"Time's Tapestry" is a four-part series by sci-fi author Stephen Baxter in the "alternate history" genre, beginning in the year 4 B.C. and ending in the 1940s (or their equivalent years). "Emperor" is the first book in the series, and while it trends more towards historical fiction than alternate history, it remains an interesting book. "Emperor" begins in 4 B.C. in what is now central Britain, when a prophecy concerning...
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From 4 BC to 418 AD, Baxter follows the legacy of two families from ancient Britannia led by a prophecy that proclaims from a "God-as-babe" birth to the dneath of an emperor. The brilliant interweaving of the lives of the characters and the relvance of the prophecy. As a history buff and a fellow writer of Roman Empire historical fiction, I recommend this book. Enjoy!
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What I like about this novel is the opportunity to experience a slice of history as the Romans conquer Britain and consolidate their presence, building Hadrian's wall, before the Empire recedes. The "prophecy" is simply a fictional device that threads together various generations of characters through the various novelletes of the book. Which brings me to what I dislike about the book, it is a collection of shorter stories,...
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I don't understand all the negative reviews, I have read the first two books and will read the third. Sure it's not alternative history and yes the Latin is not so great but so what. Both books were page turners that kept me wanting to read on and I didn't find the endings disappointing.
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It's the first new hard cover novel I've bought from a physical bookstore in about 8 years! But for some reason, I was overcome by the need to read this book now and it's been worth every penny and then some! If you are in to Celtic and/or Roman history and how these peoples survived one another, and enjoy grand fiction and historical-based epics... this is a book on a grand scheme for sure!! It's a page turner, and the...
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