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Review Summaries
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Eos, May 2003, 25.95, 416 pp.
ISBN: 0380978598
In this fictional novel, the Exodus failed to take the Jews from Egypt into the Promised Land. Thus Christianity never surfaces as the Jewish people remain enslaved in Egypt. Still Rome rises to defeat the neighboring Barbarians. The rest is history (at least alternative) as key global events fostered by ROMA ETERNA starting in A.U.C. 1203 (A.D. 405 our time) into the next fifteen centuries occur as the Roman Empire ebbs and grows.
Robert Silverberg rewrites several of his related short stories into an epic alternative historical novel that engages the reader with intriguing theories of how much different the world would be if one pivotal event (albeit Moses leading the Jews) had a different ending. Though entertaining and easily hooking the audience, the tale still feels more like a short story collection as none of the characters (over the fifteen hundred years) feel fully developed.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Robert Silverberg Scholar
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Overall Review
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Plot
Composition of Book Descript. of chases or violence - 10% planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 20% Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30% Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 40%
Tone of book
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION?
- alternate history
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Cultural problems, alien culture
Yes
Culture clash-
- one culture tries to impose its culture on another group
Intense exploration of society's culture?
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- champion of justice
Age:
- 40's-50's
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- an entire race
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Setting
Earth setting:
- general past
- medium future 22-24th century
Takes place on Earth?
Yes
Style
Person?
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How much dialogue?
- significantly more dialog than descript