Vimes Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 I have just finished reading this series and having always been interested in history and the things that happen after those great history making moments I found the series to be fascinating as it tells the life story and the history of Gaius Julius Caesar and what happen directly after he was killed. I have to say to was somewhat poetic justice for the people who were behind the plot to kill Caesar found themselves dealing it another Caesar and one who was far less inclined to let the past be the past a message there I think about being carefull what you wish for! Has anyone else read this series and if so what did you think? Link to Wiki page about the series, WARNING may contain spoilers en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_(novel_series) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 My husband read these recently and was completely engrossed from start to finish. It was a quiet few weeks for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 It was a quiet few weeks for me! Don't sound so happy about it! I read the first book last year and enjoyed it. I picked up the rest for 99p each in a Kindle Daily Deal, so I shall be reading them at some point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimes Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 Don't sound so happy about it! I read the first book last year and enjoyed it. I picked up the rest for 99p each in a Kindle Daily Deal, so I shall be reading them at some point. I read your review of the first book and I sort of agree with you that he bent history a little but he admits this at the end of the book. There is little known about Caesars early years growing up and through out the rest of the series he sticks far more to the actual events only leaving out small things or shortening years a little as it would take to long to say everything. I sat and read all five in one go and I will be reading his other series about Genghis Khan when I get a chance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 (edited) I read your review of the first book and I sort of agree with you that he bent history a little but he admits this at the end of the book. I didn't have a problem with it, in general. As I said in the review, I really enjoyed it. I think most writers of historical fiction bend the facts a little for dramatic purposes. Having Caesar and Brutus as the same age and growing up best mates was a bit too much, though. That aspect was hard to overlook. Edited March 5, 2014 by Karsa Orlong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimes Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Oh I dunno if is was so unforgiveable. I can see why he made them the same age, it explains why they were so close and cuts out him needing to explain the how and why of that throughout the other books as well as adding to the weight of his betrayal. I kind of see it as a brilliant bit of writing because he was then free to move on at a good pace straight onto other more important points of the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 I don't really read much historical fiction - I always think, if they're going to bend the facts, or only use certain elements of history, why not just fictionalise it completely? Saying that, I own two of Iggulden's Emperor books and one of the Genghis Khan ones which I'll probably read at some point. Glad to hear you're enjoying them so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimes Posted March 7, 2014 Author Share Posted March 7, 2014 lol I like historical fiction! The more fact following ones give me a great base denom which to start from when I want to learn about something. Being mildly dyslexic I can't really read a lot of the non-fiction history books as they are often date heavy and I that is problematic lol. I really did injoyed them and I learnt a lot from them and I will be looking up things about Caesar for a while yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I can understand that. I struggle with non-fiction myself and I'm not dyslexic! You might like the Night's Masque series by Anne Lyle - it's set in the Elizabethan era, and has some very obviously fantastical elements, but paints a nice picture of that historical period and has lots of cameos by famous historical figures (including Francis Walsingham and William Shakespeare!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimes Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 I looked up Night's Masque and while it may not be my cuppa tea, thank you for the suggestion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 I don't really read much historical fiction - I always think, if they're going to bend the facts, or only use certain elements of history, why not just fictionalise it completely? I'm kind of on the fence with that one. Guy Gavriel Kay does exactly that and yet people still ask 'why doesn't he just write historical fiction instead?', so I think it just depends on the reader's tastes. I think most people come to historical fiction to be entertained, and if they are sufficiently entertained to then go and find out about the historical fact of the period they've read about, then that's a big plus. I don't think Iggulden's writing is brilliant (sorry Vimes!) - and he's nowhere near Mantel, O'Brian, or Cornwell in my opinion - but, as much as I disliked his treatment of the Caesar/Brutus situation, I do think his books are quite entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vimes Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 I love Cornwell and in fact is busy working my way through some of his Sharpe books but I have to confess to not recognizing the names Mantel or O'Brian lol. What books have they written? I wouldn't say that Iggulden is less entertaining then say Cornwell but rather just different. Their styles are so different that it is for me hard to compare them, its a bit like trying to compare an Aston Martin with a tractor . IMO it is more a matter of what kind of styles you like, like the question of fantasy in historical settings, than one or the other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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