Un augurio de muerte marcará la vida de dos jóvenes patricios: Aulo Cornelio y Lucio Falerio. Ambos vivirán y lucharán por desafiar al destino en los sangrientos días de la decrépita República romana.

Pillars of Rome is a book that probably should have been read...not listened to. I found it difficult to keep track of characters (names and where they fitted in) and the plot seemed to jump, no, lumber around...always difficult in an audio book. However, the ending has me wanting to listen to Books 2 and 3 of the trilogy....sometime. ( )

The two pillars of Rome were the Law and the Military. Two young boys, Aulus and Lucius, are given a prophecy that begins to be filled during the course of this novel: "One shall tame a mighty foe/the other strike to save its fame/neither will achieve heir aim. Look aloft if you dare/though what you fear cannot fly/both will face it before you die."

They pledge blood brotherhood and eternal friendship. Years pass; Aulus becomes a renowned military general, winning a triumph through his defeat of Macedonia, where he earns the sobriquet "Macedonicus." He also defeats Brennos, a Celt-Iberian who has united the tribes in Spain. Ever after, Brennos harbors revenge. Lucius becomes a well-known, influential senator. Each has a son; one is exposed in an out-of-the-way place in the woods to die, rescued by a poor man, Clodius, and raised by him and his wife. They name him Aquila, since he had been found with an amulet of an eagle. In contrast, Lucius's son, the only child Marcellus, is rich and given every advantage. The novel takes us through the lives of all these characters and how their fates begin to intertwine. First we see before a fateful battle in Illyricum [the Balkans] the meeting of the general and Clodius, who has been convinced to substitute as a legionary for his neighbor. There were several poignant episodes where I teared up.

This novel flowed easily and was easy to follow. I recommend this novel but I'm not sure if I'll read the sequels. ( )

Un auguria marcará la vida de dos jóvenes patricios romanos: Aulo Cornelio y Lucio Falerio. Ambos vivirán y lucharán por desafiar al destino. ( )

Very very very complex book, the names of characters are soooo confusing... But once I got the hang of it (2/3rds way through) really loved it ( )