November 4, 2002
If the Roman Empire had taken as long to rise and fall as this novel takes to discover a main character and a plot, most of the world would still be wearing togas today. The story, such as it is, revolves around two boys: Gaius, the broody son of a wealthy senator, and Marcus, a prostitute's mischievous child who is reared as Gaius's brother and trained with him in the arts of war. Before the two boys reach majority, they are thrust into adulthood by the untimely death of Gaius's father and take up residence in Rome with Gaius's uncle Marius, a powerful consul who is vying with Sulla for control of the Republic. When Marcus is 14, he joins the Fourth Macedonian Legion to earn his fortune; Gaius remains by his uncle's side. Iggulden lingers long over boyhood pranks, trying the reader's patience; the pace picks up only halfway through the novel. Frequent fight scenes, ranging from individual combat to full scale battles, liven the mix somewhat, but the cartoon-like ability of the characters to bounce back after a few stitches weakens the effect. Though Iggulden has a solid grounding in Roman military history, anachronisms in speech and attitude ("Cabera took him outside and gave him a hiding") roll underfoot and trip up authenticity. A major twist toward the end reveals the protagonists to be two of Roman history's best-known figures, but readers with some knowledge of the period will have guessed their identities already. This is ultimately little more than a protracted introduction to a bigger story, which Iggulden will surely go on to tell.
September 1, 2002
Right now, ancient Rome is all the craze, and this book should fit in well. The son of a senator and his bastard brother are raised together but find themselves increasingly at odds as the empire spirals toward civil war.
Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
November 15, 2002
\deflang1033\pard\plain\f3\fs24 Iggulden's debut casts authentically detailed light on the early years of the great Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar. Most of what people know about Caesar revolves around his brilliant work to extend the borders of the Roman republic and his horrible death by stabbing in the Roman senate. This novel, however, accords us an expansive look at Caesar as a young boy. Born into a patrician family, Caesar was catapulted into managing the family estate at an early age, when his father was killed during a slave revolt. The author focuses on Caesar's training for battle--a typical endeavor for his age and ilk. At the same time, he absorbed the fundamentals of the intricacies of Roman politics, into which, by virtue of being the nephew of the powerful consul Marius, Caesar was bound to become involved. The story ends with Caesar's departure from Rome for a stint in the army in the provinces. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)
October 15, 2002
English writer Iggulden's first novel is the story of two young boys-Gaius and Marcus, raised as brothers though one is illegitimate-as they grow to adulthood in Rome two millennia ago. At that time, the republic was beginning to fall apart, a collapse that would result in the civil wars that brought the emperors to power. It was a time of turmoil, chaos, revolutions, casual violence, and savage brutality, and Iggulden's descriptions of the culture and environment are vivid. Although covering a period unknown to most lay readers, Emperor is a surprisingly fast and often exciting read. Iggulden admits to taking some liberties with history, and his masking the identities of Gaius and Marcus is unnecessary and distracting. While the real identity of Marcus (Et tu, Brute?) may be a puzzle, readers with a fair knowledge of Roman history will quickly identify Gaius (think of the Ides of March). Also, the roles of historical warlords Marius and Sulla are not well clarified. Still, this entertaining historical novel will appeal to fans of Steven Pressfield and Michael Curtis Ford. For larger collections. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 9/1/02; also, look for Colleen McCullough's The October Horse: A Novel About Caesar and Cleopatra, which will be released by S. & S. in November.-Ed.]-Robert Conroy, Warren, MI
Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.