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TYRANTS AREN'T BORN. THEY'RE RAISED.
ANCIENT ROME, AD 37
It begins with a man¡¯s hand curled around another¡¯s throat.
Emperor Tiberius first dispatches a traitor.
Then his whole family.
Next all his friends. It is as if he never existed.
THIS IS ROMAN JUSTICE.
Into this fevered forum, a child is born.
His mother is Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus. But their imperial blood is no protection. The closer you are to the heart of the empire, the closer you are to power, intrigue, and danger.
She faces soldiers, senators, rivals, silver-tongued pretenders, each vying for position. One mistake risks exile, incarceration, execution. Or, worst of all, the loss of her infant son.
For Agrippina knows that opportunity waits, even in your darkest moments. Her son is everything. She can make this boy, shape him into Rome itself ¨C the one all must kneel before.
BUT FIRST, THEY MUST SURVIVE . . .
ANCIENT ROME, AD 37
It begins with a man¡¯s hand curled around another¡¯s throat.
Emperor Tiberius first dispatches a traitor.
Then his whole family.
Next all his friends. It is as if he never existed.
THIS IS ROMAN JUSTICE.
Into this fevered forum, a child is born.
His mother is Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus. But their imperial blood is no protection. The closer you are to the heart of the empire, the closer you are to power, intrigue, and danger.
She faces soldiers, senators, rivals, silver-tongued pretenders, each vying for position. One mistake risks exile, incarceration, execution. Or, worst of all, the loss of her infant son.
For Agrippina knows that opportunity waits, even in your darkest moments. Her son is everything. She can make this boy, shape him into Rome itself ¨C the one all must kneel before.
BUT FIRST, THEY MUST SURVIVE . . .
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First published May 24, 2024
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About the author
Conn Iggulden
142?books5,745?followersAlso publishes under author name C.F. Iggulden.
I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It¡¯s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory¡¯s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can¡¯t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers¡¯ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.
My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories ¨C with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ¡®Vitai Lampada¡¯ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.
I¡¯ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O¡¯Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.
That¡¯s about it for the moment. If you¡¯d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I¡¯ll leave it there for the moment. If you¡¯ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There¡¯s no point overdoing it.
Conn Iggulden
I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It¡¯s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory¡¯s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can¡¯t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers¡¯ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.
My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories ¨C with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ¡®Vitai Lampada¡¯ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.
I¡¯ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O¡¯Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.
That¡¯s about it for the moment. If you¡¯d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I¡¯ll leave it there for the moment. If you¡¯ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There¡¯s no point overdoing it.
Conn Iggulden
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
September 2, 2024
At the end of this book Nero is 5 years old. At this rate, I do not expect Nero to become Emperor until the third book of this trilogy. The subtitle should have been Agrippina and the Men in her Life. I usually like this author, and I didn¡¯t hate this book, but I wasn¡¯t looking for the Agrippina story. My favorite parts were about Caligula and Claudius. 3.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
November 20, 2023
This was a fantastic blockbuster of a novel- how can I wait for the rest of the trilogy! of course the author has some amazing material to work with: Robert Graves and Racine have also used the rich history of the Imperial Roman Empire, but Iggulden¡¯s is both the most accessible and entertaining. I did have to download a family tree of the Caesars¡¯ reign as a memory aid though! Many thanks to Netgalley for an arc of this book.
November 14, 2023
Life was cheap in Roman times! The violence and brutality meted out mindlessly is horrific. Nevertheless, I was so excited to find that Conn Iggulden is writing another trilogy, this time on the life of Nero, as his books bring history to life more vividly for me than most.
This first book only takes us up to Nero¡¯s (named Lucius) 10th year. He was born just a few months after the death of Tiberius, who was followed as princeps by Nero¡¯s uncle, Caligula, and then by his great-uncle, Claudius. His mother, Agrippina, was ambitious for herself and her son and woe betide anyone who got in her way, whether they realised they were or not. This is a real page turner and if you don¡¯t know your Roman history in detail, there are plenty of shocks and surprises along the way. Claudius¡¯ invasion of Britain, told from both sides, is very well done.
4.5 not 5 stars for very minor reasons, including the too abrupt ending. I turned the page expecting more but I¡¯ll just have to have patience and wait for Part 2!
With thanks to Michael Joseph / Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a review copy.
This first book only takes us up to Nero¡¯s (named Lucius) 10th year. He was born just a few months after the death of Tiberius, who was followed as princeps by Nero¡¯s uncle, Caligula, and then by his great-uncle, Claudius. His mother, Agrippina, was ambitious for herself and her son and woe betide anyone who got in her way, whether they realised they were or not. This is a real page turner and if you don¡¯t know your Roman history in detail, there are plenty of shocks and surprises along the way. Claudius¡¯ invasion of Britain, told from both sides, is very well done.
4.5 not 5 stars for very minor reasons, including the too abrupt ending. I turned the page expecting more but I¡¯ll just have to have patience and wait for Part 2!
With thanks to Michael Joseph / Penguin Random House and NetGalley for a review copy.
April 7, 2025
I absolutely loved this book! It swept me away and was over too soon!
As I was looking to read the second book in the trilogy I found out that it will not be published until May. Not too long to wait!
As I was looking to read the second book in the trilogy I found out that it will not be published until May. Not too long to wait!
