Gladiator

by Dewey Gram

General Maximus Meridas, a hero of the Roman empire, is forced into exile by the Emperor Commodus and is captured and sold into slavery, where he learns a new type of warfare as a gladiator

Genres: Historical Fiction, Media Tie In, Fiction, Fantasy, Historical, Adventure, Novels

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2000

Reviews

[Rodrigo · Rating 4 out of 5]

FANTASTICA!!! Me lo he pasado como un enano rememorando la película. La cual es magnífica.
Valoración: 8/10 ( no lo pongo mas porque podría pecar de fan)
Sinopsis: Se trata de la venganza de un general de las legiones romanas llamado Máximo, el cual era tan querido por el Emperador que le quería mas que a su propio hijo, ya que ensalzaba los valores de Roma, honor, lealtad humildad.
Pero el emperador muere y sus deseos no se pueden ver cumplidos y su hijo toma el mando de manera un tanto irregular. Y bueno, ya se sabe una vez en le poder a eliminar a la competencia.
Dándole por muerto intenta salvar a su familia (que estaba en Hispania ,ya que tenia una casita cerca de Trujillo), pero llega tarde ,asi que solo tiene ganas nada mas que de morirse, pero es "salvado" por unos bandoleros vascos (si habéis oído bien, que harían tan al sur!!!) y despierta en un convoy de esclavos que va a parar a Marruecos, allí a pesar que no tiene ganas nada mas que morirse logra vencer en un coliseum de 6ª categoría y al poco le dicen que si quiere la libertad se la podría dar el emperador y asi se fragua su venganza.
# 2- Un libro basado en una película famosa (popular). Reto Popsugar 2023.

[Aishu Rehman · Rating 3 out of 5]

GLADIATOR is a sure-fire success, both onscreen and on the page! I liked the way the book's pace catapaulted you almost scene-by-scene through the rich storyline. The color photos inside were incredible, too! They really captured Russell Crowe's best moments in the movie. Great fun, and even some informative stuff about the Roman Empire thrown in, as well. As tie-ins go, this one's a winner!

[Janete on hiatus due health issues · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's not the real book, but an adaptation for people that are learning English, but I loved it!

[Bassem Oraibi · Rating 5 out of 5]

In winter of A.D 180, Emperor Marcus Aurelius rules the great Roman Empire at a time when the empire owns most of the world. There are many problems in Rome and he wants general Maximus, the commander of the Roman Army in the north to become protector of Rome. He knew that his son, Commodus wouldn’t be a good Emperor. he kills his father and orders Quintus to execute Maximus and his family. Maximus escapes but he is taken as a slave to Proximo. He is then taken to Rome, where Commodus is The Emperor. Maximus becomes most popular gladiator, which teases Commodus. Her sister lucilla and Gracchus try to help Maximus to escape but he is caught by Commodus soldiers and becomes a prisoner again.he organizes a fight between himself and Maximus at the colosseum. He wounds him before the fight to make him weak to fight but Commodus was killed and Maximus died shortly. In my opinion, the story of the gladiator is an inspiring story with a sad end for me. I really enjoyed reading the story. The language of the book is easy to be understandable. Also, the titles of the chapters are attractive. These titles just tell me not to put the book down till I finish reading it all.The writer could deliver his image to me as a reader in little yet reflective words. One thing I disliked about this book was when the army betrayed their general Maximus and tried to kill him. Indeed, I learned many lessons from this great series of events. First, ambition alone can't make a different person than who we are. We need to accompany ambition with strength and honor. These three values are easy to utter but they are hard to be achieved. However, being a strong person doesn't necessarily mean an unmerciful one. Mercy is what makes us cold hearted and strong at the same time. Over all, this book is good for all readers.

