Early fifth century, Europe, and two old friends, now bitter rivals, face each other on the battlefield. Attila, leader of the Huns, has become corrupted by power, while Aetius, last of the great Roman generals, has been ennobled by it. Ross Laidlaw's masterful portrayal of these two figures is based on his extensive knowledge of the period and is written in a narrative style that vividly evokes the brutality, decadence and desperation of the last desperate struggles of the Roman Empire.