Customer Reviews

Rome

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Great groundbreaking series -- so-so book. If you were looking for a book that covers the development and production of ROME, this is not it. I was hoping for more insights, but this is basically a coffee table book with lots of photos and little information. The DVD sets of both series provide a wealth of this material -- wish this did too.

I was very disappointed in this. My friend (myself too, for that matter) loved the series, so I though this book would be a great adjunct to the DVDs, since it's supposed to have history, behind-the-scenes stuff, etc.

Not so much.

The vast majority of it, 90%, is just stills from the series. That's it. Hardly any history, just a couple of pages of general stuff, and almost no behind-the-scenes stuff. Basically, it's pretty pictures, and if you have seen the series, you have already seen all the images. Definitely not worth the money.

Very good essay about the HBO production; however, if you missed the series, the book would be deficient as the plot is not described sufficiently in the book to maintain interest. I think the weekly summaries about each episode should have been included to build continuity. I have printed all episode write-ups and I have the book and the DVD's as well. I was very into this series and it is a shame that it is finished.

Rome is - or was since they are sadly making no more of it - one of the best shows ever seen on TV in my opinion. It had action, romance, great characters and fantastic settings - all of which are born out by this stunning bok, written by the one of the show's ceators. So, if you loved the show, you'll want this book - full of insightful information and behind the scenes trivia. If the producers ever read this - let's have more of Rome!

The characters and and their relationships come through quickly and vividly in these brief words and great photographs. They are images of the same people and places as the series, but not right from the video. These are new pictures with subtle characterizations that I agree with, but did not see in the series. The pride shown by Caesar and Cleopatra while showeing off the child Caesarion is one example. It is much easier to study the clothing and the architecture than in the series. Happy purchase.

Rom, the late-lamented HBO series, is now a magnificent coffee table book - the volume is extremely detailed-driven, liberally illustrated with artwork, conceptional drawings and glorious photographs. Every aspect of the show, the actors, the sets, etc., is covered with a keen eye for detail. There is a very good episode guide at the end of the book, and the biographies of the characters are super.

Cancelling Rome has got to be one of the greatest blunders of HBO (not to mention their unceremonious dumping of Carnivale and Deadwood) - the fact that these three superb series were eliminated while the tripe of The Sopranos droned on, is beyond comprehension. Every ingredient that made Rome extraordinary viewing is beautifully captured and preserved in this book. We highly recommend this book, and of course, the DVDs of both seasons.

I loved the TV series (sadly no longer running) and impressed with the historical content (commentary) on the DVD which was prepared by the BBC historical consultant who has also put this book together.
Its full of the same historical information but also inside information about the production of the TV series which is an artistic triumph of its own! Fantastic visual resource to have with sumptuous images and photos from the TV series and a great companion to the DVD sets.

I love this book, it has amazing photos and episode guides for both seasons. I only wish I would have purchased it from Amazon, because I would have saved $20 off the cover price, but it was a spur-of-the-moment purchase at a store. Anyway, I love the book and if you are wondering if you should purchase it or not, go ahead and buy it.

HBO's Rome will remain in my collection as one of the best series ever made. The book, filled with very impressive pictures of the serie, of the characters, of the set, ... has found his rightful place amongst my History books. This book includes both season 1 and 2.

If you are a fan of HBO's Rome series then you will not regret getting this book! It is a large coffee table sized book and profusely illustrated with the most incredibly beautiful stills from the series along with descriptive text. It will make you want to watch Rome all over again!