Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome (Cicero #1) by Robert Harris

Ratings - 4/5
Copy - Amazon Kindle 

If I were to describe this book by Robert Harris in the most simplest terms , a book filled with Latin jargon & Roman innuendo, it will be the "House of Cards starring the revered intellects of Ancient Rome". The events are told from the standpoint of Tiro - the events, the outcomes of those events, the characters in those events are colourfully addressed by Tiro. Tiro is the confidential secretary & something he never forgets to remind the reader, a slave of Cicero.

Apart from the breathtaking political manoeuvring by Cicero, easily the most exciting part of the novel is when the Julius Ceaser makes his maiden appearance coupled with Tiro's off-the-cuff description of him.The book chronicles the journey of young Cicero from the time he sets off to master oratory taught by Demosthenes to the time when he wins the Roman counsel-ship. The book is littered with characters who makes an impression on the reader- from Pompey the Great to Cicero's great rival - Qunitus Hortensius. The book or rather Tiro, does not hold back to describe Cicero's personal relationship with his wife or his younger brother. Cicero stumbles throughout the book, from one seemingly tangled knot to the another. The author ensures that the book does not miss a beat as he neatly weaves one aspect of the story to another. The book is peppered with quotes that still finds relevance today. Sample this: 

" Power brings a man many luxuries, but a clean pair of hands is seldom among them" 

" Words words words. Is there no end to tricks you can make them perform? " 

" No one can really claim to know politics properly until he has stayed up all night, writing a speech & delivering the following day. While the world sleeps, the orator paces around by lamplight..."

"Content does not matter to me. Only three things count in oratory - delivery, delivery & delivery" 

What makes the book more exciting is that the events (rather politics) has taken place in reality - the author ends the book with the caveat " the majority of the event dud actually happen ; the remainder at least could have happened". The book ends on a high making you want to read "House of the Card starring Cicero Season 2"