The fading Republic of ancient Rome is on a knife-edge. But the family and friends of young Annia Probus still bring hope and freedom to the desolate world of slaves. When Annia is granted unique glimpses of a yet more terrible future, she sets herself against that looming catastrophe with all her strength. Brave men and women are with her in this struggle. Some are senators. Some scholars. Some men of substance. But Annia's astounding higher powers and mysterious empathetic gifts are special. She can find herself soaring over different lands and spanning great, split worlds. Yet she can also see right into a person's heart and pain. With gifts like these she's truly equipped for this vital mission. A bold but risky pathway ahead is soon crafted. It bristles with dangers and trials, especially for her. All to chase a prize like no other - nothing less than the freeing of millions from an approaching age of unbridled slavery. Perils quickly begin to pile up. Unexplained assassinations. Crude attempts by competing powers to curb Annia's freedom. A stealthy conspirator hunting her down and conjuring up strange, unruly allies for himself. Ominous first signs of an enslavement without end - more total than any ever known in the world before. And to make this tragedy happen, the most audacious revolt ever devised. Rare, good people now face huge risks in the new and terrifying empire taking shape under Caesar Octavian. Annia will even lose her grip on the person she really is. True, she's bolstered by the loyalty of those believing in her quest. And still striving to keep a step ahead of her enemies, since all hope for humanity now hangs on her resilience. But to put it brutally, can this really be enough to see such a desperate and fraught venture through to the end? The Shining Ram: a novel of contrasts: Authentic setting and epic fantasy. Tangled whodunit and human depths. Hard realism and the hope of freedom. Suspense and humour. Adventure and the search for meaning.