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The Nero Trilogy #1
Нерон
Историята на Нерон – последния император от Юлиево-Клавдиевата династия
Всичко започва с ръката на един мъж, стиснала гушата на друг. Император Тиберий премахва първо един предател. После цялото му семейство. А след това и всичките му приятели. Сякаш той никога не е съществувал. Това е римското правосъдие. На тази трескава сцена се ражда дете. Майка му е Агрипина, внучка на император Август. Но имперската им кръв не е никаква защита. Колкото по-близо си до сърцето на империята, толкова по-близо си до властта, интригите и опасността. Тя е изправена срещу войници, сенатори, съперници, сладкодумни претенденти, всеки от които се бори за положение.
Една грешка може да доведе до изгнание, затворничество, екзекуция. Или, най-лошото от всичко, загуба на невръстния й син. Защото Агрипина знае, че шансът винаги е налице, дори и в най-мрачните мигове. Синът й е всичко за нея. Тя може да издигне това момче, да го превърне в самия Рим - онзи, пред когото всички трябва да коленичат.
Но първо е необходимо да оцелеят...
Това е историята на раждането на Нерон и израстването му под бдителното и пресметливо око на майка му Агрипина - една жена, на която всички мъже се опълчват на свой собствен риск. Книга първа от „Трилогия за Нерон“.
Всичко започва с ръката на един мъж, стиснала гушата на друг. Император Тиберий премахва първо един предател. После цялото му семейство. А след това и всичките му приятели. Сякаш той никога не е съществувал. Това е римското правосъдие. На тази трескава сцена се ражда дете. Майка му е Агрипина, внучка на император Август. Но имперската им кръв не е никаква защита. Колкото по-близо си до сърцето на империята, толкова по-близо си до властта, интригите и опасността. Тя е изправена срещу войници, сенатори, съперници, сладкодумни претенденти, всеки от които се бори за положение.
Една грешка може да доведе до изгнание, затворничество, екзекуция. Или, най-лошото от всичко, загуба на невръстния й син. Защото Агрипина знае, че шансът винаги е налице, дори и в най-мрачните мигове. Синът й е всичко за нея. Тя може да издигне това момче, да го превърне в самия Рим - онзи, пред когото всички трябва да коленичат.
Но първо е необходимо да оцелеят...
Това е историята на раждането на Нерон и израстването му под бдителното и пресметливо око на майка му Агрипина - една жена, на която всички мъже се опълчват на свой собствен риск. Книга първа от „Трилогия за Нерон“.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2024
765 people are currently reading
3694 people want to read
About the author
Conn Iggulden
144 books6,020 followersAlso publishes under author name C.F. Iggulden.
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.
Conn Iggulden
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.
Conn Iggulden
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 327 reviews
November 15, 2025
Conn Iggulden is one of my favourite authors of all-time. From his Conqueror series to The Gates of Athens, he has proven himself to be a writer of the highest calibre. Now, he turns his attention to the infamous figure of Nero, who I actually know very little about. All I do know is not very... flattering to him to say the least. This is historical fiction, Conn Iggulden, the Roman Empire, recommended by my brother. That is all I needed to know! And it was right to trust those pillars.
There is seamless political intrigue through the perspective of Nero's mother. There are other PoV's, but this story revolves around her. In a society dominated by patriarchy, it is magnetic and so tense watching Agripina use what little agency she has to protect her son.
This is a great first instalment in a new historical fiction series (I believe it will be a trilogy). Sets the political stage brilliantly, with characters that pop and twists that sent shivers down my spine. I was not as emotionally invested as I was in The Gates of Athens or Wolves of the Plain, but Nero sets a great foundation for what is to come. I look forward to picking up book 2, Tyrant. That title gives a little insight to what I'm in for...
4/5 STARS
There is seamless political intrigue through the perspective of Nero's mother. There are other PoV's, but this story revolves around her. In a society dominated by patriarchy, it is magnetic and so tense watching Agripina use what little agency she has to protect her son.
This is a great first instalment in a new historical fiction series (I believe it will be a trilogy). Sets the political stage brilliantly, with characters that pop and twists that sent shivers down my spine. I was not as emotionally invested as I was in The Gates of Athens or Wolves of the Plain, but Nero sets a great foundation for what is to come. I look forward to picking up book 2, Tyrant. That title gives a little insight to what I'm in for...
4/5 STARS
September 2, 2024
At the end of this book Nero is 5 years old. At this rate, I do not expect Nero to become Emperor until the third book of this trilogy. The subtitle should have been Agrippina and the Men in her Life. I usually like this author, and I didn’t hate this book, but I wasn’t looking for the Agrippina story. My favorite parts were about Caligula and Claudius. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
June 4, 2025
**Read 4.5 STARS!**
This excellent historical novel is the 1st of a trilogy about Lucius Ahenobarbus, later on better known as Nero.
At the beginning of the book you'll find well-drawn maps, one of the Roam Empire in the 1st Century, and one of Rome in AD41, and there's a Julio-Claudian Family Tree, to make all clear.
Storytelling is superb, the author shows us a very realistic picture of Imperial Rome and its dangers, while all characters come splendidly to life in this tale about ruthlessness, animosity, tragedy, despair, and Rome with its tradition of cruelty and murder to maintain Imperial power.
This book is divided into three parts, starting with AD37, followed by AD41, and ending with AD43.
This 1st part is the beginning of the life story of a boy called Lucius Ahenobarbus, later known as Emperor Nero, and his conditions at home with an abusive and often drunken father, Gnaeus, and the formidable scheming and very ambitious mother called, Agrippina the Younger, while all around Rome several Emperors are eliminating adversaries who are a serious danger to the Imperial throne.
