africa

About the nicest thing I can say about this book's predecessor (The Gates of Rome) is that it left me interested enough to read the sequel. Unfortunately, Iggulden once again twists history to suit his own plots and doesn't have any compelling characters to show for it.

The biggest annoyance I have with this series is the blatant disregard for historical fact, especially considering that the publisher has promoted the series as "the perfect blend of history and fiction". The somewhat distorted history of the last book is further mangled in the followup. I wouldn't be surprised if Caesar kills Brutus if the discrepancies continue to increase. I do not accept the argument that the historical record can be altered to produce a better plot. It comes off as half-hearted. Iggulden should take some advice from Guy Gavriel Kay and change the names of characters and locations and write a fantasy novel instead. At least he can mask any deliberate inaccuracies. If you want exciting books that keep true to the history, read Steven Saylor.

Another weakness demonstrated by Iggulden is his character development. In good historical fiction, characters are as complex as history records them. Sulla is not all evil, Marius is not all good, and mobs never speak with one voice. The first book suffered from a sloppy writing style that featured a lot of grinning. The author just loves that expression. Thankfully the narrative runs a little smoother in this book (and there is considerably less grinning).

I might tread on to the next novel, mostly because the history is changing so much that it actually adds an element of surprise. This is better suited for fantasy novels, but I can afford to continue, albeit at a paperback price.

Let's keep one thing in mind....its called historical fiction for a reason! We expect the authors to take liberties and paint us a picture and weave a story with twists and turns that relate historical facts and/or events with the lives of the characters.

I was completely drawn into this book. The characters come alive and the author gives us interesting storylines along with some historical incidents that paint a magical picture of how life and politics may have been in the time of Ceasar.

I am a fan of historical fiction types of work. This ranks high on my list of all time best reads. It was enjoyable and lively. It kept my interest. And most importantly, I couldnt wait to pick the book back up again to read what was coming next.

If you are interested in accurate history, then check under History. This is listed under fiction for a reason.....

A great read. I would highly recomend this novel!!!!! Much better editing than his first book !!!!!!! Great character development and a can't turn the pages fast enough story pace. I can't wait for the next in the series.