King of the Romans

Rating:
Summary: Highly recommended
Review: John Gorman's first novel, KING OF THE ROMANS, presents an historically grounded and powerfully insightful view of the last Roman ruler in the West. The novel easily divides into two sections, the first historically accurate, and the second filled in with Gorman's imagination.

In the first section, out of respect for his fairness, the surrounding tribal people dub Lucius Publius Syagrius as "King of the Romans". The procurator of North Gaul, Lucius attempts to protect his people from Clovis and the invading Franks, rather than converting to the invader's brand of Christianity. Moments of this section shimmer with strength and power, such as when Lucius' wife dies, but the necessity to stick with historical accuracy seems to have inhibited the author's voice a bit in other areas. However, the second half is not touched by such inhibition.

Following the loss to Clovis, Lucius would prefer to choose death to life. But a profound vision occurs, in which Hecate tells him he must live to fulfill her prophecies. Lucius becomes a mercenary, a man without roots or loyalties, sharply contrasting his dedication to Rome in the first half of the novel. In addition, the second half of the novel introduces new characters, including the priestess of the goddess Hecate, the powerful and beautiful Cassandra. It is these secondary characters that truly touch the reader's heart and imagination, bringing the novel to life.

In addition, through the second half of the novel, Lucius maintains his strict moral fiber. But Gorman does not allow that strength to present the reader with a one-dimensional character. Rather, we see his weaknesses as well, as when Cassandra reveals that he won't know how much he loves her until it's too late.

THE KING OF THE ROMANS truly captures the flavor of the ancient beliefs and those who honored the old gods. One of the most powerful scenes in the novel is when Cassandra leaves the temple for the last time, bidding farewell to the ancient religion. The power and the beauty of this character brought tears to my eyes.

Recently, many authors have written about pagan religions, but few have captured the heart of this belief system with the majesty and beauty that Gorman exhibits. I recommend THE KING OF THE ROMANS, particularly the second half, and look forward to more of the author's work as he continues to unleash his imagination.