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Title: What a waste
Review: I have not read Leckie's Hannibal, and based on this book, Scipio, I won't bother. The book wanders aimlessly through the early life of Scipio Africanus in the stereotypical way that novels written as memoirs do. We hear about little Publius growing up, learning Greek, admiring his father from a distance, losing his virginity, and so on. All of this is dealt with in no order and with no urgency, with constant interruptions from Bostar, the clerk recording Scipio's tale. The fact that Bostar was once Hannibal's clerk is an annoying absurdity.Once things do begin to get interesting the book becomes rushed, and everything is hurried and skimmed over with no detail. At least Bostar's interjections end at this point. I understand that, within the story, there are reasons why Scipio must finish his memoir in haste. But that doesn't make for a better read.Rebublican Rome is a fascinating period peopled with fascinating characters. Absolutely none of this comes through in this book. Avoid.
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