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thisdivinelight 's review for:
The Gates of Rome
by Conn Iggulden
A heavily fictionalized account of the childhood and early days of Julius Caesar, understandably fictionalized because there is very little that we do know of, about his formative years.
The book does make for a rather gripping read, despite being a chronicle of childhood exploits, and a smidgen of Roman politics. The Republic is beginning to come apart, bit by small bit, under the machinations of rival generals Sulla and Marius. It is the short time spent with his uncle Marius, that gives the young Gaius (as Caesar was known then), a taste for power and a yen for glory.
Fictional characters abound, and the histories of both Sulla and Marius have been changed inorder to compress them into a shorter time span. If you can look past the changes, this is an easy and engaging read. You don't even have to be a history buff, just someone who likes an occasional good read.
The book does make for a rather gripping read, despite being a chronicle of childhood exploits, and a smidgen of Roman politics. The Republic is beginning to come apart, bit by small bit, under the machinations of rival generals Sulla and Marius. It is the short time spent with his uncle Marius, that gives the young Gaius (as Caesar was known then), a taste for power and a yen for glory.
Fictional characters abound, and the histories of both Sulla and Marius have been changed inorder to compress them into a shorter time span. If you can look past the changes, this is an easy and engaging read. You don't even have to be a history buff, just someone who likes an occasional good read.