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i_like_my_shelf 's review for:
The Gates of Rome
by Conn Iggulden
***3 1/2 Stars***
[b:Emperor: The Gates of Rome: A Novel of Julius Caesar|6868339|Emperor The Gates of Rome A Novel of Julius Caesar|Conn Iggulden|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320459282s/6868339.jpg|1808829] really flew by for me, and I was very engaged in the story of the early lives of Julius Caesar and his good friend, Brutus. Having virtually no knowledge of the young characters prior to reading this book, I felt that Iggulden brought history to life, especially the battles, in an entertaining way where the reader learns in spite of themselves. It was almost like reading a movie script--the dialogue between the characters was often witty and sometimes foretold the future. Unlike some historical fiction novels tackling ancient Rome, this book was easy to follow, and though filled with colorful characters it was possible to keep those characters straight in the reader's mind without creating a detailed chart showing the hierarchy of the Roman Senate. The only real complaint I have about this book is that there were some liberties taken with known historical events that may have seemed necessary for the novel's plot line, but threw me off as a reader a bit. I'm also a lover of some sappy romance thrown in, so we'll have to see if there is more of that in the rest of the series. I'll probably read more, because the characters' are so passionate about every aspect of life that you can't help but be drawn into their world.
[b:Emperor: The Gates of Rome: A Novel of Julius Caesar|6868339|Emperor The Gates of Rome A Novel of Julius Caesar|Conn Iggulden|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1320459282s/6868339.jpg|1808829] really flew by for me, and I was very engaged in the story of the early lives of Julius Caesar and his good friend, Brutus. Having virtually no knowledge of the young characters prior to reading this book, I felt that Iggulden brought history to life, especially the battles, in an entertaining way where the reader learns in spite of themselves. It was almost like reading a movie script--the dialogue between the characters was often witty and sometimes foretold the future. Unlike some historical fiction novels tackling ancient Rome, this book was easy to follow, and though filled with colorful characters it was possible to keep those characters straight in the reader's mind without creating a detailed chart showing the hierarchy of the Roman Senate. The only real complaint I have about this book is that there were some liberties taken with known historical events that may have seemed necessary for the novel's plot line, but threw me off as a reader a bit. I'm also a lover of some sappy romance thrown in, so we'll have to see if there is more of that in the rest of the series. I'll probably read more, because the characters' are so passionate about every aspect of life that you can't help but be drawn into their world.