Potential readers are invited to visit Amazon, to see the thought-provoking comments from actual readers, who often have unique insight into the characters and stories.
Dawn of Empire: 1st Place for published fiction:
Arizona Authors Association
“Dawn of Empire is a wonderful book! Big, passionate,
powerful, epic in scope, and brimming with casual erudition
about a little-explored and fascinating moment in human history,
this novel of conflict and the triumph of civilization over
barbarism in the early Bronze Age is a mesmerizing marvel
of sheer storytelling prowess. I couldn’t put it down.”
New York Times Best Selling Author John Lescroart
“. . . equal parts history lesson, love story and war saga, Barone’s
first historical will have readers turning pages.”
Publishers Weekly
“Well-crafted . . . an inherent, delicious sense of tension
throughout . . . a Bronze Age historical romance with brains
as well as brawn, ripe for a sequel.”
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“A compelling first novel . . .Readers will find it hard to put down
this dramatic tale of conflict between cultures, bloody warfare,
and early diplomacy and statehood as seen through the eyes
of a man born to conquer and rule.”
Library Journal
“A lusty debut. The imminent raid by the barbarians creates an
inherent, delicious sense of tension throughout, until the final
unleashing of pure, bloody slaughter.”
Kirkus Reviews
“Beautifully imagined and researched adventure,
with terrific action!”
Best Selling Author Diana Gabaldon
“If Bernard Cornwell and Diana Gabaldon decided to
collaborate on a novel, the result would be something like this.”
The Arizona Republic
Sam Barone & Dawn of Empire voted
“Best Breakout Author of 2007”
The Arizona Republic
“What a cracking story . . . brilliant, fast-paced
epic, bringing an entire people back to roaring
life. Superb!”
Best Selling Author Conn Iggulden
Empire Rising: 2nd Place for published Fiction
Arizona Authors Association
“Empire Rising is a winner from first page to
last.”
Best Selling Author John Lescroart
Conflict of Empires (Quest For Honour):
1st Place for published fiction
Arizona Authors Association