Sophia McDougall is a British author best known for her "Romanitas" trilogy, which imagines a world where the Roman Empire endures into contemporary times. Her works often explore alternate histories and social commentary through compelling narratives. McDougall also crafts sci-fi adventures for younger readers that can captivate adults as well. Her style is marked by a thoughtful examination of the consequences of historical divergences and human nature.
In this humorous middle grade sequel, Alice Dare and her friends embark on a chaotic intergalactic adventure to save the galaxy once again, facing off against a new breed of alien menace. With no duct tape at their disposal, the kids must navigate unexpected challenges and laugh-out-loud moments as they navigate the cosmos. Packed with excitement and wit, this tale promises to engage young readers from start to finish.
Twelve-year-old Alice Dare is one of 300 seven- to sixteen-year-olds evacuated to Mars to attend school and train as soldiers, safe from the war with Earth's invading aliens, the Morrors, but when all of the adults and robots mysteriously disappear, the youths must survive on their own.
In a world where Rome never fell, Marcus Novius becomes the new emperor after a devastating explosion at the Coliseum kills his uncle. Alongside his sister Una and healer Sulien, Marcus faces the challenges of leadership and impending threats to the empire, as their fight for justice takes a perilous turn.
Rome Burning is the second book of Sophia McDougall's projected trilogy, following her debut novel, Romanitas, set in a world where the Roman Empire has survived to contemporary times.Three years after the events of Romanitas, the Empire is on the brink of war with Nionia (Japan), and plagued by a sequence of mysterious wildfires. Marcus Novius, the young heir to the Roman throne is forced to take charge as Regent when the Emperor Faustus falls suddenly ill. Marcus attempts to recruit Varius as his advisor, but Varius, who is still haunted by the events of the first book (in which he lost his wife and was framed for murder and treason), refuses. While Marcus works to avoid a world war, his lover Una is intent on discovering the truth about his ambitious cousin Drusus's involvement in a conspiracy that almost claimed Marcus's life.
Imagine the Roman Empire is still flourishing today... In 2756 AC (2004 AD in Christian terms), magnetic railways span Roman territory from Persia to Terranova, and mechanised crucifixes are ranked along the banks of the Thames. As volume one of ROMANITAS opens, Marcus Novius Faustus Leo, heir apparent to the Imperial throne, is mourning the death of his parents following a tragic accident. However, as information about the last days of his father's life becomes known to him, Marcus realises that his father's death was no accident and that his own life is in danger. Meanwhile, an escaped slave girl called Una, who possesses the power to look inside others' minds, struggles to save her brother, Sulien, from a London prison ship. In a fortune teller's stall in a Gallic flea-market, Marcus, Una and Sulien's paths cross, and the fate of the Empire rests on their shoulders... ROMANITAS takes you into an amazing world which is recognisably contemporary and yet also far removed from our own.