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‘He makes Augustus credible as a man: wily, ruthless, shrewd, generous, admirable’
(Andrew Sinclair, The Times )‘A flawed, doubting, powerful man rises from the pages of history and imagination.’ (Douglas Dunn, Herald )
‘A great achievement’ (Joseph Farrell, Scotsman )
Scotsman
'A great achievement'
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
It is perhaps one of the best books I have read. Even before my interest in Rome and Roman things was peaked I was given this book to read. I could not put it down. Written in the first person by Augustus himself it allows us, the reader, an unexpected intimacy with this enigma of a man. You cannot but help to admire and even like him, although, as any leader of that time he did things that we find shocking. The author makes us believe that the story is based on new writings recently found by archaeologists. I believed that bit of fiction for a short time after I had read it. I wanted to believe it. It is a great book, and a book that you will want to read over and over again. Allan Massie is a great writer and especially so with his Roman series.
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is an impressive analysis of a man who literally made history. The Emperor Augustus was the first of the Roman Emperors, creating a system of government that lasted for four hundred years. Massie's book is neatly split into two parts. The first looks at Augustus' incredible rise to power over shadowing his more experienced rivals Cassius, Brutus, Cicero, Antony and Cleopatra. A breathless story of unbridled ambition, hope and ultimate success. The second part is more melancholy with the winner of the Mediteraneon accessing what he has lost in pursuit of that prize. This chapter examines Augustus' large family, the double dealing and partisanship that anyone familiar with I Claudius will recognise. Yes, the language is colloquial which makes it an accessible read but does grate after a while and the story told in the first person does detract from what at the time must have been an inexplicable rise to power. However these are minor criticisms. No one has got as close to the psyche of Augustus Caesar as Allan Massie. Well worth a look.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'm no expert on Augustus, but his `lost' memoirs were slightly `lost' on me. From all the official biographies I have read of the emperor, this book doesn't seem that believable. Allan Massie has got the tone of the book wrong and certainly doesn't explain the transformation of the meek Octavian into the dashing Augustus.
That actually was the reason I'd bought this book. I wanted to see how that transition is dealt with by the author. Octavian was a soft-spoken but firm republican, by most accounts from the time of Julius Caesar (his great uncle), opposed to having a king or an emperor in Rome. And yet HE was the first Roman Emperor! Was that what he always wanted or did something turn in his head?
Only Augustus himself would've known that, I know, but Allan Massie has been convincing in other historical accounts such as - `I Claudius'. The tone of that book was very much in keeping with the historical accounts of and by Claudius.
Reading this book however, I could neither see nor hear Augustus. Perhaps I'm demanding too much from a work of fiction written over two thousand years after the emperor's death. Perhaps its in-keeping with the new trend in historical novels - change the facts to make them sexy.
That actually was the reason I'd bought this book. I wanted to see how that transition is dealt with by the author. Octavian was a soft-spoken but firm republican, by most accounts from the time of Julius Caesar (his great uncle), opposed to having a king or an emperor in Rome. And yet HE was the first Roman Emperor! Was that what he always wanted or did something turn in his head?
Only Augustus himself would've known that, I know, but Allan Massie has been convincing in other historical accounts such as - `I Claudius'. The tone of that book was very much in keeping with the historical accounts of and by Claudius.
Reading this book however, I could neither see nor hear Augustus. Perhaps I'm demanding too much from a work of fiction written over two thousand years after the emperor's death. Perhaps its in-keeping with the new trend in historical novels - change the facts to make them sexy.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Augustus
I would rate this as one of the best books l've ever read. Based on the autobiography of Augustus. Modern day language is used but to great effect. Read more
Published on 6 July 2009 by Mr. Pj Bishop
Another very enjoyable instalment
Another interesting and for the most part very enjoyable instalment in Alan Massie's series. Dragged in one or two parts only and a sad last few chapters left a moving overall... Read more
Published on 16 Dec 2006 by John Hopper
not a bad read, but over-rated
Firstly, this isn't nearly as well-written and compelling as I, Claudius with which, inevitably, it gets compared. Read more
Published on 17 Mar 2006
Make the reader believe totally
It is perhaps one of the best books I have read. Even before my interest in Rome and Roman things was peaked I was given this book to read. I could not put it down. Read more
Published on 6 Dec 2000 by Marketa
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