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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
I had to give up listening to this. I couldn't keep the Roman names straight and the authors use of modern idioms and mannerisms was irritating.
Chosen by friend for book discussion group. Listened on cd, immensely surprised how much i didnt know about Rome .has put my toe in to a component of history I wont leave soon
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
From http://weeksnotice.blogspot.com/2012/09/robert-harris-imperium.html
Robert Harris' Imperium is a historical novel focused on Cicero. It doesn't have a plot per se; instead, it follows Cicero's rise to prominence as a lawyer and ultimately consul. One point Harris seems to be trying to make is that politics doesn't change much. It was hard not to see, for example, some of George W. Bush in Pompey, as he used war as an excuse to seize greater executive power.
Toward the end of the novel these historical parallels reach almost comical levels. Cicero is shocked to learn that a rival, Crassus, has a hidden alcove where a secretary secretly writes what is going on in his meetings.
"You mean to tell me that Crassus eavesdrops on himself?" asked Cicero in wonder. "What sort of statesman would do that?"
Richard Nixon, no doubt, would've been a first-rate schemer in ancient Rome.
As historical fiction goes, it is not exactly a page turner but it definitely brings Rome to life. It prompted me to dig out an old Penguin Classics book I had of Cicero's writings, bought in college and not much touched since. I can't say much bad about a novel that makes me look up other books.
Robert Harris' Imperium is a historical novel focused on Cicero. It doesn't have a plot per se; instead, it follows Cicero's rise to prominence as a lawyer and ultimately consul. One point Harris seems to be trying to make is that politics doesn't change much. It was hard not to see, for example, some of George W. Bush in Pompey, as he used war as an excuse to seize greater executive power.
Toward the end of the novel these historical parallels reach almost comical levels. Cicero is shocked to learn that a rival, Crassus, has a hidden alcove where a secretary secretly writes what is going on in his meetings.
"You mean to tell me that Crassus eavesdrops on himself?" asked Cicero in wonder. "What sort of statesman would do that?"
Richard Nixon, no doubt, would've been a first-rate schemer in ancient Rome.
As historical fiction goes, it is not exactly a page turner but it definitely brings Rome to life. It prompted me to dig out an old Penguin Classics book I had of Cicero's writings, bought in college and not much touched since. I can't say much bad about a novel that makes me look up other books.
This is our current car CD. It's a nice combo of political thriller and historical novel. The reading is superior.
Re-read this during the darkest hour of the US history. Trying to see how similar the US is to the Roman Republic then...
It's easy & enjoyable to read, Tiro, the narrator did a good joob to help the reader to picture what is happening in Cicero's life
“Imperium” (2006) é uma obra de ficção histórica com capacidade para nos envolver nas tramas da época, entretendo-nos enquanto vamos aprendendo sobre a época, neste caso o século I a.C. na Roma Antiga. Robert Harris escolheu como personagem principal Marco Túlio Cícero, o grande orador, mas principalmente o senador romano que mais escritos nos deixou e que perduraram até aos nossos dias. São esses escritos que permitem aos historiadores ter um acesso privilegiado a uma época já com 2000 anos, assim como aos romancistas aceder a matéria direta para o seu trabalho de recriação. Harris nada arrisca na forma, limita-se a descrever a ação, situando no espaço-tempo e gerindo conflitos conhecidos da história, criando suspense que nos faz virar páginas, que nos levam a descobrir os porquês, usando alguns comportamentos sociais como adereços, mas deixando praticamente de fora os mundos interiores de cada personagem.
O cerne do livro, por ser de Cícero que se trata, é a política e a justiça. Cícero no papel de advogado serve que nem uma luva no papel de detetive à descoberta de culpados, os malvados que perturbam o sentido da democracia romana. Harris usa um artífice que torna o mundo mais interessante e facilitador do ficcionar, colocando-nos a ver Roma a partir do ponto de vista de Tiro, um servo de Cícero, que relata em modo diário as aventuras de Cícero, dada a sua proximidade enquanto secretário e escriba. Em particular, esta abordagem permite dar a conhecer parte das estruturas sociais, classes e etiqueta, ainda que com alguma superficialidade.
Na forma, ao contrário do tradicional em literatura, a primeira parte do romance é a mais bem conseguida, atingindo um clímax a meio do livro tão intenso que faz com que a restante metade não passe de uma repetição do processo, dedicado a um outro caso de investigação legal. Por isso, tendo gostado de ler, não me deixou com grande apetite de continuar com os restantes dois volumes.
Publicado no VI: https://virtual-illusion.blogspot.com/2021/12/imperium-de-robert-harris.html
O cerne do livro, por ser de Cícero que se trata, é a política e a justiça. Cícero no papel de advogado serve que nem uma luva no papel de detetive à descoberta de culpados, os malvados que perturbam o sentido da democracia romana. Harris usa um artífice que torna o mundo mais interessante e facilitador do ficcionar, colocando-nos a ver Roma a partir do ponto de vista de Tiro, um servo de Cícero, que relata em modo diário as aventuras de Cícero, dada a sua proximidade enquanto secretário e escriba. Em particular, esta abordagem permite dar a conhecer parte das estruturas sociais, classes e etiqueta, ainda que com alguma superficialidade.
Na forma, ao contrário do tradicional em literatura, a primeira parte do romance é a mais bem conseguida, atingindo um clímax a meio do livro tão intenso que faz com que a restante metade não passe de uma repetição do processo, dedicado a um outro caso de investigação legal. Por isso, tendo gostado de ler, não me deixou com grande apetite de continuar com os restantes dois volumes.
Publicado no VI: https://virtual-illusion.blogspot.com/2021/12/imperium-de-robert-harris.html
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I'm continually surprised at how much I like Harris' books.
Sometimes the characters are a little flat, but the feeling of *being there* is often overwhelming.
He often has trouble with tieing off the ends/running the story out and there is a little of that here. Until then, enjoy Cicero and Ancient Rome.
Sometimes the characters are a little flat, but the feeling of *being there* is often overwhelming.
He often has trouble with tieing off the ends/running the story out and there is a little of that here. Until then, enjoy Cicero and Ancient Rome.