Emperor: The Field of Swords (The Emperor) | Conn Iggulden

Emperor: The Field of Swords (The Emperor) | Conn Iggulden | the Field of sworda

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Emperor: The Field...

	Emperor: The Field of Swords (The Emperor) Conn Iggulden Dell, 2005 - 624 pages average customer review:based on 21 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

With his acclaimed Emperor novels, author Conn Iggulden brings a dazzling world to life?the rich, complex world of ancient Rome as seen through the eyes of one extraordinary man: Julius Caesar. Now Iggulden returns to the story of Julius Caesar and a realm that stretches from the sands of North Africa to the coast of Britain. Against this magnificent backdrop, Caesar, his first victories under his belt and a series of key alliances in place, makes his move toward power and glory?and commands his famous legions on one of history?s bloodiest and most daring military campaigns.

It is the heart of the first century B.C. For Julius Caesar, the time has come to enter the treacherous political battleground that has become Rome. Having proved his valor in the slaves? revolt, Caesar is strengthened by the love and vision of a beautiful older woman, and by the sword of his loyal friend, Marcus Brutus. And when he is appointed to a new position of power, Caesar manages to do what none of the other great figures of his time could: capture the hearts of the Roman people themselves. Crushing a rebellion, bringing order to the teeming city, Caesar then makes the move that will change history. He leaves Rome for the foothills of the Alps. And with an army made in his own image, he begins a daring charge through Gaul, across the English Channel, and to the wilds of tribal Britain.

Here, in a series of cataclysmic clashes, the legend of Julius Caesar will be forged. And while Caesar and Brutus pit their lives?and those of their men?against the armies of the wilderness, their political adversaries in Rome grow at once more fearful and more formidable. So when the fighting at the dominion?s edge is over, the greatest danger to Julius Caesar will await him on the Tiber?with a man who wants Rome himself.

From the clash of armies to the heat of a woman?s seduction, from the thunder of battle to the orgies of pleasure and plunder that follow in a warrior?s wake, Emperor: The Field of Swords captures in riveting detail a world being shaped by a brilliant civilization. And in this extraordinary novel, the fate of Rome is being driven by the ambitions of a single man. A man with an unmatched genius for power.

From the Hardcover edition.

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Roman History

This was a great book and I hope it is not the end of the series. Well written..staying with history and not changeing it, is the mark of a good writer.

the Field of sworda

series is entertaining. don't take his recommendation as to "Ceasar" by Christian Meir. Too much plilosophy vs. history.

Emperor: Field of Swords

This series is fascinating. The book is beautifully researched and Iggulden does a fine job of making what could be dry history very interesting reading. This is the third in a four book series and I've enjoyed all of three very much.

Caesar gets bogged down and so does the Emperor series

The Field of Swords is the third book in Conn Iggulden's four volume fictional retelling of the life of Gaius Julius Caesar.

This one starts off a few years into Caesar's turn in Spain. The country has already been pacified and Caesar grows bored with the easy life. This is the overall theme of this book. Multiple times in this novel, Caesar accomplishes something incredible only to discover that the struggle is better and more rewarding than the accomplishment as he chases Alexander's legacy.

The first half of the novel covers Caesar's triumphant return to Rome and his candidacy for consul. For me this was the best part of the novel. The intricacies of the election, the attempts a to rig and then spoil it (by Suetonius, a bitter man living in Caesar's shadow) and the back room deals cut afterwards are just as thrilling as the battles that have run through the series.

My one complaint in this part of the book was the handling of the actual election itself. Mr. Iggulden seemed to gloss over some details that seemed important even to understand the rest of what he wrote. Who was and was not allowed to vote in the election? What was a voting century? They were mentioned several times, but I did not quite understand what was going on.

On the upside, the actual details of the ballot box and how they would cast their vote was covered in fair detail. I know how dull this sounds, but when you are reading the novel you won't be able to put it down.

This leads to the second half of the novel: Caesar's legendary invasion of Gaul. This is where the Emperor series starts having trouble. Mr. Iggulden just tried to condense too much here.

Don't misunderstand me. The writing is still very well done. Watching Caesar kick the stuffing out of the various tribes while flashing back to watch chaos erupting in Rome at the hands to two competing (and corrupt) senators is well done and exciting. But (near the end especially) time will suddenly leap forward.

You are reading about Caesar preparing to cross over to England. The next chapter will start with Caesar's *second* attempt at the Britons.

A second time, we have been following the rise of the Gaul's high king Vergingetorix and his consolidation of the disparate tribes and the extreme measures they take while the Romans are away. Everything leads to a tense point as you wait for the Romans to return and see what has happened. Again, the next chapter starts some weeks later.

In both of the above examples, Mr. Iggulden does a fair job on filling you in. It's just that it makes it perhaps too obvious that the author is rushing through the story to end this book at the Rubicon without crossing some arbitrary page limit. Exciting stuff is hinted at and skipped over.

Still, this is another winner overall. I think that perhaps the series would have benefited by having a fifth book fitting between this one and the finale to focus on Gaul and England. Then again, the author has succeeded if they leave you wanting more. I definitely want more.

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From Spain to Gaul to Britain and back to Rome

This is the third book in the series of four and continues at tremendous pace. Caesar is posted to Spain by his political rivals who, rightly, see him as a threat.

He is successful in his Iberian adventure, but returns to Rome in time for the consular elections. Following his election to high office, the means of which is highly amusing, he cannot sit still for long and soon leaves Crassus and Pompey in charge so that he can take his armies to Gaul to spread the benefits of the Roman culture. Eventually, he makes it into Britain, but that ambitious move is just a stretch too far for the already extended Roman armies.

Many new characters are introduced in this book, both friends an enemies. Some of these are destined to become very influential in the close circle that forms around the most powerful man in Europe of that time. Brutus starts to become dangerously jealous whenever Caesar shows any favour to others, such as Mark Anthony. You can see where it's headed as the story steams at full speed towards the fourth, and final, book!

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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