Status
Available
Call number
Series
Collection
Publication
Simon & Schuster (2002), Edition: 1st, 792 pages
Description
A novel of the final days of the Roman Republic explores the love affair between Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, the assassination of Caesar, and the struggle for power that leads to the rise of the Roman Empire.
User reviews
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
This is the sixth novel in McCullough's Masters of Rome series, which has been quite a ride. McCullough's prose isn't particularly distinguished, and I've sometimes felt some judicious, nay extensive, cutting would have done wonders for the pacing of these doorstop novels. And the epic scope of
Yet I give the series high marks nevertheless--some of the books I rated as high as five stars. In her "Author's Afterword" McCullough says that the historical novel "is an excellent way to explore a different time" that is, if "the writer can resist the temptation to visit his own modern attitudes, ethics, morals and ideals upon the period and its characters." And this is where McCullough excels as few other historical novelists do. I've read any number of novels set in Roman times by authors such as Robert Graves, Robert Harris, Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor and Gillian Bradshaw. Not one of them came close to McCullough in creating an Ancient Rome that felt so textured, so at once modern and alien to modern mores. Not even Graves who is by far the superior stylist. Because of this series, when a classicist friend of mine told me she only wanted "dignitas" I knew exactly what she meant.
The other thing McCullough is notable for are her characterizations and take on history, which is very different than say, the take in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Everyone in this series is held up to Caesar as a measuring stick and found wanting to the degree they opposed him. McCullough's tyrannicides are petty, cowardly men motivated by spite and envy--not patriotism and love of liberty. Her Cassius left me cold, and her Brutus struck me as pathetic. Their lack of moral grandeur makes it hard to feel moved by their tragic fate. McCullough's Cato is a nearly insane fanatic, her Cicero a pompous poser. McCullough's Cleopatra, whose historical brilliance is suggested by her linguistic gifts--alluded to in the novel--comes across as rather dim here. McCullough's Mark Anthony is a thug without any redeeming quality. And her Octavian, although McCullough gives him his due as a master politician, is absolutely chilling. For me the novel crawled after Caesar's death two-thirds in, because it was hard to care anymore--and all through the other novels, there were characters to care about besides Caesar. There was an exception in the closing third of the book--the women's protest under Hortensia, where she demands that if the triumvirate is going to tax women, they better give them the vote. She's awesome. I loved that scene! All too brief though, and so much after the assassination is mired in political and military minutia rather than the human drama behind the history. In a fictional sense, I prefer Shakespeare's conception, while conceding McCullough probably presents a more historically accurate picture. Probably--although at times I suspect she's more than a little in love with her Caesar--and after all, the history of these times were largely written by the victors.
The tedium in the last third, the lack of connection with other characters once Caesar is gone, makes The October Horse the weakest book in the series thus far and makes me want to skip the last book in the series, Anthony and Cleopatra. McCullough says in her "Afterword" she planned to stop with The October Horse, and I think this is where I'll stop too, at least for now. I can't imagine wanting to spend time with her Anthony and her Cleopatra--even though I can't at all regret making my way through the thousands of pages of her Republican Rome.
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these novels begets confusion--it's hard to keep track of her host of minor recurring characters with these mind-numbing Roman names.Yet I give the series high marks nevertheless--some of the books I rated as high as five stars. In her "Author's Afterword" McCullough says that the historical novel "is an excellent way to explore a different time" that is, if "the writer can resist the temptation to visit his own modern attitudes, ethics, morals and ideals upon the period and its characters." And this is where McCullough excels as few other historical novelists do. I've read any number of novels set in Roman times by authors such as Robert Graves, Robert Harris, Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor and Gillian Bradshaw. Not one of them came close to McCullough in creating an Ancient Rome that felt so textured, so at once modern and alien to modern mores. Not even Graves who is by far the superior stylist. Because of this series, when a classicist friend of mine told me she only wanted "dignitas" I knew exactly what she meant.
The other thing McCullough is notable for are her characterizations and take on history, which is very different than say, the take in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. Everyone in this series is held up to Caesar as a measuring stick and found wanting to the degree they opposed him. McCullough's tyrannicides are petty, cowardly men motivated by spite and envy--not patriotism and love of liberty. Her Cassius left me cold, and her Brutus struck me as pathetic. Their lack of moral grandeur makes it hard to feel moved by their tragic fate. McCullough's Cato is a nearly insane fanatic, her Cicero a pompous poser. McCullough's Cleopatra, whose historical brilliance is suggested by her linguistic gifts--alluded to in the novel--comes across as rather dim here. McCullough's Mark Anthony is a thug without any redeeming quality. And her Octavian, although McCullough gives him his due as a master politician, is absolutely chilling. For me the novel crawled after Caesar's death two-thirds in, because it was hard to care anymore--and all through the other novels, there were characters to care about besides Caesar. There was an exception in the closing third of the book--the women's protest under Hortensia, where she demands that if the triumvirate is going to tax women, they better give them the vote. She's awesome. I loved that scene! All too brief though, and so much after the assassination is mired in political and military minutia rather than the human drama behind the history. In a fictional sense, I prefer Shakespeare's conception, while conceding McCullough probably presents a more historically accurate picture. Probably--although at times I suspect she's more than a little in love with her Caesar--and after all, the history of these times were largely written by the victors.
