By Conn Iggulden
Not often, if ever, does a brand new author dazzle us with this type of brilliant mind's eye and storytelling, perfectly taking pictures the essence of a land, a humans, a legend. Conn Iggulden is simply the sort of author, bringing to vibrant existence the most attention-grabbing eras in human background. In a real masterpiece of historic fiction, Iggulden takes us on a wide ranging trip via historical Rome, sweeping us right into a realm of tyrants and slaves, of darkish intrigues and seething passions. What emerges is either a grand romantic story of coming-of-age within the Roman Empire and a colourful portrait of the early years of a guy who could turn into the main strong ruler in the world: Julius Caesar.
On the luxurious Italian peninsula, a brand new empire is taking form. At its center is the town of Rome, a spot of glory and decadence, attractiveness and bloodshed. in contrast bright backdrop, boys are growing to be to manhood, dreaming of battles, reputation, and glory in carrier of the mightiest empire the area has ever identified. One is the son of a senator, a boy of privilege and ambition to whom a lot has been given and from whom a lot is anticipated. the opposite is a bastard baby, a boy of energy and crafty, whose love for his adoptive family–and his adoptive brother–will be the main robust strength in his life.
As younger Gaius and Marcus are informed within the paintings of combat–under the tutelage of 1 of Rome’s such a lot fearsome gladiators–Rome itself is being rocked through the paintings of treachery and ambition, stuck in a tug-of-war as rival generals, Marius and Sulla, push the empire towards civil conflict. For Marcus, a bloody crusade in Greece becomes a tender soldier’s proving floor. For Gaius, the both lethal infighting of the Roman Senate would be the battlefield the place he hones his braveness and ability. And for either, the affection of a unprecedented slave lady can be an honor each one will covet yet just one will win.
The pals are pressured to stroll diverse paths, and by the point they meet back every thing can have replaced. either could have recognized love, loss, and violence. And the land the place they have been as soon as blameless can be thrust into the grip of sour conflict–a clash that may set Roman opposed to Roman...and placed their friendship to the last word try out.
Brilliantly interweaving heritage and event, Conn Iggulden conjures a gorgeous array of contrasts–from the bloody stench of a battlefield to the opulence of the best urban in heritage, from the tenderness of a lover to the treachery of an murderer. fantastically rendered, grippingly advised, Emperor, The Gates of Rome is a piece of vaulting mind's eye from a robust new voice in old fiction.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Extra info for The Gates of Rome (Emperor, Book 1)
Example text
Soon afterward came an episode in Bastogne, showing again what kind of battle this was going to be. They carted off not merely the staff and the supplies, but all the wounded men. IV Monuments resumed work on interrogation; it was the way they could be most useful, setting free the military men for more urgent duties. Lanny’s interest was the keener because his own life was at stake. Many whom he didn’t know would know him, for he had been a conspicuous figure wherever he went in Naziland, the American whom the Führer trusted.
They talked fast, and it was evident that they knew their business down to the last detail; they had spent two years learning it and half a year acting what they had learned. With quiet competence they laid out the procedure. Another commando would be a second or two behind, prepared to help. All that presupposed darkness, of which there was an unlimited quantity outside. ” asked Lanny. ” exclaimed the lieutenant, pleased but uncertain. “Most of the officers will be in the farmhouse, eating supper and resting.
He had destroyed all his papers and could give a false name and might get by with it. But he had traveled all over Germany, ever since boyhood, and had known literally thousands of Germans, especially of the officer class and among the Nazis of the ruling group. Wasn’t it certain that they would apply all the fancy kinds of scientific torture they had devised to make him reveal the names of his accomplices? So why not die quickly and take a few highly trained enemy troops along with him? If only he had had one of those tiny cyanide capsules with which the OSS provided its agents when going into enemy territory!