Stephen Baxter, Emperor

Emperor

Stephen Baxter

Ace, January 2007, $24.95

ISBN: 0441014666

In 4 BC, Brica struggles with a long difficult labor; as the baby finally begins to come out of the womb, the weakened female begins babbling in Latin, a tongue she does not know. A druid, the only non-kin, attending the birth writes down her words that claim in the future three emperors from Rome will visit the island with one dying. Nectovelin is born while his mother dies. Brica's words live on after her, known as the "Prophecy".

In 43 AD, Roman General Vespasian invades Britain. Nectovelin tries to make his mother's words come true, but fails in an attempt to assassinate Emperor Claudius. However, Nectovelin's descendants remain diligent, waiting for the moment to insure the family Prophecy comes true. In 314, they may have their opportunity, as Constantine the Great visits Britannia, but instead of murder, Thalius and others plead with the Emperor to embrace the original Christianity of the first century. By 418, the Roman armies have left the island, leaving a vacuum in which British warlords fight one another and the invading Saxons.

EMPEROR is an interesting historical fiction that spans four centuries, so no character seems fully developed as events supersede people, especially after Nectovelin fails at fulfilling the Prophesy. That twist of having Brica's descendants needing to make sure the Prophecy happens is a fascinating spin to the actual occurrences. Still somewhat overwhelming with over four hundred years of Britannia passing by in under four hundred pages, readers will marvel at Stephen Baxter's opening epic in the Time Tapestry series.