July 24, 2024
(1) I like the book cover!
(2) Right now Agrippina, Nero's mother and her brother, the infamous Caligula, are the main characters, but we will see how things will turn out later!
(3) We would also find out how far would Agrippina go to make her son an emperor!
(4) I am totally looking forward to the next book!
(5) Because, in this book, Nero so the story focuses mostly on Agrippina, her older brother, the infamous Caligula (formally known as Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus), the old emperor Tiberius, and later Claudius etc. Some readers might be disappointed by this development but I like it! It is nice to see how this murderous family history of the royal family! Assassination! Poisoning! Exile! Public executions! Wars against the minorities! You name them, they are all there!
(6) I was a bit shocked that Claudius but whatever. *rolls eyes*
(7) It is an enjoyable and entirely readable book! I hope you will also like this!
(8) I am not sure how I feel about Agrippina, I can appreciate that she was a woman with an unhappy marriage (her first husband) and she was struggling to survive the everchanging temper and favour of her uncle (?) and even her own brother. On the other hand, she can be quite ruthless when she was trying to secure her own interest?
(9) There is already tension between Agrippina and Nero, I want to see what will happen next!
Extra:
The awesome artwork by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, from his manga My name is Nero (Chinese translation: Ò»´ú±©¾ý)
(Link: )
PS: years ago I read "Caligula" by Camus and I love it!
(2) Right now Agrippina, Nero's mother and her brother, the infamous Caligula, are the main characters, but we will see how things will turn out later!
(3) We would also find out how far would Agrippina go to make her son an emperor!
(4) I am totally looking forward to the next book!
(5) Because, in this book, Nero so the story focuses mostly on Agrippina, her older brother, the infamous Caligula (formally known as Emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus), the old emperor Tiberius, and later Claudius etc. Some readers might be disappointed by this development but I like it! It is nice to see how this murderous family history of the royal family! Assassination! Poisoning! Exile! Public executions! Wars against the minorities! You name them, they are all there!
(6) I was a bit shocked that Claudius but whatever. *rolls eyes*
(7) It is an enjoyable and entirely readable book! I hope you will also like this!
(8) I am not sure how I feel about Agrippina, I can appreciate that she was a woman with an unhappy marriage (her first husband) and she was struggling to survive the everchanging temper and favour of her uncle (?) and even her own brother. On the other hand, she can be quite ruthless when she was trying to secure her own interest?
(9) There is already tension between Agrippina and Nero, I want to see what will happen next!
Extra:
The awesome artwork by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, from his manga My name is Nero (Chinese translation: Ò»´ú±©¾ý)
(Link: )
PS: years ago I read "Caligula" by Camus and I love it!
December 10, 2024
I really enjoyed this book but it¡¯s very misleading on its title. There is very little of Nero in this book and instead is about his entire family before him. I very much loved all the politics of it but I just think the title should be changed.
Another issue I had was there are so many people whose names you have no idea who they are. I thought Nero was THE Nero but instead it was Nero¡¯s uncle the whole time which really confused me. The correct Nero is instead called by his birth name which is Lucius. Without looking on google I would have been so confused on this and would have no idea why these other people are being talked about.
It¡¯s crazy how wild actual history is and how it can be even more entertaining and brutal that any fantasy book you read. The machinations of Claudius, Tiberius, Gaius, Agrappina, Caligula and especially Messalina is wild. This is my first Conn book and I¡¯m very interested in what else he¡¯s got.
Another issue I had was there are so many people whose names you have no idea who they are. I thought Nero was THE Nero but instead it was Nero¡¯s uncle the whole time which really confused me. The correct Nero is instead called by his birth name which is Lucius. Without looking on google I would have been so confused on this and would have no idea why these other people are being talked about.
It¡¯s crazy how wild actual history is and how it can be even more entertaining and brutal that any fantasy book you read. The machinations of Claudius, Tiberius, Gaius, Agrappina, Caligula and especially Messalina is wild. This is my first Conn book and I¡¯m very interested in what else he¡¯s got.
March 29, 2025
4.5??
This book was fantastic. It had everything, intrigue, betrayal, action, twists, larger than life characters and a page turning quality that never let up.
This particular period of Roman history is well know, I would say most people have heard of Nero and Claudius maybe some of the others too, almost certainly the ancestors of these people, Julius Caesar and Augustus. But the quality of the writing and storytelling not only brought back the memories of these people from History lessons, programmes and books but brought them to life in a way that I found incredible and gripping. Also getting to see most of this through the eyes of Aggripina was a master stroke. She really took me through the full range of feelings.
Feeling what they felt and seeing the reasons behind why they acted the way they did was a huge rollercoaster of emotions in a terrifying and brutal time in Ancient Rome.
I cannot wait for book two to be released!
This book was fantastic. It had everything, intrigue, betrayal, action, twists, larger than life characters and a page turning quality that never let up.
This particular period of Roman history is well know, I would say most people have heard of Nero and Claudius maybe some of the others too, almost certainly the ancestors of these people, Julius Caesar and Augustus. But the quality of the writing and storytelling not only brought back the memories of these people from History lessons, programmes and books but brought them to life in a way that I found incredible and gripping. Also getting to see most of this through the eyes of Aggripina was a master stroke. She really took me through the full range of feelings.
