Rating: 
Summary: 1960's Hollywood Epic
Review: I liked the characterisation, and the dramatic scenes were suberb. It's just a shame that the history felt like it was straight out of a 1950's and 60's Hollywood sword and sandals movie. The minor historical facts feel very authentic, and the suppositions about Caesar's childhood are fine, but the author has found it necessary to "simplify the action for dramatic purposes". Now, there is something to be said for simplification of events to ensure an easier read. Unfortunately, this takes simplification, boils it down, then cuts half of what is left away, which can make this book immensely aggravating to read for those with more than a vague knowledge of events.
Brutus is the same age as Caesar? Sulla and Marius had one special legion each? Sulla was "tricked" out of Rome so Marius could "rule"? Oh, and if Julius Caesar has no sisters at the time his father dies, I have to wonder where Augustus Caesar, the first real emperor of Rome and Julius Caesar's great-nephew, is going to come from.
At the very least the simplification includes some very dodgy explanations of historical events. I won't bother with future books. Yeah, I'm picky, but I'd rather read historical novels that can combine good characters and great drama with actual history.
Rating: 
Summary: The Gates of Rome
Review: Usually I don't write reviews, but reading a couple of the others in this list, I thought I should. I bought the book in a local bookshop because I've always been interested in the Romans and Julius Caesar. I started it on Sunday afternoon and finished it five hours later. Perhaps more importantly, I then gave it to my son - aged fifteen and he loved it as much as I did. I like books with pace and this one has that in spades. It's fast and exciting, with plenty of climaxes and fascinating characters. Historical fiction should teach you about the period as well as gripping you with a good story. It certainly does that. At the end, Iggulden explains why he had to change a few parts of the history. He mentions changing Marius to Caesar's mother's side and how he simplified the civil war between Sulla and Marius to keep the pace going. No problems with that. It's full of interesting information about the period, but like all good historical fiction, it isn't shoved down your throat. I've taught in three English schools and will be recommending this to my pupils as a fast, fun read. It isn't Shakespeare, but it doesn't claim to be, just the sort of book you take on a plane and become annoyed when someone interrupts you for meals or to tell you to put your belt on for landing. It's that gripping. The descriptions are powerful and I like the use of language, if you want an English teacher's opinion. The amputation scene made my stomach churn a little, but that showed it was working. I can see why Bernard Cornwell liked it. I'm going to give it to my wife next and may add to this review when she's finished it. I'm definitely getting the next one. Stephen Harrison
Rating:
Summary: Engaging story/Atrocious Writing
Review: I really wanted to like this book. After all, there are few periods of time more interesting than Rome during the late Republic/early Empire, and few historical figures more captivating than Julius Caesar. Iggulden does a good job of sketching in characters, both real and fictional, from Caesar's childhood and writes gripping action scenes. Unfortunately, the action is at the expense of historical accuracy, which might slow the frenetic pace of the story telling, and the English is abominable, especially for an author who taught English for seven years. I found it extremely distracting to read the simple past tense used as a past particple ("he had strode"), the use of apostrophe "s" to indicate a plural possessive ("Marcus's horse"), the use of plural verbs with single subjects ("the crowd were oblivious") and the use of plural pronouns to refer to single subjects ("each century became still, their torches held in unwavering hands"). This may seem trivial, but it's repeated over and over, and when added to the stiff, clunky dialogue, it makes for an awkward read. On the plus side, it's fun to imagine what Caesar might have been like as a child and Iggulden is good at putting the reader in the middle of battles and fights, particularly when there isn't much dialogue to get in the way of the action. For those interested in this time period, however, I would recommend the far superior books by Colleen McCullough, especially "The First Man in Rome," "The Grass Crown," and "Caesar: A Novel," which deal with the same main historical characters as appear in this book, Gaius Marius, Sulla, and Julius Caesar, respectively, but are much better researched and written. This one is just mildly entertaining fluff.
