Commodus
Published on 13. June 2019
Book
Paperback/Softback
496 pages
978-1-4746-0737-7 (ISBN)
Description
From the author of Caligula (an engrossing new spin on a well-known tale - The Times) comes a new standalone novel in the Damned Emperors series: Commodus.
Rome is enjoying a period of stability and prosperity. The Empire's borders are growing, and there are two sons in the imperial succession for the first time in Rome's history. But all is not as it appears. Cracks are beginning to show. Two decades of war have taken their toll, and there are whispers of a sickness in the East. The Empire stands on the brink of true disaster, an age of gold giving way to one of iron and rust, a time of reason and strength sliding into hunger and pain.
The decline may yet be halted, though. One man tries to hold the fracturing empire together. To Rome, he is their emperor, their Hercules, their Commodus.
But Commodus is breaking up himself, and when the darkness grips, only one woman can hold him together. To Rome she was nothing. The plaything of the emperor. To Commodus, she was everything. She was Marcia.
Rome is enjoying a period of stability and prosperity. The Empire's borders are growing, and there are two sons in the imperial succession for the first time in Rome's history. But all is not as it appears. Cracks are beginning to show. Two decades of war have taken their toll, and there are whispers of a sickness in the East. The Empire stands on the brink of true disaster, an age of gold giving way to one of iron and rust, a time of reason and strength sliding into hunger and pain.
The decline may yet be halted, though. One man tries to hold the fracturing empire together. To Rome, he is their emperor, their Hercules, their Commodus.
But Commodus is breaking up himself, and when the darkness grips, only one woman can hold him together. To Rome she was nothing. The plaything of the emperor. To Commodus, she was everything. She was Marcia.
Reviews / Votes
Astonishing . . . A fascinating, detailed and dramatic story of one of Rome's most notorious emperors * SUNDAY EXPRESS * A nuanced portrait of an intriguing emperor * THE TIMES * Simon Turney's Commodus combines thrilling Roman spectacle, star-crossed young lovers, and poisonous palace intrigue into a compulsively readable drama. Scrappy young freedwoman Marcia grows up in the shadows of the palace, becoming friend and confidante to the golden, haunted Imperial heir Commodus, but even Marcia's love cannot keep the prince's ghosts at bay once he becomes Emperor of Rome. A tense, taut, thrilling character study of one of Rome's most maligned rulers, transformed here into tragic hero -- Kate Quinn, author of THE ALICE NETWORK Commodus, son of Marcus Aurelius: mad, bad and dangerous to stand too close to according to history. Simon Turney, however, does here what he did in Caligula - puts some humanity back in the beast of Rome. Warm and well-written -- Robert Low, author of the Oathsworn series Turney masterfully gives readers a new and illuminating look at Emperor Commodus, but also introduces us to the clever freedwoman who should have been his empress. Seeing imperial Rome through Marcia's eyes is a delight not to be missed, and Turney is at the top of his game! * STEPHANIE DRAY *More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Orion Publishing Co
Product notice
Paperback (UK-trade)
Dimensions
Height: 232 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 42 mm
Weight
595 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4746-0737-7 (9781474607377)
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Schweitzer Classification
Person
A born and bred Yorkshireman with a love of country, history and architecture, Simon spends most of his rare free time travelling around ancient sites, writing, researching the ancient world and reading voraciously.
Following an arcane and eclectic career path that wound through everything from sheep to Microsoft networks and from paint to car sales, Simon wrote Marius' Mules. Now, with in excess of twenty novels under his belt, Simon writes full time. He lives with his wife and children and a menagerie of animals in rural North Yorkshire.
Following an arcane and eclectic career path that wound through everything from sheep to Microsoft networks and from paint to car sales, Simon wrote Marius' Mules. Now, with in excess of twenty novels under his belt, Simon writes full time. He lives with his wife and children and a menagerie of animals in rural North Yorkshire.