Feeling what they felt and seeing the reasons behind why they acted the way they did was a huge rollercoaster of emotions in a terrifying and brutal time in Ancient Rome.
I cannot wait for book two to be released!
July 13, 2024
4.8 ??
June 16, 2024
I found this hard to finish. I read Iggulden's Caesar series many years ago and enjoyed it, so was excited to see what he did with this period of Roman history. It's obvious that the book was well researched; but the constant insertion of facts, some of them repeated, meant that the writing didn't flow, it felt clunky. Paradoxically, the author then changed key parts of the historical narrative we have from ancient sources. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for changing things to drive the narrative, this is historical fiction and you expect departures from the sources to make a modern novel more readable. But in this case, they did nothing for the plot and I found myself asking why on earth you'd change things and make them LESS interesting that the historical sources. I mean, why include Messalina at all if you're not going to explore her mind boggling "marriage" to Silius!
I could understand why you'd want to start the story of Nero here (the book is the first of a trilogy and centres around his mother Agrippina). His upbringing is really interesting, and Agrippina is a particularly fascinating character. But she is a shadow of herself in this book. Sure she's scheming and apparently incapable of loving anyone (except Nero) but she just feels a bit robotic. When she's exiled by Gaius (Caligula), it's basically because she has a son; but the sources tell us she was involved in a plot with her sister and her lover/brother-in-law?! Way more interesting!
There's just so much potential here for a gripping read and sadly Nero is not it.
I could understand why you'd want to start the story of Nero here (the book is the first of a trilogy and centres around his mother Agrippina). His upbringing is really interesting, and Agrippina is a particularly fascinating character. But she is a shadow of herself in this book. Sure she's scheming and apparently incapable of loving anyone (except Nero) but she just feels a bit robotic. When she's exiled by Gaius (Caligula), it's basically because she has a son; but the sources tell us she was involved in a plot with her sister and her lover/brother-in-law?! Way more interesting!
There's just so much potential here for a gripping read and sadly Nero is not it.
May 28, 2024
Haven¡¯t the slightest why this novel is called ¡®Nero¡¯. Regardless, I really enjoyed it!
November 21, 2023
Nero is book one of the Nero Trilogy set in Ancient Rome.
This book covers the early years of the boy who will one day become the infamous emperor. When the story begins, we are introduced to his parents. His father is an ex-chariot racer, who now spends much of his time drunk, while his mother, Agrippina, is a descendant of the Emperor Augustus.
Rome is a politically dangerous place, particularly when the ailing Tiberius returns from Capri to clean Rome of usurpers. He brings with him Agrippina¡¯s brother, the next heir to the imperial throne. It is to her brother that Agrippina turns when she needs a favour, but it becomes a costly deed in times of terror.
Upon the death of Agrippina¡¯s brother, her uncle becomes the next emperor. With thoughts of her own son and his future, she is determined to keep close to her uncle, even travelling with him on his campaign in Britannia.
This was a good start to the series. The violence and back-stabbing of the era is expected, but it is balanced with other elements of the Roman years. I particularly enjoyed the latter part of the book with the journey to Gaul and the invasion of Britannia.
The author¡¯s notes at the back of the book were also very helpful, explaining the liberties taken with the changing of names, to help the reader where real-life characters shared similar or the same names.
This book covers the early years of the boy who will one day become the infamous emperor. When the story begins, we are introduced to his parents. His father is an ex-chariot racer, who now spends much of his time drunk, while his mother, Agrippina, is a descendant of the Emperor Augustus.
Rome is a politically dangerous place, particularly when the ailing Tiberius returns from Capri to clean Rome of usurpers. He brings with him Agrippina¡¯s brother, the next heir to the imperial throne. It is to her brother that Agrippina turns when she needs a favour, but it becomes a costly deed in times of terror.
Upon the death of Agrippina¡¯s brother, her uncle becomes the next emperor. With thoughts of her own son and his future, she is determined to keep close to her uncle, even travelling with him on his campaign in Britannia.
This was a good start to the series. The violence and back-stabbing of the era is expected, but it is balanced with other elements of the Roman years. I particularly enjoyed the latter part of the book with the journey to Gaul and the invasion of Britannia.
The author¡¯s notes at the back of the book were also very helpful, explaining the liberties taken with the changing of names, to help the reader where real-life characters shared similar or the same names.
February 26, 2024
Conn Iggulden brings ancient Rome to life in his new series Nero.
This book covers the reign of Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius, but mainly focuses on Agrippina - Nero's mother - her deadly ambition and scheming in the most brutal of times.
This is a great read, full of power games and political intrigue, and it builds the scene up well for the next book.
Conn Iggulden is a master storyteller when it comes to historical fiction. If you haven't read any of his books, I highly recommend them.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC
This book covers the reign of Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius, but mainly focuses on Agrippina - Nero's mother - her deadly ambition and scheming in the most brutal of times.
This is a great read, full of power games and political intrigue, and it builds the scene up well for the next book.
Conn Iggulden is a master storyteller when it comes to historical fiction. If you haven't read any of his books, I highly recommend them.