[Bryan Troye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maximus is a General that controls the Roman empire in there glory days. When the emperor Marcus Aurelius talks to Maximus; he says he will be returning home and is giving his power of cesar over to Maximus because his son is not ready. When Commodos (the emperors son) finds out about Maximus rulling the empire he murders his father(cesar) and tells the army to kill Maximus. When Maximus escapes death he rides home to save his family; when he gets home his family has been murdered and house burnt to the ground. His struggles come when a slave owner finds Maximus and sells him to a group of gladiators. He has to fight for his life in the games. One thing I liked about this book is that Maximus turns into the best gladiator that ever lived. One thing I disliked about this book was when the army betrayed there general Maximus and tired to kill him. I would recommend this book for people who enjoy books involving war and midevil war like fighting. A good connection to this book would be cesar a book written by shakespeare. I would make this connection because Both books talk about Cesar and deal with that roman time period. Over all this book is good for all readers and I hope you enjoy it.

[Saeed Almazrouei · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book talks about war between two armies and about a brave man Maximus who is one of the powerful men in the army of the Rome Empire. Cesar had promised to Maximus this would be his last war and would return home but was surprised when Maximus Cesar wanted to rule the Roman Empire. Commodus, the son of the emperor of Rome. When he arrived his wife and son had been murdered and his house and property destroyed on Commodus’s orders. He had fled to Morocco and became a slave and fought as a gladiator. Maximus became one of the most famous and brave gladiators. Also saw the last few days of Commodus Maximus war so that he wanted a war against it. They fought together until the last moment, but in the end he killed Maximus.

[Juliana Queiroga · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book contains fights, jealous, changes, friendship, death, and revenge. The Emperor Marcus Aurelius wanted to change the way of government of Rome for republic, and Maximus will be the protector for Rome. When Commodus, Emperor's son, knew about it, he killed his father. This fact was what boosted this story because after that, the life of the principal characters changed. Maximus, the Commander of the Roman Army in the North, became slave, Commodus became the New Emperor of Rome, and Lucilla, Commodus`s sister, became prisoner of her brother. After that, Maximus became a gladiator and he hated The Emperor since Commodus ordered to kill Maximus’s family. In the book end he got his revenge by killing Commodus, but also Maximus died.

I was surprised at how the story happened and I enjoyed read Gladiator. First all, it was inasmuch as Commodus killed his father. I didn't like this scene because according to my beliefs it is an absurd. Second, Maximus became a slave and after became a gladiator, and his family burned to death. It is totally different than Maximus dreamed, he wanted came back for his home in Spain for his farm and lived with his family. Also, I liked the friendship between Maximus and Juba. They had something in common: the dream to rediscover their families again. One thing that I really liked in the book it was because in the gladiator school probably people thought only in themselves, but Maximus became a kind of leader and they fought together. When Maximus finally killed his enemy he also died. This kind of book which the protagonist died in the end, it is no common what made me feel really surprised, so I can say that I liked this book.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both easy and fun to read, light on historical accuracy. Nothing wow from a literary perspective but the movie's plot makes for a really good page-turning yarn.

[Eric Succar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reminds me of Coriolanus, but not as wordy and much more realistic and emotional.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gladiator is my favorite movie — of course I had to read the novelization by Dewey Gram, which came out the same year as the movie. Gram isn't the best at incorporating emotion or extra information into the preexisting story, but Gladiator actually has some great little moments that enhanced the film for me. I kept a list of all the things I noticed were added, removed, or changed from the film, and in the end, Gram made some great choices and wrote a solid (if overly simplistic) version of one of the best films of the 21st century.

In the winter of 180 A.D., Maximus Decimus Meridius, the honorable and revered commander of the Northern Armies of Rome, is fighting the last battle of his military career in Germania under the command of his adored emperor Marcus Aurelius, with the hopes of returning to his beloved wife and son in Spain. However, Maximus' hopes (and his unexpected offer of succeeding Marcus as the protector of Rome) are dashed when Marcus' wicked son Commodus slays his father and orders Maximus' execution. Maximus escapes and arrives home too late to save his family from death, but his hope of dying and joining them in the afterlife is interrupted when he is captured by slave traders from North Africa, who take him to Zucchabar and sell him to the famed gladiator trainer Proximo. Thus begins Maximus' celebrated yet bitter career as the most successful gladiator of his time, and his journey will take him to the Colosseum of Rome and eventually face-to-face with the man responsible for all Maximus' pain.