What is to follow as a whole is a great historical book about personal hunger for power, cruel and decisive action whenever necessary to get that power, and the will and luck to survive in a time when Imperial Rome is at its best and worst towards everyone and whatever the circumstances.
Highly recommended, for this is a wonderful start of this hopefully great trilogy, and that's why I like to call this 1st episode: "An Exhilarating Dark Conquering Begin"!
This excellent historical novel is the 1st of a trilogy about Lucius Ahenobarbus, later on better known as Nero.
At the beginning of the book you'll find well-drawn maps, one of the Roam Empire in the 1st Century, and one of Rome in AD41, and there's a Julio-Claudian Family Tree, to make all clear.
Storytelling is superb, the author shows us a very realistic picture of Imperial Rome and its dangers, while all characters come splendidly to life in this tale about ruthlessness, animosity, tragedy, despair, and Rome with its tradition of cruelty and murder to maintain Imperial power.
This book is divided into three parts, starting with AD37, followed by AD41, and ending with AD43.
This 1st part is the beginning of the life story of a boy called Lucius Ahenobarbus, later known as Emperor Nero, and his conditions at home with an abusive and often drunken father, Gnaeus, and the formidable scheming and very ambitious mother called, Agrippina the Younger, while all around Rome several Emperors are eliminating adversaries who are a serious danger to the Imperial throne.
What is to follow as a whole is a great historical book about personal hunger for power, cruel and decisive action whenever necessary to get that power, and the will and luck to survive in a time when Imperial Rome is at its best and worst towards everyone and whatever the circumstances.
Highly recommended, for this is a wonderful start of this hopefully great trilogy, and that's why I like to call this 1st episode: "An Exhilarating Dark Conquering Begin"!
April 7, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! It swept me away and was over too soon!
As I was looking to read the second book in the trilogy I found out that it will not be published until May. Not too long to wait!
As I was looking to read the second book in the trilogy I found out that it will not be published until May. Not too long to wait!
August 7, 2025
A Roman Borgias, with a batshit crazy cast brought to life, some truly jaw-dropping scenes of betrayal, violence and Roman-life, and the pace of a very zealous charioteer. I wasn't mad on the final third, but the incredibly strong and fascinating cast made this a great book.
P.S. Don't expect any 'Nero' stuff in this book. I know...
P.S. Don't expect any 'Nero' stuff in this book. I know...
September 9, 2025
Reread 2025: 4.5 ⭐️
I reread this physically instead of through audio and I can absolutely confirm that’s the way to read this. This book is just too confusing with the amount of characters that are unfamiliar and the family tree was life changing. Doing this and knowing what to expect made me love this book more however it’s loaded with historical inaccuracies so I can’t give it 5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book but it’s very misleading on its title. There is very little of Nero in this book and instead is about his entire family before him. I very much loved all the politics of it but I just think the title should be changed.
Another issue I had was there are so many people whose names you have no idea who they are. I thought Nero was THE Nero but instead it was Nero’s uncle the whole time which really confused me. The correct Nero is instead called by his birth name which is Lucius. Without looking on google I would have been so confused on this and would have no idea why these other people are being talked about.
It’s crazy how wild actual history is and how it can be even more entertaining and brutal that any fantasy book you read. The machinations of Claudius, Tiberius, Gaius, Agrappina, Caligula and especially Messalina is wild. This is my first Conn book and I’m very interested in what else he’s got.
I reread this physically instead of through audio and I can absolutely confirm that’s the way to read this. This book is just too confusing with the amount of characters that are unfamiliar and the family tree was life changing. Doing this and knowing what to expect made me love this book more however it’s loaded with historical inaccuracies so I can’t give it 5 stars.
I really enjoyed this book but it’s very misleading on its title. There is very little of Nero in this book and instead is about his entire family before him. I very much loved all the politics of it but I just think the title should be changed.
Another issue I had was there are so many people whose names you have no idea who they are. I thought Nero was THE Nero but instead it was Nero’s uncle the whole time which really confused me. The correct Nero is instead called by his birth name which is Lucius. Without looking on google I would have been so confused on this and would have no idea why these other people are being talked about.
It’s crazy how wild actual history is and how it can be even more entertaining and brutal that any fantasy book you read. The machinations of Claudius, Tiberius, Gaius, Agrappina, Caligula and especially Messalina is wild. This is my first Conn book and I’m very interested in what else he’s got.
November 20, 2023
This was a fantastic blockbuster of a novel- how can I wait for the rest of the trilogy! of course the author has some amazing material to work with: Robert Graves and Racine have also used the rich history of the Imperial Roman Empire, but Iggulden’s is both the most accessible and entertaining. I did have to download a family tree of the Caesars’ reign as a memory aid though! Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
November 14, 2023
Life was cheap in Roman times! The violence and brutality meted out mindlessly is horrific. Nevertheless, I was so excited to find that Conn Iggulden is writing another trilogy, this time on the life of Nero, as his books bring history to life more vividly for me than most.
This first book only takes us up to Nero’s (named Lucius) 10th year. He was born just a few months after the death of Tiberius, who was followed as princeps by Nero’s uncle, Caligula, and then by his great-uncle, Claudius. His mother, Agrippina, was ambitious for herself and her son and woe betide anyone who got in her way, whether they realised they were or not. This is a real page turner and if you don’t know your Roman history in detail, there are plenty of shocks and surprises along the way. Claudius’ invasion of Britain, told from both sides, is very well done.