Rating: 
Summary: Caveat emptor
Review: It's a good thing Iggulden (what an interesting name!) starts the book with his heroes very young, for his style in the first chapters is equally juvenile, prehaps suitable for young readers. It is amusing, sometimes gripping, its scenes well done. The writing does improve as the protagonists mature and become more aware of forces acting around them, and eventually kept me reading right along. It's a nice touch that the author leaves you to guess who Gaius and his friend will become, although this may leave you wondering where this story is going-more like real life! The story is well-plotted, but "the plot" will not come clear until a later book, unless you know your high-school history already. This book is just a set-up, as youth often is. The author's research is shallow, as are his characters-but then Suetonius records hardly any of his usual scandal for Gaius's youth either, leaving it all up to Iggulden. The time is the late Roman Republic near the middle of the patrician ambitions and plebian pressures that would lead to an emperor. The story takes Gaius as a boy from his father Julius's estate into Rome, where Gaius joins the dangerous household of his uncle, Marius, general and consul of Rome. Although the youthful adventures set up Iggulden's later stories, he takes vast liberties with known history for "dramatic purposes." Unfortunately, the genius of Gaius's character is not well-exposed by all this artificial drama, considering the truly astonishing things he later accomplished. The author's prose does not rise to the occasion. Gaius is left at loose ends in the house of Marius. Iggulden also fabricates for the boys an unnecessary companion who has a Christlike healing touch. I think the English author takes Romans as an excuse for a rousing story rather than an historical novel sensu strictu. (The British seem to think they ARE Romans, Boudica aside.) Unfortunately, I think this story's main failing is not developing the political context for these events: so, Gaius's father is a senator, but what are the burning issues over which his colleagues are falling out, why should we care? For example, we don't get why it was such an extraordinary break to have a legion within the walls of sacred Rome and a hostile legion without. That is just glossed over in favor of tactics and battle, losing what must have been the apocalyptic horror of those years. Only a few Latin terms pop up and are briefly defined before vanishing again. That's bad or good depending how much you want to feel the Roman context. The writing is straightforward narrative, with dollops of Roman brutality; nothing fancy, well-turned, or particularly insightful. Gaius is certainly an appealing protagonist as a youth, but what must have been his extraordinary charisma is not convincingly developed here, nor its possible sources. Where the story is more effective is in its dash, the outward events of a farm boy suddenly thrust into city politics. If you approach this book as an adventure story rather than an historical novel you'll be less disappointed. The author is one of those who writes minutely on the frequent gore, but is reticent about the rare sex (or why else does Gaius marry Cornelia? Iggulden ignores Gaius's historical role as a priest in this). Overall this author is a notch below McCullough, who is a notch below Graves in skill. Exactly, it's enjoyable leave-behind airline reading, as another reviewer wrote. The next book is Emperor: Death of Kings.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining Tale/Poor Historical Fiction
Review: Before going further, I grant that this tale of two spunky lads trying to make their mark in the days of the late Roman Republic is a potboiler that kept my interest and has me wondering what will happen in the sequel. The problem is that the main characters are very prominent historical figures and the basic story deviates way too far from actual history. This is not a case of filling in the blanks based on logical assumptions. Colleen McCullough did this very effectively in the Master of Rome series. Instead Iggulden ignored the historical facts and flow to create settings and events of his choosing. I bought this book knowing nothing about it and from the title expected it to be set in Imperial Rome. As I began to understand what was going on, I started to get a sick feeling that young Gaius would turn out to be Julius Caeser with his cohort being Brutus. Needless to say this turned out to be the case. An analogy would be a story in which George Washington grows up in a city such as New York or Charleston sharing daring and swashbuckling adventures with Benedict Arnold as his bosom buddy. Those wishing to really learn something about ancient Rome in a historical novel should try Colleen McCullough. Although I may read and possibly enjoy the sequel, I have to downgrade Emperor's rating because a good story does not excuse grossly inaccurate historical fiction.
