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layalam's review against another edition
4.0
This book has been sitting on my shelf for ages now, and I have been avoiding it, partially because of its size and partially because I thought it would read more like a fact book. However, I was as wrong as ever, I have had an inkling to read it for a while now and I finally picked it up. I sped through this novel it was so captivating and I was completely engrossed in the story, I felt like I was learning more about ancient Rome, but not in the way of facts. Also, the book is sectioned into four to five generations of the Pinarii family, this gives us different perspectives, and because of the books progressive characteristic you don't feel completely lost because you know a lot of the history of the family.
Anyway, fantastic book, definitely worth my time, and to be frankly honest, since it's such a page turner, you tend to forget about the size of the book and find yourself suddenly halfway through. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history or historical fiction, and let me tell that you will not be disappointed.
Anyway, fantastic book, definitely worth my time, and to be frankly honest, since it's such a page turner, you tend to forget about the size of the book and find yourself suddenly halfway through. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history or historical fiction, and let me tell that you will not be disappointed.
archytas's review
4.0
These aren't exactly "great" books, but as a romp through Roman history - awesomely entertaining. Saylor has a vivid imagination capable of incorporating vast amounts of detail about historical Rome into a narrative about possible lives.
This one is less interesting than its predecessor, simply because the cult of the individual makes Roman history less interesting. I ended up wishing - particularly given the title - that Saylor had just left Rome, and explored the growth of the Roman empire by the experiences of those who lived or moved to the provinces. But I'm a sucker for the central conceit of a bloodline that goes back to the first settlers in the areas being involved in major events. No idea why I like this so much - but it's satisfying on some "tying up loose ends" level.
This one is less interesting than its predecessor, simply because the cult of the individual makes Roman history less interesting. I ended up wishing - particularly given the title - that Saylor had just left Rome, and explored the growth of the Roman empire by the experiences of those who lived or moved to the provinces. But I'm a sucker for the central conceit of a bloodline that goes back to the first settlers in the areas being involved in major events. No idea why I like this so much - but it's satisfying on some "tying up loose ends" level.
smcleish's review
3.0
Originally published on my blog here in October 2011.
Why, when this is a sequel to [b:Roma|75503|Roma The Novel of Ancient Rome (Roma #1)|Steven Saylor|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312009659s/75503.jpg|73039], is Empire given an English language title, rather than using, say, Imperium?
Empire follows on from the earlier novel, with a small gap (less than that between some of the individual chapters which make up the story). It describes the story of Rome from AD 14 to AD 141 - the years in which the Roman Empire became an established institution. Once again, the viewpoint characters are the various members of the (fictional) Pinarius family which was established at the beginning of Rome's history, according to Roma.
As Saylor points out in the afterword, this is one of the best documented periods of Roman history, but the surviving histories concentrate (with varying degrees of accuracy and/or bias) on the colourful figures of the emperors, who include some of the best and some of the most monstrous ruler of any nation. Saylor complains that contemporary historians were excessively emperor-centred, but then goes on to do the same thing himself: the novel is really about how successive generations of the Pinarii interacted with the emperors of their day, becoming intimately involved with most of the emperors from Tiberius to Hadrian. So Empire, too, centres on the emperors, and, to be honest, this does not work too well. I ended up feeling that it would be more fun to work through the histories for myself, or read some novels which concentrate on just part of the period, such as Robert Graves' [b:I, Claudius|18765|I, Claudius (Claudius, #1)|Robert Graves|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348245799s/18765.jpg|4232388]. (Graves is a clear and acknowledged influence on Saylor's historical fiction.) The episodic nature of the story, as the focus moves from generation to generation, does not make a gripping novel (I felt much the same about Roma). Saylor is to my mind much better with the more focused detective stories he has written, whether set in ancient Rome or not.
The main lesson from the history as presented here is just how lucky you need to be to survive once you have attracted the attention of a Caligula, Nero or Domitian. Indeed, it becomes implausible that the family continues to exist after close contact with so many emperors.
It's worth reading, if you're vaguely interested in the history, but it's better to read the originals in a good translation - and they are generally available free online.
Why, when this is a sequel to [b:Roma|75503|Roma The Novel of Ancient Rome (Roma #1)|Steven Saylor|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312009659s/75503.jpg|73039], is Empire given an English language title, rather than using, say, Imperium?
Empire follows on from the earlier novel, with a small gap (less than that between some of the individual chapters which make up the story). It describes the story of Rome from AD 14 to AD 141 - the years in which the Roman Empire became an established institution. Once again, the viewpoint characters are the various members of the (fictional) Pinarius family which was established at the beginning of Rome's history, according to Roma.
