The Death of Kings (Emperor, Book 2) | Conn Iggulden

The Death of Kings (Emperor, Book 2) | Conn Iggulden | Stick with Colleen McCullough

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The Death of Kings...

	The Death of Kings (Emperor, Book 2) Conn Iggulden Dell, 2005 - 560 pages average customer review:based on 39 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Could Not Put It Down

His first book held my interest from the first page and I was in the checkout line by page four. I couldn't wait for DOK to come out. I was fascinated by CI's description of the military tactics, weapons and political backstabbing. Now that i've read DOK, I can't wait for the third book.

I almost didn't buy this book based upon some overly critical reviews but I went on my gut instinct (much like Julius would have done) and purchased it. I must say that I'm a little irritated at some of the history purists who apparently thought they were shopping in the History section vs the Fiction aisle when they purchased this book. Perhaps they do need to get a girlfriend/boyfriend and just try to enjoy a good fast paced adventure/action/some history/love story. I don't see what all the controversy is about since Iggulden does clear up the major inaccuracies in the epilogue.

After reading CI's first two books, i'm so interested in Ceasar's life, that I'm going to the History section to get a historically accurate account of his life. However, I'm only going to read it until CI's next book comes out and then I'm buying that one.

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Stick with Colleen McCullough

If historical fiction is your bag, be warned that Iggulden's works are more fiction than history and pale in comparison to Colleen McCullough's magnificent series on Caesar, Sulla, Marius, Cicero. etc. If you have a basic understanding of Roman history in the century before Christ, you'll have trouble enjoying this book (and its predecessor).
Iggulden's Caesar grows up on a rural estate, leading a Tom Sawyer-like childhood with his best friend, Brutus. Fact is that Caesar grew up in the Subura section of Rome, a teeming, dangerous inner city area. Nor was he a childhood friend of his eventual betrayer Brutus.
The good news on Death of Kings is that it is faster paced and a more enjoyable read than volume 1 of the Emperor series. Caesar versus the pirates, versus King Mithradates, versus Spartacus--these chapters hold your interest (although Caesar probably was not involved in the Spartacus campaign).
McCullough's Masters of Rome series is , perhaps, the best historical fiction ever written and certainly (along with I,Claudius) the best on ancient Rome. Iggulden doesn't belong in the same category. A decent read, nothing more.

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, page 7, 8

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