The Field of Swords (The Emperor Series) - Hardcover

Iggulden, Conn

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0385336632 ISBN 13: 9780385336635

Publisher: Delacorte Pr, 2005

Synopsis

A fictional rendering of the life and times of Julius Caesar follows his exploits on the fields of battle as he leads Rome's mighty legions on a trail of conquest that takes them far beyond the gates of the city, victories that lead to growing unrest at home as his political adversaries rise to power in Caesar's absence. 30,000 first printing.

About this title

Review:

Emperor - Field of Swords takes Colin Iggulden's sequence of novels about the rise of Julius Caesar to a point where Caesar is forced to bid for mastery of the Roman world. Iggulden is intelligent and precise about the internal dynamics of the triumvirate of Caesar, the elderly rich Crassus and the proud Pompey. This alliance was never more than pragmatic and there was always going to be a settling of accounts--thus far so good, but Iggulden's idealizing of Caesar leads him at times into ignoring the sheer complexity of the affairs of the late Republic. This is a version of Rome which downplays the alliance of street and snob, and treats Caesar as if he were always an apostle of order--it is a historical novel which plays worrying games with historical fact.

Iggulden is fascinating on Caesar as governor and general--in the areas, that is, where we have the words of the man himself, rather than the spin put on his actions by his enemies. There is a real sense here of the practicalities of ancient warfare, of hard footslogging in difficult terrain and planning supplies for the long haul of sieges and forced marches - Iggulden may oversimplify politics, but he is intelligent about battle. --Roz Kaveney

Review:

‘Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction’ Daily Mirror

‘Iggulden...tells an absolutely cracking story...the pace is nail-biting and the set dressing magnificent’ The Times

‘Iggulden weaves an entertaining tale of this world of men, swords, bows and the call of war and the plains’ Daily Express

‘I felt as if a blockbuster movie was unfolding before me...read the book before Hollywood takes it over’ Daily Express

About this edition

• Publisher: Delacorte Pr
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0385336632
• ISBN 13: 9780385336635
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 466