4.5 not 5 stars for very minor reasons, including the too abrupt ending. I turned the page expecting more but I’ll just have to have patience and wait for Part 2!
With thanks to Michael Joseph / Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a review copy.
This first book only takes us up to Nero’s (named Lucius) 10th year. He was born just a few months after the death of Tiberius, who was followed as princeps by Nero’s uncle, Caligula, and then by his great-uncle, Claudius. His mother, Agrippina, was ambitious for herself and her son and woe betide anyone who got in her way, whether they realised they were or not. This is a real page turner and if you don’t know your Roman history in detail, there are plenty of shocks and surprises along the way. Claudius’ invasion of Britain, told from both sides, is very well done.
4.5 not 5 stars for very minor reasons, including the too abrupt ending. I turned the page expecting more but I’ll just have to have patience and wait for Part 2!
With thanks to Michael Joseph / Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a review copy.
June 16, 2024
I found this hard to finish. I read Iggulden's Caesar series many years ago and enjoyed it, so was excited to see what he did with this period of Roman history. It's obvious that the book was well researched; but the constant insertion of facts, some of them repeated, meant that the writing didn't flow, it felt clunky. Paradoxically, the author then changed key parts of the historical narrative we have from ancient sources. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for changing things to drive the narrative, this is historical fiction and you expect departures from the sources to make a modern novel more readable. But in this case, they did nothing for the plot and I found myself asking why on earth you'd change things and make them LESS interesting that the historical sources. I mean, why include Messalina at all if you're not going to explore her mind boggling "marriage" to Silius!
I could understand why you'd want to start the story of Nero here (the book is the first of a trilogy and centres around his mother Agrippina). His upbringing is really interesting, and Agrippina is a particularly fascinating character. But she is a shadow of herself in this book. Sure she's scheming and apparently incapable of loving anyone (except Nero) but she just feels a bit robotic. When she's exiled by Gaius (Caligula), it's basically because she has a son; but the sources tell us she was involved in a plot with her sister and her lover/brother-in-law?! Way more interesting!
There's just so much potential here for a gripping read and sadly Nero is not it.
I could understand why you'd want to start the story of Nero here (the book is the first of a trilogy and centres around his mother Agrippina). His upbringing is really interesting, and Agrippina is a particularly fascinating character. But she is a shadow of herself in this book. Sure she's scheming and apparently incapable of loving anyone (except Nero) but she just feels a bit robotic. When she's exiled by Gaius (Caligula), it's basically because she has a son; but the sources tell us she was involved in a plot with her sister and her lover/brother-in-law?! Way more interesting!
There's just so much potential here for a gripping read and sadly Nero is not it.
September 19, 2025
(1) I like the book cover!
(2) Right now Agrippina, Nero's mother and her brother, the infamous Caligula, are the main characters, but we will see how things will turn out later!
(3) We would also find out how far would Agrippina go to make her son an emperor!
(4) I am totally looking forward to the next book!
(5) Because, in this book, Nero so the story focuses mostly on Agrippina, her older brother, the infamous Caligula (formally known as Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus), the old emperor Tiberius, and later Claudius etc. Some readers might be disappointed by this development but I like it! It is nice to see how this murderous family history of the royal family! Assassination! Poisoning! Exile! Public executions! Wars against the minorities! You name them, they are all there!
(6) I was a bit shocked that Claudius but whatever. *rolls eyes*
(7) It is an enjoyable and entirely readable book! I hope you will also like this!
(8) I am not sure how I feel about Agrippina, I can appreciate that she was a woman with an unhappy marriage (her first husband) and she was struggling to survive the everchanging temper and favour of her uncle (?) and even her own brother. On the other hand, she can be quite ruthless when she was trying to secure her own interest?
(9) There is already tension between Agrippina and Nero, I want to see what will happen next!
My review for the second book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Extra:
The awesome artwork by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, from his manga My name is Nero (Chinese translation: 一代暴君)
(Link: https://mangadex.org/title/75edfbac-7...)
PS: years ago I read "Caligula" by Camus and I love it!
(2) Right now Agrippina, Nero's mother and her brother, the infamous Caligula, are the main characters, but we will see how things will turn out later!
(3) We would also find out how far would Agrippina go to make her son an emperor!
(4) I am totally looking forward to the next book!
(5) Because, in this book, Nero so the story focuses mostly on Agrippina, her older brother, the infamous Caligula (formally known as Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus), the old emperor Tiberius, and later Claudius etc. Some readers might be disappointed by this development but I like it! It is nice to see how this murderous family history of the royal family! Assassination! Poisoning! Exile! Public executions! Wars against the minorities! You name them, they are all there!
(6) I was a bit shocked that Claudius but whatever. *rolls eyes*
(7) It is an enjoyable and entirely readable book! I hope you will also like this!
(8) I am not sure how I feel about Agrippina, I can appreciate that she was a woman with an unhappy marriage (her first husband) and she was struggling to survive the everchanging temper and favour of her uncle (?) and even her own brother. On the other hand, she can be quite ruthless when she was trying to secure her own interest?
(9) There is already tension between Agrippina and Nero, I want to see what will happen next!
My review for the second book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Extra:
The awesome artwork by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, from his manga My name is Nero (Chinese translation: 一代暴君)
(Link: https://mangadex.org/title/75edfbac-7...)
PS: years ago I read "Caligula" by Camus and I love it!
June 4, 2025
Really enjoyed this book!
Conn Iggulden is a great storyteller.
Lots of bloody action and historical details.
Very exciting and fun to read
Conn Iggulden is a great storyteller.