First of all, capturing a movie as nuanced and dependent upon onscreen marvels as Ridley Scott's Gladiator in a single novel is a monumental task, so major props to Dewey Gram for even attempting it. Gram clearly did a lot of research on the Roman Empire to add a level of political, historical, and militaristic detail that the film portrays more simply. With extra exposition about Marcus Aurelius' military career, the constant threat of a military invasion of Rome, and the general deterioration of the once-great city of Rome, Gladiator we get a better sense of the grander political scope of the film, and Maximus' impact both as a general and a favorite of the people makes more sense. I also loved that Gram included all the deleted scenes — Maximus walking through lines of his wounded men, Proximo betting against Maximus, Haken taunting the Greek scribe, Maximus ignoring the demands to be an entertainer, Proximo kissing the Colossus' foot, Maximus witnessing the deaths of Christians, Commodus killing the Germanian troops, Lucilla meeting with Gracchus, Commodus destroying Marcus' statue, Lucilla overhearing the spies, the destruction of the actors' tent, and Quintus justifying his actions — from the film in their correct order, just like in the extended version of the film.

Though it's not his strong point, Gram also includes several interesting tidbits to enhance certain scenes emotionally. We see a bit more of Maximus as an intelligent, strategic, calculated warrior who has an unshakeable confidence in himself and the justice that goes beyond mankind. Gram includes a lot of nice little moments in which we find out what is going on in Maximus' head, such as his constant respect for his opponents and his deep sorrow after the deaths of his family. We see Commodus and Lucilla interact constantly, and we feel the growing tension as their scheming against each other grows more dire. Gram occasionally shows off his prowess at building excitement before battles, particularly before Maximus' first arena battle and his final duel with Commodus. Maximus' death at the end of the book is also incredibly well written and redeems a lot of the book's flaws.

However, despite its outstanding storyline and great moments, the Gladiator novelization simply falls short of the film itself in many ways. Gladiator is a visual story, relying on grand setpieces, impassioned line delivery, and the power of silent moments. To novelize such a story requires an author adept at handling emotional stakes and getting inside the characters' heads to really add depth to a story that is already extremely complex. Unfortunately, Gladiator often reads like a screenplay that has simply been filled in with some explanations of historical context, without adding a lot of emphasis to the characterization or subplots. I kept hoping that Gram would switch into poetic authorial mode, but Gladiator is pretty flat the majority of the time, relying on our memory of the powerful film performances to inject emotional depth to the scenes and dialogue.

With that said, a quick breakdown of some things I really loved about the Gladiator novelization:

• all the lovely descriptions and expositions about Maximus (who is my favorite character of all time and also the prototype for my future husband, with any luck)
• the scene where Maximus goes back for his sword stuck in the tree and finds the bird from the opening scene perched on it
• the fact that Commodus trained in the gladiator arts and has always been fascinated by gladiatorial combat
• the recurring theme with Maximus going up against soldiers who have never been in actual combat like he has
• the absolute devastation of Maximus coming home to find his family dead, then having to bury them — plus the heartbreaking added eulogy he says over their graves
• the depiction of Maximus' depression when he first becomes a gladiator
• the occasional glimpse of a backstory for side characters like Haken and Cicero
• the emphasis on Maximus and Juba's friendship (maybe even a little more than in the film)
• Gram's inclusion of his own OC (the half-blind secret police spy for Falco)
• Maximus being described when fighting "like a scythe through wheat" as a parallel to his longing to be a farmer
• the occasional mention of Marcus Aurelius' influence on plot elements (like him being the one who shut down the gladiator games, and him being the one who freed Proximo and therefore created the opportunity for Maximus' escape / the salvation of Rome)
• the moment when Lucius dreams about riding horses with his own father, which parallels Maximus' son's excitement at riding with Maximus when he comes home
• the scene where a Roman guard almost recognizes Maximus upon his arrival in Rome as a gladiator
• the mentions of Maximus seeing Christians being killed in the arena
• the scenes in which Maximus is constantly paranoid about Commodus sending assassins after him
• the added scene where Lucilla is listening to the arena crowd shout Maximus' name in relief because she knows it means he's still alive (just WOW)
• the kiss scene, which is probably Gram's best handling of an emotionally-driven moment
• Haken falling dead over the entrance to the tunnel in hopes of saving Maximus' life
• all the other gladiators standing in respect as Maximus is led past their cell in chains
• that one additional exchange about fearlessness between Maximus and Commodus before the final duel
• the entire description of the final duel, which is just so well done on Gram's part