The tedium in the last third, the lack of connection with other characters once Caesar is gone, makes The October Horse the weakest book in the series thus far and makes me want to skip the last book in the series, Anthony and Cleopatra. McCullough says in her "Afterword" she planned to stop with The October Horse, and I think this is where I'll stop too, at least for now. I can't imagine wanting to spend time with her Anthony and her Cleopatra--even though I can't at all regret making my way through the thousands of pages of her Republican Rome.
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LibraryThing member john257hopper
A great series, though to be honest I enjoyed this slightly less than the others...perhaps due to the long gap between publication of this and the previous book in the series.
LibraryThing member surreality
Plot: The time span between Pharsalus and Philippi. This book gets back on track with action-driven plotlines - first Caesar, then Octavian and Mark Antony as the central figures. There are fewer side plots and background stories than before, and a few gossipy stories belonging into this time frame
Characters: Caesar follows the path of Marius and Sulla and becomes more interesting the more flaws he develops. Octavian already starts out as a not-too-likable character, while Mark Anthony is sketched a little too stereotypically as a brute. The side characters are the interesting ones once more, though they suffer from not getting as many scandals told as before.
Style: The books departs from previous installments by utilizing stream-of-consciousness techniques regularly, not always with success. Third person suits McCullough's style better than first person, and the insights are usually limited and don't add much. Fewer letters than before. The writing feels less dense and lighter to read and there's an undercurrent of the book having been dumbed down just slightly. Fewer maps, which is a blessing, but still the character drawings and no family tree.
Plus: Cato. The Brutus plotline. Servilia gets toned down a bit.
Minus: Senatorial debates get glossed over, as does a lot of the political maneuvering.
Summary: There's a break in style from the previous books, and it's not for the better. Still interesting but not up to the old standards.
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aren't picked up as they were in earlier volumes. Characters: Caesar follows the path of Marius and Sulla and becomes more interesting the more flaws he develops. Octavian already starts out as a not-too-likable character, while Mark Anthony is sketched a little too stereotypically as a brute. The side characters are the interesting ones once more, though they suffer from not getting as many scandals told as before.
Style: The books departs from previous installments by utilizing stream-of-consciousness techniques regularly, not always with success. Third person suits McCullough's style better than first person, and the insights are usually limited and don't add much. Fewer letters than before. The writing feels less dense and lighter to read and there's an undercurrent of the book having been dumbed down just slightly. Fewer maps, which is a blessing, but still the character drawings and no family tree.
Plus: Cato. The Brutus plotline. Servilia gets toned down a bit.
Minus: Senatorial debates get glossed over, as does a lot of the political maneuvering.
Summary: There's a break in style from the previous books, and it's not for the better. Still interesting but not up to the old standards.
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LibraryThing member nillacat
First class research, first class recreation of an alien culture. A bleaker novel than the earlier ones in the series. Caesar is tired, and his assassination might just have come as a relief. Rome is tired, and the unending Civil Wars and succession of increasingly powerful Dictators is leading her
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to the Principate, the architect of which is introduced to us as a young man of 18, possessing some of Caesar's superior abilities, but a different sort of man, cooler, far more ambitious: where McCullough presented Caesar as thwarted in his desire for his due within the normal parameters of a public career and recognition of his superior abilities, his actions directed towards political survival, she presents Octavian from the start as ambitious for great power and the rule of Rome and the world. Where Caesar awed and delighted us, Octavian chills. Show Less
LibraryThing member santhony
Book six in the Masters of Rome series, this novel picks up with Caesar mopping up the remnants of his civil war opponents, his consolidation of power, assassination and the turmoil which results. As you might imagine, Cleopatra plays a prominent role.
LibraryThing member amandacb
I am an avid egyptologist, adore Julius Caesar, love Cleopatra, and pretty much (metaphorically) devour anything historically and fictionally related to the above. So, when I saw October Horse on the "New Books" stand in the library, I snapped it up. Once I began reading it, though, I felt like I
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was reading so many other books that had come before it. Nothing new here. Show Less
LibraryThing member mbmackay
The last volume of the "Roman series". Perhaps not as flowing a story as earlier volumes but still a great read, and I wouldn't have missed it for anything!
Read April 2004
Read April 2004
LibraryThing member robeik
With more facts known about this period, it seems that the author needed to tell us more, rather than rely on story telling that she did in previous books in this series.
However, it was interesting to read the tension leading up to the death of Julius Caesar, even though the outcome is known.
However, it was interesting to read the tension leading up to the death of Julius Caesar, even though the outcome is known.
LibraryThing member DanielSTJ
An interesting historical novel. While I liked it, I felt there could have been much more. 3 stars.
LibraryThing member TanyaRead
A fascinating look at how and why (hypothetical!) Caesar made his (great) nephew his heir and what the very young (18) man did with that. Follow up in Antony and Cleopatra.
LibraryThing member bardbooks
Skipped two tomes in this series, indulging my fierce fascination with Cleopatra. Worth the transgression.
Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2002
Physical description
9.58 inches
ISBN
0684853310 / 9780684853314
Local notes
FB Spanning the years 48–41 BC.