Rating: 
Summary: Emperor The Death of Kings
Review: A great read. I would highly recomend this novel!!!!! Much better editing than his first book !!!!!!! Great character development and a can't turn the pages fast enough story pace. I can't wait for the next in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Does history matter? YES
Review: About the nicest thing I can say about this book's predecessor (The Gates of Rome) is that it left me interested enough to read the sequel. Unfortunately, Iggulden once again twists history to suit his own plots and doesn't have any compelling characters to show for it.The biggest annoyance I have with this series is the blatant disregard for historical fact, especially considering that the publisher has promoted the series as "the perfect blend of history and fiction". The somewhat distorted history of the last book is further mangled in the followup. I wouldn't be surprised if Caesar kills Brutus if the discrepancies continue to increase. I do not accept the argument that the historical record can be altered to produce a better plot. It comes off as half-hearted. Iggulden should take some advice from Guy Gavriel Kay and change the names of characters and locations and write a fantasy novel instead. At least he can mask any deliberate inaccuracies. If you want exciting books that keep true to the history, read Steven Saylor. Another weakness demonstrated by Iggulden is his character development. In good historical fiction, characters are as complex as history records them. Sulla is not all evil, Marius is not all good, and mobs never speak with one voice. The first book suffered from a sloppy writing style that featured a lot of grinning. The author just loves that expression. Thankfully the narrative runs a little smoother in this book (and there is considerably less grinning). I might tread on to the next novel, mostly because the history is changing so much that it actually adds an element of surprise. This is better suited for fantasy novels, but I can afford to continue, albeit at a paperback price.
Rating: 
Summary: Gladys et Caligula
Review: Darn. *Gladius et caligae*. For what it is - sword and sandals fantasy, not historical fiction, and there is a difference - this is great value. Much derring is done. Scarcely a swash is left unbuckled. If you liked 'Gladiator' you'll swear by this, and please refrain from going 'huh?' as noble patrician Julius Caesar works his way up from corporal, Octavian Augustus cameos as a street urchin years before he was born, and ... well, this is fiction, right, and why don't you get a girlfriend? (If nothing about the tale strikes you as offbeat, I'd like to interest you in a valuable stake in the Pontifex Maximus.) Okay, the series so far doesn't come within ave distance of McCullough's 'Masters of Rome', but to be fair it doesn't aim to. This is history lite.
No sooner have we met Corporal Caesar than he is captured by pirates, ransomed, and returns with a mob of heavies to demand his money back (don't say 'me too' at the back - this bit really happened). Pausing only to put down old King Mithridates of Pontus (who had plenty of practice at being put down but none of it against Caesar), he returns in triumph to Rome and makes the exalted rank of military tribune, just like all the other teenage aristocrats. After that there's some political stuff before it falls to young Julius to save the Republic from Kirk Douglas (you've seen the movie - shocking, our hero didn't even get a bit part.) And there are two volumes to come.
To take an analogy you may be familiar with, it's as if Bernard Cornwell depicted Sergeant Wellington winning the Battle of Trafalgar. I have no principled objection to this but I can't help asking: why? Don't let me put you off. Mr Iggulden is a fluent writer and some of the background verges on the authentic. There is an Afterword in which the author owns up to some of the liberties he takes with the story. I'm sure he knows what he's doing, but do all his readers? I'm looking forward to the episode where Caesar stabs Brutus for two-timing him with the Queen of Sheba. Now there's an aspect of Caesar's character that we don't hear about.
Rating:
Summary: Could Not Put It Down
Review: His first book held my interest from the first page and I was in the checkout line by page four. I couldn't wait for DOK to come out. I was fascinated by CI's description of the military tactics, weapons and political backstabbing. Now that i've read DOK, I can't wait for the third book. I almost didn't buy this book based upon some overly critical reviews but I went on my gut instinct (much like Julius would have done) and purchased it. I must say that I'm a little irritated at some of the history purists who apparently thought they were shopping in the History section vs the Fiction aisle when they purchased this book. Perhaps they do need to get a girlfriend/boyfriend and just try to enjoy a good fast paced adventure/action/some history/love story. I don't see what all the controversy is about since Iggulden does clear up the major inaccuracies in the epilogue. After reading CI's first two books, i'm so interested in Ceasar's life, that I'm going to the History section to get a historically accurate account of his life. However, I'm only going to read it until CI's next book comes out and then I'm buying that one.
Rating: 
Summary: The adventure continues...
Review: I can't say enough about this series! I've read this book and the first one TWICE and I love how I feel like I'm right in the middle of Rome, the battlefield, the Senate, and the blood. I HATE having to wait for book 3... but I'm sure it will be worth the wait!
Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Sequel...
Review: I did not read the first novel in Conn Iggluden's EMPEROR series, the editorial review of THE GATES OF ROME was discouraging and I would have overlooked the second book if I had read it first.
However, I did not and I plunged into Emperor: The Death Of Kings with no bias to hinder me. Either Iggluden made a marvelous revocery in the second book or else the first one was, of historical necessity, a dry and plodding "preamble"
Death Of Kings is fast paced, vivid in its characters and settings, and I was caught up in the clarity of the writing.
From the iron discipline of the Roman legions to the treachery of the Senate, the love stories intertwined with the ambition and betrayals of the generals, the book pulls one inside that ancient world with such skill that one can smell the grass, wet with rain and blood, the mud of battle, and the tears of exhausted soldiers.
The picture I had in my mind of the punishment by decimation was described very differently from any I had read in history texts or seen enacted in films.
In conclusion, I was very taken by the intimate friendship of Caesar and Brutus over so many years, since boyhood and young manhood, and this paints all the more horrible a picture of what we know will transpire between these two old friends further down the road.
I enjoyed this book and look forward to the third one EMPEROR: The Field Of Swords, due in March.
Rating:
Summary: Return to Ancient Rome
Review: I had forgotten that I had read and enjoyed Conn Iggulden's first Emperor: Gates of Rome novel about the life of Julius Caesar. This second book in the trilogyEmperor: Death of Kings is an excellent sequel for those who love historical novels. I've always known a little about the fall of Julius Ceasar--"ET TU BRUTUS"--and some about what he did during his reign in Rome. About enough to get me through crossword puzzles and trivial pursuit. This book, however, brings Rome to life in a new way. Not only do you learn about the possible thoughts behind the actions of these historical figures, you get a glimpse of the grandeur and ideals that were Rome. If you love historical novels in vein of Margaret George and Jack Whyte, do not miss this trilogy. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment, Emperor: Field of Swords due out next spring.
Rating:
Summary: Stick with Colleen McCullough
Review: If historical fiction is your bag, be warned that Iggulden's works are more fiction than history and pale in comparison to Colleen McCullough's magnificent series on Caesar, Sulla, Marius, Cicero. etc. If you have a basic understanding of Roman history in the century before Christ, you'll have trouble enjoying this book (and its predecessor).
Iggulden's Caesar grows up on a rural estate, leading a Tom Sawyer-like childhood with his best friend, Brutus. Fact is that Caesar grew up in the Subura section of Rome, a teeming, dangerous inner city area. Nor was he a childhood friend of his eventual betrayer Brutus.
The good news on Death of Kings is that it is faster paced and a more enjoyable read than volume 1 of the Emperor series. Caesar versus the pirates, versus King Mithradates, versus Spartacus--these chapters hold your interest (although Caesar probably was not involved in the Spartacus campaign).
McCullough's Masters of Rome series is , perhaps, the best historical fiction ever written and certainly (along with I,Claudius) the best on ancient Rome. Iggulden doesn't belong in the same category. A decent read, nothing more.
Rating: 
Summary: More fantasy than history
Review: If you are interested in a good historical novel that accurately tells the life of Julius Caesar then don't buy this book. Colleen McCullough's series of books on late republican Rome are far better. I won't begin to describe all the historical inaccuracies but Caesar's role in the Mithridatic war and his relationship with Cato are just a few. Another interesting invention is the introduction of Octavian as a small boy about 74BC. He wasn't even born until 63BC! Iggulden also seems to have little understanding of the Roman army of the time. While the army structure described is reasonably accurate for the 2nd century BC, the hastati, triarii, etc had been abolished under Marius and the army of the time was the standard legion-cohort-century structure. Apart from all this, none of the characters read as particularly interesting except perhaps for Spartacus. The Spartacus revolt is perhaps the most interesting part of the book and is even reasonably historically accurate. The sad thing is that many people will read this book thinking that it reflects true Roman history when the real history is actually far more interesting.
Rating:
Summary: Great historical fiction!
Review: Let's keep one thing in mind....its called historical fiction for a reason! We expect the authors to take liberties and paint us a picture and weave a story with twists and turns that relate historical facts and/or events with the lives of the characters. I was completely drawn into this book. The characters come alive and the author gives us interesting storylines along with some historical incidents that paint a magical picture of how life and politics may have been in the time of Ceasar. I am a fan of historical fiction types of work. This ranks high on my list of all time best reads. It was enjoyable and lively. It kept my interest. And most importantly, I couldnt wait to pick the book back up again to read what was coming next. If you are interested in accurate history, then check under History. This is listed under fiction for a reason.....
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