From the bestselling author of Pompeii comes the most provocative and brilliant novel of Rome and its power struggles since I, Claudius.
Of all the great figures of the Roman world, none was more fascinating or charismatic than Marcus Cicero, the greatest orator of all time, who at the age of twenty-seven was determined to attain imperium—supreme power in the state. At his side was the ever-present Tiro, the confidential secretary and slave, whose celebrated biography of his master was lost in the Dark Ages. Imperium is the re-creation of Tiro's vanished masterpiece, recounting in vivid detail the story of Cicero's extraordinary quest for glory.
Tiro's cautionary tale begins on a cold November morning, when he opens the door to a terrified stranger, a victim of Sicily's corrupt Roman governor, Verres. The stranger's arrival sets in motion a chain of events that will eventually propel Tiro's master into one of the most suspenseful courtroom dramas in history, pitting Cicero against some of the most powerful and intimidating figures of his—or any other—age: Pompey, Caesar, Crassus, and the many other powerful Romans who changed history.
Robert Harris, the world's master of innovative historical fiction, lures us into a violent, treacherous world of Roman politics at once exotically different from and yet startlingly similar to our own—a world of Senate intrigue and electoral corruption, special prosecutors and political adventurism—to describe how one clever, compassionate, devious, vulnerable man fought to reach the top.
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"I was impressed with the writing skills of Harris. He incorporated so many elements into the setting that it felt as though the reader could see the whole scene. Overall I thought it was an excellent read, but I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, and that something never really materialized. There really is not much drama. The highs and lows of the arcs are not very high and low, but I would not say that the plot and storyline are flat. I really enjoyed the storytelling, recommend this book and will get the next book in the series."
— Dave (4 out of 5 stars)
“In Harris’s hands, the great game becomes a beautiful one.”
— Times (London)“Masterful.”
— Sunday Times“Bestselling British author Harris returns to ancient Rome for this entertaining and enlightening novel of Marcus Cicero’s rise to power…Given Cicero’s stormy consulship, his continuing opposition to Julius Caesar and his own assassination, readers can only hope a sequel is in the works.”
— Publishers Weekly“A brilliant fictional biography of one of antiquity’s most complex and triumphant characters.”
— Booklist" Any literary work featuring Cicero as a character gets my vote. "
— Virginia, 2/12/2014" Excellent, gripping, fact based historical fiction. Read in the context of the current presidential election, it is extraordinary how little politics has changed in 2000 years. "
— Radsroc, 2/5/2014" This one was about Cicero's rise to power as told by his slave. I'm a sucker for this stuff. "
— Bianca, 2/4/2014" I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the insight into the inner workings of the Roman Empire were detailed but still easy to follow and the main character Cicero was well written and believable. I really wish Harris would do a follow up to this, even though we all know what happens to Caesar it would be interesting to read Harris's version of it. A thoroughly enjoyable book, well worth a read "
— Sam, 2/1/2014" This book covers the rise of the now famous Cicero (yes, the famed orator) through the eyes of his slave, Tiro. Tiro tells the story of his master - not as an equal but as an educated helper to his master. It gives insight into the way that Rome functioned - with its politics, and various factions. One gets a good sense of how things really worked in Roman society, politics and democracy. Highly enjoyable reading. "
— Raphael, 1/22/2014" Loved it! Cicero has such a great voice and his speeches are amazing. Loved all of the history. Must go there!! "
— Amber, 1/14/2014" A really good read. Interesting and thoroughly enjoyable. "
— Julia, 1/10/2014" Novel ini seperti mesin waktu yang membawa kita kembali ke masa kejayaan Republik Romawi. Mengikuti lembar demi lembar kisah orator ulung Cicero meniti kariernya dari bawah hingga mencapai puncak kekuasaan, kita akan menyadari betapa besar pengaruh kebudayaan Romawi di masa modern ini. Betapa banyak istilah hukum dan pemerintahan yang masih digunakan saat ini (terutama hukum dan pemerintahan AS). Dan mengikuti kasus yang digelar di sidang pengadilan Romawi seperti sedang mengikuti kasus peradilan di novel John Grisham... "
— Indah, 1/10/2014" I really like this. It's a good addition to any shelf that has McCullough's Masters of Rome series. "
— Gay, 12/28/2013" I enjoyed reading this a lot :) "
— Chrysanthee, 12/21/2013" Very historical - i'm glad that I read it - gave me a good idea about the life of Cicero. Told from the lips of his slave, Tiro. "
