The Evening of the World [Hardcover]

Allan Massie (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1999

Set in the period of the barbarian invasions. Its hero is a young Roman nobleman named Marcus, the son, according to one legend, of the Archangel Michael. Marcus undergoes extraordinary experiences as he searches for meaning and stability in a twilight world where the old gods are dead or dying, but their mysteries still attract, and the new religion is threatened by new barbarisms. Marcus's journeys take him over the empire, from Italy to Greece and Byzantium, to the camp of Alaric the Goth and the wastes of the northern forests, from a Christian monastery to the horde of Attila the Hun. His is a world where everything is possible and nothing solid, a world that is full of danger and mystery, of love and terror, of simple faith and abstruse philosophy, of cruelty, strange perversions, treachery and undaunted courage.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A mighty entertainment—and a humbling feat.” -- The Literary Review

“This is a book that can be recommended to anyone who thinks that the historical novel is moribund.” -- The Sunday Times --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

The Dark Ages, a period of barbarian invasions. Marcus, a young Roman nobleman, is reputed by legend to be the son of the Archangel Michael—but religion is not the answer to the questions of identity and destiny that torment him. Leaving behind the savagery and splendor of the Roman Empire, Marcus embarks on a search for meaning and stability in a world whose days, he senses, are numbered. His quest spans the Roman Empire, from Italy to Greece and the fabulous decadence of Byzantium. Compelling, intelligent, and skillfully plotted, The Evening of the World will have readers eagerly awaiting the second book in this sweeping trilogy. Among Allan Massie’s many novels is his best–selling “Emperor’s Quintet”—Augustus, Tiberius, Caesar, Antony, and Nero’s Heirs. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Orion (January 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0297816977
• ISBN-13: 978-0297816973
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,411,700 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not at all what you'd think, July 30, 2004

By 

Jane Heir - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Evening of the World: A Romance of the Dark Ages (Dark Ages Trilogy) (Paperback)

Yes, it's subtitled "a romance of the Dark Ages," but everyone neglected to mention that its main theme is homosexual romance. From the reviews, I expected the history and historical figures of the time, not an unrelieved series of sexual invitations, genital explorations, and young boys offering themselves for such service. The first few chapters were enough to make me want a refund. Mr. Massie's style is well-suited to story-telling, and that's why I gave the book two stars, but if you want more story than sexual adventures, read Gillian Bradshaw. This book is going in the trash.

11 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Eco or Massie?, December 31, 2004

By 

Floyd the Barber (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Evening of the World: A Romance of the Dark Ages (Dark Ages Trilogy) (Paperback)

How many of the "boy-encounters-everyone/everything-in-his-time" books are going to be published? This one is as bad as "Baudalino," a novel I have no idea why Eco published. This incoherent book is simply awful. Don't bother. If you want a really good evocation of Honorian times read Breem's "Eagle in the Snow."