Thank you, NetGalley and publishers, for the ARC
September 27, 2024
This is really not technically about Nero. It is about his famous nasty relatives that come before him. As a matter of fact, Nero doesn¡¯t even appear until near the final pages of the book, when he is born. Strange that Iggulden named the book Nero, unless he meant it to be a background for the next two books that will actually be about him. I am really looking forward to the next two books and will gobble them up when they finally get written.
This author is brilliant at making history come alive. Nero is exciting from the first page to the last. He writes great dialog making the characters realistic and fascinating. Although the author does a tremendous amount of research, he tries to put the story first and the history second. He explains the alterations at the back of the book. He does not write history books but excellent historical novels. Still, you will learn a lot of history through reading his novels and in an entertaining way.
While waiting for the next in his Nero series, I am reading his book, Lion: A Novel of Ancient Athens. I am not a lady that is very interested in battles and war, but I find I like the book anyway because of his exciting style of writing.
I wish I could have been in his literature class when he was teaching. It would have been my very favorite!
This author is brilliant at making history come alive. Nero is exciting from the first page to the last. He writes great dialog making the characters realistic and fascinating. Although the author does a tremendous amount of research, he tries to put the story first and the history second. He explains the alterations at the back of the book. He does not write history books but excellent historical novels. Still, you will learn a lot of history through reading his novels and in an entertaining way.
While waiting for the next in his Nero series, I am reading his book, Lion: A Novel of Ancient Athens. I am not a lady that is very interested in battles and war, but I find I like the book anyway because of his exciting style of writing.
I wish I could have been in his literature class when he was teaching. It would have been my very favorite!
January 16, 2025
There's a rich historical narrative that really brings to life elements of ancient Rome. Many of which are very dark, grim, and horrible. A lack of narrative and a story that feels like it needs to be together in one book instead of a part one prelude means that it's going to be easy to forget.
July 10, 2024
"?????, ??? ???'? ???? ????. ? ???? ???? ??????? ?? ????? ???. ?'?? ????? ??? ?????????? ??? ??????. ? ???¡¯? ???? ???? ??? ?? ???? ??. ?? ???? ?? ? ???? ?? ???, ?¡¯?? ???? ?? ???????, ?¡¯?? ?? ???? ???? ????¡ ???????? ??? ????.¡¯
?The book - 1st in the Nero trilogy - is a historical fiction that tells the life of Emperor Nero, from his birth till his first years through his mother Agrippina's perspective.
37 AD Rome. In the darker days of Emperor Tiberius's reign, Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus gave birth to a boy who would become Nero. But her imperial blood is no protection against her drunken husband, maniac brother, lecherous uncle, and jealous aunt. She only has her great beauty and grace to navigate all the intrigue and danger that her family presents and stay close to the empire's power or risks facing exile, incarceration, and execution. Or, worst of all, the loss of her infant son.
¡®??, ??? ????? ???, ??????. ?? ??? ?????? ???????, ? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? ???? ????. ? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???????, ?? ?????? ???. ???. ?? ??? ???? ???????, ??? ????? ???? ??? ????. ??? ????? ?? ????.¡¯
?Conn Iggulden is one of my favorite authors. Similar to his other books, the plot of this one is also tightly knitted, the descriptions feel vivid, while the pacing and delivery are controlled and the multiple POVs make the narrative more engaging. However, you won't get to read any big battle scenes until the end as it mainly focuses on Agrippina and the man in her life. So it felt like a prelude book and should've been titled 'Agrippina' instead of Nero.
?All the characters feel real and authentic. The characterization of Agrippina as an ambitious woman was perfect, but it failed to portray the depth of her poisoned heart and cunning mind which is understandable since she is the protagonist. Other characters like her 1st husband Gnaeus, her brother Caligula, her 2nd husband Italus, her uncle Claudius, and her aunt Messalina are also worth mentioning as their stories equally contributed to her plot.
?The climax of the book was satisfactory. It ends with the conclusion of Claudius' successful invasion of Britain, and naming Agrippina's boy Nero, paving the way for the mother and son duo to rise to power.
Overall Nero was a good read, but it was certainly not Iggulden's best work. If you are into Roman history and love character-driven books then it was for you. One can also read it as standalone. Highly recommended.
?? ??????: ????(3.5/5)
?The book - 1st in the Nero trilogy - is a historical fiction that tells the life of Emperor Nero, from his birth till his first years through his mother Agrippina's perspective.
37 AD Rome. In the darker days of Emperor Tiberius's reign, Agrippina, granddaughter of Emperor Augustus gave birth to a boy who would become Nero. But her imperial blood is no protection against her drunken husband, maniac brother, lecherous uncle, and jealous aunt. She only has her great beauty and grace to navigate all the intrigue and danger that her family presents and stay close to the empire's power or risks facing exile, incarceration, and execution. Or, worst of all, the loss of her infant son.
¡®??, ??? ????? ???, ??????. ?? ??? ?????? ???????, ? ????? ?????? ??? ???? ??? ??? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ?? ??????? ???????? ???? ????. ? ????? ???? ??? ????? ?? ???????, ?? ?????? ???. ???. ?? ??? ???? ???????, ??? ????? ???? ??? ????. ??? ????? ?? ????.¡¯
?Conn Iggulden is one of my favorite authors. Similar to his other books, the plot of this one is also tightly knitted, the descriptions feel vivid, while the pacing and delivery are controlled and the multiple POVs make the narrative more engaging. However, you won't get to read any big battle scenes until the end as it mainly focuses on Agrippina and the man in her life. So it felt like a prelude book and should've been titled 'Agrippina' instead of Nero.