...and to balance things out, a few things I wish had been different:

• the inexplicable and inexcusable misspelling of Maximus' surname (Meridas? really, Gram?)
• Maximus being described as thirty years old, when he is clearly older
• the inferior paraphrasing of the outstanding Gladiator screenplay
• the lack of delving into Maximus and Lucilla's backstory together
• the lack of any kind of characterization for Maximus' wife and son (even names!)
• the occasional modern expression in the otherwise period-drama-style narrative
• a few weird little inconsistencies, both with the film and within the novelization itself
• the complete lack of any interesting dialogue tags (it's always "Maximus said" or "Lucilla said")
• the absence of mental or emotional analysis in most key scenes
• the omission of the very cool female African gladiators in the Battle of Carthage scene
• a few strange bits where Gram omits certain scenes to combine them with others (like Maximus and Cicero meeting on the street versus at the gladiator school gate, or Maximus' warning to the gladiators not to throw away their lives for him)

...and to balance that out, a few quotes that now live in my head rent-free:

"Maximus the farmer was Maximus the general for one more battle. One last battle, and he could go home."

"There was an aura about the commander of the Northern armies when he fought—men felt it, ally and foe the same. He was a beautifully efficient machine of war: he fought smart, wasting not an ounce of energy, economizing his moves, saving his breath, and looking for his spots. He saw openings, angles, and trajectories and got his horrendous killing blow in before the enemy had time to draw back his weapon. But more than that was the searing core of self-belief, the confidence that he could vanquish any of Rome's foes no matter the odds."

"Let the flowers never fade. Let the sun always be warm on your back. But better than this, all the beloved dead returned to you, as you return to them. Embrace them. You’ve come home at last."

"Such a small, formal exchange to cover so much of life, so many complicated experiences and feelings."

"In the vineyard on the south slope Maximus buried his wife and son at nightfall. He dug deep graves in the black loamy soil that had nourished the grapes and olives in his fields, and the figs and pears and apples in his orchards. He patted down the mounded earth gently over their defiled, broken bodies. He was weeping, almost fainting from his wound, his hands buried in the dirt. He looked up to where the kitchen garden used to be by the house he had built with these same dirt-streaked, bloodied hands, where the herb and the jasmine his wife had planted scented the air.
He spoke to his dead loved ones through his tears. Lie in the shade of the white poplar, my loves. Do the meadow flowers smell sweet? Wait for me there…"

"The children aptly mirrored the strange double reactions that gladiators evoked wherever they went: fascination and revilement, heroes and criminals, the doomed and sometimes the redeemed."

"Once mounted on the big white stallion, he was again the ruthless dealer of death of the Felix Regiment."

"It was drama — a great fighter stalked by death in its most beautifully deadly disguise."

"Did Gracchus actually just see the mob throwing good and trash at the Emperor? Laughing at him? These acts of incredible courage were hanging offenses! All of it inspired by one extraordinary, resolute man."

"Maximus was armored and waiting, listening to the building roar of the crowd in the great arena beyond. The sound now meant something new to him — power. Power that he could wield. Power to avenge the murder of his wife and child. Power to finally carry out the bidding of a great man whose wishes had been subverted by his monstrous son."

