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Emperor:
Time's Tapestry Book One

by Stephen Baxter



      Emperor: Time's Tapestry Book One is an historical fiction novel that spans four centuries. The story will continue in the Conqueror: Time's Tapestry Book Two. I enjoyed reading about the history in this novel but felt the character development was weak. The historical scenes are very well-written and very interesting to read.

At Nectovelin's birth his mother, Brica, (struggling with a long and difficult labor) begins babbling a prophecy in Latin (a tongue she does not know). Nectovelin is born as Brica dies. Cunovic, Nectovelin's uncle , writes the prophecy out on parchment and when Nectovelin grows older passes it on to him. The prophecy was given the same year as the birth of Jesus.

In 43 AD Britain is invaded by Claudius. Nectovelin is confident in the prophecy given a half-century earlier. It foretold of the coming of the Romans but it also foretold of freedom. When Nectovelin fails to fulfill the prophecy his descendants remain faithful to it and diligently await the prophecy's fulfillment.

Claudius spares Agrippina (Nectovelin's cousin) because he is intrigued by her. He takes her to Rome and even after she's released from Claudius' household she chooses to remain in Rome and live in the Roman manner. She marries and has children. Thus the prophecy is handed down from generation to generation in this both British and Roman family.

As time passes, the tapestry of history is woven thread by thread.

The Book

Berkley
January 2, 2007
Hardcover
ISBN13:978-0-441-01466-8
Fiction/Historical
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Excerpt
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The Reviewer

Connie Harris
Reviewed 2007
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