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The Gates of Rome (Emperor, Book 1) By Conn Iggulden ( Dell )
Release Date: 2004-02-03
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Product Description
Rarely, if ever, does a new writer dazzle us with such a vivid imagination and storytelling, flawlessly capturing the essence of a land, a people, a legend. Conn Iggulden is just such a writer, bringing to vivid life one of the most fascinating eras in human history. In a true masterpiece of historical fiction, Iggulden takes us on a breathtaking journey through ancient Rome, sweeping us into a realm of tyrants and slaves, of dark intrigues and seething passions. What emerges is both a grand romantic tale of coming-of-age in the Roman Empire and a vibrant portrait of the early years of a man who would become the most powerful ruler on earth: Julius Caesar.
On the lush Italian peninsula, a new empire is taking shape. At its heart is the city of Rome, a place of glory and decadence, beauty and bloodshed. Against this vivid backdrop, two boys are growing to manhood, dreaming of battles, fame, and glory in service of the mightiest empire the world has ever known. One is the son of a senator, a boy of privilege and ambition to whom much has been given and from whom much is expected. The other is a bastard child, a boy of strength and cunning, whose love for his adoptive family–and his adoptive brother–will be the most powerful force in his life.
As young Gaius and Marcus are trained in the art of combat–under the tutelage of one of Rome’s most fearsome gladiators–Rome itself is being rocked by the art of treachery and ambition, caught in a tug-of-war as two rival generals, Marius and Sulla, push the empire toward civil war. For Marcus, a bloody campaign in Greece will become a young soldier’s proving ground. For Gaius, the equally deadly infighting of the Roman Senate will be the battlefield where he hones his courage and skill. And for both, the love of an extraordinary slave girl will be an honor each will covet but only one will win.
The two friends are forced to walk different paths, and by the time they meet again everything will have changed. Both will have known love, loss, and violence. And the land where they were once innocent will be thrust into the grip of bitter conflict–a conflict that will set Roman against Roman...and put their friendship to the ultimate test.
Brilliantly interweaving history and adventure, Conn Iggulden conjures a stunning array of contrasts–from the bloody stench of a battlefield to the opulence of the greatest city in history, from the tenderness of a lover to the treachery of an assassin. Superbly rendered, grippingly told, Emperor, The Gates of Rome is a work of vaulting imagination from a powerful new voice in historical fiction.
From the Hardcover edition.
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 DG ( rsg617 )
I can't believe this book is getting such bad reviews. I loved the book and read through it in a few days. Sure the history is not accurate, but it is a fictional book. A few have complained about the writing, but I found it to be very good. This is a first novel keep in mind. I have read Conn's Genghis books and they are incredible. I feel like Conn Iggulden could be the next David Gemmell. I will certainly be reading the rest of this series.
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 History re-written ( artdog20 )
"Imagine reading a fictional book about American history that tells a story about George Washington and Thomas Jefferson growing up as best friends together, as children in impoverished circumstances in New York city, who are befriended by a wandering Navajo indian with magical powers. Now imagine that this is being read by lots of children and immigrants without a grounding in basic American history. Sure, the story may be entertaining, but it is so far divorced from any actual history that it would frighten you that people might actually place some faith in this version of history"
Couldn't have said it better myself. While an entertaining read, the historical errors were too much for me to take. I would never buy another book by this author because of this.
It was astounding to read the historical notes and discover the author actually knows the real history but chose to re-write for dramatic purposes.
I enjoy reading historical novels about real events with the details and characters fleshed out by a creative mind. This is not such a novel.
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 Et tu, Iggulden? ( delisa52 )
Honestly, I couldn't care less about the "historical accuracy" of this book. It's fiction. I bought it because I thought it might be a good fiction book, if I wanted a history book I would have bought one. But the writing is very amateurish, the only time the writing seems to come alive is when Iggulden is writing huge battle scenes. Other than that, it's very bland. Now I'm looking for a better historical fiction book about Rome!
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 Thoroughly Enjoyed It! ( tjwag )
I thoroughly enjoyed the entire four book series. The melding of history and leadership traits with a readable story made for a fun adventure. I sent the first book to my son who is in Army ROTC and bought another for my wife who enjoyed Griffin's Brotherhood of War series.
The author notes historical inaccuracies and licenses he took with the story at the end of each book although he could have broadened these sections to placate the true history buffs. The final book seems to rush to the ultimate 'et tu, Brutus?' end obviously leaving much out of the story.
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I love the book and the series
It was a great book and series. Keep in mind it is an historical fiction - so some is simply made up. I read all of the series, and even though you know the ending it was a wonderful adventure.
One funny - and a little distracting for me, was the fact that corn was mentioned in the book... I wrote the author, explaining that corn was a "new world" discovery, and did not exixt in Eurpoe durin the Roman days. He did change the next book, but did not get all corn out... He sent me an autographed first edition for my "help"...
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