Review: Colossus: The Four Emperors by David Blixt (Virtual Book Tour)

Rome under Nero is a dangerous place. His cruel artistic whims border on madness, and any man who dares rise too high has his wings clipped, with fatal results.

For one family, Nero means either promotion or destruction. While his uncle Vespasian goes off to put down a rebellion in Judea, Titus Flavius Sabinus struggles to walk the perilous line between success and notoriety as he climbs Rome's ladder. When Nero is impaled on his own artistry, the whole world is thrown into chaos and Sabinus must navigate shifting allegiances and murderous alliances as his family tries to survive the year of the Four Emperors.

The second novel in the Colossus series.

Publication Date: April 7, 2013
Sordelet Ink
Paperback; 406p

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I did not read the first book in the series, and don't feel that it hindered my enjoyment of this second one, however I think it might have enhanced it somewhat (I will be going back to read it now though).

Rather than go into detail about the events that take place in this book (for fear of giving away too many details and you can read the synopsis above), I will say that this book was a really enjoyable read.  It captivated me, right from the beginning,  with its rich detail without it being overbearing.  It was one of those books that made me walk away from it feeling both entertained and frankly, educated. And that, I think, is a very rare thing. The author definitely did a lot of research for this book and it shows.  I was able to visualize events along with political life in the year 69 AD.

It was a troubled time for Rome and Judea, Nero is dead and in ushers what is known as The Year of the Four Emperors.  The first civil war since Marc Anthony's death a 100 years previous.  Now we have Galba, Otho and Vitelliu as Emperors and a country in unrest. This was a very interesting time in Rome's history with no fictional characters in this book, all straight out of history.  Which shows the amount of work that went into this book.

Definitely a novel for fans of Historical Rome. 


About the Author

Author and playwright David Blixt's work is consistently described as "intricate," "taut," and "breathtaking." A writer of Historical Fiction, his novels span the early Roman Empire (the COLOSSUS series, his play EVE OF IDES) to early Renaissance Italy (the STAR-CROSS'D series, including THE MASTER OF VERONA, VOICE OF THE FALCONER, and FORTUNE'S FOOL) up through the Elizabethan era (his delightful espionage comedy HER MAJESTY'S WILL, starring Will Shakespeare and Kit Marlowe as inept spies). His novels combine a love of the theatre with a deep respect for the quirks and passions of history. As the Historical Novel Society said, "Be prepared to burn the midnight oil. It's well worth it." Living in Chicago with his wife and two children, David describes himself as "actor, author, father, husband. In reverse order."

For more about David and his novels, visit www.davidblixt.com.