Lots of bloody action and historical details.
Very exciting and fun to read
May 28, 2024
Haven’t the slightest why this novel is called ‘Nero’. Regardless, I really enjoyed it!
April 24, 2025
Really enjoyed this book especially as it is the start of a trilogy about the life of NERO from his birth onwards and his cruel and dangerous family and how his mother managed to save him from them in order for him to become Caesar.
May 24, 2025
4.5⭐️
This book was fantastic. It had everything, intrigue, betrayal, action, twists, larger than life characters and a page turning quality that never let up.
This particular period of Roman history is well known, I would say most people have heard of Nero and Claudius maybe some of the others too, almost certainly the ancestors of these people, Julius Caesar and Augustus. But the quality of the writing and storytelling not only brought back the memories of these people from History lessons, programmes and books but brought them to life in a way that I found incredible and gripping. Also getting to see most of this through the eyes of Aggripina was a master stroke. She really took me through the full range of feelings.
Feeling what they felt and seeing the reasons behind why they acted the way they did was a huge rollercoaster of emotions in a terrifying and brutal time in Ancient Rome.
I cannot wait for book two to be released!
This book was fantastic. It had everything, intrigue, betrayal, action, twists, larger than life characters and a page turning quality that never let up.
This particular period of Roman history is well known, I would say most people have heard of Nero and Claudius maybe some of the others too, almost certainly the ancestors of these people, Julius Caesar and Augustus. But the quality of the writing and storytelling not only brought back the memories of these people from History lessons, programmes and books but brought them to life in a way that I found incredible and gripping. Also getting to see most of this through the eyes of Aggripina was a master stroke. She really took me through the full range of feelings.
Feeling what they felt and seeing the reasons behind why they acted the way they did was a huge rollercoaster of emotions in a terrifying and brutal time in Ancient Rome.
I cannot wait for book two to be released!
November 19, 2023
Conn Iggulden is one of my favourite authors and has been for many years. This is the first of a new series and it certainly reads like an introduction to a series.
The story is almost an exact retelling with very little additional story woven in. With this period of history the events are almost unbelievable so I guess there is no need to create huge amounts of fiction on top. It did however mean the book sometimes read as a history lecture.
As with all CI books, the pacing and delivery is controlled . The books goes through a clean and direct journey.
It's a shame this isn't realised until May 2024 because I'm ready for book 2 already!!
The story is almost an exact retelling with very little additional story woven in. With this period of history the events are almost unbelievable so I guess there is no need to create huge amounts of fiction on top. It did however mean the book sometimes read as a history lecture.
As with all CI books, the pacing and delivery is controlled . The books goes through a clean and direct journey.
It's a shame this isn't realised until May 2024 because I'm ready for book 2 already!!
July 13, 2024
4.8 ⭐️
November 21, 2023
Nero is book one of the Nero Trilogy set in Ancient Rome.
This book covers the early years of the boy who will one day become the infamous emperor. When the story begins, we are introduced to his parents. His father is an ex-chariot racer, who now spends much of his time drunk, while his mother, Agrippina, is a descendant of the Emperor Augustus.
Rome is a politically dangerous place, particularly when the ailing Tiberius returns from Capri to clean Rome of usurpers. He brings with him Agrippina’s brother, the next heir to the imperial throne. It is to her brother that Agrippina turns when she needs a favour, but it becomes a costly deed in times of terror.
Upon the death of Agrippina’s brother, her uncle becomes the next emperor. With thoughts of her own son and his future, she is determined to keep close to her uncle, even travelling with him on his campaign in Britannia.
This was a good start to the series. The violence and back-stabbing of the era is expected, but it is balanced with other elements of the Roman years. I particularly enjoyed the latter part of the book with the journey to Gaul and the invasion of Britannia.
The author’s notes at the back of the book were also very helpful, explaining the liberties taken with the changing of names, to help the reader where real-life characters shared similar or the same names.
This book covers the early years of the boy who will one day become the infamous emperor. When the story begins, we are introduced to his parents. His father is an ex-chariot racer, who now spends much of his time drunk, while his mother, Agrippina, is a descendant of the Emperor Augustus.
Rome is a politically dangerous place, particularly when the ailing Tiberius returns from Capri to clean Rome of usurpers. He brings with him Agrippina’s brother, the next heir to the imperial throne. It is to her brother that Agrippina turns when she needs a favour, but it becomes a costly deed in times of terror.
Upon the death of Agrippina’s brother, her uncle becomes the next emperor. With thoughts of her own son and his future, she is determined to keep close to her uncle, even travelling with him on his campaign in Britannia.
This was a good start to the series. The violence and back-stabbing of the era is expected, but it is balanced with other elements of the Roman years. I particularly enjoyed the latter part of the book with the journey to Gaul and the invasion of Britannia.
The author’s notes at the back of the book were also very helpful, explaining the liberties taken with the changing of names, to help the reader where real-life characters shared similar or the same names.
June 25, 2025
As usual Conn didn't disappoint. Really loved the early years of Nero and his mother as well the invasion of Britannia.
Great characters flashed out. cannot wait to continue.
Great characters flashed out. cannot wait to continue.
July 10, 2024
"𝙂𝙖𝙞𝙪𝙨, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙖𝙣'𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨. 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄'𝙫𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙. 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚. 𝘼𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙨 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙣, 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙮, 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙜𝙤 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙍𝙤𝙢𝙚… 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩.’
🐞The book - 1st in the Nero trilogy - is a historical fiction that tells the life of Emperor Nero, from his birth till his first years through his mother Agrippina's perspective.
