Rating: 
Summary: Nero and the Christians
Review: The Christian v. lion's story has been around so long that it has pretty much become a kind of myth. It is a phrase one brings up in order to illustrate some point or other, but is hardly ever thought about in historical terms. In fact, Christianity itself sometimes seems as if it is becoming a kind of myth. The left doesn't take it seriously, and bashes Christians for being intolerant and condescending. But Christians, in their haste to retaliate, often act intolerant and can be arrogantly condescending. The sense of what it means to be Christian seems to get lost in all of this. Quo Vadis takes us back to the days when Christianity was fresh and new and shows us just what kind of world it was then that caused such a movement to flourish. This alone would make it an excellent novel, but it works wonderfully on all levels. The characters are superbly drawn, the setting is realistic, the plot crackles along, and, perhaps most importantly in a novel with this subject matter, it never becomes preachy or didactic, instead maintaining an objective perspective throughout. Rome was the greatest of the ancient empires, yet despite all of its glorious achievements, it was truly a barbaric place. The concept of human rights was non-existent. Slaves--of all races--were property, and could be used in any way one saw fit, including the most vicious or depraved. The rule of law, while discussed in philosophical terms, was only sporadically and occasionally applied. The law instead came and went at the whim of the powerful, and if the powerful happened to be someone like Nero--the ruler of Rome during the course of this novel--then the law was sadistic, cruel, wicked and unpredictable. We see the effect that living this kind of society has on the two main characters of the novel, both of whom are members of the upper crust: Petronius, a courtier; and Vinicius, a military officer. Petronius, as Nero's confidant, can never let his guard down. He must flatter, cajole, deceive and manipulate Nero every minute of the day, for his very life depends on it. It is a life, "drained and listless and detached," as we are told in the first sentence of the novel. Vinicius falls in love with a captive Christian female, and through his love we see how Christianity changes his life. But it is an unbelievably difficult and dangerous undertaking--with the demented presence of Nero and his sycophants looming over everything--to form an attachment with a person and then a cause such as this. It gradually dawns on us how the Christian movement began in the first place, and why attempts were made so mercilessly to stamp it out. Instead of dishonesty and cruelty, it called for honesty and kindness. Instead of privilege for the elite, its promises were made to all. Instead of arrogance, it preached submissiveness. Perhaps most importantly, it simplified one's life, and allowed one to live without fear. Rome is burned, possibly at Nero's orders, incredibly, so that he can experience suffering as he believes a true artist must. To divert the anger of the Romans, he blames Christians. Thousands of men, women, and children are rounded up, put in dungeons for months, then on successive festival days were crucified, burned alive, mauled by gladiators, and, as we know, attacked by wild animals. Their fate is so hideous that in time even the jaded Romans became sickened by it. These historical events, and the actions of the characters during them, are what make up the bulk of the novel. To say the least, it makes for very compelling reading; indeed, some parts are difficult to bear. And as mentioned, it is presented in a very objective way. Not all of the Christians are presented sympathetically--one, in fact, is a fiery, all-will-be-damned type--and not all the Romans are presented harshly. The noblest character in the novel may very well be Petronius, who uses his influence as much as he can to alleviate the suffering he sees around him. And although he recognizes to some degree the power and decency of the movement, he himself does not wish to become a Christian. He can not abide the idea of being required to love his fellow man, most of whom--the unwashed, ignorant mob--he detests. He is a magnificent creation. The book is a real eye-opener, a good reminder of what the world was like before the birth of Christ, and a sobering reflection on what being a Christian truly means. At the same time it is also a superbly researched and entertaining piece of historical fiction, and the kind of thing for which historical fiction buffs are constantly on the alert. Great stuff. (I should mention that this review is of the Kunizak translation.)
Rating:
Summary: Nero and the Christians
Review: The Christian v. lion's story has been around so long that it has pretty much become a kind of myth. It is a phrase one brings up in order to illustrate some point or other, but is hardly ever thought about in historical terms. In fact, Christianity itself sometimes seems as if it is becoming a kind of myth. The left doesn't take it seriously, and bashes Christians for being intolerant and condescending. But Christians, in their haste to retaliate, often act intolerant and can be arrogantly condescending. The sense of what it means to be Christian seems to get lost in all of this. Quo Vadis takes us back to the days when Christianity was fresh and new and shows us just what kind of world it was then that caused such a movement to flourish. This alone would make it an excellent novel, but it works wonderfully on all levels. The characters are superbly drawn, the setting is realistic, the plot crackles along, and, perhaps most importantly in a novel with this subject matter, it never becomes preachy or didactic, instead maintaining an objective perspective throughout. Rome was the greatest of the ancient empires, yet despite all of its glorious achievements, it was truly a barbaric place. The concept of human rights was non-existent. Slaves--of all races--were property, and could be used in any way one saw fit, including the most vicious or depraved. The rule of law, while discussed in philosophical terms, was only sporadically and occasionally applied. The law instead came and went at the whim of the powerful, and if the powerful happened to be someone like Nero--the ruler of Rome during the course of this novel--then the law was sadistic, cruel, wicked and unpredictable. We see the effect that living this kind of society has on the two main characters of the novel, both of whom are members of the upper crust: Petronius, a courtier; and Vinicius, a military officer. Petronius, as Nero's confidant, can never let his guard down. He must flatter, cajole, deceive and manipulate Nero every minute of the day, for his very life depends on it. It is a life, "drained and listless and