Official Review: Caesar versus Cato, by Brian Igoe
Posted: 07 Sep 2017, 22:55
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Caesar versus Cato," by Brian Igoe.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Ah, Rome! This great empire was a force to be reckoned with. We see evidence of its far-reaching power and grandeur in our modern day world. We have adopted Roman style, laws, and architecture. I knew I had to read Cato versus Caesar, And their Roads to Empire (Some Emperors of Rome) when I came across it. This historical fiction book is by Brian Igoe. It is set in the last century BC, just before Rome became an empire.
The book is written through the eyes of two great Roman men, Marcus Cato and Julius Caesar. These two men lived at a time when the Roman Republic was faced with trouble and possible collapse. Cato, our stoic protagonist, believes that upholding their ancestral customs and honour code is the solution. Caesar, our great strategist, believes that Rome has outgrown those customs. Both men have noble intentions and genuinely desire to contribute to their beloved Roman Republic.
The book alternates between the imagined diaries of the two protagonists. This allowed me to see events from both their perspectives. Gaps in one man's account were filled in by details from the other’s account, resulting in a complete picture. However, there was a disadvantage to this. For example, Cato would tell events from his coming-of-age to the start of his military career, events which span a considerable amount of time. Then, the book would alternate back to Caesar's account where he would pick up from his rites of passage, taking us back in time. This results in the reader being thrown back and forth between time periods. I struggled to keep up with the timing of events.
There are quite a few descriptions of Roman architecture. I completed a module on the history of the built environment in my first year of university, so I revelled over these descriptions. I feel that someone without that background might be bored by these descriptions, because some of them are lengthy. Despite this, they are necessary to set the scene.
The book taught me a lot about Roman history. Did you know that July was originally named Quintilis and was changed to honour Julius Caesar? Well, I didn’t. I learned about how the Roman Republic was structured, Roman military discipline, and much more. Most of all, Caesar is no longer just a distant historical figure to me. On the downside, I feel that the book requires the reader to have a basic knowledge of Roman history prior to reading it. I had to do a bit of research to keep up.
I enjoyed the features contained in the e-book. There are maps which can be zoomed into. These maps have keys showing Caesar’s various campaigns and travels. This aided me in imagining the lengths that Caesar was willing to go (he was quite the determined soldier). There was another feature I liked. Terms which would likely be foreign to readers (Latin words, for example) have links to a nomenclature.
Overall, the book was entertaining whilst maintaining a sense of realism. The author provides a list of sources at the end of the book, giving it credibility. However, it remains a work of historical fiction and not all events are accurate. I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. It is a treasure cove of Roman Republic history. I will be reading Asterix comics with a new found understanding. I recommend it to those with an interest in Ancient Roman history.
******
Caesar versus Cato,
View: on Bookshelves
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4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
Ah, Rome! This great empire was a force to be reckoned with. We see evidence of its far-reaching power and grandeur in our modern day world. We have adopted Roman style, laws, and architecture. I knew I had to read Cato versus Caesar, And their Roads to Empire (Some Emperors of Rome) when I came across it. This historical fiction book is by Brian Igoe. It is set in the last century BC, just before Rome became an empire.
The book is written through the eyes of two great Roman men, Marcus Cato and Julius Caesar. These two men lived at a time when the Roman Republic was faced with trouble and possible collapse. Cato, our stoic protagonist, believes that upholding their ancestral customs and honour code is the solution. Caesar, our great strategist, believes that Rome has outgrown those customs. Both men have noble intentions and genuinely desire to contribute to their beloved Roman Republic.
The book alternates between the imagined diaries of the two protagonists. This allowed me to see events from both their perspectives. Gaps in one man's account were filled in by details from the other’s account, resulting in a complete picture. However, there was a disadvantage to this. For example, Cato would tell events from his coming-of-age to the start of his military career, events which span a considerable amount of time. Then, the book would alternate back to Caesar's account where he would pick up from his rites of passage, taking us back in time. This results in the reader being thrown back and forth between time periods. I struggled to keep up with the timing of events.
There are quite a few descriptions of Roman architecture. I completed a module on the history of the built environment in my first year of university, so I revelled over these descriptions. I feel that someone without that background might be bored by these descriptions, because some of them are lengthy. Despite this, they are necessary to set the scene.
The book taught me a lot about Roman history. Did you know that July was originally named Quintilis and was changed to honour Julius Caesar? Well, I didn’t. I learned about how the Roman Republic was structured, Roman military discipline, and much more. Most of all, Caesar is no longer just a distant historical figure to me. On the downside, I feel that the book requires the reader to have a basic knowledge of Roman history prior to reading it. I had to do a bit of research to keep up.
I enjoyed the features contained in the e-book. There are maps which can be zoomed into. These maps have keys showing Caesar’s various campaigns and travels. This aided me in imagining the lengths that Caesar was willing to go (he was quite the determined soldier). There was another feature I liked. Terms which would likely be foreign to readers (Latin words, for example) have links to a nomenclature.
Overall, the book was entertaining whilst maintaining a sense of realism. The author provides a list of sources at the end of the book, giving it credibility. However, it remains a work of historical fiction and not all events are accurate. I rate the book 4 out of 4 stars. It is a treasure cove of Roman Republic history. I will be reading Asterix comics with a new found understanding. I recommend it to those with an interest in Ancient Roman history.
******
Caesar versus Cato,
View: on Bookshelves
Like Kelebogile Mbangi's review? Post a comment saying so!