"Maximus walked through the wheat field, letting the grain spikes trail through his fingers… The lovely woman stopped and turned. She called to the boy, who stopped running and looked back. He then started running back along the road, toward the man in the wheat field, toward his father, coming home at last."

"Juba still heard one voice in the giant arena, though — that of Maximus, the great fighter, asking about his home in Africa, talking about his own home in Spain. Maximus saying to him at the time of truth to have 'strength and honor.'"

"He carefully buried the figurines there, in the spot where their loved one had died. He covered them over with the earth that carried their loved one's blood, so that they would have an easier time finding each other in the afterlife."

"Now we are free. This place will become dust, but I will not forget you."

Like I said, this novelization isn't perfect and pales in comparison to the grandeur of Gladiator the film, but Dewey Gram packs enough of a punch by the end of the story that I was crying almost as hard as when Maximus dies in the film (I'm a sucker for Russell Crowe, all right?). With great attention to detail and occasional bursts of inspiration, Gram's novelization is well worth reading for any fan of the film.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gladiator the book was literally a re-write of the film in ever way. I loved this, probably more than I should have.

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neuvěřitelný příběh!!!!! Je to hluboký příběh o spravedlnosti, lásce, zradě a vykoupení. Kniha rozšiřuje některé vnitřní motivace hrdiny, než film dovoluje. Za mne je úspěšná interpretace filmu do knižní podobě. Nicméně je třeba říct, že kniha se drží filmu až příliš doslovně. Nenabízí moc nového a spíše kopíruje děj, takže kdo film zná, nebude moc překvapen😄

[Abrar.ahm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a story of a great warrior named Maximus that took place in the Roman Emperor in A.D. 180. Maximus was the leader of the Roman army fighting against the Germans. Commodus, the son of the emperor, was jealous of Maximus because his father loved and trust Maximus so much, but he did not trust Commodus. Commodus killed his father and killed Maximus’s family. Maximus became a slave after he escaped from Commodus when Commodus tried to kill him. Maximus came back to Rome as a gladiator after a while to get his revenge. Maximus and Commodus had a big fight in the arena, and Maximus killed Commodus, but unfortunately, he died too. All the people in Rome were very proud of Maximus.



In my opinion, the story is interesting and has a lot of surprises. The first surprise is when Commodus killed his father and Maximus’s family. The second one is when Maximus became a slave. Also, the end of the story is a big surprise for me. I like Maximus loyalty for Rome and for his family. Every time I finished a chapter, I felt so excited to complete the story. Finally at the end of the story, I expected that Maximus would kill Commodus, but what happened is that they both died. It was a big surprise for me because usually the hero does not die. I think that is good because that was unexpected. In short, the book is very good, and I give it 5 stars. I recommend it for every one

[Kana Yoneda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book talks about a strong man at Rome in 180 A.D. Maximus is a great man and has leadership, so Marcus likes and trusts him. Therefore, Commodus has jealous of Maximus and kills Marcus to be new emperor. Maximus is killed his family and destroyed his village by commodus. Also, he is sold as a gladiator. when he become strong gladiator, he decided to join the game in colosseum to kill commodes. In addition, Lucilla who is sister of commodus ask him to kill commodus. Finally,Maximus kills commodus and die himself.Everyone are proud of him.
I enjoyed reading this book because the hero of this story eventually died. I was surprised that Maximus died because i think a hero has to be alive. I want him to be new emperor. I could not imagine next scene, so this book was interesting. The best scene for me is last scene that Juba was proud of Maximus in colosseum. I was impressed with their strong friendship. On the other hand, i don't like Quintus because he betrayed Maximus even though he was a friend of Maximus.

[Mohammed Elshamsy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of the gladiator is one of good against evil,good represented by Maximus,Marcus aurelius,senator Gracchus and lucilla, bad represented by Commodus,Quintus and Falco

Marcus Aurelius has absolute power in Rome but knows that the Empire is corrupt, that his son is unfit to take power, and that authority must be restored to the Senate.

