The Centurian's Empire

by Sean McMullen

Book Overview

A Centurion from the time of Imperial Rome awakens in the 21st century to find a deadly enemy from his past closing in on him. Will he be able to adapt to this brave new world and survive a hate that... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312851316
• ISBN13: 9780312851316
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Tor Books
• Length: 383 Pages
• Weight: 1.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Amazingly Good

Let me start by saying I'm not the kind of guy who gives 5-star reviews lightly. Many of my favorite books have serious flaws, but I don't let that get in the way of reading and enjoying them.This book has no noticable flaws, at least after one reading. The level of craftsmanship is incredible; I haven't seen it done this well since Avram Davidson (although McCullen is not a 'prose stylist' - some will find this an improvement). Some very complex plot twists are deftly handled, and well foreshadowed. I was in complete suspension of disbelief from the very beginning, and felt compelled to read it in one sitting. Characterization was strong, action scenes were comprehensible and gripping. Violence was appropriate to the plot, and not overused.The plot revolves around a Roman Centurion who gains access to a suspended animation elixer, and uses it to survive voluntary freezing for many centuries. He awakens several times over the years, finally in the mid-21st century. I don't want to give too much away; it's great fun to find it out as you go.The 21st century technology may be a bit hard to keep up with for readers not familiar with cyberpunk conventions - there is nothing completely groundbreaking here, but my mother would be quite lost in the maze of bions, tiltfans, and brain imprints. This is probably appropriate; certainly our hero is confused by them himself.All in all, it's the best novel I have read in some years. Quite excellent.

Great story, great characters

This is a great story with a mix of ancient history and high tech future. Don't pick this one up unless you can dedicate the time to it. You won't be able to put this one down.

Outstanding entertainment!

This novel is a remarkable book featuring a grand hero who is all an ancient Roman should be, just wearied by time and experience and a beautiful, deadly assasin with her own agenda, set in the distant past and not to distant future. Once you get about 300 pages in, you can not put it down. The plot has so many twists and turns you have to go back and check names, dates, facts and motives. Not that I'm complaining, this is just a very involving read. Prepare for a thrilling ride right to the end which is a shocker but fitting. This reminds me a great deal of a fantastic book I read from 1970, 'The Ice People' by Rene Barjavel. Again, an unusal couple and a powerful love that transcends time. If you can get a copy, read it. But if you want a great hard scifi novel with a different time travel twist,read 'The Centurion's Empire. Thank you, Mr. McMullen.

Slow start but excellent overall

A story that not only tells the story of the protagonists but also gives a description of life at the times the protagonists live. The first half of the book is in the times of ancient Rome and the middle ages but focuses more on the plot then on background issues. After that Vitellan (our hero) enters the 21st century and from this point on the book becomes truly excellent. From my opinion it shows that the author is more a SF author than an historic or a fantasy writer. The ideas of life in 2026 seem plausible and within the reach of current technolygies advancments, thus the books universe seems believable. This is an important point to me because I hate it when an author creates a new world and then violates his own limitations because he didn't think it through all the way. The pace is quite fast and you become entangled in a fascinating story of treachery and counter-treachery with all bits and ends properly resolved. So, after all, I can only recommend this book wholeheartedly even though I don't really like the first half. The second half makes more than adequately up for it. Another thing I liked about the book. Vitellan is not The Hero with no faults (and thus one dimensional). Rather he develops from the centurion to a man that thinks about life and his environment. As might be expected from somebdoy who lives through centuries and has to rely on the help of many people he has to trust.

Tuly original storyline told by a master storyteller.

Sean McMullen may be one of the finest and most original SF authors to come along in the last decade. Well known in his native Australia, but often lost in the profusion of novels published in the US and Britain, he has a unique voice that was brilliantly expressed in his "medieval cyberpunk" novel VOICES IN THE LIGHT, and takes on an even more fascinating tone in THE CENTURION'S EMPIRE. History takes on a very personal perspective through the eyes of the protagonist - Vitellan. He is not immortal, but fate has curiously given him an opportunity (in the form of a stolen chemical concoction) to freeze himself in suspended animation and be reanimated at a later date. At first, he is only frozen for a few years at a time -- wreaking a terrible fate on a women (and indirectly her family) who spurned his love. Later the centuries pass quicker and give us a very intimate look at romance and glory, chivalry and human frailty. Vitellan's awakening in the mid 21st c! entury is especially fascinating and suspenseful when a deadly enemy from the 14th century is found to be very much alive--and closing in.A Superb novel, well written, entertaining and enlightening. Highly Recommended. [EAG]