detached," as we are told in the first sentence of the novel. Vinicius falls in love with a captive Christian female, and through his love we see how Christianity changes his life. But it is an unbelievably difficult and dangerous undertaking--with the demented presence of Nero and his sycophants looming over everything--to form an attachment with a person and then a cause such as this. It gradually dawns on us how the Christian movement began in the first place, and why attempts were made so mercilessly to stamp it out. Instead of dishonesty and cruelty, it called for honesty and kindness. Instead of privilege for the elite, its promises were made to all. Instead of arrogance, it preached submissiveness. Perhaps most importantly, it simplified one's life, and allowed one to live without fear. Rome is burned, possibly at Nero's orders, incredibly, so that he can experience suffering as he believes a true artist must. To divert the anger of the Romans, he blames Christians. Thousands of men, women, and children are rounded up, put in dungeons for months, then on successive festival days were crucified, burned alive, mauled by gladiators, and, as we know, attacked by wild animals. Their fate is so hideous that in time even the jaded Romans became sickened by it. These historical events, and the actions of the characters during them, are what make up the bulk of the novel. To say the least, it makes for very compelling reading; indeed, some parts are difficult to bear. And as mentioned, it is presented in a very objective way. Not all of the Christians are presented sympathetically--one, in fact, is a fiery, all-will-be-damned type--and not all the Romans are presented harshly. The noblest character in the novel may very well be Petronius, who uses his influence as much as he can to alleviate the suffering he sees around him. And although he recognizes to some degree the power and decency of the movement, he himself does not wish to become a Christian. He can not abide the idea of being required to love his fellow man, most of whom--the unwashed, ignorant mob--he detests. He is a magnificent creation. The book is a real eye-opener, a good reminder of what the world was like before the birth of Christ, and a sobering reflection on what being a Christian truly means. At the same time it is also a superbly researched and entertaining piece of historical fiction, and the kind of thing for which historical fiction buffs are constantly on the alert. Great stuff. (I should mention that this review is of the Kunizak translation.)
Rating: 
Summary: Pagans were alive; Christians wish they weren't.
Review: The conflict between paganism and Christianity has never before been better dramatized than in this breathtaking novel. It's only a shame that Rome traded Petronius for Peter. It's the former that makes this novel for me. A real Roman, whose last days are recorded by Tacitus, Petronius is in the unenviable position of being the Supreme Critic of Taste during the reign of the supremely tasteless and supremely powerful Nero. Meanwhile, the old Roman high culture he embodies is being destroyed by blood-engorged Imperial parasites on one hand and by bloodless Christians on the other. O tempora! O mores! What's a good Roman to do? This novel would receive a 10 if only I hadn't had to endure the authors' obvious sentimentalism for the spiritual destroyers of the world's greatest Empire.
Rating:
Summary: Wow~
Review: The only words that come out whenever I read this book is the word on the title. It is a brilliant work of genius, if I may say so, by Sienkiewicz. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I thought it came me a whole new way of looking at Christianity during the Roman times. Not to mention the fact that the film of 1952 was a smash hit in my opinion....
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Plot, Electrifying Read
Review: The theme of QUO VADIS is the rise and glorification of Christian culture. But this book is not just for Christians. I myself am an atheist, for instance, yet I love this book. The reason is that it has one of the most elaborate plot-themes I have ever read. Sienkiewicz masterfully integrates characters that you will doubtless already be familiar with (St Paul, for instance, or Petronius) into a story that is worthy of bearing these lofty names. He keeps a tight reign on his material lest it stray too far from the main theme and weaves individuals you had already forgotten about back into the story when you least expect it. The end result is an electrifying read, one of the most dramatic you may possibly ever encounter.
Rating:
Summary: Incredibly moving book
Review: This book was incredible. It did start off a little bit slow, but once it hit its peak, I was unable to stop. I finished it in one afternoon. By the time you get to the end, you'll be in tears of rage, sorrow and joy. It is a fascinating historical novel as well as a love story and a testament of faith.
Rating:
Summary: Well-written but historically inaccurate
Review: This is a well-written book -- whether it was the original by Sienkiewicz or the translation by Kuniczak -- it flowed from beginning to end. It was hard to put down and the poetry of the descriptions was at times breath-taking and at times gory. However, the true history of the church does not include the legend that Peter died in Rome. The historical Peter and Paul were never more than enemies. Also, the mention of the Jews was from Christian anti-Semiticism and not history. I did enjoy reading it.
Rating:
Summary: HISTORY OR RELIGION?
Review: This is an outstanding historical novel. When I was reading it a few years ago I asked myself a question: Is it a history or just a religious story? Well, it is a story, that's for certain. But what a story. It is well developed and extremely well written. Mr. Henryk K. Sienkiewicz was one of the greatest Polish writers and he should be known and remembered for his work.
Rating:
Summary: I like it.
Review: This is the best book I have ever read. It is especially moving for Christians to show them what radical and pure christianity is like. Any non christian will also love it for its characters, plot, and fast pace. It is also interesting if you have any interest in history of the Roman Empire or the early Christian church. This is a wonderful book and I plan to read it again and again.
Rating:
Summary: A Life Changing Book
Review: This love story set in the time of Nero during the Christian persecutions is one of the best books I have ever read. It gave me a greater understanding and respect for the early church. Although it is fiction, the book is based on many years of research and compiles historical accounts of the period in an incredible way. Once I started it, I could do nothing else until I finished!
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