Rating: 
Summary: Fun and action-oriented; a little loosely structured
Review: McMullen has done a fine job here of telling an unusual time-travel story about a Roman Centurion, Vitellan, who finds a way to move into the future. The story takes place in four time periods; around 71 AD in the Roman Empire; 870 AD in Britain in the Dark Ages; 1358 in northern France; and finally 2028 in America--this last section accounting for over half of the book.Vitellan captures your sympathy pretty quickly. He's sharp, tough, and sympathetic, and it's easy for a reader to care about his misfortunes. Which is a good thing because the plot is a bit too episodic--the first two sections have almost no plot consequences for the last two; we don't meet the major bad guy until almost halfway through the book; and the love interest (a very odd subplot) is also a late arrival. The result is the book feels like two or three long stories cobbled together into a novel. Having said that, the book is worth reading. The historical sections are rather better than the 21st century sequences, which read like rehashed Neal Stephenson--lots of action and plenty of high-tech gimmickry. The section set in 71 AD, in particular, is well done; especially the part dealing with the Temporians' fortress. This is worth a try if you like historical sf; it's not going to become a classic, though.
Rating: 
Summary: ...[sounds like] Xena again
Review: Not, admittedly, up there with his Great Winter series, this is nonetheless and inventive and involving book with a rarely depicted, these days, although common in earlier ones, one way time travel plot. However, McMullen uses this trope in a way I have never seen before. Equal parts well researched history and future speculation leads to a real feel of the spanning of centuries. (Ours is overlooked, which adds to the effect.) Xena's jump decades into her own future in (I think) the fifth series HAS to have been drawn from this. With the combination of potion and freezing? I know. There are a lot of heads and a few bodies on ice somewhere, but this was just too close for comfort. When as and if I get around to reviewing the three (so far) books of Great Winter they will all get 5 stars. This gets 4 only by comparison.
Rating:
Summary: A very good but slightly flawed novel.
Review: Overall, an excellent read but not without its flaws. Vitellan the hero is a well drawn and sympathetic character. Apart from the episodic nature (probably necessary for a novel with 500 year jumps), the flaws are really in the 21st Century segment. There is no motivation or rationale given for Bonnehomme's behaviour at the end and it is a little confusing with the implants and mind overlays etc. The action sequences are very well done and as a frequenter of the parts of Melbourne where some of the action takes place, he does a good job of describing it. He reminds me a little of some of Harry Turtledove's work (especially his Agent of Byzantium stories). I'm not sure why, it just does! In all, certainly a "good read".
Rating: 
Summary: Tuly original storyline told by a master storyteller.
Review: Sean McMullen may be one of the finest and most original SF authors to come along in the last decade. Well known in his native Australia, but often lost in the profusion of novels published in the US and Britain, he has a unique voice that was brilliantly expressed in his "medieval cyberpunk" novel VOICES IN THE LIGHT, and takes on an even more fascinating tone in THE CENTURION'S EMPIRE. History takes on a very personal perspective through the eyes of the protagonist - Vitellan. He is not immortal, but fate has curiously given him an opportunity (in the form of a stolen chemical concoction) to freeze himself in suspended animation and be reanimated at a later date. At first, he is only frozen for a few years at a time -- wreaking a terrible fate on a women (and indirectly her family) who spurned his love. Later the centuries pass quicker and give us a very intimate look at romance and glory, chivalry and human frailty. Vitellan's awakening in the mid 21st c! entury is especially fascinating and suspenseful when a deadly enemy from the 14th century is found to be very much alive--and closing in. A Superb novel, well written, entertaining and enlightening. Highly Recommended. [EAG]
Rating:
Summary: A Little Too Long, But Otherwise Excellent.
Review: This excellent time-travel saga begins with a young Roman soldier almost dying in a tempest in the year 71. The first hundred pages takes place during this time, where the method of time travel that forms the basis for the book is introduced. This section is all excellent conspiracy stuff with the ancient Rome twist. This is followed by a sixty-page interlude in France during the 100 Years War which is full of chivalry and heroism, also good stuff. The remainder of the book takes place about 30 years years into our future and is heavy on complicated technology and elaborate double-crossing. This is somewhat less satisfying for all its complexity than the previous settings, although the story is good enough to carry the reader through until the end. For the futurist buffs, there all kinds of neat ideas: mind imprinting, body repair, crazy weapons and armor, vehicles, etc. Although a bit too long, the book is a pretty satisfying blend of historical fantasy and futurist sci-fi.
Rating:
Summary: Great story, great characters
Review: This is a great story with a mix of ancient history and high tech future. Don't pick this one up unless you can dedicate the time to it. You won't be able to put this one down.
Rating:
Summary: absolutely magnificent
Review: This is a must read book. Excellent plot, original and very realistic. Do yourself a favor and read it. The only drawback was a character called "bonnehomme" which was gotten rid off in a hurry and without point.
Rating:
Summary: Solid but Not Excellent
Review: This is an unusual time travel novel by the inventive Sean McMullen, the author of the very entertaining Greatwinter Trilogy. In this book, time travel is accomplished one way by suspended animation technology discovered by a group of Etruscans. The hero is a Roman Centurion and this book is the story of his experiences while emerging from the ice episodically over the last 2000 years. The central character is presented well and the first half of the book, covering classical Rome, Barbarian age Britain, and the high Middle ages, is entertaining. The second half of the book, dealing with the immediate near future is an attempt at a cyperpunk type adventure novel with a very convoluted plot and many of the stock tricks of this sub-genre. It is less interesting. Worth buying as a paperback, though not as a hardcover.
Rating:
Summary: Solid but Not Excellent
Review: This is an unusual time travel novel by the inventive Sean McMullen, the author of the very entertaining Greatwinter Trilogy. In this book, time travel is accomplished one way by suspended animation technology discovered by a group of Etruscans. The hero is a Roman Centurion and this book is the story of his experiences while emerging from the ice episodically over the last 2000 years. The central character is presented well and the first half of the book, covering classical Rome, Barbarian age Britain, and the high Middle ages, is entertaining. The second half of the book, dealing with the immediate near future is an attempt at a cyperpunk type adventure novel with a very convoluted plot and many of the stock tricks of this sub-genre. It is less interesting. Worth buying as a paperback, though not as a hardcover.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding entertainment!
Review: This novel is a remarkable book featuring a grand hero who is all an ancient Roman should be, just wearied by time and experience and a beautiful, deadly assasin with her own agenda, set in the distant past and not to distant future. Once you get about 300 pages in, you can not put it down. The plot has so many twists and turns you have to go back and check names, dates, facts and motives. Not that I'm complaining, this is just a very involving read. Prepare for a thrilling ride right to the end which is a shocker but fitting. This reminds me a great deal of a fantastic book I read from 1970, 'The Ice People' by Rene Barjavel. Again, an unusal couple and a powerful love that transcends time. If you can get a copy, read it. But if you want a great hard scifi novel with a different time travel twist,read 'The Centurion's Empire. Thank you, Mr. McMullen.
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