— Becky, 12/19/2013" Very well conceived and written. "
— Abbey, 12/6/2013" I came, I saw, I engineered some crazy stuff "
— Ido, 12/5/2013" I didn't finish this one, not sure if it ended up not what I was in the mood for or if it just didn't grab me enough. "
— Robbah, 12/2/2013" Great fun - a proper page-turner that prompted me to refresh my memory of the chronology of the end of the Roman republic. "
— Tom, 11/22/2013" I've never read Robert Harris before but this book was a fantastic introduction to this author. The detailed descriptions of the landscapes and political structures are brilliantly done without losing any of the sense of action and adventure. "
— Rachael, 11/1/2013" First Novel of Cicero Trilogy...and of course its always great book. "
— Jane, 4/14/2013" in progress of reading... and I like it. "
— Halfino, 3/30/2013" For anybody who enjoys historical fiction this is a real treat. Told by an excellent narrator, the story brings you very close to the protagonist, one of the most famous politicians in rome. "
— Chandra, 9/9/2012" Great book. Delves into the life of Cicero through the eyes of his humble slave Tiro. Great description and immersive-ness of the text blew me away. Would recommend to anyone interested in Ancient Roman history and/or great historical figures. "
— Grant, 5/9/2012" baca versi terjemahan. menyenangkan. buku pertama robert harris yang saya baca. yang terbaik barangkali di antara karyanya yang lain. "
— kinu, 4/14/2012" another latin/rome book...about cicero. can't wait for the sequels, this supposedly is part one of a trilogy. "
— Jill, 2/23/2012" A real page-turner, this novel is about the rise to power of the Roman orator Marcus Cicero. Who would have thought that a portrayal of all-consuming ambition within Roman politics could be so gripping? It also gives a fascinating insight into Roman life and their world assumptions. Loved it! "
— Sylvia, 9/5/2011" Mr Harris write superbly. A political thriller for the Roman age. It is so well done that it deserves plenty of attention. If you come to this book from Fatherland and Archangel however, as I did, you will find this a very different kettle of fish. But stick with it, it is a hugely rewarding read. "
— Graham, 6/13/2011" it just bored me from the very start. i did not enjoy it that much even though i do like to read historical fiction. "
— Bridgette, 5/22/2011" Absolutely brilliant! One of the best books I have read in a long time. This is a must read or listen to book. The audio is done perfectly too. Easily a 5 star rating. Now I am going to have to research Pompeii and visit there for sure. Read this book! "
— doug, 5/19/2011" A wonderful perspective from which to tell the story of the doomed city. <br/>As to the plotting and writing, howzabout ........ just plain awful! "
— Scott, 5/19/2011" So so. The last 40 pages were not bad, but it wasn't worth the wait. Told me more than I wanted to know about aquaducts. I read this for a book club; otherwise I would have chosen something else. "
— Eric, 5/18/2011" Really liked this one. Feel like in addition to an entertaining read, I got some education on Vesuvius and Pompeii. Will be interested to see other titles by Robert Harris. "
— Barbie, 5/10/2011" Interesting account of the days leading up to the eruption of Mt Vesuvius and the disaster itself. "
— Krista, 5/10/2011" Epic Harris, an intricate account of events at Pompeii,typing in with historical figures, explaining how water courses and buildings were constructed, and weaving everything together with richly-laden prose and intrigue. "
— Patricia, 5/5/2011" This was solid, if not quite as good as I was hoping it would be. Interesting setting, obviously. Not as good as The Ghost. "
— Jake, 4/28/2011" This was so brilliant, the story and the excitement, and his ability to build anticipation when history tells us what will happen anyway is truly amazing. "
— Daisy, 4/25/2011" I can't believe I liked a book that was about the eruption of a volcano but it was great and hard to put down. "
— Jeanne, 4/19/2011" An interesting and quick read. However, it lacked depth od detail and character. "
— Alison, 4/12/2011" Amazing how interesting aquaducts can be! "
— Tracey, 4/6/2011Robert Harris is the author of twelve novels, many of which have reached the New York Times bestseller list. Several of his books have been adapted to film, including The Ghost Writer. He has been a television correspondent with the BBC and a newspaper columnist for the London Sunday Times and Daily Telegraph. His novels have sold more than ten million copies and been translated into thirty languages.
Oliver Ford Davies has, over the last forty years, become one of the world’s most esteemed actors. He spent twelve years with the Royal Shakespeare Company and won the Olivier Award for Best Actor while at the National Theatre. His television work includes Kavanagh QC, Inspector Morse, David Copperfield, and Sparkling Cyanide; his films include The Mother, Johnny English, Mrs. Brown, and Atonement.