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Nero and Sporus #4
Memoriae
The conclusion of S.P. Somtow's award-winning epic set during the time of the Emperor Nero, based on the true story of a slave who ended up as Nero's empress.
The Emperor has returned to Rome after a triumphant tour of Greece in which he won all the major laurels at the Olympic games, even though he did not compete in an Olympiad year. Now he and Sporus must face conspiracy and downfall, and the boy-empress must navigate the treacherous currents of imperial politics when four Emperors compete for power in a single year.
The Emperor has returned to Rome after a triumphant tour of Greece in which he won all the major laurels at the Olympic games, even though he did not compete in an Olympiad year. Now he and Sporus must face conspiracy and downfall, and the boy-empress must navigate the treacherous currents of imperial politics when four Emperors compete for power in a single year.
129 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 2, 2025
4 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
S.P. Somtow
180 books156 followersCalled by the Bangkok Post "the Thai person known by name to most people in the world," S.P. Somtow is an author, composer, filmmaker, and international media personality whose dazzling talents and acerbic wit have entertained and enlightened fans the world over.
He was Somtow Papinian Sucharitkul in Bangkok. His grandfather's sister was a Queen of Siam, his father is a well known international lawyer and vice-president of the International Academy of Human Rights. Somtow was educated at Eton and Cambridge, and his first career was in music. In the 1970s (while he was still in college) his works were being performed on four continents and he was named representative of Thailand to the Asian Composer's League and to the International Music Commission of UNESCO. His avant-garde compositions caused controversy and scandal in his native country, and a severe case of musical burnout in the late 1970s precipitated his entry into a second career - that of author.
He began writing science fiction, but soon started to invade other fields of writing, with some 40 books out now, including the clasic horror novel Vampire Junction, which defined the "rock and roll vampire" concept for the 80s, the Riverrun Trilogy ("the finest new series of the 90's" - Locus) and the semi-autobiographical memoir Jasmine Nights. He has won or been nominated for dozens of major awards including the Bram Stoker Award, the John W. Campbell Award, the Hugo Award, and the World Fantasy Award.
Somtow has also made some incursions into filmmaking, directing the cult classic The Laughing Dead and the award winning art film Ill Met by Moonlight.
He was Somtow Papinian Sucharitkul in Bangkok. His grandfather's sister was a Queen of Siam, his father is a well known international lawyer and vice-president of the International Academy of Human Rights. Somtow was educated at Eton and Cambridge, and his first career was in music. In the 1970s (while he was still in college) his works were being performed on four continents and he was named representative of Thailand to the Asian Composer's League and to the International Music Commission of UNESCO. His avant-garde compositions caused controversy and scandal in his native country, and a severe case of musical burnout in the late 1970s precipitated his entry into a second career - that of author.
He began writing science fiction, but soon started to invade other fields of writing, with some 40 books out now, including the clasic horror novel Vampire Junction, which defined the "rock and roll vampire" concept for the 80s, the Riverrun Trilogy ("the finest new series of the 90's" - Locus) and the semi-autobiographical memoir Jasmine Nights. He has won or been nominated for dozens of major awards including the Bram Stoker Award, the John W. Campbell Award, the Hugo Award, and the World Fantasy Award.
Somtow has also made some incursions into filmmaking, directing the cult classic The Laughing Dead and the award winning art film Ill Met by Moonlight.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 5, 2025
“The highest Heaven’s foundations rest in the depths of Hell. You can’t touch the stars unless your feet are firmly planted on the earth.”
So this is how it ends… I knew it was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier. “Memoriae” is the story of the year of the four emperors, the Roman Civil War and erasure of Nero. From the beginning of this series, we are told that Sporus will meet his eventual demise in an arena style depiction of “The Rape of Proserpina”… and yet I still hoped for a different outcome. Damn.
So this is how it ends… I knew it was coming, but that doesn’t make it any easier. “Memoriae” is the story of the year of the four emperors, the Roman Civil War and erasure of Nero. From the beginning of this series, we are told that Sporus will meet his eventual demise in an arena style depiction of “The Rape of Proserpina”… and yet I still hoped for a different outcome. Damn.
April 7, 2025
at last we’re done with this journey!
this was definitely the weakest book in the series, and it felt very rushed, but i’m taking that over the story being drawn out more, as i think the previous instalments were. i think there was a way to make this entire series more balanced, but i also must say i had rather low standards for the entirety of this series, so what does it matter.
as always extra note for the completely unnecessary and excessive use of AI. could have 100% done w/o the random AI pictures throughout the book, they added absolutely nothing to the reading experience.
this was definitely the weakest book in the series, and it felt very rushed, but i’m taking that over the story being drawn out more, as i think the previous instalments were. i think there was a way to make this entire series more balanced, but i also must say i had rather low standards for the entirety of this series, so what does it matter.
as always extra note for the completely unnecessary and excessive use of AI. could have 100% done w/o the random AI pictures throughout the book, they added absolutely nothing to the reading experience.
April 5, 2025
~3.75/5~
and now, for our final installment of…
“THE FUCKING ROMANS MAN”
and now, for our final installment of…
“THE FUCKING ROMANS MAN”
May 27, 2025
When in Rome
What a compelling tale this was! Told from the perspective of Sporus, Nero’s former slaver turned boy-wife, we get a crew of Ancient Rome that feels much more intimate and personal than in other books. I was instantly sucked into this charming narrative and longing for Sporus’s continued survival, rooting for him and for his friends Hylas and Marcus Vinicius. The author sucks in the reader making them feel they’re right there in the center of the action! Great book!
What a compelling tale this was! Told from the perspective of Sporus, Nero’s former slaver turned boy-wife, we get a crew of Ancient Rome that feels much more intimate and personal than in other books. I was instantly sucked into this charming narrative and longing for Sporus’s continued survival, rooting for him and for his friends Hylas and Marcus Vinicius. The author sucks in the reader making them feel they’re right there in the center of the action! Great book!
January 4, 2026
Sporus 💔💔💔💔
Me cae muy bien el autor y escribe que flipas.
Me cae muy bien el autor y escribe que flipas.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews