The first book covering the subject of ancient warships that is available to and accessible by non-academics, this book features full-color artwork and illustrations, as well as cut-away art. It details the design, development, operation and history of this ancient machinery.

Model Retailer (May 2013)

Author Adrian Wood has done considerable research as he tells the tale of the development of these vessels from multi-purpose ships until we get the first purpose built war ships to where carrying stuff was secondary to the mission. Researching ship design of this time is not an easy task and we have to grab snippets of information from the writings of the time as well as from what is presented on pottery as well as any wall paintings or remaining fragments. However, a cohesive story is told and is one that is fascinating to anyone interested in the nautical world. Enhanced by images of artifacts and the excellent illustrations of Giuseppe Rava, we can see how ship development went forward over the 2500 years covered by this edition. It is a book that is both fun to read and interesting.

Scott Van Aken, www.modelingmadness.com (February 2013)