37 AD Rome. In the darker days of Emperor Tiberius's reign, Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus gave birth to a boy who would become Nero. But her imperial blood is no protection against her drunken husband, maniac brother, lecherous uncle, and jealous aunt. She only has her great beauty and grace to navigate all the intrigue and danger that her family presents and stay close to the empire's power or risks facing exile, incarceration, and execution. Or, worst of all, the loss of her infant son.
‘𝙉𝙤, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩, 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙪𝙨. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙧, 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩. 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝙔𝙚𝙨. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙧, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙧𝙤.’
🐞Conn Iggulden is one of my favorite authors. Similar to his other books, the plot of this one is also tightly knitted, the descriptions feel vivid, while the pacing and delivery are controlled and the multiple POVs make the narrative more engaging. However, you won't get to read any big battle scenes until the end as it mainly focuses on Agrippina and the man in her life. So it felt like a prelude book and should've been titled 'Agrippina' instead of Nero.
🐞All the characters feel real and authentic. The characterization of Agrippina as an ambitious woman was perfect, but it failed to portray the depth of her poisoned heart and cunning mind which is understandable since she is the protagonist. Other characters like her 1st husband Gnaeus, her brother Caligula, her 2nd husband Italus, her uncle Claudius, and her aunt Messalina are also worth mentioning as their stories equally contributed to her plot.
🐞The climax of the book was satisfactory. It ends with the conclusion of Claudius' successful invasion of Britain, and naming Agrippina's boy Nero, paving the way for the mother and son duo to rise to power.
Overall Nero was a good read, but it was certainly not Iggulden's best work. If you are into Roman history and love character-driven books then it was for you. One can also read it as standalone. Highly recommended.
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐✨(3.5/5)
🐞The book - 1st in the Nero trilogy - is a historical fiction that tells the life of Emperor Nero, from his birth till his first years through his mother Agrippina's perspective.
37 AD Rome. In the darker days of Emperor Tiberius's reign, Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus gave birth to a boy who would become Nero. But her imperial blood is no protection against her drunken husband, maniac brother, lecherous uncle, and jealous aunt. She only has her great beauty and grace to navigate all the intrigue and danger that her family presents and stay close to the empire's power or risks facing exile, incarceration, and execution. Or, worst of all, the loss of her infant son.
‘𝙉𝙤, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩, 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙪𝙨. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙧, 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩. 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙗𝙧𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙢. 𝙔𝙚𝙨. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙧, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙉𝙚𝙧𝙤.’
🐞Conn Iggulden is one of my favorite authors. Similar to his other books, the plot of this one is also tightly knitted, the descriptions feel vivid, while the pacing and delivery are controlled and the multiple POVs make the narrative more engaging. However, you won't get to read any big battle scenes until the end as it mainly focuses on Agrippina and the man in her life. So it felt like a prelude book and should've been titled 'Agrippina' instead of Nero.
🐞All the characters feel real and authentic. The characterization of Agrippina as an ambitious woman was perfect, but it failed to portray the depth of her poisoned heart and cunning mind which is understandable since she is the protagonist. Other characters like her 1st husband Gnaeus, her brother Caligula, her 2nd husband Italus, her uncle Claudius, and her aunt Messalina are also worth mentioning as their stories equally contributed to her plot.
🐞The climax of the book was satisfactory. It ends with the conclusion of Claudius' successful invasion of Britain, and naming Agrippina's boy Nero, paving the way for the mother and son duo to rise to power.
Overall Nero was a good read, but it was certainly not Iggulden's best work. If you are into Roman history and love character-driven books then it was for you. One can also read it as standalone. Highly recommended.
𝙈𝙮 𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: ⭐⭐⭐✨(3.5/5)
April 13, 2025
All over the place. Nero is a zero for me. If you want a decent Roman novel read ‘I Claudius’
September 9, 2025
i LOVED this book!! it is a bit bizarre that it’s titled Nero but i don’t think that really matters. Agrippina was a fascinating character to follow & I love the way Iggulden deals with characters that have undergone immense trauma. a great starting place for someone who doesn’t know anything about emperors, rome, etc - really keen to learn more of the actual history following this book.
& justice for italus lol
& justice for italus lol
September 27, 2024
This is really not technically about Nero. It is about his famous nasty relatives that come before him. As a matter of fact, Nero doesn’t even appear until near the final pages of the book, when he is born. Strange that Iggulden named the book Nero, unless he meant it to be a background for the next two books that will actually be about him. I am really looking forward to the next two books and will gobble them up when they finally get written.
This author is brilliant at making history come alive. Nero is exciting from the first page to the last. He writes great dialog making the characters realistic and fascinating. Although the author does a tremendous amount of research, he tries to put the story first and the history second. He explains the alterations at the back of the book. He does not write history books but excellent historical novels. Still, you will learn a lot of history through reading his novels and in an entertaining way.
While waiting for the next in his Nero series, I am reading his book, Lion: A Novel of Ancient Athens. I am not a lady that is very interested in battles and war, but I find I like the book anyway because of his exciting style of writing.
I wish I could have been in his literature class when he was teaching. It would have been my very favorite!
This author is brilliant at making history come alive. Nero is exciting from the first page to the last. He writes great dialog making the characters realistic and fascinating. Although the author does a tremendous amount of research, he tries to put the story first and the history second. He explains the alterations at the back of the book. He does not write history books but excellent historical novels. Still, you will learn a lot of history through reading his novels and in an entertaining way.
While waiting for the next in his Nero series, I am reading his book, Lion: A Novel of Ancient Athens. I am not a lady that is very interested in battles and war, but I find I like the book anyway because of his exciting style of writing.
