Caesar [Hardcover]

Allan Massie (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: HODDER AND STOUGHTON (1993)
• ASIN: B000O5NIS2
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars OK, June 11, 2000

By 

Sarah (Cheshire, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caesar (Hardcover)

The mistake I made was to read Massie's "Caesar" just after I read Colleen McCullough's book of the same title. The contrast is pretty big - Massie evidently enjoys confirming every rumour, and generally having as much sex and scandal in this book as possible. To be honest, Massie turns great historical figures into a joke. Decimus Brutus, the narrator of the story, has a love affair with Cleopatra, Clodia and Octavian (the young Augustus) There is nothing at all in any ancient sources to back this up. Massie's own opinion doesn't really come into anything - if there has been a scandal mentioned as a possibility somewhere in the sources, Massie confirms it and also exaggerates it wildly. On top of this, his detail is patchy and inaccurate. He puts Octavian forwards as Caesar's nephew, not great nephew, he does not mention politics or military force, and his characters are all developed through sexual relations with one another.

The book is OK, however, it is reasonably well written and worth reading for those who know the characters of ancient Rome. For those who don't, I'd reccomend just picking up a Jackie Collins - all the sex and no politics! That seems to be what Massie is aiming for in the first place.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Slow Going, January 17, 2010

By 

C. S. Junker "soul_survivor" (Burien, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caesar (Hardcover)

Few historical figures have been written about as much as Gaius Julius Caesar. In addition to straight history, there are innumerable works of fiction, not the least of which is William Shakespeare's play.

Allan Massie seems to be keenly aware that he is on heavily trodden ground, and struggles to find something new or fresh to add. He studiously avoids all the dramatic moments (most major events happen off-stage) and the result is a very slow-paced, uninvolving book. Despite the addition of much fanciful gossip about the sex lives of the famous characters, it was a struggle for me to keep reading. Fortunately, the book is short enough and Massie's writing is literate, so I did read on to the end.

However, after Massie's earlier Augustus and Tiberius, which I enjoyed very much, this one falls flat and was a major disappointment.

3.0 out of 5 stars Caesar from Another View, November 3, 2011

By 

RE Krause - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caesar (Hardcover)

Couldn't decide whether to rate this one as 3 stars or 4 - probably 3.5. Anyway, reading the story of Caesar from the view of Decimus Junius Brutus Albinus, one of his closest friends and advisers and one of the assassins, was fascinating. The author demonstrates how Caesar may have alienated himself from those who supported and advanced his career throughout his life. Or, was the assassination just the result of jealousy? As the story evolves it appears, according to Massie, that the only opinion that may be important to Caesar is his own. How can anyone doubt Caesar and his decisions yet those who campaigned or served in politics with him well know he is just a man albeit a brilliant one. I was at first put off by the abrupt approach that Massie used to begin the story and it took me a bit to get into the character. And, at times the story seemed to be to drag as Decimus dwells on his own life and problems. How much is rumor and how much is historical fact? We all know that historical accounts are often projected to provide positive or biased views by the writer. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the tale and the premise that Massie puts forward. Quite a different approach but a most interesting one.