and mineral-rich land is becalmed, a stalemate exists between the forces of Rome and Britain. But the standard bearer of the Tenth Legion, Lucius Oppius, is about to display a depth of courage that will change the course of the invasion - and history. Encamped upon the south coast Caesar, admiring the courage and skill of his standard bearer, orders Oppius to accompany a native British archer and go behind enemy lines.

Rome 174 AD. As the war continues in the north, Marcus Aurelius orders Gaius Maximus and Rufus Atticus to return to Rome. Enemies lurk in the shadows in the capital, spreading propaganda and sowing dissent. The praetorian guards must lure their enemies out - and defeat them. Yet Maximus is returning home for something, or rather someone, else: Aurelia. The soldier will be caught between his duty and his happiness. Rufus Atticus will also be forced to make a choice, between duty and family.

Pharsalus, 48 BC: The battle will decide the fate of a civil war and empire. Caesar's forces are outnumbered, but he believes his veterans will not be outmatched. For one veteran, the centurion Lucius Oppius, the battle will be about revenge rather than glory. Oppius has vowed to avenge his father's death. His enemy is Flavius Laco - a former gladiator and an agent of Pompey the Great. Against the backdrop of one of Ancient History's most momentous battles two soldiers will wage their own personal war.

Britain. 179 AD. The centurion Rufus Atticus is intent on finding Gaius Maximus - a fugitive and friend. Whilst doing so, however, Atticus finds trouble - in the form of the brutal Meriadoc clan. The Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, wants to offer the former praetorian a pardon. Atticus also has important news for Maximus, which will change his life. But as well as offering the soldier a pardon, the Emperor has summoned Maximus to ask him to complete one final mission. He must venture into enemy territory and assassinate Balomar.

In this tale, Harry "Bunny" Manders finds himself badly in debt. Bunny must pay off a loan to an unscrupulous moneylender, Alexander "Shylock" Cardinal, or else lose all of his assets - or worse, his life. Bunny puts his faith in his best friend to save the day but can even Raffles pull off a job at such short notice - and raise such a large sum of money?

Raffles: Caught Out follows on from the events of Raffles: A Perfect Wicket. Harry "Bunny" Manders returns to London to find a message in his apartment from Raffles, summoning him to the Albany. Their mutual friend "Ranji", the great batsman of the age, has been compromised by a beautiful and mysterious widow, Iris Adams. Their task is to retrieve a ruby ring in her possession - and if diplomacy fails Raffles vows to use his skills as a cracksman.

A.J. Raffles has left the country in mysterious circumstances. Harry "Bunny" Manders is left back in London, to worry about his friend and listen to all sorts of rumours concerning his sudden disappearance. Bunny has troubles of his own however. The father of Lucy Rosebery, Prescott Rosebery, will not consent to his daughter marrying someone with so little social standing and income. Raffles suddenly returns though - and one of his first tasks is to arrange a cricket match against a highly accomplished team, captained by Prescott Rosebery.

Raffles, the famous cricketer and amateur cracksman, is back in an original adventure. Harry "Bunny" Manders, Raffles' biographer and accomplice, recounts the tale of the time they broke into the bookshop Hatchard's of Piccadilly. Their mission? To steal a letter, formally owned by one Rene d'Aramis, which if published could compromise a prominent member of the government. Yet even more intriguing than their employment is their employer - a certain Mr Sherlock Holmes of 221b Baker Street.

Raffles decides to undertake a job close to home, at the Albany. His new neighbour is Rupert Robert Fuller, a powerful - and odious - financier. In order to distract Fuller, whilst he breaks into the banker's opulent apartment, Raffles calls upon his friend - the cricketing legend C.B. Fry. Yet how much is Raffles being distracted himself Mary Flanagan, Fuller's beautiful and enigmatic maid? Has someone finally stolen the gentleman thief's heart?

Raffles The Gentleman Thief returns in this magnificent third instalment of Richard Foreman's new series based upon the adventures of one of the classic characters of British fiction. In Raffles: A Perfect Wicket, Bunny is worried for his great friend. Since the disappearance of Mary Flanagan (the events of which are contained in the story Raffles: Bowled Over) Raffles has grown despondent, sick with boredom. Thankfully a remedy is found, in the form of an invite to a party.

You’re never quite sure where you are with Dodgy Reg. You might think he’s just fodder for QAnon with all the conspiracy theories he subscribes to, but the more you get to know him, the more you learn. In these podcasts you’ll hear dialogues between Reg and ever-bemused writer Richard covering such surprising topics as street furniture, charcoal tablets, fake coffee and the Royal wave. You’ll find out how subliminal messages can be inserted into printed literature and how to construct your very own conspiracy theory. Richard Foreman, author of cult-favourite short-story collection ...