History comes to life in this excellent second installment of Iggulden's saga about the Roman Emperor Nero.

As Nero's scheming mother Agrippina marries Emperor Claudius, her husband has no idea of her plans for her son. That, he will have to find out the hard way! And the Roman empire will ultimately pay the price...

The author has an exceptionally good set of skills when it comes to the art of writing historical fiction, and he puts it to use very effectively in this novel.

I have adored everything that I've ever read from Conn Iggulden and this new release is no different. Just pure brilliance from start to finish and I can't recommend it enough!

Conn Iggulden is back with the second installment of his Nero trilogy. It opens with Julia Agrippina marrying the ailing Emperor Claudius. Claudius formally adopts her son Lucius Ahenobarbus and gives him a new name of Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus.

Seneca is brought back from exile to act as his tutor and to turn him into a man of the Imperial house from a petulant boy.

Agripinna and Nero plot to bring him to the Imperial throne ahead of his siblings and the story twists and turns with Roman intrigue.

Iggulden has a rare talent for taking history and creating thrilling novels.

Bring in "Inferno" the final installment!

I would like to thank Penguin Michael Joseph Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.