What do you think?
Rate this book
The Nero Trilogy #3
Inferno
From New York Times bestselling author Conn Iggulden, the final novel in his trilogy of Nero, as he faces the last challenges in his quest for ultimate dominion over the Roman Empire.
historical fiction;fiction;Conn Iggulden;Inferno;Nero;Tyrant;Empire;Empress Agrippina;Roman;Ancient Rome;Emperor Tiberius;Emperor Augustus;Ancient Rome 50 AD;50 AD;Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus;game of power;alliances;betrayals;rise to poer;fight for power;
historical fiction;fiction;Conn Iggulden;Inferno;Nero;Tyrant;Empire;Empress Agrippina;Roman;Ancient Rome;Emperor Tiberius;Emperor Augustus;Ancient Rome 50 AD;50 AD;Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus;game of power;alliances;betrayals;rise to poer;fight for power;
- GenresHistorical Fiction
Hardcover
About the author
Conn Iggulden
149 books6,167 followersAlso publishes under author name C.F. Iggulden.
I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.
My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories – with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ‘Vitai Lampada’ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.
I’ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O’Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.
That’s about it for the moment. If you’d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I’ll leave it there for the moment. If you’ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There’s no point overdoing it.
Conn Iggulden
I was born in the normal way in 1971, and vaguely remember half-pennies and sixpences. I have written for as long as I can remember: poetry, short stories and novels. It’s what I always wanted to do and read English at London University with writing in mind. I taught English for seven years and was Head of English at St. Gregory’s RC High School in London by the end of that period. I have enormous respect for those who still labour at the chalk-face. In truth, I can’t find it in me to miss the grind of paperwork and initiatives. I do miss the camaraderie of the smokers’ room, as well as the lessons where their faces lit up as they understood what I was wittering on about.
My mother is Irish and from an early age she told me history as an exciting series of stories – with dates. My great-grandfather was a Seannachie, so I suppose story-telling is in the genes somewhere. My father flew in Bomber Command in WWII, then taught maths and science. Perhaps crucially, he also loved poetry and cracking good tales. