For the Love of Armin

Laila Viking

Rating: really liked it
An author that has done his homework. He has really being reseaching the places, events and characters. That is incredible and only makes the story more real and worth reading.
The mix of real events and fiction is really well written into this story. The details are amazing. The story almost felt like it was a historical book that could be used in schools but it is also a captivating read.

Luxurious Literature

Rating: really liked it
In recent years I have developed a real fondness for historical fiction, becoming hooked after reading 'Wolf Hall' by Hillary Mantel. An interest in the Roman Empire led me to 'For the Love of Armin' by Michael Kramer, and what followed was a novel that easily matches Mantel's for accuracy, writing skill, and ability to weave historical facts into a compelling narrative. Told through the eyes of an ancient Germanic spirit, we follow the aftermath of the Battle of the Tuetoburg Forest, a devastating defeat for the Roman Empire, focusing on Germanic soldier Armin and his family.

The descriptions were vivid, the characters invoked real empathy, and the facts behind the story were fascinating. If you have an interest in the Roman Empire or the early history of Europe, you are certain to find 'For the Love of Armin' a worthwhile and enjoyable read.

Marina

Rating: really liked it
If you are a scholar and student of Ancient Rome, if you love the stories and sagas of how the Germanic people stopped Roman expansion into Northern Europe, then you will love this book.

It tells of the TRUE STORY of Prince Armin of the Cherusci tribe who fought with the Romans and learned about them. No, really. He learned Latin, Roman history and culture, Roman military tactics and warfare, and then he deceived the Romans into a deadly ambush in the forests of Northern Europe where he WIPED OUT THREE LEGIONS and drew the boundary forever of Rome in Northern Europe.

I don't know if this true history has any clear heroes and villains, but if you choose to see Armin/Arminius/Hermann as a liberator and fighter against imperialism then you will love this story of Roman arrogance and cruelty, German resistance, and the boundary between Roman Europe and Germanic Europe that is still here to this day NOW.

One helmet on the cover of this book is Roman and the other helmet is German.
Which side are you rooting for?
Read the book and make up your mind!

Lust for Lit

Rating: really liked it
I like this type of stories which Michael Kramer described in his book " For the love of Armin". Stories from the ancient world where truth connects with fiction. Author knows what he is writing about. A reader can tell that Kramer cares for every small details in his book. His knowledge of the subject is very impressive. Because of this we get a really interesting story, which cares for climate, details and compatibility with historical fact. It is a great asset to the book.
We get a substantive description of the war between Germanic tribes with Romans troops. We meet the main character Armin, the leader and warrior of the Germanic people.
I have not read for long time historical fiction which was this interesting, well written and full of knowledge. M. Kramer did great work. Excellent book for ancient history fans.

Bookie Wookie

Rating: really liked it
I’ve always found the era FTLOA is set in to be particularly fascinating, and the writing here is so detailed I felt I was living out the experiences as I turned page after page. A lot of the conflict is quite gruesome, but I wouldn’t say it’s handled in a gratuitous way, more reflective of the violent times and struggles of the people in those days. Very informative as well as entertaining, and I get the feel the author must have heavily researched every area of life at these times before he began writing. A great read.

Reading Right

Rating: really liked it
The is a whole lot of research gone into this book, that much was clear right from the off, with the intense level of detail and comfortable way in which the author sets scenes and describes the era.

The writing is fluid and the style fits well with story and plot-line, and I’ve read a lot bigger titled historical based novels in the past that didn’t manage this near as well.

Overall I found For The Love Of Armin to be an enjoyable book that I have since recommended to a friend. Looking forward to more from the author.

