Science Fiction meets History (Emperor - Stephen Baxter)

Member Name: nakmeister

Product:	Emperor - Stephen Baxter
Date:	18/03/09 (41 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Interesting novel, you learn a lof about Roman History

Disadvantages: It has diffculty binding all the sections in to one narrative

Genre: Science Fiction/Alternative History
Setting: Roman Britain
No. of pages:
Part of a series: Yes, 1st book in Time's Tapestry Quartet.
Next book: Conqueror

A woman going through a difficult birth starts uttering words in latin, a language she doesn't know. It is a prophecy, a prophecy that will echo down the centuries...

This book is set mostly in Roman Britain, from before the Romans came to Britain to the fall of Rome. The book is made up of several different sections, each focusing on a different generation from the same family line, spanning several hundred years. It is the story of a family and their prophecy, and how that links in with the fate of Rome and Britain. The early beginnings of Christianity is also one of the themes in the book. I particularly like the part where a stone mason convinces Emperoer Hadrian to build his great wall out of stone, and not mounds of turf. Enlightened sel interest I think!

The book is well written, and as well as being a good story gives an interesting insight into Roman Britain. It's supposed to be part of an alternative history series, but as far as I can tell so far it sticks fairly closely to accepted Roman history, so I learned a lot about the changing fortunes of the Roman Empire and of Britain over several centuries.

If I was to level a criticism at the book, it would be that the different sections of the book, each separated by many decades at least and featuring different characters, struggle to form a strong overall narrative. Each section is good on it's own but the link is sometimes a tenuous one between each set of characters.

This review is also being posted on librarything.com

Summary: A fairly decent start to a promising alternative history series