Conn Iggulden’s bestselling Emperor series, now in one complete eBook for the first time.
Rome uncovered.
This is the astounding life of Julius Caesar, chronicled here in all five novels from Conn Iggulden’s bestselling and magnificent EMPEROR series.
Iggulden brings to life the glorious, gritty Roman world that held such vast power in its hands. These epic novels brilliantly interweave history and adventure, and expose the ambition and rivalry, bravery and betrayal, all told from one of the most vivid voices in historical fiction today.
I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.
My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories – with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ‘Vitai Lampada’ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.
I’ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O’Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.
That’s about it for the moment. If you’d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I’ll leave it there for the moment. If you’ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There’s no point overdoing it.
Individually the five books aren't perfect, but I read the series end-to-end and must give it top rating. A gripping telling of the events through a key period of Roman history. I presume it's historically authentic, within the limits of the sources available and with some storyteller's licence. I liked how Iggulden conveyed the violence of life in the time, without stepping to gratuitous descriptions that turn me off Cornwell's work.
Revisiting Conn's Rome- a great storyteller who manages to recreate the sights and sounds of the time in a way that makes you turn the next page, highly recommended.
Yes I agree that authors should be granted some artistic license when it comes to fictional retellings of historical events, but at this point it's just a completely different story with characters that happen to be named "Brutus" and "Caesar". The story is great by itself, but it just feels like a lobotomy of real history where all the characters have had their complexity extracted to make them more artificially contemptible to please the reader. Real history was much more satisfying to me.
The writing itself is great and the book is easy to read.
I found the first half fun, compelling, and fresh, but the second half dragged a bit as though the author felt forced to get though material he didn't feel like writing about. Nonetheless I love Conn Igguldens style and found this series worth the read. Still not as good as the Conqueror series about the Mongolian conquest
For those with a keen interest into the historical affairs of Julius Caesar, and then Augustas Caesar, there is no finer series of novella. For those that know the true history of Caesar, there are a few historical changes, however this suits the pace and feels of the books. A truly beautiful read.
One of my absolute favourite series. The life and story of Julius Caesar told in the Iggulden way. It takes some liberties with history but it's just a fantastic and compelling journey from beginning to end.
Thoroughly entertaining and informative series. Conn was well on form for this well researched series - un-put-downable and well worth the investment in time.
I said goodbye to some of the greatest men of Rome and their adventures. Friendship, love, pain, sun and rain reminding us all the time that we are mortal.