Rating: 
Summary: Unadulterated garbage
Review: If it were possible to give this book a negative rating of 5, I would. It's badly written, the plot is laughable, the events described bear no relation to what we know of the period, and the characters are pure cardboard. This is not the story of Caius Julius Caesar - it's some demented anachronistic fantasy from the author's mind. The protagonist resembles the historical Caesar about as closely as a cockroach does.
Rating:
Summary: It is what it is....
Review: I was surprised by all the negative and elitist responses to this book. I can only ask, what did you expect? Just looking at the book and reading the cover tells you that this is not going to be some grand retelling of Roman history. By the print size and length of the text, you know it will not be exhaustively detailed and true to life. I picked up this book looking for a quick read and a fun time, and for the most part, I got it. Iggulden delivers an entertaining ride short on historical background but with richly drawn characters who move a relatively exciting plot along at a quick pace. Iggulden's book describes one of the richest era's in the history of the Roman Republic. The Republic, early in the 1st century BC, was tottering as it was torn apart by the rivalry between two men. Gauis Marius, the veteran of Rome's greatest conflicts, was eager to reassert his control over the city he had led for 7 terms as consul. His opponent was the young and ruthless Lucius Cornelius Sulla, a former comrade of Marius, who was driven by a near psychotic zeal to take over the mighty city. Romans had to choose sides, and the story concentrates on these violent divisions gripping their city. The main characters are mysterious for most of the book, but anyone with even a modicum of historical knowledge can identify the two as the youthful Julius Caesar and Brutus. Caesar grows up quick as his father becomes involved in the violent machinations in the city. He is soon forced to take the side of his relative Marius, as they ready the city for Sulla's arrival from the East. Caesar is stealthily aided by his childhood equal Brutus, an orphan destined to make up Rome's lower social classes. The two are bound by friendship, but are unable to overcome the cold realities of the Roman strata system. Predictably, the rivalry between the two is only worsened by their mutual love of a young slave girl. The description of the two and how they are raised is probably the best part of the book, you get a very good, if not somewhat exaggerated insight to the childhood of most Romans. The books climax takes place during Sulla's invasion of the eternal city, a very bloody affair. Caesar, in the end, is forced to flee the city, plotting his eventual return. The book is alright, it is nothing special. If you want something more detailed or intricate, read the multitude of great Roman history out there. The First Man in Rome and McCullough's subsequent editions come to mind. As many have already pointed out, the book is woefully inaccurate historically, a fact that Iggulden admits in the afterword. Again, you have to know what you are getting. It is good writing and a light read, so have fun with it.
Rating: 
Summary: Corn & crossbows in early Rome ?
Review: I really injoyed this book. A good read !! BUT... corn (a new world crop) & crossbows ( not due to arrive for several hundred years from China) was a severe irritant that did distract and annoy. I managed . What really frosted me was when I phoned the publisher to pass this info to the author so he wouldn't overlook these errors in the next volume of the series, the editor failed to even return the call , say thank you or even acknowledge recieving the info. I hope this fine author gets a better editor in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Emperor: The Gates of Rome
Review: Unless you dont care about historical inaccuracies this is not worth the read. Although it was easy to read and maybe even entertaining it is so riddled with historical mistakes or liberies that I wouldn't reccomend that anyone with no knowledge of the time period read it.
Rating:
Summary: Great Adolescent Fiction
Review: I really enjoyed reading this book. I bought a copy for my twelve yr. old nephew and he really took to the book. It sparked in him an interest in Roman History, military strategy, and biographies of the Roman Generals. He has gone on to read many more books on the subject, making this one of the most successful reads that I have experienced. If you are looking for something more than pure entertainment, this is not the book for you. If you can set aside the irritation of the historical inaccuracies and realize that this is fiction in a loose historical context, you may find yourself with a few hours of pleasurable reading.
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