Maximus is a loyal and brave soldier, betrayed by Commodus, his life destroyed, but determined to have revenge on the man responsible for the death of his family.

Gracchus realizes that Commodus is corrupt and plans to give the people “bread and circuses” so that they will not see what he is doing.

Lucilla also knows that her brother is corrupt and joins with the others to defeat him


Maximus the general who become a slave, the slave who became a gladiator,the gladiator who insulted the emperor "commadous",it's agood story,now people wants to how the story ends !

[Alexander Curran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted : 9 years, 8 months ago on 17 August 2008 10:43 (A review of Gladiator)

''My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.''

When a Roman general is betrayed and his family murdered by a corrupt prince, he comes to Rome as a gladiator to seek revenge.

Russell Crowe: Maximus

Joaquin Phoenix: Commodus

Epic, heart-wrenching, action packed and dramatic. Ridley Scott's roman historical masterpiece, forget the still good but flawed kingdom of heaven this is the one to watch.
Russel Crowe gives his best performance of his career. The late Richard Harris and Oliver Reed give high performances and a quality that shines timeless etherality. Joaquin Phoenix is an equal cold maddened son who's hunger and thirst for power is a vision to see.

''At my signal, unleash hell.''

A tale of redemption of a man fighting for good. A cause bigger than himself and to overthrow a tyrant obstructing the birth a republic. Revel in the violence, behold it's beauty and magnificence, wasn't a doubt in my mind that Ridley Scott would reap the rewards of his efforts and win awards galore. People who criticize this film are the same people that ridiculed Blade Runner, Alien, and my message to them is to get stuffed, thats as polite as i can put it.
Gladiator features some wonderful cinematography by John Mathieson. The battle scenes are very graphic. (This movie is not for the squeamish, that's for sure.) There were some scenes in particular that really struck me, such as when Crowe appears to be floating over the ground very fast. The use of colour and colour tones added a great deal to the mood of the movie. Excellent.
The script was being written and re-written as the filming was going on, yet it doesn't show that the actors had no idea how the movie was going to end when they began filming. The acting is terrific. Russell Crowe is wonderfully cast as Maximus. Many reviewers agree that he is now officially a star. Joaquin Phoenix also proves his mettle as the emotionally troubled Commodus, whose behavior and emotion toward his sister could give anyone the creeps. Connie Nielsen makes you believe that, as Lucilla, she really is torn between natural loyalty to her brother and doing what she knows is right. Oliver Reed, in his last performance, is memorable in his role of Proximo, the former gladiator who is the owner of Maximus and brings him to Rome. In short, the actors were brilliant in their roles, not over-acting, but giving subtle, strong performances.

''I don't pretend to be a man of the people. But I do try to be a man for the people.''

The fights staged in Gladiator are masterful set pieces; stylized and captured gloriously. However, the fighting in Gladiator is not unrealistic; it's graphic and bloody. The warriors who battle each other are not super-men, they are normal men, real fighters, who get bashed and beat up at every turn. These soldiers combat in a truly gritty way, they are warriors who need to smell and rub their hands in the earth they battle upon. Chief amongst these mortal combatants is Russell Crowe's, a hero of mythological stance, whose raw aggression on the battlefront, coupled with his powerful expressions (combating and not combating, his silent moments from his execution to his first brawl in the arena are his best) and compelling heroics earned him a well earned Oscar.
These battle-scenes of Gladiator are, of course, extremely well tended to by Ridley Scott who is the master at crafting epic war scenarios (see, I told you fanboy-praise would sneak its way in!). The patient, slow pacing of the film seems to take a sudden halt here, and then fast-forward in an amazingly rapid-fire pace with quick shots, swinging swords, vivid skies and a great score by Hans Zimmer to further emphasize the dramatic mood.
The very culmination of this is not at the end, but rather early. It is the moment that Maximus removes his helmet, reveals his identity and faces the emperor, after a long and ferocious battle. It is a scene so poignant that I always wish it would have been saved until later on in the film, thereby giving it even more weight. But no matter, because rest assured that it is goosebumps-inducing enough.
A gloriously entertaining, heartfelt and carefully crafted war adventure by Ridley Scott in which little feels missing or incomplete. What more could you ask for? Great acting from the cast, I suppose ? well, this is also present in Gladiator. Best of all, the actors have good dialogue to work with so they don't choke on the dated lines. Russell Crowe propels this film with his heroic personality, Connie Nielsen adds introspective depth, and Joaquin Phoenix is excellent as the twisted but idealist emperor Commodurus.

