Dictator (Cicero Trilogy 3)

Dictator, the closing of Robert Harris' superb "Cicero Trilogy" —a master of historical fiction on a par with Robert Graves, Mary Renault, and Marguerite Yourcenar— plunges us into the last years of Cicero's life and the Roman Republic.

Rome, 1st century BC.
One man. One set of ideals. And the end of an era.

There was a time when Marcus Tullius Cicero had Julius Caesar in his hand; had he closed it, he would have crushed him.

Fortune, however, has led them in opposite directions: while his greatest enemy marches north to take command of Gaul, Cicero is forced to flee Rome to escape his enemies.

Exiled, separated from his wife and children, his life always in danger, the legendary orator is tormented by the awareness that he has sacrificed power for the sake of his principles. His return will demand cunning, skill, and courage, and for a time he will once again be the most important senator in Rome.

But no statesman, however intelligent, is safe from the ambition and corruption of those around him.

Dictator, the dazzling conclusion to the Cicero trilogy, was chosen as one of the best books of the year by The Guardian, The Herald, The Sunday Times, and The Spectator. A magnificent historical novel that reveals a brilliant and imperfect man, fearful and brave, protagonist of one of the most turbulent moments in ancient Rome: the end of the Republic.

Reviews:
«This trilogy deserves the highest praise that can be bestowed upon historical fiction.»
The Times

«Exceptional. Confirms Robert Harris as a master of historical fiction as well as the thriller.»
Daily Mail

«An extraordinary literary achievement and a trilogy that will endure alongside the works of Robert Graves and Mary Renault as an imperishable and imaginative vision of the ancient world.»
The Guardian

«Robert Harris is an incomparable storyteller.»
The Daily Express

«He gives it the air of a thriller, of a real Game of Thrones. Although the depth and fidelity to history place Harris in the same league as Marguerite Yourcenar.»
Vulture

«Imperium and Conspiración, the predecessors of this novel, made ancient Rome exciting. Dictator goes further, also offering wisdom and comfort.»
The Washington Post

«With Dictator Robert Harris closes his "Cicero Trilogy" in a glorious and enormously moving way. The three books are, without a doubt, among the best historical novels set in the ancient world. A dramatic and wonderful story, and wonderfully told.»
The Scotsman

«A masterful account of political intrigue. An absorbing and fascinating novel.»
Financial Times

«Harris's description of Julius Caesar's character is impressive, but it is the portrait of his ambivalent hero that gives Dictator extraordinary strength.»
The Sunday Times