Best of Rome

A “brilliant” (Los Angeles Times) novel of ancient Rome—a realm of tyrants and slaves, of dark intrigues and seething passions—and the early years of Julius Caesar, the man who would become the most powerful ruler on Earth “An absorbing portrait of ancient Roman life and history, well written and full of suspense—even for those who know the ending.”—Kirkus Reviews In a city of grandeur and decadence, beauty, and bloodshed, two boys, best friends, dream of glory in service of the mightiest empire the world has ever known. One is the son of a senator. The other is a bastard child. As young Gaius and Marcus grow to manhood, they are trained in the art of combat—under the tutelage of one of Rome’s most fearsome gladiators. For Marcus, a bloody campaign in Greece will become a young soldier’s proving ground. For Gaius, the equally deadly infighting of the Roman Senate will be the battlefield where he hones his courage and skill. And for both, the love of an extraordinary slave girl will be an honor each will covet but only one will win. But as Rome is thrust into the grip of bitter conflict, as every Roman prepares to take sides in the coming battle, Gaius and Marcus’s friendship will be put to the ultimate test. . . . With Emperor: The Gates of Rome, Conn Iggulden presents a grand romantic tale of coming-of-age in the Roman Empire and a vibrant portrait of the early years of a man who would become one of the most influential rulers in ancient history: Julius Caesar. Ancient Rome comes to vivid life in Conn Iggulden’s Emperor series: THE GATES OF ROME • THE DEATH OF KINGS • THE FIELD OF SWORDS • THE GODS OF WAR • THE BLOOD OF GODS

Julius Caesar comes into his own as a man, warrior, senator, husband, and leader in this stunning novel of Ancient Rome, from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Emperor: The Gates of Rome. “Utterly marvelous . . . Historical fiction of the highest order . . . [brings] Julius Caesar to life in a truly magical, electrifying way.”—Toronto Telegram In a sparsely settled region of North Africa, a band of disheveled soldiers turn their eyes toward one man among them: their leader, Julius Caesar. The soldiers are Roman legionaries. And their quarry is a band of pirates who dared to kidnap Julius Caesar for ransom. Now, as Caesar exacts his revenge and builds a legend far from Rome, his friend Marcus Brutus is fighting battles of another sort, rising to power in the wake of the assassination of a dictator. Once Brutus and Caesar were as close as brothers, devoted to the same ideals and attracted to the same forbidden woman. Now they will be united again by a shock wave from the north, where a gladiator named Spartacus is building an army of seventy thousand slaves—to fight a cataclysmic battle against Rome itself. Filled with unforgettable images—from the death throes of a king to the birth of Caesar’s child, from the bloody battlefields of Greece to the silent passion of lovers—Emperor: The Death of Kings is an astounding work, an extraordinary blend of vibrant history and thrilling fiction. Ancient Rome comes to vivid life in Conn Iggulden’s Emperor series: THE GATES OF ROME • THE DEATH OF KINGS • THE FIELD OF SWORDS • THE GODS OF WAR • THE BLOOD OF GODS

Follows Julius Caesar as he leaves Rome and forges a path across Europe and into Britain.

BESTSELLER - "Terrific... gripping... A literally shattering climax." -- The New York Times Book Review All along the Mediterranean coast, the Roman empire’s richest citizens are relaxing in their luxurious villas, enjoying the last days of summer. The world’s largest navy lies peacefully at anchor in Misenum. The tourists are spending their money in the seaside resorts of Baiae, Herculaneum, and Pompeii. But the carefree lifestyle and gorgeous weather belie an impending cataclysm, and only one man is worried. The young engineer Marcus Attilius Primus has just taken charge of the Aqua Augusta, the enormous aqueduct that brings fresh water to a quarter of a million people in nine towns around the Bay of Naples. His predecessor has disappeared. Springs are failing for the first time in generations. And now there is a crisis on the Augusta’ s sixty-mile main line—somewhere to the north of Pompeii, on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. Attilius—decent, practical, and incorruptible—promises Pliny, the famous scholar who commands the navy, that he can repair the aqueduct before the reservoir runs dry. His plan is to travel to Pompeii and put together an expedition, then head out to the place where he believes the fault lies. But Pompeii proves to be a corrupt and violent town, and Attilius soon discovers that there are powerful forces at work—both natural and man-made—threatening to destroy him. With his trademark elegance and intelligence, Robert Harris, bestselling author of Archangel and Fatherland, re-creates a world on the brink of disaster.