?All the characters feel real and authentic. The characterization of Agrippina as an ambitious woman was perfect, but it failed to portray the depth of her poisoned heart and cunning mind which is understandable since she is the protagonist. Other characters like her 1st husband Gnaeus, her brother Caligula, her 2nd husband Italus, her uncle Claudius, and her aunt Messalina are also worth mentioning as their stories equally contributed to her plot.
?The climax of the book was satisfactory. It ends with the conclusion of Claudius' successful invasion of Britain, and naming Agrippina's boy Nero, paving the way for the mother and son duo to rise to power.
Overall Nero was a good read, but it was certainly not Iggulden's best work. If you are into Roman history and love character-driven books then it was for you. One can also read it as standalone. Highly recommended.
?? ??????: ????(3.5/5)
June 19, 2024
Very approachable and entertaining. I'd say a good entry point for a bit of history I feel muddled about.
August 28, 2024
3 1/2 stars
i support all women¡¯s rights and wrongs!!!!! agrippina you icon!!!!
i support all women¡¯s rights and wrongs!!!!! agrippina you icon!!!!
March 11, 2025
Factually all over the place but at least it held my attention. 2.5 rounded up to 3.
June 10, 2024
Conn Iggulden is a good author
February 6, 2025
Typical Conn Iggulden. You know what you're getting. A good read that you can knock out quickly. I will say however that after his Emperor series this does feel a bit, "been there, done that" and I would have perhaps liked him to write about a different empire/time period. We'll see how the rest of the Nero series turns out in comparison with Emperor.
August 29, 2024
Superbly captures the brutal and ruthless times of the first century Roman Empire.
February 6, 2024
I knew from reading Tacitus and Suetonius during my Ancient History degree that the Julio-Claudian dynasty were a pretty nasty bunch on the whole, but this first instalment of the ¡°Nero Trilogy¡± brings the historical figures to life in a way that reveals the true brutality of the period in glorious technicolour.
Although called ¡°Nero¡±, this title mainly focuses on the exploits of Nero¡¯s mother Agrippina during the last few months of the reign of Tiberius, followed by her brother Caligula, and then by her uncle Claudius. During the reigns of these powerful men, Agrippina is manipulative and scheming, certainly, but is above all a survivor who realises the tenuous position that herself and her son hold in the ruthless Roman Empire.
The author takes artistic license with a fair few details, but the bulk of the story is true to historical sources and obviously very meticulously researched. It was fascinating to see the seeds being planted that will lead to the Nero becoming the tyrant we know through the ancient historians, but told in such a contemporary and accessible way. The pacing was perfect and I¡¯m very excited for the next in the series!
My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.
Although called ¡°Nero¡±, this title mainly focuses on the exploits of Nero¡¯s mother Agrippina during the last few months of the reign of Tiberius, followed by her brother Caligula, and then by her uncle Claudius. During the reigns of these powerful men, Agrippina is manipulative and scheming, certainly, but is above all a survivor who realises the tenuous position that herself and her son hold in the ruthless Roman Empire.
The author takes artistic license with a fair few details, but the bulk of the story is true to historical sources and obviously very meticulously researched. It was fascinating to see the seeds being planted that will lead to the Nero becoming the tyrant we know through the ancient historians, but told in such a contemporary and accessible way. The pacing was perfect and I¡¯m very excited for the next in the series!
My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.
November 2, 2024
In his old age, Emperor Tiberius returns to Rome to execute his right-hand man Sejanus in cold blood for taking too much power. When it¡¯s later revealed that he was also responsible for the death of Tiberius¡¯ only son, the Emperor murders his entire family and all his friends. He also brings back to Rome the young Gaius ¨C the one they call Caligula. For him, it¡¯s a reunion with his sister Agrippina who has just given birth to her son Lucius. Both of their older brothers were killed earlier by Sejanus. When after Tiberius her brother Caligula becomes Emperor and her husband dies unexpectedly Agrippina¡¯s son suddenly becomes a possible heir. One mistake could mean they lose their lives.
I once read Conn Iggulden¡¯s five books on Caesar and Augustus and really liked them ¨C regardless of a few minor historical errors. Since then, I have been searching through Iggulden¡¯s oeuvre (and it is large) for a series that does the same thing to me again. When I heard he was returning to Rome with a series on Nero my attention was caught.
This book begins at Nero¡¯s birth in a bloody Rome. With a family tree where you need to search for someone who died of natural causes. We get to know Nero¡¯s parents well and as well as Caligula. It¡¯s mainly Agrippina who comes to the forefront along with the men in her life. One intrigue follows another. It all happens at lightning speed. Before you know Claudius is Emperor.
There are some really strong scenes in this book. Caligula suddenly becoming a monster, Agrippina returning from exile, Claudius getting a crown on his head, Claudius¡¯ conquest of Brittania¡.It¡¯s a strong start to the series, but it just doesn¡¯t have the magic of the Caesar books (yet). Maybe because this period is less in my comfort zone? Maybe because Iggulden has to take shortcuts to get it all told?
