I remember reading and loving the first four volumes of The Masters of Rome in the late 90s and early 00s. I stopped at Caesar’s Women. I recall it being a step back from the first three. I still have all seven books on my shelves and I’ve been pondering starting over with the series. Thanks for the review.
Thanks for sharing! I been interested in McCullough since I came across First Man in Rome while reading some of Sharon Kay Penman's medieval England/Wales sagas. The ancient Rome saga popped up as suggested, 'similar' reads, and I went ahead and purchased the first one. Now I'll go back and watch your previous reviews
Despite watching youtube videos more than TV shows or movies for years this is my first ever comment. Can't recall ever previously being compelled to write a comment for anything. This series I personally read over the course of a few months after first discovering a Colleen McCullough book entitled Morgan's Run, a historical fiction novel following the life and legacy of the first batch of British convicts to be sent to Australia and Norfolk Island to establish the prison colony that would eventually become the Commonwealth of Australia. I love history and historical fiction is one of my personal favorite genres and this book and this series blew away Conn Iggulden's Emperor series with its much more in depth descriptions of the of daily life, of the pageantry down to the hand drawn maps and illustrations the author drew based off the validated sculpted busts and statues of republican Rome. This woman made history come alive in a way that rivals or even exceeds Wilbur Smith and his historical fiction about Africa, (which are also great books, btw I recommend then highly) and helped me pass the time and stay during my last incarceration. and for that I will forever be grateful. I concede that this book is less about the actual physical fighting and much more about the political intrigue and posturing in Rome but it is an entertaining read that educates and further progresses the narrative of the end of republican Rome. the whole series a 10 out of 10 for me and thank you Brian Lee Durfee for your informative review sans spoilers.
Never seen the level of research and detail from an author and her assistants as I have seen in the Masters of Rome series. Her writing was the absolute best it has ever been. Literally hypnotic. Not a fan of her other work, but this series is exceptional.
