• Empire

  • The Novel of Imperial Rome
  • By: Steven Saylor
  • Narrated by: James Langton
  • Length: 23 hrs and 37 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (313 ratings)

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Empire  By  cover art

Empire

By: Steven Saylor
Narrated by: James Langton
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Publisher's summary

Continuing the epic story begun in his <>i>New York Times best-selling novel Roma, Steven Saylor charts the destinies of five more generations of the aristocratic Pinarius family, from the reign of Augustus to height of Rome’s empire.The Pinarii witness the machinations of Tiberius, the madness of Caligula, and the decadence of Nero. The deadly paranoia of Domitian gives way to the Golden Age of Trajan and Hadrian - but even the most enlightened emperors wield the power to destroy their subjects on a whim.

Empire is filled with the dramatic, defining moments of the age, including the Great Fire of 64 A.D, Nero’s persecution of the Christians, and the astounding opening games of the Colosseum. But at the novel’s heart are the choices and temptations faced by each generation of the Pinarii. One becomes the plaything of the notorious Messalina. One becomes the lover of a Vestal virgin. One falls under the spell of Nero, while another is drawn to the strange new cult of those who call themselves Christians.

While the Pinarii struggle for survival, they also search for meaning. Some cling to the worship of the gods who made Rome great. Others explore the mysteries of astrology, follow the teachings of the wiseman Apollonius of Tyana, or celebrate the beautiful youth elevated by Hadrian to the status of a god.

However diverse their destinies, all the Pinarii are united by the mysterious gold talisman called the fascinum handed down from a time before Rome existed. As it passes from generation to generation, the fascinum seems to exercise a power not only over those who wear it, but over the very fate of the empire.

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend us your ears: listen to another Novel of Ancient Rome.
©2010 Steven Saylor (P)2010 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"Saylor...vividly describes how the family survives the volcanic destruction of Pompeii, the burning of Rome, and the persecution of Jews and Christians." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Empire

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Very well done!

I enjoyed this audio book production...the author Steven Saylor is one of my favorite historical fiction writers...I would probably have enjoyed a more robust, mature narrator however...such as Charlton Griffin!
Overall, a great listen and a great read! Thanks Audible.com and Mr. Saylor...keep of the good work!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

I came, I Saw, I Downloaded

If you could sum up Empire in three words, what would they be?

History, Rome, Power.

Who was the most memorable character of Empire and why?

As in "Roma" the Fascinus (the winged penis pendant heirloom) is my favorite. Even though it's not exactly a character.

Any additional comments?

A perfect addition to the book Roma by Steven Saylor.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

4 and a Half Stars

This was a fantastic book. I enjoyed the writing, I learned a lot about Rome that will stick with me. Each emperor was distinct and so well written that I will remember them easily now. The history seemed right on. I do however like having an author's note at the end to explain what was fact and what was not. I really liked the reader as well. He was superb. If you like historical fiction you will find this book interesting. I read Roma when it came out and it was really enjoyable as well.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

thin on history, thick on sex abuse

This book started off well I thought, there was a great description of ceremony at the college of augers and I liked how the narrative used claudius to clue in the politics in much the same way the Rome HBO series used Octavian. But then the story just moves from one scene of sex abuse to another without anything else of note happening for HOURS. Sorry, no. ICK . I got the first book in this series years ago that was read by John Lee. All I remember about it was the rediculous and endless description of a winged phallus and the idea that if I had to hear John Lee over- enunciate the word Roma one more time I would die.

I shouldve heeded the warning the winged phallus offered, this story is not for me.
I lasted longer on this one because the performance was excellent. Too bad the story lacked substance.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Slow to start

I almost gave up on this but I am so glad that I didn't. It turned out to be engrossing Good narration. Loved it

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Talk, talk, talk

Just not my cuppa. I listened and gave up. Decided to give it another try and gave up again. So little engaging action. So little narrative drive, to me. The story unfolds in one conversation after another, with action seemingly of little importance other than to move the characters to some other setting for the next in a series of conversations. Claudius does most of the talking, but the process, to me, doesn't engagingly reveal his character any more than it creates narrative momentum.

I don't need swashbuckling to enjoy a story. I read the far better "I, Claudius" that unfolds with Claudius narrating to move the story throughout that book. "Empire" just doesn't succeed at doing that. Or, at least, it doesn't succeed soon enough to make the read worthwhile, or promising to me.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Well Done.

Any additional comments?

Overall I thought it was a great title and definitely worth the time it took to listen. My only gripe (and this is minor) is that I thought it ended a bit strangely at the beginning of a reign instead of the end, but then again, perhaps the author is looking at a sequel, which I will be glad to purchase. :)

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Historically accurate!

I love Roman history and this was quite the story!! I hated for it to end!

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Not nearly as good as the first book

After enjoying the first book in the series I went for the second. I found the fictionalized characters boring and weak in this one. Although the history is there there was just not enough storyline to keep it together for me. Also is seemed to me that in order to compensate for lack of quality characters the author indulged in a penchant for rabid homoeroticism. Of course there was this behavior going on in those times, but turning many major male characters in the book into mincing, boy hungry, middle aged perverts is unnecessary.

Again the first book was very enjoyable- this one not so much.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Rome comes alive

Excellent story. Very good narration. Clever weaving of a personal view, against the background of tumultuous growth of the Empire.

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