Master and God

Description

Afflicted by classic paranoia, the self-styled Master and God sees enemies everywhere. As he vents his suspicions, no one is safe. A reluctant hero, Gaius Vinius Clodianus is hand-picked for high rank in the Praetorian Guard a brave man striving for decency in a world of corruption and deceit. Flavia Lucilla, tending the privileged women at court, hears the intimate secrets of a ruler who plays with the lives of his subjects as if he were indeed a careless god. In the dark shadow of Domitian's reign, Clodianus and Lucilla play out their own complex tale of resilience, friendship and love. Unwilling witnesses to Domitian's descent into insanity, these ordinary people must choose between their sworn duty to protect the Emperor and an act of courage that will change the future of Rome.

Historical novelist Lindsey Davis' is best known for THE COURSE OF HONOUR, the true story of the Emperor Vespasian and his mistress Caenis, and for her twenty volume mystery series featuring Roman detective, Marcus Didius Falco, with its recent addition of FALCO: THE OFFICIAL COMPANION, a cheery handbook for readers. She has also written REBELS AND TRAITORS, an epic novel set in the English Civil War and Commonwealth. She has won the CWA Historical Dagger, Dagger in the Library, and a Sherlock for Falco as Best Detective. She has been Honorary President of the Classical Association and Chair of the Crimewriters Association. She currently serves on the Council of the Classical Association and the Society of Authors' Council of Management. In 2009 she was awarded the Premio de Honor de Novela Historica by the City of Zaragoza and in 2010 the city of Rome gave her the Premio Colosseo, awarded 'for enhancing the image of Rome'.

Praise for MASTER AND GOD: 'The narrative is rapid and the story well told with much sharp-edged detail. You can open this book and step right into a convincing yet extraordinary past.' - Independent Davis's descriptions of Rome are vivid and lively...this is a great yarn - Daily Mail While this book is a departure from her usual Falco novels, the trademark charm, piercing intelligence and ready wit are as abundant as ever... dramatic and enthralling, all the more so for being full of historical fact. The characters are intriguing and three-dimensional, and the whole is told with a humour and insight which means the reader will find the book impossible to put down. - www.thebookbag.co.uk An intimate portrait of resilience, friendship and love - Sunday Examiner, Australia Best known for her Falco mysteries, Davis stays in ancient Rome with this juicy novel about the emperor Domitian. The imperial city and it capricious elite prove much more enjoyable to visit than they ever would have been to inhabit. - i, Independent Rome comes alive as a seething, beautiful, dangerous city in this brilliant and gripping thriller from the seasoned pen of Lindsey Davis. - www.thegoodbookguide.com