Emperor: The Gates of Rome by Conn Iggulden
The Gates of Rome is the first volume of the series, Emperor, which has four volumes in total.
"In a city of grandeur and decadence, beauty and bloodshed, two boys, best friends, dream of glory in service of the mightiest empire the world has ever known. One is the son of a senator. The other is a bastard child. As young Gaius and Marcus grow to manhood, they are trained in the art of combat - under the tutelage of one of Rome's most fearsome gladiators. 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 extraodinary slave girl will be an honor each will covet but only one will win. But as Rome is thrust into the grip of bitter conflict, as every Roman prepares to take sides in the coming battle, Gaius and Marcus's friendship will be put to the ultimate test."
I have always been curious about my roman history and mythology. It all started with a game, which instantly captured my liking for the interesting battles and politics that surrounded Rome. Ironically, when I was in China for a vacation, I stumbled upon this book, which I have never regretted buying. In fact, I found this book so interesting, that I would looked forward to reading it everytime, even during school.
Emperor: The Gates of Rome is a stunning combination of bloody action, heroic bravery, and a brilliant story brought to life for a modern readership. Conn Iggulden goes about using his own imagination to describe the life of Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus when they were little children, as there were very little accounts on the childhood of Caesar. In almost every single moment that I spend with this book, I could really imagine myself in the scene, as if I have just travelled way back in time.
The story though, takes many twists along the real history. Iggulden explains this in every volume with a historical note at the back, which in my opinion, is very useful for people who do not know the actual story of Julius Caesar. Iggulden has also turned the story of Julius Caesar into a tale of high adventure, a blood-soaked, sword-swinging epic that brings a number of vivid characters to life, which just kept me flipping the pages one after another non-stop. One example is in the book, where Marcus watches in awe as a gladiator's arm is sawed off and the reader can almost taste the blood in the air.
There is something I would like to mention though, is that the entire series consists of volumes that were written for adults. In other words, there is a lot of mature content in it; from violence, to language, to some sexual references. Nevertheless, this is must read for all historical fiction lovers. Well at least for me, as I had to place an order overseas from a store just to get the last three volumes, which cost me quite a sum for the shipping!
It sounds like a greatly written book. I too have a great interest in Roman Mythology. I have a great interest for the history of Greece and Rome. I find their culture so compelling and it really piques my interest. The history of the Roman Gods is what interests me the most. I will probably take a look at this book.
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