Black Swan

Rating: really liked it
Whoa! I am so relieved I read this entire book because honestly, I was becoming overwhelmed by the bloodshed, the sexual content and the endless animosity between the ancient Romans and the peoples of Germania. Even though this was not my usual genre for reading, I kept on with it because somehow my curiosity was piqued since this was about two out of the many countries of Europe that I am fascinated by due to their individual histories and cultural aspects. I wanted to know, even though I was informed at the beginning by its narrator that it’s a work of fiction based on actual happenings back then, I was eager to discover any bizarre and interesting data about the ancestors of Italy and Germany. Anyway, here are some information about this grueling read (I say that because it’s a war novel and there is a lot of bloodshed and other inhumane practices that were performed by both the Romans and the Germanic people). The narrator of this fictional work is a ghost called, Adalhard who was an ally of the leading protagonist—Armin. Armin was a Germanic man who was taken from his people by the Romans and schooled by them on intellectual subjects like Math, Latin, and Science to name a few. The Romans even gave him a leadership role in one of their militant organizations only resulting in planting hatred in his heart for them leading to him formulating a plan of revenge that was successful.

If you have a timid heart then you should be warned that this book does not censor itself of its graphic details of certain Roman practices like crucifixion and impaling their enemies as punishment. There is also strong sexual content here which is not too intense but still may set you off if you are against sex and that stuff. These mentions of the Romans’ sexual behavior are not new to me though as I already knew about them from the movie, Spartacus and historic individuals such as Caligula. Anyway, what I really enjoyed about this book was the author’s inclusion of some Biblical events like the villainous King Herod and the birth of Jesus Christ as well as the slaughter of the innocents by King Herod. Moving on, I felt empathetic towards Armin and his people and the sufferings they went through while under the power of the Roman Empire back then. I was amazed and in a way fascinated because this was the history of Europe (the wars not the story which I must remind you is a work of fiction) that the rest of the world are not that familiar with. Haha. Interesting, huh?

I recommend this book to lovers of war stories and those who are veterans of war. I also advise those who are admirers of historical fiction that have to do with Europe to buy this one now because it will shock and soothe their tastes just by reading about the historical regions of Europe covered in this book like Gaul for instance which is present-day France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. There is mention of Odin (Woden) and his son Thor who are figures of Scandinavian/Germanic mythology. There are also references to the well-known Roman figure, the gladiator. All in all, I give this book 4 stars because although it was entertaining and at times fascinating, its structuring (formatting) was off-putting and if you buy it for yourself or a friend of yours, you two will come to know what I am talking about. But have a great day and enjoy the positives!

Biblio Fish

Rating: really liked it
2017 was a year that I promised myself that I would look beyond thriller and horror when choosing my next read. Historical fiction is something I usually avoid, so I decided to try 'For the Love of Armin' by Michael Kramer, which is set in 9AD during the Roman Empire. It seemed appropriate since I live very near the Roman Wall. I'm so glad I stepped out of m comfort zone as this novel is an absolute triumph. Can the actions of one brave man, halt the might of the Roman Empire? If he is to do so, he will have to battle his own people, including his own family. Can Armin change the course of history, and will he survive faced by threats on all sides?

I loved this book, so I was interested to learn that Kramer has also written a novel about the Vietnam War, which has been added to my wish list for Christmas. I hope it is as brilliant as this one.

8th Day Reads

Rating: really liked it
An often vivid and enthralling account, both factual and fiction based, around a fascinating period of history towards the end of the Roman Empire. The detail, and layered plot pieces are cunningly crafted by the author providing a steady build that kept me hooked right from the beginning. I wouldn’t describe myself as a history buff, but I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I’ll give it another read at some point I think, and may well read more by the author at a later date too.

Literary Loft

Rating: really liked it
For the Love of Armin by Michael Kramer is a factually based look at the young Germanic warrior known as Armin. His enemies called him Arminius and he is credited with defeating a total of three Roman legions. The author has contrived to write a book of fiction backed up by historical fact, and that he has done in the intriguing book that not only is interesting and entertaining but imparts great historical knowledge as well. After you read this book, you will have learned something. Battle tales are recounted in great detail, even Biblical events are examined, sometimes it is hard to tell what is fact or fiction, they are so well blended together. Sometimes the cadence of the book feels a little disjointed but that small lacking is certainly made up for with the extensive research that obviously went into the writing. An excellent tome that explores Roman and European history in depth; great for students to learn from and others to sit back and enjoy.