At the end of this book, Nero is still a child and not yet called Nero. Maybe this book is called Nero because it all starts with the death of Nero, Agrippina¡¯s oldest brother?
I¡¯m not going to give up on the series yet and I am eager to read the next two books. Iggulden is a good storyteller and Ancient Rome is one of my great loves in historical fiction. So I liked this book enough to read on and to recommend it for anyone who¡¯d like an introduction to this period.
Dutch review:
Op zijn oude dag keert Keizer Tiberius terug naar Rome om zijn rechterhand Sejanus in koele bloede te executeren omdat hij te veel macht naar zich toetrek. Wanneer later blijkt dat hij ook de dood van Tiberius' enige zoon op zijn geweten heeft, vermoord de Keizer ook zijn hele familie en al zijn vrienden. Hij brengt ook de jonge Gaius mee terug naar Rome, degene die ze Caligula noemen. Voor hem is het een weerzien met zijn zus Agrippina die net bevallen is van haar zoon Lucius. Hun beide oudere broers werden al eerder vermoord door Sejanus. Wanneer na Tiberius haar broer Caligula Keizer wordt en haar man onverwacht sterft wordt haar zoon plots een mogelijke erfgenaam en zijn ze aangewezen op zichzelf, zonder bescherming.
Ik las ooit de vijf boeken van Conn Iggulden over Caesar en Augustus en vond deze echt heel goed - ongeacht een paar kleine historische foutjes. Sindsdien is het zoeken in het oeuvre van Iggulden (en dat is groot) naar een reeks die weer hetzelfde met me doet. Toen ik hoorde dat hij terugkeerde naar Rome met een serie over Nero werd mijn aandacht getrokken.
Dit boek begint bij diens geboorte in een bloederig Rome. Met een stamboom waarin het zoeken is naar iemand die een natuurlijke dood sterft. We leren Nero's ouders goed kennen en Caligula natuurlijk. Het is vooral Agrippina die samen met de mannen in haar leven naar de voorgrond treedt. De ene intrige volgt de andere. Het gaat razendsnel allemaal. Voor je het weet is Claudius alweer Keizer.
In dit boek zitten een paar echt sterke scenes. Caligula die plots een monster wordt, Agrippina die terugkeert uit ballingschap, Claudius die een kroon op zijn hoofd krijgt, Claudius zijn verovering van Brittania... Het is een sterk begin van de serie, maar het heeft net niet de magie van de Caesarboeken. Het klikt voor mij allemaal (nog) niet zo in elkaar. Misschien omdat deze periode minder mijn comfort zone is. Misschien omdat Iggulden wel shortcuts moet nemen om het allemaal verteld te krijgen?
Op het einde van dit boek is Nero nog steeds een kind en heet hij nog niet Nero. Misschien heet dit boek Nero, omdat het allemaal begint met de dood van Nero, de oudste broer van Agrippina?
Ik ga de serie nog niet opgeven en lees graag de volgende twee boeken. Iggulden is een goede storyteller en het Oude Rome is een liefde die ik altijd zal blijven koesteren. Dus soms is een boek ook gewoon goed genoeg.
I once read Conn Iggulden¡¯s five books on Caesar and Augustus and really liked them ¨C regardless of a few minor historical errors. Since then, I have been searching through Iggulden¡¯s oeuvre (and it is large) for a series that does the same thing to me again. When I heard he was returning to Rome with a series on Nero my attention was caught.
This book begins at Nero¡¯s birth in a bloody Rome. With a family tree where you need to search for someone who died of natural causes. We get to know Nero¡¯s parents well and as well as Caligula. It¡¯s mainly Agrippina who comes to the forefront along with the men in her life. One intrigue follows another. It all happens at lightning speed. Before you know Claudius is Emperor.
There are some really strong scenes in this book. Caligula suddenly becoming a monster, Agrippina returning from exile, Claudius getting a crown on his head, Claudius¡¯ conquest of Brittania¡.It¡¯s a strong start to the series, but it just doesn¡¯t have the magic of the Caesar books (yet). Maybe because this period is less in my comfort zone? Maybe because Iggulden has to take shortcuts to get it all told?
At the end of this book, Nero is still a child and not yet called Nero. Maybe this book is called Nero because it all starts with the death of Nero, Agrippina¡¯s oldest brother?
I¡¯m not going to give up on the series yet and I am eager to read the next two books. Iggulden is a good storyteller and Ancient Rome is one of my great loves in historical fiction. So I liked this book enough to read on and to recommend it for anyone who¡¯d like an introduction to this period.
Dutch review:
Op zijn oude dag keert Keizer Tiberius terug naar Rome om zijn rechterhand Sejanus in koele bloede te executeren omdat hij te veel macht naar zich toetrek. Wanneer later blijkt dat hij ook de dood van Tiberius' enige zoon op zijn geweten heeft, vermoord de Keizer ook zijn hele familie en al zijn vrienden. Hij brengt ook de jonge Gaius mee terug naar Rome, degene die ze Caligula noemen. Voor hem is het een weerzien met zijn zus Agrippina die net bevallen is van haar zoon Lucius. Hun beide oudere broers werden al eerder vermoord door Sejanus. Wanneer na Tiberius haar broer Caligula Keizer wordt en haar man onverwacht sterft wordt haar zoon plots een mogelijke erfgenaam en zijn ze aangewezen op zichzelf, zonder bescherming.
