Empire: A Novel of the Golden Age (The Golden Age, 2)

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I loved this book! It is an extremely gripping narrative while providing the reader with an accurate picture of the historical events of the time, thereby promoting learning while reading. It is very well researched. Leave it to Conn Iggulden to tell the tale of a legendary historical figure in the most captivating and spectacular fashion…

His childhood experiences created the man he would become, who would not bend or allow fear or weakness in any form. He cared nothing for possessions or wealth, only that his enemies fall.” As the drums of battle draw closer, can Pericles rise once more or will the world's greatest empire fall under his watch? The region at the time was one that was fought over constantly, with each tribe or country wanting to get the upper hand. This was done either with straight-out fighting and wars or in a sneaky way with spies, the odd slip of a knife and political undermining within the Assembly. Following on from The Lion, Pericles is now a leading figure in Athens, becoming strategos in the Pelopennesian War against Sparta. He is responsible for the project which developed the Acropolis and built the Parthenon, and for the walls which protected Athens from Spartan invasion, although not from eventual defeat. Pericles achieved so much more than is portrayed here but the book would have been twice as long and much more complex if everything had been covered. Violence, death and political treachery abound and the first book ends with Julius embarking on a voyage as a junior officer on a Roman military ship in North Africa as Brutus heads off to the colonised lands of Greece.Unfortunately, I was slightly disappointed by the ending, I expected a lot more explicit detail. I won't say too much in case I spoil the plot! It is difficult to find commentary on the sex/violence/language content of book if you are interested. I make an effort to give you the information so you can make an informed decision before reading. *Disclaimer* I do not take note or count the occurrences of adult language as I read. I am simply giving approximations.

The only character I found slightly tantalizing was the slave girl Alexandria; there is potentially an interesting story there, but I'm not particularly inspired to read the rest of the series. The master historical storyteller. This swords-and-sandals epic brings the ancient world to life' DAILY EXPRESS This was a decent work of historical fiction with a brilliantly realised setting that was ultimately let down by some pacing and characterisation issues. The Sword Saint” is the third novel in the “Empire of Salt” series and was released in the year 2019. Empires have fallen, cities have been broken, and there is darkness coming. Success has only drawn a cold gaze. One false king looks for dominion. His soldiers are going to bring despair and desolation to Darien. With treachery on every side, the ancient capital looks ready to fall. William Bernhardt, author of Nemesis, is quoted on The Gates of Rome as saying "what Robert Graves did for Claudius, Conn Iggulden now does for...Julies Caesar." This would be true of Robert Graves was a thriller writing moron willing to ignore factual history at a moment's notice for mere literary convenience.The series is set in Darien and Shiang, two cities in a crumbling empire. The first novel’s events take place in and around Darien, while book two focuses more on the city of Shiang. The final novel brings the characters from these two cities and concludes their stories. Advancing, the Mongols came to besiege the Chin capital of Yenking (modern day Beijing). There Genghis faced the hard fact of an army (with memories of their own inner resentments) that he had to keep not only fed with spirits but with battles and triumphs. After a siege of years, the city finally surrendered. Regardless, it shows a ruthless man that must have been brilliant and astute to have conquered so much, considering he came from a nomadic and small tribe and his crudeness.

Iggulden never fails to write an outstanding and gripping book. This novel follows the character Pericles, who eventually became the leader of Athens and covers his immense struggles against the warlike Spartans.The political intrigue is set against a number of horrific hand-to-hand combat scenes taking place in various areas of Greece.

This book follows on from book one, The Lion. Pericles is the lion of Athens, the leader of this great state, and he will do anything to protect his home and reputation. The language in the book was the traditional adult language. The derogatory terms were specific to the time. While the characters would often refer to others with these terms, they would not be considered swearing by todays standards. For me, however, I do not like books that dedicate most of their quantity to childhood characters. If I liked to be in the heads of kids for that long I would be reading the Young Adult genre. A genre I do not like to read, because, obviously, I am an adult, who likes to read about adults. I absolutely loved Robert Glenister's narration of the Comoran Strike series. He is so perfect for that character. Part of my decision to listen to this one was because he was the narrator. I found his performance to be average here, and it's hard to tell if that's due to the material or not.

Teniendo en cuenta los antecedentes de la tetralogía de la guerra de las dos rosas de este mismo autor, y lo mucho que van mejorando los libros desde el primero de, digamos, puesta en escena, yo no me los voy a perder. A gripping read from the master historical storyteller. This swords-and-sandals epic brings the clash of empires between Greece and Persia to life' Daily Express Shiang” is the second novel in the “Empire of Salt” series and was released in the year 2018. If these stones were able to speak, they would yell for war. I say give them a chapter or two, maybe a quarter or even a third of the book (okay, a third of a book may be stretching it), but just don't make boys and girls the main feature of a book for adults. Caesar's father didn't die in a slave rebellion. He just keeled over one day. There is another. The list goes on.