I'd say 3.5
This was an interesting historical it had plenty of elements that seemed right, so accurate, the language though was so contemporary it threw me off a bit...I kept waiting for Gold to say 'A gladiator gotta do what a gladiator gotta do'...But then again maybe that's just me.
All in all it was a good story Gold was a spartan slave in Rome, belonged to the House of Simeon he was their legendary undefeated Gladiator...he has a place of importance in that house but they never let him forget he was a slave. Samson another slave comes along and he begins to remember who he was...I liked the story and will read the next ones...I think the writer is def on to something and these will improve.