Ik las ooit de vijf boeken van Conn Iggulden over Caesar en Augustus en vond deze echt heel goed - ongeacht een paar kleine historische foutjes. Sindsdien is het zoeken in het oeuvre van Iggulden (en dat is groot) naar een reeks die weer hetzelfde met me doet. Toen ik hoorde dat hij terugkeerde naar Rome met een serie over Nero werd mijn aandacht getrokken.
Dit boek begint bij diens geboorte in een bloederig Rome. Met een stamboom waarin het zoeken is naar iemand die een natuurlijke dood sterft. We leren Nero's ouders goed kennen en Caligula natuurlijk. Het is vooral Agrippina die samen met de mannen in haar leven naar de voorgrond treedt. De ene intrige volgt de andere. Het gaat razendsnel allemaal. Voor je het weet is Claudius alweer Keizer.
In dit boek zitten een paar echt sterke scenes. Caligula die plots een monster wordt, Agrippina die terugkeert uit ballingschap, Claudius die een kroon op zijn hoofd krijgt, Claudius zijn verovering van Brittania... Het is een sterk begin van de serie, maar het heeft net niet de magie van de Caesarboeken. Het klikt voor mij allemaal (nog) niet zo in elkaar. Misschien omdat deze periode minder mijn comfort zone is. Misschien omdat Iggulden wel shortcuts moet nemen om het allemaal verteld te krijgen?
Op het einde van dit boek is Nero nog steeds een kind en heet hij nog niet Nero. Misschien heet dit boek Nero, omdat het allemaal begint met de dood van Nero, de oudste broer van Agrippina?
Ik ga de serie nog niet opgeven en lees graag de volgende twee boeken. Iggulden is een goede storyteller en het Oude Rome is een liefde die ik altijd zal blijven koesteren. Dus soms is een boek ook gewoon goed genoeg.
December 5, 2024
Stunning and unexpected. This is an intimate portrait of the tail end of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, centered in on the Imperial household and what being a part of this incestuous and murderous family means. Particularly through the character (the legend really) of Agrippina the Younger.
This era historically is MIRED in fiction, speculation, propaganda, and truth strange enough to be dismissed. What we do know is that these are perhaps the most dysfunctional people in recorded history, and Iggulden capitalizes on that.
What we really have here is a walk through the years for this family, and a major through-line of the novel is dissatisfaction. Gnaeus hates his wife, Agrippina wants more power than she has, Caligula seems to hate being emperor, then Claudius has nobody in life who truly loves him. We have a series of people deeply unsatisfied with life, but the author choses to set this universal theme on the backdrop of Ancient Rome. This both humanizes the subject and brings a classical tale (that we'll never really know the truth of) to a more literary zone of speculation.
As for the titular Nero himself, the book takes places years before he'd become the emperor so infamous that the vast majority of his wikipedia page is just the word "allegedly." Most of what we know about Nero is sensational to the effect that it's doubtable. He's said to have slept with and killed his own mother, kicked his wife to death, castrated and married a slave who looked like said wife, burned Rome to make room for a villa, all while fiddling, and there are theologians alive today who genuinely entertain the idea that he might straight up have been the Antichrist.
But as I read, I couldn't stop thinking about a refrain in the introduction to his biography, "Nero: Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome" by Anthony Everitt - "The monster was loved."
This era historically is MIRED in fiction, speculation, propaganda, and truth strange enough to be dismissed. What we do know is that these are perhaps the most dysfunctional people in recorded history, and Iggulden capitalizes on that.
What we really have here is a walk through the years for this family, and a major through-line of the novel is dissatisfaction. Gnaeus hates his wife, Agrippina wants more power than she has, Caligula seems to hate being emperor, then Claudius has nobody in life who truly loves him. We have a series of people deeply unsatisfied with life, but the author choses to set this universal theme on the backdrop of Ancient Rome. This both humanizes the subject and brings a classical tale (that we'll never really know the truth of) to a more literary zone of speculation.
As for the titular Nero himself, the book takes places years before he'd become the emperor so infamous that the vast majority of his wikipedia page is just the word "allegedly." Most of what we know about Nero is sensational to the effect that it's doubtable. He's said to have slept with and killed his own mother, kicked his wife to death, castrated and married a slave who looked like said wife, burned Rome to make room for a villa, all while fiddling, and there are theologians alive today who genuinely entertain the idea that he might straight up have been the Antichrist.
But as I read, I couldn't stop thinking about a refrain in the introduction to his biography, "Nero: Matricide, Music, and Murder in Imperial Rome" by Anthony Everitt - "The monster was loved."
January 13, 2024
Conn Igguldon never fails to disappoint, and I was thrilled to see that he would be turning his hand to the Emperor Nero. As with his Emperor series, and Julius Caesar the first of these books looks towards the childhood of Nero, with a focus more predominantly on his mother Agrippina. Covering the reins of Tiberius, Caligula and Claudius, Igguldon once more creates a vivid vision of Ancient Rome, with the viciousness, intrigue and death one associates with the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
Having recently read SQPR (Mary Beard's fantastic non-fiction delve into Rome) it was great to see the attention to detail within this book BUT a word of caution. This is historical fiction, "fiction" being the key word. History buffs will notice several significant divergences from fact (Messalina's part grieves me but I blame Honor Cargill-Martin's excellent re-examination of this female powerhouse - another highly recommended book for those interested - I digress) but it keeps it interesting - kind of like when a TV show deviates from the book but you don't mind. However, the exploration and development of Agrippina is fascinating - especially when thinking about the influence she has on her son Nero.
