What do you think?
Rate this book
Drusus #2
The Philosopher Prince
355AD. In a late-Roman world of ambitious bureaucrats and power-hungry courtiers two young friends of the British nobility, Drusus and Marcellus, have fallen foul of the prevailing authority. There is no place to hide, no turning back. They must face the irresistible might of the Roman state. It seems a fight they cannot win.
For Drusus and Marcellus their only ally is the young imperial prince, Julian. But Julian has troubles of his his very success has made him hated by his uncle, the emperor. With spies and adversaries all about them, they link their fate with Julian’s in a life-or-death struggle that takes them from one end of the empire to the other and set themselves against the forces determined to crush them.
A novel of hope, The Philosopher Prince is a story of human values pitted against the cold and calculating machine of an all-powerful tyranny. And at its heart, a victim of the very forces he controls, lies the emperor himself.
Reviews
'a triumphant return... gripping and multi-faceted story which combines thrilling military manoeuvring with a subtle meditation on the conflicting values of humanism and faith... Waters is a brilliant creator of character... Another captivating story from a novelist who has the power to make his reader think.' --The Lancashire Evening Post
'Following on from his Cast Not the Day, Paul Waters' The Philosopher Prince continues the adventures of English Drusus and his Roman lover Marcellus as they traverse Gaul. Waters (in the tradition of Mary Renault) is a writer who has both narrative and intellectual gifts that enable him to both tell a story and rescue history from the pernicious church.' --Biege
Note
The Philosopher Prince is the sequel to Cast Not the Day.
For Drusus and Marcellus their only ally is the young imperial prince, Julian. But Julian has troubles of his his very success has made him hated by his uncle, the emperor. With spies and adversaries all about them, they link their fate with Julian’s in a life-or-death struggle that takes them from one end of the empire to the other and set themselves against the forces determined to crush them.
A novel of hope, The Philosopher Prince is a story of human values pitted against the cold and calculating machine of an all-powerful tyranny. And at its heart, a victim of the very forces he controls, lies the emperor himself.
Reviews
'a triumphant return... gripping and multi-faceted story which combines thrilling military manoeuvring with a subtle meditation on the conflicting values of humanism and faith... Waters is a brilliant creator of character... Another captivating story from a novelist who has the power to make his reader think.' --The Lancashire Evening Post
'Following on from his Cast Not the Day, Paul Waters' The Philosopher Prince continues the adventures of English Drusus and his Roman lover Marcellus as they traverse Gaul. Waters (in the tradition of Mary Renault) is a writer who has both narrative and intellectual gifts that enable him to both tell a story and rescue history from the pernicious church.' --Biege
Note
The Philosopher Prince is the sequel to Cast Not the Day.
385 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 24, 2010
About the author
Paul Waters
23 books23 followersPaul Waters was born and schooled in England, but says his real education did not begin until he was seventeen, when he ran away to sea.
He spent the next two years travelling the world on a tramp steamer. It was during this time, somewhere in the Indian Ocean, that he picked up a copy of Herodotus, and began a love affair with the classical world of Greece and Rome.
Later he returned to England and studied Classics at University College London. Since then he has lived and worked in France, Greece, America and southern Africa. He now lives in Cambridge, England.
He spent the next two years travelling the world on a tramp steamer. It was during this time, somewhere in the Indian Ocean, that he picked up a copy of Herodotus, and began a love affair with the classical world of Greece and Rome.
Later he returned to England and studied Classics at University College London. Since then he has lived and worked in France, Greece, America and southern Africa. He now lives in Cambridge, England.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 30, 2017
I usually feel bad for giving a book that I sort of had fun with while reading just three stars, because most of the time, I loved the characters so much that I would just like to ignore the weakness of the story, the plot holes and the logic fails ... but here? It's the other way around. I LOVED the story. Every step of it. I would love to read the exact same story again, if the author fixed just one thing:
The first person narrator. He was super frustrating in his absolute soulless storytelling. It was like reading a historical record from an outsider most of the time and not right from the brain of someone who was right in the middle of things.
You and the person you love most in the world get karrested by an enemy who hates you? Just calmly describe what happens. No panic. No concern. No reassuring gestures.
The person you love most in the world gets hurt and almost dies? Not even a hug or relieved tears when it's over.
People you know are dying and there are traitors left and right and you... just talk about it, like it's 20 years later and you're telling a story to your students.
It also didn't help, that the author's writing style is very "tell, don't show", which is really not beneficial to a story full of rebellion, betrayal, murder, rape and religious differences.
No sweaty hands and quickening heartbeats, just "I was nervous".
No observing a character sneaking around and hiding behind corners, just "This dude has always been shady."
This made almost all of the characters really flat. Drusus just tells us what he sees and when we do get a glimpse into his head, he just spells everything out. Marcellus has no personality whatsoever apart from being beautiful, kind and having an obviously noble upbringing.
All the enemies are just evil (and ugly). And so very very petty.
No action by anyone was ever surprising.
