Colossus: The Four Emperors Blog Tour

Colossus:The Four Emperors by David Blixt

Publication date: April 7, 2013 by Sordelet Ink

Source: Publisher via Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours for an honest review

Synopsis:

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.

My Take:

Colossus:The Four Emperors by David Blixt sounded like it would be right up my alley. I love Roman history, which I think I have stated before.  The book follows Titus Flavius Sabinus and his family as they navigate the dangerous world of Rome under Nero. This is actually the second book in the series, but I thought it stood on its own quite well. I had no problem following the story or characters' lives. I will be reading the first book though and hope to read the entire series.   

I was impressed by the historical details in the novel. This is one of those novels where the details are embedded well in the story and not displayed obviously. I love it when I am pleasantly surprised at accurate details that aren't shouting, "Look, I did research!" but just part of the story. Several times while reading, I would stop and think how well the information had been relayed without too much obvious and boring explanation.

 I  I enjoyed the main story line that followed Titis Flavius Sabinus, an honorable but still ambitious man trying to live the life expected of a Roman citizen. This isn't an easy thing to do in the midst of the volatility and madness of Rome towards the end of Nero's reign as emperor. He tries to set an example and hold himself to a certain standard. His loyalty to Rome and his family are steadfast.

There are several story lines and characters to follow and I found some of the characters to be quite compelling. I particularly enjoyed reading about Antonia Caenis, a freed slave and mistress to Vespasian. She is a great example of how certain women were able to wield power and influence . . . behind the scenes, of course.

As with most books taking place in Ancient Rome, there is a lot of violence and women are treated as property. While this is unpleasant, it is factual. Nero's reign is a particularly violent period and the novel reflects this. Apparently, he took the Saturnalia very seriously. Naturally.

I was intrigued by the story line involving Peter's family. I haven't encountered a story like this before and I look forward to reading more about them.

I also look forward to reading more books by David Blixt. I enjoyed his writing very much. If you are interested in historical fiction, Ancient Rome, military or political history, then you might enjoy Colossus: The Four Emperors.

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.

Virtual Book Tour Schedule

Monday, October 7
Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader
Tuesday, October 8
Review at Reading the Ages
Interview at Confessions of an Avid Reader
Wednesday, October 9
Guest Post at Historical Tapestry
Thursday, October 10
Review at Historical Tapestry & The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader
Friday, October 11
Review & Interview at Oh, For the Hook of a Book!
Guest Post at Bibliophilic Book Blog
Monday, October 14
Review at Just One More Chapter
Tuesday, October 15
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Wednesday, October 16
Review at A Bookish Affair
Review & Giveaway at Closed the Cover
Thursday, October 17
Guest Post & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Friday, October 18
Review at The Musings of a Book Junkie
Monday, October 21
Review & Giveaway at The True Book Addict
Tuesday, October 22
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Wednesday, October 23
Review at Dee’s Reads
Guest Post & Giveaway at HF Connection
Thursday, October 24
Review at She Reads Novels

Friday, October 25
Review at A Book Geek
Review & Giveaway at The Most Happy Reader