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A review by jmatkinson1
Day of the Caesars by Simon Scarrow
4.0
Rome is in turmoil, Emperor Claudius is dead and his adopted son, Nero, has been declared Emperor. However rumour has it that Claudius was poisioned by his wife/niece Aggripina to disinherit Claudius' natural son, Britannicus, in favour of her own son. As rebellion is in the air Prefect Cato is claimed by both sides as his influence is needed but as he trusted friend Macro is framed for murder and his son is kidnapped Cato struggles to know which side to ally with.
Scarrow is a greatly loved author and this was the first of his books that I have read. Day of the Caesars is the 16th in a long running series about the characters in the Roman Army an, in common with many long running series, there is a lot of detail that has appeared in previous books and which is hinted at in this instalment. For this reason I found it difficult to engage with the book at first, characters appeared fully formed and their relationships and previous experiences were alluded to. However after persevering I became engrossed in the tale which blended fact and fiction seamlessly. Scarrow is a very entertaining writer, the smells and atmosphere of Rome are vivid and the politics that form such a key component of Roman life are explained in a way that does not confuse. The fight scenes are visceral and the characters are actually well-rounded.
Scarrow is a greatly loved author and this was the first of his books that I have read. Day of the Caesars is the 16th in a long running series about the characters in the Roman Army an, in common with many long running series, there is a lot of detail that has appeared in previous books and which is hinted at in this instalment. For this reason I found it difficult to engage with the book at first, characters appeared fully formed and their relationships and previous experiences were alluded to. However after persevering I became engrossed in the tale which blended fact and fiction seamlessly. Scarrow is a very entertaining writer, the smells and atmosphere of Rome are vivid and the politics that form such a key component of Roman life are explained in a way that does not confuse. The fight scenes are visceral and the characters are actually well-rounded.