Gladiator is visually stunning; it is the work of a master craftsman. It is also emotionally intriguing, something some Scott films lack. Its soul-searching music (applause to Hans Zimmer) and its ambitious, gorgeous view of the after-life are beautiful. Its truly gritty-edge give it a dirty, gruesome magnificence.

One of my fave films of all times, one i have watched countless times. Near the beginning in the forests was filmed near my relatives too and I've been. Simply breathtaking scope and settings and the music hits your soul.

I am certainly entertained.

''What we do in life echoes in eternity.''

[Dark-Draco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. Usually, novelizations of films and TV aren't very good, tend to be one-dimensional and just recap the bare bones of the story. But the author has done a good job of making the characters 'real' by adding extra bits of background, while giving a few extra little twists to the story we know from the film. It did downplay the weird relationship between Commodus and his sister, which was much more disturbing in the film, but overall it was a close representation of the same story. Well worth the couple of days spent in its company.

[Maysaloon Abu-Zaglan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story when a free man become a slave (Gladiator), trying to revenge the death of his wife and son by the hands of the emperor. Maximums is a heroic epic ..

[Maira · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book was good but i had more fun watching the movie. :)

[Malacima · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was one of the best films I've ever watched...and still is...
The movie has everything it needs... romance, conspiracy, murder, morality, battles, immorality, history,vengeance...etc

[Geoff Battle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The film Gladiator was a box office smash and this is a screenplay to book conversion. The conversion is quite straight-forward and Dewey Gram has captured the characteristion from the screen version very well. The story follows Maximus from his fall from grace, his torture, both psychological and physical, through to his rise to obtain vengeance. The deceit and betrayal that is the backbone of the story is well crafted and by the final chapters you'll be gripped to read the outcome, even if you have seen the film. It's a short read and if you haven't seen Gladiator in a while, or feel that it's not your cup of tea, then take a few hours to enjoy the book.

[Wong Cheuk Nam Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gladiator was an unpredictable,exciting and surprising book.It was a story about ancient Roman Empire.The main character,Maximus, has an amazing story fighting as an gladiator and tries to achieve his goals.The story of Maximus was well shown and allows the reader to fully understand what happened. Overall, the scenes were well described and the story had many plots and twists,which brought many surprises to the story,besides it showed what Maximus was fighting for and his task for revenge really well.

[Amy Gay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a lot like the movie, although containing more detail about what was happening in scenes that were hidden in the background. This also added to the darkness that was this time period. If you enjoyed the movie, you will enjoy the book.

[Marco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book, in many facets so much better and much more detailed than the movie.

[Borntreadbooks Eleni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great and fast read

[Niki-Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story about brave and honour man.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. Perfect for a casual reader as the chapters are very short.

[lemonpie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Φα-ντα-στι-κό! Άξιζει όλες τις κριτικές του! Απο τις πρώτες σελίδες με κέρδισε! Δεν μπορούσα να το σταματήσω με τίποτα (ειχα και διάβασμα τρομάρα μου) . απλά υπέροχο!

[älex · Rating 2 out of 5]

ugh :// had to read this for school and I did not like it.

[Çetineus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Same as movie but you get the same taste.

"... Because that was the last wish of a dying man, said Maximus."