Another thing that bothered me is that I couldn't figure out what exactly Drusus and Marcellus are to each other. Yes, they're best friends forever, lovers and possibly soulmates. But everything was so damn vague. Do they actually (still) sleep with each other? Several times it was mentioned how they talked 'in bed' and then at the end of the scene it got revealed that Marcellus was actually in his own bed on the other side of the room. Once Drusus did sneak into his friends' bed for warmth, I think, but... did something happen there? I have no idea.
Meanwhile, when Drusus slept with a German girl, I knew exactly that it was happening and since there were no consequences whatsoever, I assume they're not exclusive? At least not when it comes to physical intimicy, as far as I could gather.
Otherwise they're super stable. They're clearly each other's world. I just wish I had been able to FEEL anything for them, except a faint fondness.
Now let's go to the reason this book got three stars, apart from the story itself:
I lied when I said that all the characters were flat. There was one that actually worked and was the saving grace for me while reading: Julian. The Philospher Prince from the title.
In contrast to everyone's kiddy pool deepness, he was an ocean. He was kind, intelligent, witty and managed to stand out by not being predictable. I enjoyed every scene he was in.
(Of course he, like everyone else, looked down on the "German barbarians" who dared to raise a ruckus when the Romans invaded their home, but that's par of course for Roman characters at that time, so I'm letting it sort of slide.)
Other characters who sort of worked were Eutherius, an eunuch who is one of the few non-soldier characters, who always kept his cool and was always ready to give some good advise and Rufus, a young soldier who idolized Marcellus.
I have another book by this author and I genuinly wonder if another narrator would help me enjoy a story by him more. I will report back on that one day.
The first person narrator. He was super frustrating in his absolute soulless storytelling. It was like reading a historical record from an outsider most of the time and not right from the brain of someone who was right in the middle of things.
You and the person you love most in the world get karrested by an enemy who hates you? Just calmly describe what happens. No panic. No concern. No reassuring gestures.
The person you love most in the world gets hurt and almost dies? Not even a hug or relieved tears when it's over.
People you know are dying and there are traitors left and right and you... just talk about it, like it's 20 years later and you're telling a story to your students.
It also didn't help, that the author's writing style is very "tell, don't show", which is really not beneficial to a story full of rebellion, betrayal, murder, rape and religious differences.
No sweaty hands and quickening heartbeats, just "I was nervous".
No observing a character sneaking around and hiding behind corners, just "This dude has always been shady."
This made almost all of the characters really flat. Drusus just tells us what he sees and when we do get a glimpse into his head, he just spells everything out. Marcellus has no personality whatsoever apart from being beautiful, kind and having an obviously noble upbringing.
All the enemies are just evil (and ugly). And so very very petty.
No action by anyone was ever surprising.
Another thing that bothered me is that I couldn't figure out what exactly Drusus and Marcellus are to each other. Yes, they're best friends forever, lovers and possibly soulmates. But everything was so damn vague. Do they actually (still) sleep with each other? Several times it was mentioned how they talked 'in bed' and then at the end of the scene it got revealed that Marcellus was actually in his own bed on the other side of the room. Once Drusus did sneak into his friends' bed for warmth, I think, but... did something happen there? I have no idea.
Meanwhile, when Drusus slept with a German girl, I knew exactly that it was happening and since there were no consequences whatsoever, I assume they're not exclusive? At least not when it comes to physical intimicy, as far as I could gather.
Otherwise they're super stable. They're clearly each other's world. I just wish I had been able to FEEL anything for them, except a faint fondness.
Now let's go to the reason this book got three stars, apart from the story itself:
I lied when I said that all the characters were flat. There was one that actually worked and was the saving grace for me while reading: Julian. The Philospher Prince from the title.
In contrast to everyone's kiddy pool deepness, he was an ocean. He was kind, intelligent, witty and managed to stand out by not being predictable. I enjoyed every scene he was in.
(Of course he, like everyone else, looked down on the "German barbarians" who dared to raise a ruckus when the Romans invaded their home, but that's par of course for Roman characters at that time, so I'm letting it sort of slide.)
Other characters who sort of worked were Eutherius, an eunuch who is one of the few non-soldier characters, who always kept his cool and was always ready to give some good advise and Rufus, a young soldier who idolized Marcellus.
I have another book by this author and I genuinly wonder if another narrator would help me enjoy a story by him more. I will report back on that one day.
January 30, 2023
Mr Waters is a masterful writer and I wonder why it was so difficult to get copies of Cast Not The Day and this book.
They deal with a little known period of Roman history - after Constantine the Great - when the Roman Empire was a bubbling cauldron of Christianity and the old pagan religions; of honourable men and cruel sadists; of clever victories and unpleasant treachery.
There were aspects of the book that were not particularly palatable but, in spite of them, I was enthralled by the history and the action. It opened up a period in history with which I was not very familiar and provided me with an enjoyable read.
They deal with a little known period of Roman history - after Constantine the Great - when the Roman Empire was a bubbling cauldron of Christianity and the old pagan religions; of honourable men and cruel sadists; of clever victories and unpleasant treachery.
There were aspects of the book that were not particularly palatable but, in spite of them, I was enthralled by the history and the action. It opened up a period in history with which I was not very familiar and provided me with an enjoyable read.