I wish I could have been in his literature class when he was teaching. It would have been my very favorite!
April 28, 2025
Characters you really care about in an incredibly interesting point in history. I thoroughly enjoyed the emperor series and this feels like the same calibre! Probably the most violent of this authors works but not in an excessive way. I thoroughly enjoyed this build up to what will be another great series.
January 16, 2025
There's a rich historical narrative that really brings to life elements of ancient Rome. Many of which are very dark, grim, and horrible. A lack of narrative and a story that feels like it needs to be together in one book instead of a part one prelude means that it's going to be easy to forget.
June 19, 2024
Very approachable and entertaining. I'd say a good entry point for a bit of history I feel muddled about.
August 28, 2024
3 1/2 stars
i support all women’s rights and wrongs!!!!! agrippina you icon!!!!
i support all women’s rights and wrongs!!!!! agrippina you icon!!!!
March 11, 2025
Factually all over the place but at least it held my attention. 2.5 rounded up to 3.
June 10, 2024
Conn Iggulden is a good author
May 21, 2025
Not quiet what I thought it would be. Focus was less on the title character and more on his family before him
August 19, 2025
“Every moment brought her closer to the centre of the web, where the slightest mistake could mean destruction. She raised her head. She had a son now, blinking and innocent, utterly reliant on her success.”
Nero begins a trilogy all about one of the most notorious emperors of Ancient Rome, Nero. This book, however, focuses on those who came before him and paved the way for him to take the throne: his fierce and cunning mother, Agrippina, and his predecessors on the throne, emperors Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius. Emperors die and fall, people's fortunes change in the blink of an eye, blood stains the streets of the capital and no one is safe: how does this young boy, Lucius, end up becoming Nero?
Conn Iggulden is one of those powerhouses of historical fiction that you cannot avoid hearing about if you are interested in historical fiction set in the ancient world. This is my first book by him and, unfortunately, I was not all that impressed. I don't think this is a bad book or poorly written – there were many moments in the book that made me go "damn, that was a good quote" – and I really liked how he captured the chaotic, bloody and tumultuous vibe of this period in Roman history. You get a real sense of turmoil and peril as you read the book, witness people's falls, read about execution after execution and see the characters scheme and plot to get ahead. But overall the story just didn't capture me or wow me. I think there were a few too many POVs to fully get to know any single character and, at times, the story moved forward way too fast. In this book we run through the end of Tiberius's reign, the bloody reign of Caligula (Nero's maternal uncle) and the beginning of Claudius's reign. That's a lot of history for one book. This results in the reader mainly being told of the crimes of Caligula, of Claudius being crowned and so on rather than being showed those vital things. Agrippina's Iggulden also left out some moments that I think could've really showed character depth and expanded on the relationships, such as Agrippina learning of the So, yeah, I think there were some odd decisions made on what scenes to exclude and what to include. The story could've benefited from more time to dive into the characters, the events that occur and their aftermaths.
A historical fiction novel is not required to be 100% historically accurate. A novel is a novel first and foremost, and because of that, things can be changed to make the story work better. I know this and even as a historian very interested in this time period I accept that things sometimes must change. Some changes did, in fact, give the story a bit more oomph and provided opportunities to further develop characters. Tiberius returning to Rome to punish Sejanus did add to the story, for example, as did Agrippina and little Lucius joining Claudius on his Some changes, however, did still frustrate me because somehow Iggulden took historical events and figures and made them LESS interesting. Messalina was the greatest victim of this. She is a fascinating woman, a political schemer and a powerful empress (though she never got the title of Augusta) but in this book she seemed to mainly be a) a woman jealous of Agrippina and b) a woman helplessly in love with a mapmaker. Her , in ancient sources, is grand and wild, but in this book it's simply pathetic and, well, quite boring. Often authors take historical events and make them a bit more exciting - why do the opposite, and make them more dull? Messalina could've been used so well as a kind of opposing force to Agrippina, but they hardly have any scenes together, their familial connection is erased (Agrippina was, once, Messalina's sister-in-law) and Domitia Lepida, who These erasures, too, made the story just a bit less exciting. I can empathise with an author's desire to make the familial connections simpler because god knows the Julio-Claudian family tree is an absolute clusterfuck, but to erase that also erases a key aspect of imperial Roman society: the upper echelons of society were a small bunch, everyone knew each other, everyone was somehow related and so on. One final change which just didn't work for me was Italus and Agrippina
Nero is not the main character of this book - his mother is. Agrippina, a really maligned historical woman, is presented as this clever, beautiful, ambitious and protective woman hellbent on chasing opportunities to advance her son and give him a good life. She is not pleasant, nice or sweet, but rather cold, calculating and ruthless. She has been through a lot of shit - from domestic abuse to – but she keeps clawing her way back, which I respect. She is one of my favorite women of Roman history and, in general, I feel like this book did do her justice. But even though I liked her, just like with any character, I couldn't fully connect to her or fall in love with her. Claudius was a fun character, somehow managing to both be a rather sweet man and an uncomfortable creep. I am always happy to see characters who stutter (I am/was a stutterer too) and I found the way Iggulden explored the way Roman society understood and treated people with disabilities like that both harrowing and accurate – he is thought dumb and useless, ridiculed and ruthlessly mocked. Seeing this man who was ridiculed his whole life become the emperor and be revealed to be a lot more practical, smart, ruthless and ambitious than anyone ever gave him credit for was fun. Also, the way his stuttering worsens whenever he is stressed and is, in moments of calm and happiness, hardly noticeable was so authentic! Gnaeus was an absolute asshat and I hated spending time in his head. He was of course integral to Agrippina's development and character, but I could've used less chapters all about him, his drinking, his reminiscing of his glory days and him being a misogynistic shitface. Messalina was underutilised, but I spoke of that before already.
