Imperium - Robert Harris

[Riselka]

Found a copy of this on the discount counter yesterday, and have seen it described here as one of the best books about ancient Rome written in the past few years - in addition to Harris's book Pompeii.

So ... I'm assuming that Imperium is pretty darned good.

I see that, according to Fantastic Fiction, is supposedly the first book of a trilogy. Harris's newest book is not the second book, but I see he has a book coming out this fall called Titan.

Does anyone know if this book is the second in the trilogy?

 

[Brian G Turner]

Just read Imperium and seriously enjoyed it - very engaging, and wholly with a feeling of realism. A superb book with wide appeal.

Lustrum is apparently the sequel - I think I saw mention of a third book in this series, but I'm not sure if one has been written/published as yet?

 

[Allegra]

I didn't realise these are part of a trilogy. His latest book An Officer And A Spy (2013) is about the Alfred Dreyfus affair. I have been wanting to get that book. Now together with Lustrum.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Oh - I just found it! The third book in the Cicero trilogy is coming out this October!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00T19UNMQ/?tag=brite-21

 

[MWagner]

I'm currently reading Lustrum, the second in the series. Harris has a real talent for writing a page-turning thriller without sacrificing historical authenticity.

 

[Allegra]

Harris has a real talent for writing a page-turning thriller without sacrificing historical authenticity.

Except his Fatherland, sacrificed historical facts a big time, excellent just the same.

 

[Bugg]

Oh - I just found it! The third book in the Cicero trilogy is coming out this October!

At last! Now I need to re-read the first two

 

[Brian G Turner]

I'm currently reading Lustrum, the second in the series. Harris has a real talent for writing a page-turning thriller without sacrificing historical authenticity.

I had a glance at Lustrum and was disappointed to see that Cicero no longer appears to be the viewpoint character, but instead simply one of his secretaries? That does put me off a little - I'd rather be dragged along by a main character through their tribulations, rather than just watch someone from afar. Even still, it's Robert Harris so I'm sure I'll push on regardless.

 

[Bugg]

I thought Lustrum was excellent, Brian. I doubt you'd be disappointed by it

 

[MWagner]

Yeah, I found Lustrum just as engaging as Imperium. The POV from the secretary gives us a bit of distance from Cicero, and enables us to see what other people think about him. Which is useful because Cicero has his flaws. Dictator is excellent also, though different again because it takes place over a long period of time. And, of course, everything is falling apart.

 

[Brian G Turner]

And it's now on offer for £1.99 on Amazon.co.uk.

 

[Al Jackson]

Just read Imperium and seriously enjoyed it - very engaging, and wholly with a feeling of realism. A superb book with wide appeal.

Lustrum is apparently the sequel - I think I saw mention of a third book in this series, but I'm not sure if one has been written/published as yet?

Robert Graves and Colleen McCullough have done a great job of historical fiction about the transition from the Republic to Empire. (Well Graves does a little too much riffing on characters in his novels). Other novels that follow Roman history from about 100 BCE to 60 CE, but I really only know one author who touches on the Nerva-Antonine dynasty, Steven Saylor's novels. I know the Caesar to Nero era is full of a lot of stuff, but some of the most interesting times followed the death of Nero.*
Rome was still on top for 200 more years.

*When I was a kid Movie Rome was so harness to the old and new Testament that if you got your history from movies you would have thought that Rome fell with the death of Nero!
(I remember how pleased i was in 1960 when Spartacus came out with no mention of Christianity at all!)