Rome: The Emperor's Spy (original 2010; edition 2012)

I am a huge fan of Manda Scott. I re-read the Boudica novels each year. I thought I wouldn't like The Emperor's Spy because I thought it was a mystery. I loved it! What I like about Scott's novels is that her characters struggle with relationships and with themselves. ( )

The considerable breadth of the plot of Manda Scott's Rome: The Emperor's Spy, is sadly let down by the writing. It is a bold and imaginative plot, though it wasn't until I read the author's notes at the end that I fully understood the context, which is symptomatic of the problem with this novel: the writing doesn't flow, and you are given insufficient information to understand what is going on.

WHAT FOLLOWS AFTER THIS POINT MAY CONSTITUTE A SPOILER (THOUGH EQUALLY IT MIGHT HELP UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING IF YOU WISH TO READ THE BOOK).

The core of the plot is essentially that Boudica's husband, son and step son, have fled Britain and ended up in Gaul as part of a chariot racing team. They come to the Emperor's attention and he selects them to race in Rome. They become mixed up with individuals whom it seems Scott intends us to believe are Hannah (the daughter of Jesus), Saulos (Paul) and Shimon (Judas). Since the death of Jesus, a good but human man, Paul has invented the myth of resurrection and set about constructing a religion, while Shimon has simply remained true to his friend, the dead preacher Jesus. Saulos is intent upon burning Rome and Jerusalem to create chaos and the circumstances for his religion to triumph. What remains of Boudica's family, along with a Roman spy Panterra and Hannah and Shimon, then battle to stop Saulos burning Rome. As I said at the beginning, it is bold and imaginative - if rather far-fetched - but frankly until you read the author's explanatory notes at the end, only part of this would be evident. ( )