Romanitas

It's a good book. McDougall not only produces a tight, fast-paced narrative, when the story needs it, she also provides a sharp insight into the perspective of each of the main characters. We feel what they feel - we understand what they understand. There's also a strong feeling for the place they're at, from the black-flag-draped streets of Rome at the funeral of the parents of Marcus Novius Faustus, heir to the Roman throne, to the Holzarta refuge, reached by escaped slaves. But there's a lot more to come. You just know that everything is going to be thrown up into the air again in the next book. I'm looing forward to it.

What is Romanitas? The dictionary says it's the underlying ideal of the Roman Empire - what it means to be Roman. Could it have survived into our own time? Maybe it has. It certainly has in Sophia McDougall's first novel. But it's not overwhelming - these characters are presented on their own terms - we are not constantly reminded about their existence in a parallel timeframe. You feel there's a lot here that's held in reserve. By the end of this book, we're just beginning to glimpse a world which may be dominated by dark forces - but could escape from them. Want a bet? A great first novel.

This is a beautifully written book, with strong chracters and a gripping plot. It ends on a note of high suspense. I'm looking forward to book 2.

Sophia McDougall has created a world so believable you feel you are there. The empire is about to be engulfed by dark forces, and only two run-away slaves can rescue Marcus Novius Faustus, heir to the imperial throne. A gripping tale, stunningly told.

Set in an alternate reality where the Roman Empire never fell, Romanitas is the first in an upcoming trilogy which criss-crosses across the planet, telling the story of a time of great upheaval within the Empire. The novel opens in a time roughly parallel with our own. The Roman Empire has expanded to encompass half the globe, reaching as far east as India and as far west as the centre of the North American continent. The slave-society still exists and crucifixions still take place (albeit with more advanced crosses). We follow the stories of several characters as they deal with life in this alternate world, including the 16 year old Emperor-to-be Marcus Novia and Una, a young slave girl with telepathic powers. I found the storytelling to be nicely worded, with some great imagery and concepts. (The descriptions of Una's abilities were especially potent) The narrative was interesting and compelling, with very little points of stagnation or lag. My only two concerns were; a certain lack of logic in certain portions of this world and a deficiany in details that I craved. Why do slaves still exist when they would no longer be economically viable? The detail wasn't nearly enough for me, I wanted to know more about the military of the Roman Empire, how did society work, and more elaboration on the history of this alternate world. Overall the story was good, the writing effective and the characters interesting. I look forward to the next novel.