The vicious Emperor Commodus is dead, after one cruelty too many. How should a successor be chosen? By election? The Senate chooses the capable bureaucrat Pertinax. By purchase? The Praetorians like Didius Julianus, or at least his money. By inheritance? Clodius Albinus is from an ancient family with imperial ties. By force? A major branch of the army backs the blunt Septimius Severus. By acclamation? The common people adore the humble Pescennius Niger. Rival gods, too, contend for the people's loyalties. In a Rome that is tearing itself apart, the household of Tullius Secundus, a Senator of the old school, struggle to find happiness and love. Ancient Rome boils with sordid power plays, constant intrigue, full moon rituals, and eruptions of bloodshed in Eckert's sprawling historical novel...An entertaining sword-and-politics saga full of engrossing period detail and sharp drama." -Kirkus Reviews Behind the scenes, the author visits the home fronts of Roman nobility and their free servants and slaves, where the feminine wiles, gossip, and spiritual beliefs of highborn wives and daughters hold sway, providing many fascinating details of everyday Roman life. The well-researched sections and extensive "Dramatis Personae" ensure the reader's ability to keep the many historical figures mentally sorted, and the afterword (that perhaps should be an introduction) also sheds more light on this turbulent year in Imperial Rome. The crisp, accessible prose and many youthful characters bring this era to life, making the tale appealing to a wide swath of young adult, new adult, and adult readers. The focus on both male movers and shakers and the women who love or disdain them also makes the tale appealing to all genders. Fans of Roman Empire-centered historical fiction will enjoy Eckert's challenging, sweeping tale of powerful families and dramatic political intrigue. -The US Review of Books