Author: Sophia McDougall
Publisher: Gollancz
RRP: $32.99
ISBN: 9780575094888
Release Date: July 2011
Pages: 448
Description:
Imagine the Roman Empire is still flourishing today... 'A fast-moving, compelling story, brilliantly imagined.' - Conn Iggulden.
Marcus Novius is caught in a massive explosion at the Coliseum which kills his uncle the emperor, making Marcus the new leader of the Roman Empire.
Marcus, the healer Sulien and Una, his sister - and Marcus' own love - have been together through thick and thin, fighting for freedom, fighting for their lives, fighting for justice and Marcus' ascension to Roman throne was supposed to be the start of something magnificent. But Marcus is horribly wounded himself in the explosion and Sulien is having problems fighting his way through the terrible devastation to be at his friend's - his emperor's - side.
And it's not long before Sulien and Una realise life will never be the same again, for the Roman Empire is about to face its most dangerous enemy...
Review:
The Romanitas trilogy began with Romanitis back in 2004 and continued in the second book Rome Burning three years later in 2007. Savage city is the final book in the series, and just as well, I don’t think I could wait another 4 years to find out what will happen in Sophia McDougall's brilliant historical novels based on what she believes would have happened if the Roman Empire never fell.
If you haven’t been following the series, let me summaries the story so far. Imagine a world where Rome never fell, where the Empire has conquered more nations and now stretches across the Atlantic. Slaves are constructing a giant bridge over the Persian Gulf. Magnetic railways span the globe. But political tensions are growing at home and abroad, and one man’s ambition is about to change the face of the earth.
With a massive explosion at the Coliseum killing the Emperor Faustus, his nephew and heir, Marcus Novius, becomes the new leader of the Roman Empire. Marcus, the healer Sulien and Una, his sister – and Marcus’ own love – have been together through thick and thin, fighting for freedom, fighting for their lives, fighting for justice. Unfortunately, Marcus was also injured in the explosion seeing the new leader battered and bruised before he even gets to the Roman throne.
Sure, there's still magic and destiny and all those things that we demand from our genre reading, but it all takes a backseat to the compelling whirlwind of a story.
Savage City is a well written and a very innovative take on an alternate history of the Roman Empire.
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