TOMES OF THE DEAD: ANNO MORTIS (Tomes of the Dead (Abaddon Books)) [Mass Market Paperback]

Rebecca Levene (Author)

Book Description

Series: Tomes of the Dead (Abaddon Books) | Publication Date: February 13, 2009

40 AD, Rome. Slaves are disappearing, the bodies of the dead are being stolen and mysterious shipments arrive from Egypt in the dead of night. Behind it all are the powerful Cult of Isis, searching for a way to breach the barrier between life and death. The only people who can stop them are a gladiator, a slave and an over-sexed teenager - and a stranger who just may be a god.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Abaddon (February 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1905437854
• ISBN-13: 978-1905437856
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,982,968 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Joyously fun romp through classical (zombie-filled) Rome!, January 3, 2009

By 

J. Shurin "carnivore" (London) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: TOMES OF THE DEAD: ANNO MORTIS (Tomes of the Dead (Abaddon Books)) (Mass Market Paperback)

Anno Mortis, by Rebecca Levene, is a magnificently epic frolic through classical Rome. The author pulls out all the stops in making the novel a page-turner.

Anno Mortis gleefully features a cast of gladiators, lions, jackal-headed monsters, Roman emperors, black magicians, Norse gods and zombies. The latter, of course, being the key addition to this otherwise historical (cough) narrative. Levene clearly has done her research, and has populated this this necromantic alternate history with enough classical trivia to keep even the most educated reader on their toes. Kind of like Rome, except with more zombie tigers.

Anno Mortis tells a (slightly) fictionalized version of the last days of Caligula's reign. The mad emperor, distraught and distracted over the death of his sister/lover, Drusilla, presides over an empire that is crumbling into decadence and ruin. Behind his back, the sinister Cult of Isis gathers power, influence and the occasional human sacrifice.

Into this mess plunge Boda, a gladiator, Vali, a bard from the barbarian north, Petronius, a spoiled ppatrician teen, and Narcissus, the favored slave of the Emperor's stuttering uncle Claudius. As each follows their separate trails, these four unlikely heroes uncover the nasty secret of the Cult (Hint: Zombies), and set off a chain of wild events (Hint: More zombies) ending in an epic showdown on the streets of Rome (Hint: Great whacking stacks of zombies).

Although the author does wink a bit towards more established histories of the Roman empire (virtually all the characters in the book are historically significant), classical knowledge isn't a must. Nor, although Levene gleefully demonstrates a Gaiman-like knowledge of mythological themes, is any prior knowledge of Roman, Egyptian or 'barbarian' (Norse...) folklore. These added layers do, however, demonstrate that Anno Mortis is more than would initially meet the eye (given the cover's zombies and chainmail bikini).

All said and done, Anno Mortis is a massively entertaining - and oddly educational - romp. From sieges to orgies; tigers to chariot races; it pulls out all the stops in providing unceasing fun.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Tomes of the Dead: DOA, August 6, 2010

By 

John McCarthy "storywind" (Michigan) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Tomes of the Dead: Anno Mortis (Kindle Edition)

Anno Mortis has an intriguing storyline, which that and previous reviews convinced me to give this author a try. The story does not deliver on its promise.

Pro:
Interesting story idea and setting: Ancient Rome, last days of the emperor Caligula, unlikely heroes confronting undead monsters.
Sections of interesting prose such as the opening with the Gladiatorial Scene.
The setting "feels" like Ancient Rome: kudos to author's research.

Con:
POV changes between main and minor characters: This happens from one paragraph to another. POV change is challenging and can be a rich experience to feel deeper connections with characters and the drama. The shifts are abrupt and doesn't allow enough time to get comfortable or immersed in the characters and situations. One moment you're in the midst of a battle, the next its a disconnected conversation between minor characters. This jump occurs into 3-4 different storylines seemingly randomly.

Contrived Situations: Any story requires a reader to suspend belief, especially in a fantasy-horror. Often in this book, characters get out of situations that are illogical, even contrived as if the author thinks that readers won't notice.

There are too many good historical fantasy-horror stories to read that are satisfying.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun filled trip through undead Rome, July 5, 2009

By 

Patrick S. Dorazio "Author of The Dark Trilogy" (Cincinnati, Ohio) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: TOMES OF THE DEAD: ANNO MORTIS (Tomes of the Dead (Abaddon Books)) (Mass Market Paperback)

Anno Mortis gives someone like myself, who enjoys both fantasy and horror, something to keep themselves entertained for several hours. This book takes place during the final days of Caligula's reign and while it has the shadows of real history in it with several historical figures we are given zombies along with Egyptian, Roman, and Norse gods to make the package complete.

The cult of Isis wants to rip open the gates that separates the realm of the living and the dead. The cultists themselves do not realize the power behind their high priestest, whose has nothing less than the destruction of virtually every living thing in her sights.

Standing against her and her allies is a ragtag group of misfits, including a barbarian warrior woman, a slave, a mysterious northman, and a drunken teenage citizen.

The story dips back and forth between the world of the living and the netherworld and introduces us to gods and their stories. Zombies are a perk here, the results of the evil designs of both mortals and gods alike.

Rebecca Levene does a very nice job of putting this story together and making all the pieces fit very nicely. She manipulates both history and mythology (multiple mythologies at that) quite well to fit the tale she wanted to tell. The story moves fast, is easy to follow, and is quite a ride.