My favorite character of the novel was, to my surprise, Caligula. I think he will be the one who sticks with me the longest. The way Iggulden managed to make him, in the beginning, both unnervingly volatile and piercingly sad was impressive. When he told Agrippina of how his time on Capri moulded and remade him – “–do you remember? – the one they who marched about in his soldier’s uniform, the one they called Caligula? I talk of him because he died, Agri. I left that little boy behind on the island. The man I am is not him, not any longer. I am just… a hollow thing.” – I felt horrible to him (we never get to learn what exactly happened to him but it must've been something horrid. His feelings towards his sisters are odd and borderline incestuous, but I could also understand why he would be so desperate to have them close, to get lost in memories of his childhood and family, and to have a family of his own after years of turmoil and psychological torment. His descent into brutality and hedonistic madness happened, unfortunately, mostly off-page and we only get to hear of the crimes he commits against his people. It was a bit of a letdown after spending so much time with him in the beginning of his reign and seeing that horrifying moment when he After that, I was ready to see the change in him, but turns out we don't really see it at all. Then he is killed and we move on. Disappointing. But, on the whole, I appreciated Iggulden avoiding simply making a demon out of him and attempting to make him a complex figure, someone who had redeeming qualities and moments. I have no doubts he was a shit emperor and cruel, but there is no way all the stories we have of him are true. Iggulden took the stories we have of him but instead of recreating the almost caricature-like depiction of him ancient authors give us, he made him into a human.
Does this novel work as a first book in a trilogy about the Emperor Nero? Well, I'd say yes and no. Yes, because all of our lives are impacted by the actions, decisions and feelings of those who came before us. To understand why Nero ends up an emperor is to understand his mother's ambition, the mistakes of his uncle Caligula, the life of his great-uncle Claudius's reign and the nature of Roman society. No, because if I want to read a book about Nero – called "Nero" – it is bound to be a slight disappointment to realize Nero is but a small character in the story. I lean more towards "Yes, this works", though. I like how Nero is present, from the very beginning, first as a baby, then a toddler and then a child who is already determined, strong as a bull and prone to pettiness and anger. Even though some changes Iggulden made to his story were perhaps a bit unnecessary – he is given this which didn't happen in reality and also do not seem to have any lasting impact on him – this book does explore just how perilous his youth was, the danger he was in simply because of his bloodline and connection to the imperial family, and how, without his mother, he would not have reached the place he did.
I am not yet sure if I will continue on in this series. A part of me wants to see how Iggulden decides to write Nero, whether he is given as much complexity as Caligula or if he is made more of a straightforward tyrant, how he writes the end of Agrippina's story and interprets her developing relationship to her uncle, Claudius. But a part of me, the one that felt very meh about this book and struggled to remain interested near the end, does not see much point in continuing if the first book didn't either wow me or intrigue me in the end. I have also considered reading some of Iggulden's other ancient history novels but as this one didn't impress me all that much, I have a feeling I won't be prioritising picking those up any time in the near future.
I would recommend this to people because even though I didn't love it, I can see why many people would. It wouldn't be the first book set in the ancient Roman world I would recommend, but if you want a story of political machinations, family drama, war and bloodshed, this does have all those things and might be up your alley.
Nero begins a trilogy all about one of the most notorious emperors of Ancient Rome, Nero. This book, however, focuses on those who came before him and paved the way for him to take the throne: his fierce and cunning mother, Agrippina, and his predecessors on the throne, emperors Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius. Emperors die and fall, people's fortunes change in the blink of an eye, blood stains the streets of the capital and no one is safe: how does this young boy, Lucius, end up becoming Nero?
Conn Iggulden is one of those powerhouses of historical fiction that you cannot avoid hearing about if you are interested in historical fiction set in the ancient world. This is my first book by him and, unfortunately, I was not all that impressed. I don't think this is a bad book or poorly written – there were many moments in the book that made me go "damn, that was a good quote" – and I really liked how he captured the chaotic, bloody and tumultuous vibe of this period in Roman history. You get a real sense of turmoil and peril as you read the book, witness people's falls, read about execution after execution and see the characters scheme and plot to get ahead. But overall the story just didn't capture me or wow me. I think there were a few too many POVs to fully get to know any single character and, at times, the story moved forward way too fast. In this book we run through the end of Tiberius's reign, the bloody reign of Caligula (Nero's maternal uncle) and the beginning of Claudius's reign. That's a lot of history for one book. This results in the reader mainly being told of the crimes of Caligula, of Claudius being crowned and so on rather than being showed those vital things. Agrippina's Iggulden also left out some moments that I think could've really showed character depth and expanded on the relationships, such as Agrippina learning of the So, yeah, I think there were some odd decisions made on what scenes to exclude and what to include. The story could've benefited from more time to dive into the characters, the events that occur and their aftermaths.
