Antony and Cleopatra

Forget, if you can, all of the stories that you've read or seen about the fabled Queen of the Nile, Cleopatra, the last Pharaoh of Egypt. Try if you can, not to see her as a voluptuous Elizabeth Taylor or enchanting Vivien Leigh or as some grand beauty. She's not in these pages. Not at all. Instead, Colleen McCullough's final epic in her multivolume tale of the end of the Roman Republic takes an entirely new spin on the story. Nor does she forget the rest of the vivid cast that populate the story, from Octavian -- now calling himself Caesar -- and his sister, Octavia, and Mark Antony, Julius Caesar's former friend and now determined to make himself just as great as slain dictator. But there are plenty of minor players as well, and all of them are given a voice in this sprawling novel that travels from Rome to Egypt, the mountains of Armenia and as far as Parthia in the East. The novel covers from Antony and Cleopatra?s fateful meeting in Ephesus, and goes all the way to the final, fateful end for both of them. While the story is certainly familiar, in McCullough?s capable hands, it takes on entirely new forms. Most of all it?s Octavian that takes center stage, evolving into the man that history considers the first Emperor of Rome, and his friendship with Marcus Agrippa. There?s also his family, namely the two vital women in his life ? Octavia, who might understand Octavian better than anyone, and the very clever Livia Drusilla, who most readers will remember from the 70?s BBC series, I, Claudius. So begins a war of wills and manipulation by one of the more famous romantic couples in history. McCullough creates some of the most unusual characters that I've come across in a long time, and ones that forced me to fling aside all of my preconcieved notions of this often told story. There are battles, conspiracies, romance, conniving, and some outrageous puns, all dished up in McCullough's style. This novel fits in very neatly with the rest of the series, and it's a grand, eye-opening adventure for the reader. While some of the action in the book is rather compressed -- most of the battles, including that of Actium towards the end -- the psychological base and giving a new spin on history is top notch. This is what I really like about this series by McCullough. It's subtle, engaging and while she's not adverse about putting a bit of creativity in the story, she also knows her facts. It's here that makes her storytelling so good -- she creates characters that the reader can feel deeply about, and while you might not like them personally, they are compelling. Along the way, there's plenty of details about daily life, the way that the ancients looked at the world around them, and some deeply moving prose. Indeed, one of scenes of the book is so heartbreaking that I broke down in tears. I don't do that very often and I had to set the book down and walk away for a moment before continuing to read. For those who have managed to stay with the seri

McCullough had said the Masters of Rome was done after "The October Horse". She's since been continually writing while fighting a degenerative eye disease, and I'm sure I'm one of many who are thankful that she's both decided to and has been able to continue her series. An amazing read. Meticulously detailed yet again, larger than life characters, historical fiction that is as historically accurate as they come.

Following the death of Julius Caesar in 41 BC, Rome is divided as to who rightfully should rule. Caesar's ambitious cousin Mark Antony and the late ruler's adopted son Octavian reach an agreement to divide the vast Empire. Whereas their only rival Lepidus flees to Africa, Antony takes charge of the East while Octavian rules the West. Neither of the two remaining partners from the triumvirate is pleased as both believe they should be the new Caesar. Antony shows little understanding of financing an army when he over extends his force in a failed war to suppress the rebellious Parthians. Needing a fast replenishment of his treasury before his rival learns of his weakness, Antony travels to Egypt to demand wealthy Queen Cleopatra provide reparations or else. Cleopatra has an agenda of her own to replace Antony and ultimately Octavian with Caesarion, the son she had with Julius when he came courting. To succeed she must make Antony her sex slave, which she easily achieves. Meanwhile Marcus Agrippa and Octavian's wife coax the co-ruler that the time is right for him to take over the entire Roman Empire. Cleopatra coaxes her pudding head lover to lead his forces against that of Octavian. Although the history is well known, this is a fabulous Masters of Rome entry as the key players especially the title characters come alive. Readers will appreciate Cleopatra's seduction that turns Antony into her willing sex salve doing her bidding and likewise Octavian's strong wife Livia pushing him to become the Emperor. Fans will enjoy Colleen McCullough's historical saga as two strong females propel their weaker minded mates to battle on an Ancient Mediterranean stage. Harriet Klausner

Historical fiction always has the seeming disadvantage that the reader already knows the story, at least in broad strokes, and worse still, knows the outcome. This is no handicap whatsoever to Colleen McCullough. She has fashioned the historical figures into thoroughly vibrant and believable characters. Though the story is narrated in the third person, the reader is regularly treated to short passages in the first person that allow insights into the characters and their motivations. These insights sweep us into the lives of these famous figures. We are horrified along with Antony's generals at the machinations of Cleopatra, yet at the same time we empathize with his feelings for her. We are shattered along with Cleopatra at the realizations and the decisions she is forced to make towards the end. We share Octavian's hopes and dreams and, though horrified by some of his acts, we understand their roots. The glimpses inside the minds of these people of the ancient world allow us more than just an understanding of their character. Woven through their thoughts, words and deeds is masterful portrayal of ancient Rome herself and the ideas and concepts that sustained one of the world's greatest empires. McCullough builds such a tangible depiction of ideas like dignitas, auctoritas and mos maiorum, that we understand them without the need of the handy glossary she has provided. The novel is a masterpiece.

Colleen McCullough has again produced an enthralling novel of first century BC Republican Rome in "Antony and Cleopatra". If you want a book that accurately tells it the way it probably was then this is the one to get. The drama of Antony and Cleopatra must be one of the most common historical stories told and there have been many novels and films about this era. One of the recent additions was the visually impressive but historically questionable TV series "Rome". There are a variety of interpretations of the story, some having Octavian as the villain and others Antony and Cleopatra. Octavian in this work is largely the good guy with Antony coming across as a skilled soldier but generally a pretty unimpressive character who is constantly manipulated by a scheming Cleopatra. Cleopatra is also pictured as being slightly naive without a real understanding of the Roman world as she ruthlessly pursues the interests of Caesarion, her son by Julius Caesar. McCullough also takes the view that Cleopatra was physically rather unattractive which is supported by her coin portraits. This view is still unproven but no one, of course, will ever know the complete truth. There is a lot of detail here and it takes careful work to follow all the characters, relationships and military campaigns. There are plenty of maps though and the usual glossary at the end to help. Overall a very good historical novel which I highly recommend.