EMPIRE The Novel of Imperial Rome

In this sequel to ROMA, Saylor continues the saga of the Pinarius family, who served an assortment of Roman emperors as soothsayers, senators, and sculptors while the country endured upheaval under their caprices. EMPIRE covers the period from the reign of Augustus in 14 A.D. through the reign of Hadrian in 141. James Langton’s performance brings vitality to every bit of the elaborate spectacle. His narration vividly recounts some of the most indelible events of that period—the burning of Rome; the slaughter of Christians; the gladiatorial games in the Coliseum; the eruption of Vesuvius; and the cruelty and deviant behavior of Tiberius, Caligula, and Nero. Obscure facts, both sexual and architectural, flesh out the story, and Langton makes it all come alive. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2010]