A historical fiction novel is not required to be 100% historically accurate. A novel is a novel first and foremost, and because of that, things can be changed to make the story work better. I know this and even as a historian very interested in this time period I accept that things sometimes must change. Some changes did, in fact, give the story a bit more oomph and provided opportunities to further develop characters. Tiberius returning to Rome to punish Sejanus did add to the story, for example, as did Agrippina and little Lucius joining Claudius on his Some changes, however, did still frustrate me because somehow Iggulden took historical events and figures and made them LESS interesting. Messalina was the greatest victim of this. She is a fascinating woman, a political schemer and a powerful empress (though she never got the title of Augusta) but in this book she seemed to mainly be a) a woman jealous of Agrippina and b) a woman helplessly in love with a mapmaker. Her , in ancient sources, is grand and wild, but in this book it's simply pathetic and, well, quite boring. Often authors take historical events and make them a bit more exciting - why do the opposite, and make them more dull? Messalina could've been used so well as a kind of opposing force to Agrippina, but they hardly have any scenes together, their familial connection is erased (Agrippina was, once, Messalina's sister-in-law) and Domitia Lepida, who These erasures, too, made the story just a bit less exciting. I can empathise with an author's desire to make the familial connections simpler because god knows the Julio-Claudian family tree is an absolute clusterfuck, but to erase that also erases a key aspect of imperial Roman society: the upper echelons of society were a small bunch, everyone knew each other, everyone was somehow related and so on. One final change which just didn't work for me was Italus and Agrippina
Nero is not the main character of this book - his mother is. Agrippina, a really maligned historical woman, is presented as this clever, beautiful, ambitious and protective woman hellbent on chasing opportunities to advance her son and give him a good life. She is not pleasant, nice or sweet, but rather cold, calculating and ruthless. She has been through a lot of shit - from domestic abuse to – but she keeps clawing her way back, which I respect. She is one of my favorite women of Roman history and, in general, I feel like this book did do her justice. But even though I liked her, just like with any character, I couldn't fully connect to her or fall in love with her. Claudius was a fun character, somehow managing to both be a rather sweet man and an uncomfortable creep. I am always happy to see characters who stutter (I am/was a stutterer too) and I found the way Iggulden explored the way Roman society understood and treated people with disabilities like that both harrowing and accurate – he is thought dumb and useless, ridiculed and ruthlessly mocked. Seeing this man who was ridiculed his whole life become the emperor and be revealed to be a lot more practical, smart, ruthless and ambitious than anyone ever gave him credit for was fun. Also, the way his stuttering worsens whenever he is stressed and is, in moments of calm and happiness, hardly noticeable was so authentic! Gnaeus was an absolute asshat and I hated spending time in his head. He was of course integral to Agrippina's development and character, but I could've used less chapters all about him, his drinking, his reminiscing of his glory days and him being a misogynistic shitface. Messalina was underutilised, but I spoke of that before already.
My favorite character of the novel was, to my surprise, Caligula. I think he will be the one who sticks with me the longest. The way Iggulden managed to make him, in the beginning, both unnervingly volatile and piercingly sad was impressive. When he told Agrippina of how his time on Capri moulded and remade him – “–do you remember? – the one they who marched about in his soldier’s uniform, the one they called Caligula? I talk of him because he died, Agri. I left that little boy behind on the island. The man I am is not him, not any longer. I am just… a hollow thing.” – I felt horrible to him (we never get to learn what exactly happened to him but it must've been something horrid. His feelings towards his sisters are odd and borderline incestuous, but I could also understand why he would be so desperate to have them close, to get lost in memories of his childhood and family, and to have a family of his own after years of turmoil and psychological torment. His descent into brutality and hedonistic madness happened, unfortunately, mostly off-page and we only get to hear of the crimes he commits against his people. It was a bit of a letdown after spending so much time with him in the beginning of his reign and seeing that horrifying moment when he After that, I was ready to see the change in him, but turns out we don't really see it at all. Then he is killed and we move on. Disappointing. But, on the whole, I appreciated Iggulden avoiding simply making a demon out of him and attempting to make him a complex figure, someone who had redeeming qualities and moments. I have no doubts he was a shit emperor and cruel, but there is no way all the stories we have of him are true. Iggulden took the stories we have of him but instead of recreating the almost caricature-like depiction of him ancient authors give us, he made him into a human.
Does this novel work as a first book in a trilogy about the Emperor Nero? Well, I'd say yes and no. Yes, because all of our lives are impacted by the actions, decisions and feelings of those who came before us. To understand why Nero ends up an emperor is to understand his mother's ambition, the mistakes of his uncle Caligula, the life of his great-uncle Claudius's reign and the nature of Roman society. No, because if I want to read a book about Nero – called "Nero" – it is bound to be a slight disappointment to realize Nero is but a small character in the story. I lean more towards "Yes, this works", though. I like how Nero is present, from the very beginning, first as a baby, then a toddler and then a child who is already determined, strong as a bull and prone to pettiness and anger. Even though some changes Iggulden made to his story were perhaps a bit unnecessary – he is given this which didn't happen in reality and also do not seem to have any lasting impact on him – this book does explore just how perilous his youth was, the danger he was in simply because of his bloodline and connection to the imperial family, and how, without his mother, he would not have reached the place he did.
I am not yet sure if I will continue on in this series. A part of me wants to see how Iggulden decides to write Nero, whether he is given as much complexity as Caligula or if he is made more of a straightforward tyrant, how he writes the end of Agrippina's story and interprets her developing relationship to her uncle, Claudius. But a part of me, the one that felt very meh about this book and struggled to remain interested near the end, does not see much point in continuing if the first book didn't either wow me or intrigue me in the end. I have also considered reading some of Iggulden's other ancient history novels but as this one didn't impress me all that much, I have a feeling I won't be prioritising picking those up any time in the near future.
I would recommend this to people because even though I didn't love it, I can see why many people would. It wouldn't be the first book set in the ancient Roman world I would recommend, but if you want a story of political machinations, family drama, war and bloodshed, this does have all those things and might be up your alley.
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