Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome by Robert Harris Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $3.45 You Save: $22.55 (87%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $0.01 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome
Book Review: Spectacular
Summary: 4 Stars
"Imperium" is brilliant. Robert Harris produces a historical novel that zips through with high intensity while maintaining steady grip on reality. Its amazing the tension Harris builds during the political events in the novel. Normally such events are not the stuff of thrillers, but not so here. Also wonderful are the characterizations, especially Cicero himself. Another favorite for me is Julius Ceasar who enters the novel early in his career. The "insider perspective" the reader gets into how Ceasar begins to win space in Roman politics and into the character traits that lead to his future importance is a special treat. I definitely am looking forward to a continuation of this Cicero's saga
Book Review: Imperium
Summary: 5 Stars
Educational and fast story line. I bought other books by this author as a result.Book Review: `It is in the nature of things that all politicians can achieve greatness.'
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a novel about Cicero, told from the perspective of his amanuensis, Tiro. Starting in 79 BC and finishing in 64 BC, Mr Harris writes a powerful novel that portrays historical events and people in republican Rome while bringing both the times and the characters to life.
The life of Marcus Tullius Cicero (approximately 106 to 43 BC) essentially coincided with the decline and fall of the Roman Republic. Cicero was a lawyer, an orator, a politician and a philosopher. His writings continue to be a valuable source of information about these events. Cicero's political career was remarkable. At this time, high political offices in Rome, though technically achieved through winning elections, were almost exclusively controlled by a group of wealthy aristocratic families that had held them for many generations. While Cicero's family were aristocratic, they lacked the connections and the wealth to be part of the inner circle. And so, Cicero relies on his abilities to achieve his ambitions.
Court cases, intrigue, depictions of the politics of the time: all make for fascinating reading. By using Tiro as his narrator, Mr Harris provides a wonderful means of viewing Cicero slightly dispassionately both in terms of his actions and motivations.
I'd recommend this novel highly both to those interested in this period of history as well as to those interested in a great story.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Book Review: Following Cicero's First Steps.
Summary: 5 Stars
Robert Harris (1957) is a successful English novelist. He started his writing career as a journalist, continued writing some non-fiction books till he wrote his first great success: "Fatherland" (1992) an alt-his novel exploring a world where Germany won WWII.
After writing some more noteworthy novels Harris has turned his attention to the fascinating world of Ancient Rome (one of my preferred themes) starting with "Pompeii" (2003) and more recently issuing the present "Imperium" (2006) the first volume of an intended trilogy about Cicero.
In order to write "Imperium", Harris has done a good historical research that reflects all over the novel. Details about daily life, social organization and politics amongst other items are blended seamlessly into the main argument.
Does this mean that the book is boring? By no means, Harris is able to show all these features and at the same time construct an engaging story that will trap the reader.
The story is as follows: Tiro, Cicero's slave & secretary tells his master life starting when Cicero was 27 years old.
The narration follows Cicero's initial learning with the most famous oratory Greek teachers; his marriage to Terentia a rich young woman in order to obtain enough wealth to be accepted as Roman Senator.
Cicero's first great accusations, as lawyer, against Verres corrupt Sicily's governor & his noble supporters.
The novel ends with Cicero being elected Consul and leaves the reader eagerly expecting the next promised volumes.
I'm a declared fan of Colleen McCullough's "Masters of Rome" series and this novel is a very good complement to that series, as it focus on the same historical period but picking a different view point and inferring diverse explanations to some facts and relationships as for example Cicero's support to Pompey.
"Imperium" is a very commendable historical novel that will be fully enjoyed by history buffs and general public too. I eagerly await the next two promised volumes!
Reviewed by Max Yofre.
Book Review: The story of Cicero's rise to fame
Summary: 4 Stars
I loved Richard Harris' earlier book Pompeii which I though was a work of subtle genius for its low key portrayal of a humble Roman civil engineer investigating water supply problems in a provincial town. It just turns out that the town was Pompeii on the eve of the eruption of Mt Vesuvius and the first warning was the drying up of public fountains. Imperium is something else entirely. It is the story of Marcus Cicero's rise to fame as Rome's greatest advocate and orator. Cicero is remembered as a brilliant but mild-mannered lawyer expert at legal maneuvers and forum speeches but lacking military skills. Unfortunately he was born into the age of larger than life generals like Pompey, Caesar and finally Mark Anthony who dominated the late Republic. Harris wisely focuses on his conflict with Marcus Crassus, historically a much more opaque figure. This keeps the spotlight on Cicero and allows him to shine. Reflecting on Roman liberty and rule of law, Cicero opined that `Rome is not a matter of geography... Rome is an ideal'. On the other hand he did make compromises. When his cousin Lucius took him to task, he is quoted as saying, `The trouble with Lucius is that he thinks politics is a fight for justice. Politics is a profession.' The book ends with Cicero attaining the consulship against long odds. As the book demonstrates Cicero repeatedly switched his allegiance from one faction to another and from populists to aristocrats with a view to self-advancement. Perhaps as a `new man' without family wealth or connections he felt obliged to do this. In the end however, he found himself isolated and friendless. The book, though, closes well before then, at the peak of his success.
Initially I was concerned about Harris' foray into the extensively documented period of the late Republic because here many authors have gone astray. The decision to focus on the relatively low profile Cicero, shedding light on someone who is usually a supporting character in this type of story, proves a good one and gives readers a different perspective on the life of Rome. There are no accounts of battles. Instead we read about details of court cases and election campaigns. From this perspective, absent the wars of contest, things were not too different from the political life of our own time. Interested readers will also enjoy Colleen McCullough's voluminous Masters of Rome series.