You really can't go wrong with this - I was thinking of who I'd recommend to and realise all the books that come to mind are Igguldon's - this really is his forte.
Available for pre-order now, with a release on 23rd May 2024.
Having recently read SQPR (Mary Beard's fantastic non-fiction delve into Rome) it was great to see the attention to detail within this book BUT a word of caution. This is historical fiction, "fiction" being the key word. History buffs will notice several significant divergences from fact (Messalina's part grieves me but I blame Honor Cargill-Martin's excellent re-examination of this female powerhouse - another highly recommended book for those interested - I digress) but it keeps it interesting - kind of like when a TV show deviates from the book but you don't mind. However, the exploration and development of Agrippina is fascinating - especially when thinking about the influence she has on her son Nero.
You really can't go wrong with this - I was thinking of who I'd recommend to and realise all the books that come to mind are Igguldon's - this really is his forte.
Available for pre-order now, with a release on 23rd May 2024.
November 19, 2023
Conn Iggulden is one of my favourite authors and has been for many years. This is the first of a new series and it certainly reads like an introduction to a series.
The story is almost an exact retelling with very little additional story woven in. With this period of history the events are almost unbelievable so I guess there is no need to create huge amounts of fiction on top. It did however mean the book sometimes read as a history lecture.
As with all CI books, the pacing and delivery is controlled . The books goes through a clean and direct journey.
It's a shame this isn't realised until May 2024 because I'm ready for book 2 already!!
The story is almost an exact retelling with very little additional story woven in. With this period of history the events are almost unbelievable so I guess there is no need to create huge amounts of fiction on top. It did however mean the book sometimes read as a history lecture.
As with all CI books, the pacing and delivery is controlled . The books goes through a clean and direct journey.
It's a shame this isn't realised until May 2024 because I'm ready for book 2 already!!
July 8, 2024
The genesis story of Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, although I feel a more apt title would've been "Agrippina" as this first installment in the trilogy is mostly about his mother, her first two marriages, and her scheming to stay alive and prosper in a world of powerful, unspeakably violent men.
This is the first book by Conn Iggulden I have read and I devoured it. The prose was...inelegant...which is usually a miss for me, but somehow it really worked here. I can only speculate that the expert pacing just swept me away and caused me to overlook that, and/or that this is a story of absolute savagery that doesn't require flowery language.
This is the first book by Conn Iggulden I have read and I devoured it. The prose was...inelegant...which is usually a miss for me, but somehow it really worked here. I can only speculate that the expert pacing just swept me away and caused me to overlook that, and/or that this is a story of absolute savagery that doesn't require flowery language.
March 2, 2025
I always enjoy reading any of Iggulden's books-he really knows how to bring the characters to life. I also love reading about Rome under the emperors because there are so many books about the Republic era and Caesar that I feel my understanding of the emperors is lacking. Although this is titled Nero, the story focuses more on his mother Agrippina and the political terror and upheaval during the reign of his relatives Tiberius, Caligula, and Claudius. Nero is still just a boy called Lucius at this point-a boy who likes to get his way.
April 4, 2025
From zero to Nero in 60 seconds
I have possibly just read the best ever book by this author! He has truly become a master of the art of writing. In this book words and sentences flow like quicksilver leaving you out of breath by the end of each chapter.
The story tells of Agrippina and Gnaeus, and the child they¡¯re expecting. A hundred years have passed since the first Caesar ruled the Eternal City, and it¡¯s a dark time with a terrible tyrant on the throne: Emperor Tiberius.
As usual I won¡¯t go into detail, but the title of the book speaks volumes about what to expect.
The book is written in British English, and the Kindle formatting is good. Indentations are too short, but otherwise it¡¯s acceptable. The worst thing is having to wait for the sequel.
I have possibly just read the best ever book by this author! He has truly become a master of the art of writing. In this book words and sentences flow like quicksilver leaving you out of breath by the end of each chapter.
The story tells of Agrippina and Gnaeus, and the child they¡¯re expecting. A hundred years have passed since the first Caesar ruled the Eternal City, and it¡¯s a dark time with a terrible tyrant on the throne: Emperor Tiberius.
As usual I won¡¯t go into detail, but the title of the book speaks volumes about what to expect.
The book is written in British English, and the Kindle formatting is good. Indentations are too short, but otherwise it¡¯s acceptable. The worst thing is having to wait for the sequel.
May 23, 2024
'Nero' is a brilliant historical novel from Iggulden. I love reading anything about the Romans and was excited to see how Iggulden would tackle it and I was not disappointed. Iggulden covers a lot of ground in this book to start the series but it meant the book moved at pace and I was never disinterested. The people are really brought to life as is the atmosphere. 'Nero' is very entertaining as well as interesting and I look forward to the rest of the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for an advance copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and Michael Joseph for an advance copy.
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