When We Were Gods: A Novel of Cleopatra: Amazon.ca: Colin Falconer: Books

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From Publishers Weekly

Falconer's (Rough Justice) swift-moving historical novel adds new twists and modern dialogue to an oft-told tragic tale. Fifty-one years before the birth of Jesus Christ, in the fertile Nile valley, 18-year-old Cleopatra ascends to the throne of Egypt upon the death of her father, Ptolemy XII. Inheriting a palace that more closely resembles a snake pit than a home, crowded with family and advisers, Cleopatra must come to terms with the heavy burden of royalty and its inevitable loneliness. Her only trusted friend is Mardian, the giant eunuch who has been her tutor since childhood. From an Egypt desperately attempting to retain its hold on ancient religions and traditions in a rapidly changing world, to the hypocritical halls of the Roman Republic, the young queen weaves her web of seduction, ensnaring not only the cold, driven Julius Caesar but also a playful Marcus Antonius. Falconer's Cleopatra is vulnerable, intelligent and liberated, defined by her wit as much as by her beauty. This fresh take on one of history's leading ladies is smoothly written, slickly couching ancient history in the contemporary rhetoric of female empowerment. (Dec.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Falconer paints an enthralling fictional portrait of one of the most powerful and beguiling women of all ages. Fiercely independent, politically astute, and exotically beautiful, Cleopatra is threatened by both domestic and international enemies from the moment she inherits the throne of Egypt until the time of her premature death. To protect both her public and her private interests, she engages in passionate affairs with both Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. Motivated by both ambition and love, Cleopatra forges diplomatic and personal bonds with Rome that inevitably result in deception and warfare. The author interweaves the fast-paced narrative with authentic period details that vivify the exotic splendor of ancient Egypt. Spectacular historical fiction blazing with intrigue, romance, and dramatic action. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

24 Reviews

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(6)
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Average Customer Review

3.5 out of 5 stars (24 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Somewhat Disappointing, Jun 12 2002

By

ilmk "ilmk" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: When We Were Gods: A Novel of Cleopatra (Paperback)

This looked fairly interesting when picked up. Before I started, I spotted that the back of the novel contained a Q&A with the author which claimed that the aim of the novel was to produce a story based on fact rather than myth or fiction set against the Roman Empire - ignore the fact that this is incorrect. The Roman Empire began after Cleopatra's death.
It disappointed on so many levels. The characterisation of the main protagonists - Caesar, Octavian, Anthony, Cleopatra - and the supporting Roman and Alexandrian characters was as far removed from historical fact of any Cleopatra novel I have read.
Caesar comes across as a monarchy-obsessed philanderer, Anthony as permanently drunk yet with a Herculean disposition and Cleopatra herself as a naive girl trying to manipulate the greatest politicans of the time. The depiction of Rome was also somewhat startling.
There seemed to be an application of twenty-first century morality to this ancient society which was equally unrealistic and the author made several historically inaccurate mistakes.
The novel reads well and you can get through it at a fair pace and it possesses that 'gripping' edge to ensure you keep going.
But it is not historically accurate at all and on that level it comes somewhere at the bottom of any recommended list of the genre. It is actually a good historical fantasy.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Read this one AND Margaret George, May 31 2004

By

Heather R. Cooper (Spanaway, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: When We Were Gods: A Novel of Cleopatra (Paperback)

Although The Memoirs of Cleopatra is my ALL time favorite book of the Queen of Egypt, I have to admit that this is a very good book.
My advice would be to spread these reads apart. Whichever one you read first you will take as GOSPEL for a very long time so read one, read a lot of books in between, and then read the other.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Curiously Cold, Dec 22 2003

By

Stephanie Dray "Author of Lily of the Nile" (Baltimore, Maryland United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: When We Were Gods: A Novel of Cleopatra (Paperback)

I would think it difficult to take a book about one of the splashiest romances in world history and render it as emotionless as the paper it was written on, but Colin Falconer unfortunately does that here.

Contrary to what other reviewers have said, the research was fairly good in this book. There are going to be inadvertent anachronisms and such, but there's quite a bit of scholarship that shows through. I think it was brave of the author to explore some controversial historical ambiguities, like the idea that Octavian may have wanted Cleopatra to commit suicide. I enjoyed, even if I didn't agree with, some of his interpretations of events. It was a well-considered book.

But it also seemed to borrow heavily from Margaret George's _Memoirs of Cleopatra_, without ever capturing the heart and soul she puts into the characters. Colin Falconer's Cleopatra is cold and distant, from her lovers, and from her readers. We never know her, we never understand her, and we never really like her.

The same can be said for Caesar and Antony, whose portrayals are repellant. If this had been a book from Octavian's perspective, one might understand the emotional evisceration, but it's a book meant to humanize Cleopatra--in that, I think it fails.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Terrific historical novel
This novel has been overlooked, and that�™s too bad. Colin Falconer recreated ancient Egypt and Rome with a vibrancy that cannot be attained in a biography. Read more

Published on April 28 2002 by Patricia A. Powell

2.0 out of 5 stars a blatant margaret george [copy]
How to describe this...?

The words stilted, one-dimensional, ... come to mind. Oh, make no mistake -his prose is pretty interesting, but it ultimately falls out in character... Read more

Published on April 2 2002 by teencynic

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing...
... especially when compared with "The Memoirs of Cleopatra," as so many people are doing. This book has some characterizations I did like -- namely, Caesarion as a spoiled... Read more

Published on Mar 23 2002 by Shannon O'Leary

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Historical Entertainment
What a glorious journey to ancient Egypt! This is a beautiful, racy, heartbreaking look into the past that is still completely accessible to modern readers. Read more

Published on Oct 29 2001

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book but read The Memoirs of Cleopatra first.
In this book it tells you about cleopatra's life and hardships. It is mostly of her adult life and her affairs with Marc antony and Ceasar. Read more

Published on Sep 24 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Smart, sexy and incredibly entertaining!
I've read several fictional works about Cleopatra so I wasn't sure I really wanted to read another. But the beautiful jacket pulled me in and the writing didn't disappoint... Read more

Published on Sep 8 2001

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining Romp in Ancient Egypt and Rome
Who doesn't have preconceptions about the famous/infamous Cleopatra and her legendary beauty? Thanks to Elizabeth Taylor and Claudette Colbert before her, we have been swamped... Read more

Published on Aug 20 2001 by E. Rothstein

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent fiction about Cleopatra
The characters are well developed and the story line follows general history. As one reviewer pointed out, we have to keep in mind that this is a fiction novel about Cleopatra... Read more