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Empire

By: Conn Iggulden
Narrated by: Tim McInnerny
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Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

IN CONN IGGULDEN'S LATEST GOLDEN AGE EPIC, JOIN PERICLES, THE LION OF ATHENS, ON A JOURNEY TO SECURE THE FATE OF THE ATHENIAN EMPIRE

Pericles returns home more than a hero: he's the leader of Athens, the empire's beacon of light in the dark.

But even during times of peace, the threat of Sparta - Athens's legendary rival - looms large on the horizon. When a sudden catastrophe brings Sparta to its knees, Pericles sees a golden opportunity to forever shift the balance of power in his city's favour.

For sometimes, the only way to win lasting peace is to wage war.

Sparta may be weak, but their power is far from extinguished. Soon a ruthless young boy steps forward to lead the Spartans back to greatness.

As the drums of battle draw closer, can Pericles rise once more or will the world's greatest empire fall under his watch?

©2023 Conn Iggulden (P)2023 Penguin Audio
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Critic reviews

'A gripping read from the master historical storyteller. This swords-and-sandals epic brings the clash of empires between Greece and Persia to life' Daily Express

'Pacy and propulsive, cracking with energy, violence and stirring speeches, Iggulden chronicles power struggles, political machinations and the bloodthirsty ravages of up-close combat' Daily Mail

'[Tim McInnerny] brings to life the action sequences with consummate skill, ensuring that the pace quickens to draw you in, without losing any clarity. These are the most memorable moments in the book, and the sections listeners will remember after finishing the final chapter.' Entertainment Focus

What listeners say about Empire

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

A return to form and pace

Much more purposeful and entertaining than Lion (which is not a bad book at all). It reminded me of the first in the series. I was a little bit disappointed with some historical aspects of the story. Condensing a period or a conflict in the name of clarity can be forgivable in fiction, but it shouldn't be altered to the point that it is unrecognisable. I really enjoyed this series, it's brought ancient Greece back to life for me, I wish he had written another book rather than rushing to finish the series on a tidy note.
Good end to a brilliant series, one which has opened the world of historical fiction to me.

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Another winner from this impressive history fiction writer

I read and enjoy non-fiction and fiction history books in equal measure. With Conn Iggulden you know that what you will get are engaging stories woven with real characters and historical events that do not always match the dates and facts. The author will always tell readers that he has changed certain things to assist in the telling of the overall story. Does it matter? No it does not. In each and every book/ series there will be times after I have read a book, when I will refer to the real history to find out more about the real people and events. That way I get a better appreciation of history because I have been stimulated to improve my knowledge. Enjoy the book for what it is, a really good yarn about Ancient Greece before the much more covered period of the rise of Macedon and Alexander a little over a century on from Empire.
Enjoyed the narration very much by a fine actor

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Good story

Excellent story. Enjoyed it and historical record was very interesting. A time I knew very little about.

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  • Overall
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«Inspired by true events, rather than based on…»

Entertaining, but far too many factual errors. Example: in the story the spartans conquered Athens on the day of Pericles death, not 25 years later as told by historians.

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Another gripping tale

Another great tale about the Greeks and their power struggle with the world. Brilliantly written and flowing seamlessly from one part to another. A joy to read ( but a bit gritty in some parts ). Thank you Conn Iggulden.

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A great story and fantastic narration

A beautifully told tale of strength, honour and vulnerability. Told with Conn Iggulden’s usual grace, Empire effortlessly transports the reader to one of the most significant times of the ancient world. Tim Mcinnerry does a fantastic job of bringing the series to its satisfying and somber conclusion.

I enjoyed this series and loved this book.

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Great

Couldnt stop listening. Great pace. If any comment at all it would of been nice for Tim to give us some indication of changing narrative.
Sometimes i didnt realise we went from one to another.

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Excellent

It’s hard to imagine that these great stories are based in truth.

Great narration, thank you.

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wonderful

Conn Iggulden at his very best, addictive listening this is masterful work I gave the performance 4 stars only because at times it sounded alot like Percy from the BBC's Blackadder series but please don't let that put you off the golden age books are amongst the best I've ever read/listened too thank you 🙏 Mr Iggulden

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Conn back to his best!

I have very much enjoyed the Empire series and this book was a very fitting ending. Difficult to put down and engaging until the end. I have felt in the past that some of Conn’s books don’t give sufficient character development (for my taste), but he nails it here and is back to his best, which for me is the Ghengis Khan series.

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