March 13, 2020
I enjoyed the writing style - it sounded appropriately 'old' but wasn't tedious to read. The narration style is rather impersonal, which I didn't mind since the characters and plot had my full attention. I really liked how arguments and conflict played out. The veiled sarcasm and threats behind certain lines of dialogue was intriguing, drawing me more into the social workings of political struggle. I laughed at some of the jokes characters threw around.
Drusus, the main character, wasn't really the focus of the book. He was our window to others - particularly those who he loved and admired.
You can feel his love for Marcellus from the way he describes him. Drusus narrates rather matter-of-factly, even when it comes to his own trauma, but when he describes Marcellus's character and beauty he becomes much more poetic.
I really admired Julian, viewing him from Drusus's eyes. He is an incredibly learned, well-spoken, empathetic, and caring friend and leader. A ruler who did not want power, but thrived with it. I was thoroughly routing for him.
I rarely read historical fiction, but I think this book may change that. I didn't know the history of Julian's rise to power before this, so the ending was a complete shock to me. I've been doing more research after finishing the book, and I feel much more invested in the research after feeling like I experienced it.
Drusus, the main character, wasn't really the focus of the book. He was our window to others - particularly those who he loved and admired.
You can feel his love for Marcellus from the way he describes him. Drusus narrates rather matter-of-factly, even when it comes to his own trauma, but when he describes Marcellus's character and beauty he becomes much more poetic.
I really admired Julian, viewing him from Drusus's eyes. He is an incredibly learned, well-spoken, empathetic, and caring friend and leader. A ruler who did not want power, but thrived with it. I was thoroughly routing for him.
I rarely read historical fiction, but I think this book may change that. I didn't know the history of Julian's rise to power before this, so the ending was a complete shock to me. I've been doing more research after finishing the book, and I feel much more invested in the research after feeling like I experienced it.
May 9, 2020
Drusus and Marcellus are arrested for their actions in the previous novel and are to be taken to meet the Emperor. With help they manage an escape and thus enter the orbit of Julian, the young Caesar sent to Gaul. This duology has been a quick easy read with entertaining storylines and engaging characters. I found this a pleasant read for a lockdown evening.
June 14, 2021
I liked the title and enjoyed the way the author has written.
July 27, 2016
A fantastic read! I bought this book without knowing much about it years ago and it took me a lot of searching to finally decide to read it. But I was hooked almost from the start. Took me a while to read but I wasn't reading much.
Drusus, who is the narrator is very relatable. He is loyal as is Marcellus, his friend, soulmate and lover. I read this book, which is a sequel without reading the first book. I still understood the story though but would love to read the first one. We do not get any explicit confirmation that the two are lovers but even though Marcellus briefly had a story with a woman, the two were still very much loyal first and foremost to one another. The intimacy and trust between them, from saving each other to wanting to share the same room just to be alone to understanding each other, being part of each others families and always being there with each other and never thinking of moving permanently away without the other, for me all this was enough to solidify their relationship.
The story is great and well researched. The supporting and background characters, although there are a lot of them help to develop the story. and Julian, Julian is just lovable. He's the epitome of what Plato would have wanted a politician to be, that is a philosopher that does not want power but as he is the best candidate to govern, he has to enter the real of politics.
The writing was amazing. It's a mix of old to get you in the story and new, to make you understand words and terms. The map and family tree were also very useful.
There were some poignant moments, some adventurous moments and brief, happy moments. Definitely recommend to read if you're thinking about it.
video review with CC here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH7dT...
Drusus, who is the narrator is very relatable. He is loyal as is Marcellus, his friend, soulmate and lover. I read this book, which is a sequel without reading the first book. I still understood the story though but would love to read the first one. We do not get any explicit confirmation that the two are lovers but even though Marcellus briefly had a story with a woman, the two were still very much loyal first and foremost to one another. The intimacy and trust between them, from saving each other to wanting to share the same room just to be alone to understanding each other, being part of each others families and always being there with each other and never thinking of moving permanently away without the other, for me all this was enough to solidify their relationship.
The story is great and well researched. The supporting and background characters, although there are a lot of them help to develop the story. and Julian, Julian is just lovable. He's the epitome of what Plato would have wanted a politician to be, that is a philosopher that does not want power but as he is the best candidate to govern, he has to enter the real of politics.
The writing was amazing. It's a mix of old to get you in the story and new, to make you understand words and terms. The map and family tree were also very useful.
There were some poignant moments, some adventurous moments and brief, happy moments. Definitely recommend to read if you're thinking about it.
video review with CC here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RH7dT...
August 24, 2014
This is a sequel to Cast Not The Day. Drusus and Marcellus have been arrested in Britain and are sent to Gaul, to be transferred to Emperor Constans' court, but when they arrive in Gaul, they are treated as guests and not criminals, and become part of the court of the current Caesar (a sort of vice-emperor), Julian. As in the previous book, the "enemy" are Christians, at least some of the higher-ups. Julian is a very interesting historical character, being a believer in the old gods, hence out of step with the series of Christian emperors, starting with Constantine. As the book ends, it seems like Waters may write a third in the series, at least I hope so.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews