Emperor Series: The Gates Of Rome

Who has read this book and series....

I just started it.......so far it's great.....

i just finished -----
gates of fire by pressfield [awesome] anybody read
and
troy: lord of the silver bow by gemmell [awesome] anybody read

Wrong forum I'm afraid. But it certainly is a very good book, though the author's rendition of history is somewhat peculiar (Caesar and Brutus being best buddies and all that).

Ive read all those books, the Emporer Series had me straight away despite the author's shall we say liberties with the exact history. (Though he does stick more or less to the major events, which is fine, I know the history, he is just embellishing it's story).
I'm waiting for the next book by Gemmel in that series (Troy), he is one of my favoured authors, I suggest you check more of his books out if you haven't already.

Originally Posted by Aristocrat

I'm waiting for the next book by Gemmel in that series (Troy), he is one of my favoured authors, I suggest you check more of his books out if you haven't already.

Your wait has ended, it came out like weeks ago.

btw, Rigante series 4 life.

Originally Posted by Aristocrat

Ive read all those books, the Emporer Series had me straight away despite the author's shall we say liberties with the exact history. (Though he does stick more or less to the major events, which is fine, I know the history, he is just embellishing it's story).
I'm waiting for the next book by Gemmel in that series (Troy), he is one of my favoured authors, I suggest you check more of his books out if you haven't already.

Ah yes I just got it last week.....Troy: Shield of Thunder.....

http://www.gemmellmania.co.uk/ see 2006-09-01 - Fall of Kings


From wikipedia:

Troy: The Fall of Kings (due- Sep 200?) Although David passed away before completing the final novel in his Troy trilogy, Transworld announced that around 70,000 words were completed shortly before his death. They report that his wife, Stella, will complete the remainder of the book, working from his chapter notes. Stella Gemmell has been involved in the research and creation of the trilogy since its inception in 2003.

ON ANOTHER NOTE:

Iggulden's debut book was the The Gates of Rome, the first in a four-part series entitled Emperor. The series is based around the life of Julius Caesar, from childhood (Gates of Rome) to his eventual betrayal (Gods of War). At times, Iggulden drifts away from historical accuracy for the purposes of storytelling, although he does explain his reason in an Historical Note at the end of the book.

The series has been released, and well received, internationally. The film option has been sold to Spitfire Productions (an Intermedia company).

Also is working on Mongol series: After completing the Emperor series, Iggulden began research for his next series of books based on the life of Mongolian warlords Genghis and Kublai Khan. His first book is expected in 2007.

1. Wolf of the Plains (2007)

I've read the last 2 books in the seies and I am in the process of purchasing the first 2 now...

Very good books in my opinion, even if a little ahistorical...

read all of the emperor series more than three times already and they never grow old. Has the second Troy book already been released?

I enjoyed reading three books of the Emperor Series. The first one was read in no more than a few days: I loved how Iggulden brought to live the young Gaius and Marcus, and I was able to forgive the few historical inaccuraties like Marius' age (he died when Caesar was 12, in the book when Caesar is about 17) and the presence of Marcus (who was in fact Servilia's son, 15 years older than Caesar). I really liked the idea of Caesar having a 'sword', a companion who grows up with him and who dramatically will betray him in the end.

Second and third book were quite enjoyable too, but I really dislike the way Iggulden uses historical facts. In the famous I, Claudius Robert Graves follows the historical facts, and fills up the gaps with what was most probable to him. Iggulden's way of dealing with facts is different. Let's take Octavian as example. He's a little street rat living in the slumps of Rome when he joins Caesar, growing into a warrior and officer. I do not recognise the real Augustus in this street rat turned warrior. He should be a somewhat dreamy (sp?) but highly intelligent guy, not a real soldier who fights in the Gallic War. Another example of Iggulden's history abuse. Brutus openly loves Alexandria, a woman who isn't of patrician rank. Not a problem: patricians often had mistresses, even slaves to fill their beds. But Brutus loves Alexandria, a former slave, openly, a very strange thing to do.

There are numerous other facts that annoy me, like the lack of depth when it comes to Caesar's carreer and, more important, his character. He just isn't the real Caesar. Iggulden failed in that whereas Graves triumphed with his Claudius. I read Valerio Massimo Manfredi's Last Legion at the same time as the third book of the Emperor series, and realised that the former was just better: better conversations, better writing style, better way of dealing with history, better story line...

Last annoying thing: Caesar is called 'Julius'. Sounds a bit childish too me: the name Caesar is far better. It stands for authoritas, virtus and power.

Originally Posted by Marcus Scaurus

I enjoyed reading three books of the Emperor Series. The first one was read in no more than a few days: I loved how Iggulden brought to live the young Gaius and Marcus, and I was able to forgive the few historical inaccuraties like Marius' age (he died when Caesar was 12, in the book when Caesar is about 17) and the presence of Marcus (who was in fact Servilia's son, 15 years older than Caesar). I really liked the idea of Caesar having a 'sword', a companion who grows up with him and who dramatically will betray him in the end.

I am currently reading this: so Marcus is supposed to be Brutus - right

you mean Marcus was 15 years younger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Junius_Brutus

Originally Posted by Dominus Latronis of Troy

I am currently reading this: so Marcus is supposed to be Brutus - right

you mean Marcus was 15 years younger

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Junius_Brutus

Sorry, my mistake. Brutus was 15 years younger.

Like I already said, Octavian doesn't come close to the real Octavian, and it's the same with other characters. Where is the great conqueror and soldier Pompey? In the book he is a powerful and important guy, but not a great soldier like he was in real life. To a lesser extend the character of Mark Anthony is also unrecognizable. I just don't see the very brave soldier, the womanizer, I only see some veteran governing a backwater province when Caesar comes to Gaul.

have you read The First Man in Rome is the first historical novel in Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series.

wondering if i should get it.

havent read first man in rome but i have read caesar which is a bit further down the track and its also a pretty good book. More historically accurate and more complex than iggulden's books

I enjoyed the Emperor series- helped get me into Caesar really. After that I started reading up on him in far better accuracy and detail, so I owe that to the books. I enjoyed his writing style, even if the accuracy was way off.

I'd agree with Last Roman though. Octavian was portrayed ****-poorly

hiya Dominus

I agree with you 100% mate, Emporer is a brilliant series, read every book several times and loved them all.
I know Iggulden has been critised for not being historically accurate, but having read Caesar by Christian Meier(great read ) its good to see where history is bent and what changes in the books.
I'm looking forward to the supposed Genghis Khan series his planning.

Also Dominus Emporer was part of my inspiration for writting SPQR, so you can't go wrong with it mate.
Cheers
LG

Originally Posted by Lucius_Galba

hiya Dominus

I agree with you 100% mate, Emporer is a brilliant series, read every book several times and loved them all.
I know Iggulden has been critised for not being historically accurate, but having read Caesar by Christian Meier(great read ) its good to see where history is bent and what changes in the books.
I'm looking forward to the supposed Genghis Khan series his planning.

Also Dominus Emporer was part of my inspiration for writting SPQR, so you can't go wrong with it mate.
Cheers
LG

I was wondering [if you could or anyone answer this] towards the end of the book - the chapter on Marcus in the macedonia legion. they talk about the blueskin warriors and the krajka - i tried to web search it... are they macedonians. gauls, blue spanairds, dacians, thracians,

Originally Posted by Dominus Latronis of Troy

I was wondering [if you could or anyone answer this] towards the end of the book - the chapter on Marcus in the macedonia legion. they talk about the blueskin warriors and the krajka - i tried to web search it... are they macedonians. gauls, blue spanairds, dacians, thracians,

I'm pretty sure Iggulden made that up. In the early 1st century BC Macedonia was actually quite peaceful and became more romanized. Of course, there were enough robbers and thiefs, but there weren't Celtic tribes who constantly attacked Roman legions. There were enough tribes in Illyria, Moesia and Thrace: some of them lived near Macedonia, and you can see them as inhabitants of the province of Macedonia, because the Roman province of Macedonia was larger than the old Macedonia.

finished Field Of Swords and its pretty nice. i will move on to Gods Of War soon..
but isnt Caesar suposed to say say "The die is cast" at the Rubicon? surprised Iggulden never added it in.

Iggulden's takes to much liberty in bending history, but that's just my opinion. But even if you bent history as much as Iggulden does, you can still have accurate characters. Like I said earlier, Octavian just isn't recognisable, neither is Cicero, who is nicknamed 'the Orator' and only mentioned a few times, very disappointing because Cicero was one of the greatest politicians of his century, but more important the greatest orator and lawyer of Roman history.

nice to see many Emperor readers from TWC to the Org...

im about to finish The Field Of Swords.

im liking the series so far.

always know that if author puts historical inaccuracy, it usually for dramatzation.




SPOIL SPOIL SPOIL SPOIL SPOIL



**************************************************************






































****************************************************
Whats up with the relationship between Brutus and Julia?
was that true?

Originally Posted by The Lacedaemonian

always know that if author puts historical inaccuracy, it usually for dramatzation.

How does the inaccuracy of Octavian's and Cicero's personalities dramatise the story?

Originally Posted by The Lacedaemonian

Whats up with the relationship between Brutus and Julia?
was that true?

Our primary sources don't say anything about it, as far as I know. Julia is mentioned only a few times in primary sources.