Book It Up

Rating: really liked it
I found ‘For the Love of Armin’ to be an unusual novel, with its heavily scholarly historical focus mixed with pure storytelling. It certainly fleshes out dry educational facts with the author’s imagined conversations and interactions. Readers are treated to much discussion and explanation of gladiators, battles and sexual encounters. If this were to form the basis for a film it would definitely contain scenes of a Certificate 18 nature! The author does not unnecessarily complicate the text, he maintains a simple, straightforward writing style that makes it accessible to a wide range of readers. I highly recommend this quirky, immersive reading experience to anyone from history buffs to complete beginners with a nose for the past.

Only the Best Books

Rating: really liked it
For the Love of Armin, is an exciting and interesting book based on factual events. The plot focuses mainly around a world changing battle that resulted in the loss of tens of thousands of Roman troops and the trials of Germanic warrior Armin.

This novel would make a really great gift for anyone who has an interest in ancient history. They get all the facts, but delivered in an exciting, moving, and interesting story. The author manages to be factually correct, but keeps his writing style dynamic and interesting, so you definitely feel immersed in the era, as opposed to feeling like you are reading a textbook. The story flows really well, and with action, betrayal, politics, sex, romance, and so much more, you will have plenty to keep you gripped from start to finish.

Cece Whittaker

Rating: really liked it
For the Love of Armin by Michael Kramer, told largely in narrative form is a treasure trove for eager fans of early Roman and Germanic history, especially if they favor the freedom seeking Germanics. The story is told of Armin, the Germanic Warrior whose cunning and discipline brought the defeat of the Roman Governor in Germania as well as three Roman legions, but ultimately incurred the wrath of Tiberius, who brought about severe consequences.
The story is told interspersing heavily such detail as weaponry and its construction and use, battlefield and coinciding bits of interesting history. From the point of view of the ghost of a native training officer, Adalhard, from around the time of 18 B.C., we travel through the reigns of Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, and into Tiberius’s checkered reign.
We are treated to a gladiator scene right at the start, after which Adalhard flashes back through the developments that brought the young victorious gladiator to the ring. There can be little question, that Mr. Kramer is an expert in this subject, and has woven a work of art into this historical manuscript, For the Love of Armin, around the era.

Book Blast

Rating: really liked it
What is instantly clear about Michael Kramer's novel, For the Love of Armin, is the amount of work and research he has put into it. He has used as much historical fact as he can, and used them to create realistic characters, that were appropriate to the time period of the Roman Empire. His ability to combine fact and fiction is brilliant, as was his ability to set such dramatic scenes with epic action and bloodshed. Set in the early years following the birth of Christ, we start the book as the Roman Empire is at the height of it's power, expanding throughout Europe, sacking village after village, taking over clan after clan. Germanic soldier, Armin is determined to free his people from the relentless power of Rome, but with his own arrival to power comes betrayal, heartbreak, and risk of those who would take his power for themselves. I would really recommend this book, it I exciting and educational as well as being very well-written, with a fast-paced plot, with unexpected twists.

Bookish Picks

Rating: really liked it
Michael Kramer evidently put a huge amount of work into researching this historical fiction. For the Love of Armin is crammed full of historical facts and extrapolations based on fact. The novel is narrated by the ghost of an ancient Germanic warrior, although large sections slip into a more didactic encyclopedia style. These changes of pace makes the text feel slightly disjointed, but at the same time each section is easy to read, understand and follow. This is Kramer’s second novel; his first being about the Vietnam War. Kramer clearly has a vested interest in battle, along with first-hand experience, which he has lent to For the Love of Armin - a very battle-heavy story. I was surprised to discover a Bible-related anecdote, concerning Mary and Joseph fleeing to safety from Herod, with baby Jesus. More surprising still, perhaps, were the absolutely no-holds-barred sexual accounts of various characters.