Imperium

A Novel of Ancient Rome

By: Robert Harris

Narrated by: Oliver Ford Davies

From the bestselling author of Fatherland and Pompeii, comes the first novel of a trilogy about the struggle for power in ancient Rome.

In his “most accomplished work to date” (Los Angeles Times), master of historical fiction Robert Harris lures readers back in time to the compelling life of Roman Senator Marcus Cicero. The re-creation of a vanished biography written by his household slave and righthand man, Tiro, Imperium follows Cicero’s extraordinary struggle to attain supreme power in Rome.

On a cold November morning, Tiro opens the door to find a terrified, bedraggled stranger begging for help. Once a Sicilian aristocrat, the man was robbed by the corrupt Roman governor, Verres, who is now trying to convict him under false pretenses and sentence him to a violent death. The man claims that only the great senator Marcus Cicero, one of Rome’s most ambitious lawyers and spellbinding orators, can bring him justice in a crooked society manipulated by the villainous governor. But for Cicero, it is a chance to prove himself worthy of absolute power. What follows is one of the most gripping courtroom dramas in history, and the beginning of a quest for political glory by a man who fought his way to the top using only his voice—defeating the most daunting figures in Roman history.©2006 Robert Harris; (P)2006 Simon and Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

At home and at the office...

except in this story the office is the Roman Senate. I enjoyed I, Claudis but feel this is a better listen. It takes the listener not just into the politics and work of the ancient lawyers but into the home and lifestyle. Not just of the wealthy but what we call the middle class. I will listen to this Audible again and will continue with the series.

Bringing History to Life

Really good historical fiction is a rarity. Most books calling themselves historical fiction are simply modern murder mysteries or romance novels with a bit of period detail thrown in. But now and then a marvelous book comes along that takes you into the past in with an honesty and intimacy in a way a pure history book never could. Think of Wolf Hall, I Claudius, or The Red Badge of Courage. Imperium is definitely in that category.

This compelling story, beautifully narrated by Simon Jones, brings Cicero and his world alive. You can practically smell the decaying odors of Rome in the final days of the Republic. You are gripped by his scheming, even as you know the ultimate outcome. It takes a great writer to urge you along even when there is no mystery. I highly recommend this audio book to anyone who loves history, politics, biography, or just a plain good story.

10/10

This was simply an amazing book on an amazing event in history. One of my favorites.

fabulous. entertaining.

you look back at the Nyics of 2000 years ago Nd compare them to the anti s of today and realize that absolutely nothing has changed. it is all about power in government and secret deals to maintain. power.

Strong narrative and wonderful job researching. Historinerd elixir

100% worth reading the series if you're a fan of history or (historical) fiction. Narrator is not one of the most chameleon-like but does a great job bringing the story to life, most notably with Cicero, and other male characters, such as Marcus Crassus. I will admit there is obviously a lot of speculation involved, when endeavoring to construct a piece of literature based on events over 2000 years ago- but Harris exceeds expectations in doing so. I found myself wanting more meat and bones and (admittedly) enjoyed the Roma series a bit more because of the thicker plot points. Either way, this series would probably be an incredible film or Netflix adaptation with the right cast and vision. Throw in a Director like Ridley Scott or someone more ambitious like Frank Miller-and you might have one of the best historical adaptations of all time.