As Saylor points out in the afterword, this is one of the best documented periods of Roman history, but the surviving histories concentrate (with varying degrees of accuracy and/or bias) on the colourful figures of the emperors, who include some of the best and some of the most monstrous ruler of any nation. Saylor complains that contemporary historians were excessively emperor-centred, but then goes on to do the same thing himself: the novel is really about how successive generations of the Pinarii interacted with the emperors of their day, becoming intimately involved with most of the emperors from Tiberius to Hadrian. So Empire, too, centres on the emperors, and, to be honest, this does not work too well. I ended up feeling that it would be more fun to work through the histories for myself, or read some novels which concentrate on just part of the period, such as Robert Graves' [b:I, Claudius|18765|I, Claudius (Claudius, #1)|Robert Graves|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348245799s/18765.jpg|4232388]. (Graves is a clear and acknowledged influence on Saylor's historical fiction.) The episodic nature of the story, as the focus moves from generation to generation, does not make a gripping novel (I felt much the same about Roma). Saylor is to my mind much better with the more focused detective stories he has written, whether set in ancient Rome or not.
The main lesson from the history as presented here is just how lucky you need to be to survive once you have attracted the attention of a Caligula, Nero or Domitian. Indeed, it becomes implausible that the family continues to exist after close contact with so many emperors.
It's worth reading, if you're vaguely interested in the history, but it's better to read the originals in a good translation - and they are generally available free online.
traveller1's review
3.0
An enjoyable read. Better than the first in the series. The story of the fascinum and the Pinarius family is carried forward through the early empire to the time of Hadrian. Well told, a few twists and turns. The darks side of the emperors is revealed.
linwearcamenel's review
5.0
I really enjoyed both this and the previous book, Roma. A great overview of the history with good stories and legends string together. The Roman emperors are always fun to read about (is there any other group of people quite as debauched?) Can't wait for the next installment, since the empire post-Hadrian is something rarely found in fiction.
razgon's review
3.0
A nice introduction to the Roman Empire, but a bit thin on historical facts, or rather, its hard to distinguish the historical facts from the fiction. I do really enjoy that the author lists his primary sources at the end though, and gives a short comment on his speculations since we can't take any of the old texts at face value.
rafalreadersinitiative's review
2.0
Drugi tom cyklu "Rzym" zapowiadał się na bardziej interesujący - przecież dzieje Cesarstwa, nietuzinkowe postaci kolejnych cezarów, unosząca się nad wszystkim atmosfera strachu, nieufności, często przemocy, okrucieństwa i zepsucia, wszystkie te elementy składać się powinny na historię emocjonującą i wstrząsającą. Tymczasem Saylor podszedł do wszelkich, mniej lub bardziej znanych, "rewelacji" w sposób nadzwyczaj asekuracyjny i dziwnie uładzony. Bardzo mi to przeszkadzało, w zestawieniu z niedawno czytaną powieścią Gravesa, "Ja, Klaudiusz", której autor nie kamuflował opisywanych wydarzeń, i nie starał się "ubierać ich" w szaty swego rodzaju poprawności.
Słabiej również wypadają tu losy rodu Pinariuszów. Historie poszczególnych potomków tej rodziny - porównując z perypetiami ich przodków, opisanymi w tomie uprzednim - są naprawdę mało zajmujące a do tego poszczególne historie ocierają się o wtórność względem tych, które poznaliśmy w "Rzymie". Jedynym, naprawdę interesującym, i do tego rozpisanym w nieco dwuznaczny sposób, jest epizod Lucjusza Pinariusza, z okresu panowania Domicjana, dotyczący enigmatycznej postaci Apoloniusza z Tiany.
Książka nadal sprawdza się znakomicie, jako ilustracja obyczajów, życia codziennego, polityki i kultury w starożytnym Rzymie, jednak zabrakło tutaj zdecydowanie tego ludzkiego pierwiastka, czegoś, co mogłoby czytelnika przejąć i zainteresować. Pierwszy tom w momenty przejmujące obfitował, tym bardziej tego właśnie niedosyt odczułem w przypadku "Cesarstwa".
Słabiej również wypadają tu losy rodu Pinariuszów. Historie poszczególnych potomków tej rodziny - porównując z perypetiami ich przodków, opisanymi w tomie uprzednim - są naprawdę mało zajmujące a do tego poszczególne historie ocierają się o wtórność względem tych, które poznaliśmy w "Rzymie". Jedynym, naprawdę interesującym, i do tego rozpisanym w nieco dwuznaczny sposób, jest epizod Lucjusza Pinariusza, z okresu panowania Domicjana, dotyczący enigmatycznej postaci Apoloniusza z Tiany.
Książka nadal sprawdza się znakomicie, jako ilustracja obyczajów, życia codziennego, polityki i kultury w starożytnym Rzymie, jednak zabrakło tutaj zdecydowanie tego ludzkiego pierwiastka, czegoś, co mogłoby czytelnika przejąć i zainteresować. Pierwszy tom w momenty przejmujące obfitował, tym bardziej tego właśnie niedosyt odczułem w przypadku "Cesarstwa".
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