He has also worked as a film critic, a hospital orderly, a newspaper reporter, a library archivist, a college lecturer in anthropology and psychology, an animal behaviorist, and an advertising salesman.

[7] Nicastro's ancient fiction, including Empire of Ashes and The Isle of Stone, is marked by a willingness to explore the dark underside of popular historical exploits.

Classicist and expert in Alexander studies Prof. Jeanne Reames (Martin Professor of History, University of Nebraska) praised the book for "avoiding both apologetics and exaggerated sensationalism, making Empire of Ashes one of the best recent novels on the conqueror.”[8] Empire of Ashes was included in a list of all-time recommended historical novels by the Archaeological Institute of America.

[9] In Isle of Stone, Nicastro presents a portrait of ancient Sparta during the Peloponnesian War that departs from what classical historian Paul Cartledge calls "the Spartan mirage".

"[11] Circumference was subsequently cited as an "exemplar" text for 9th and 10th graders as part of the nationwide Common Core standards for English Language Arts.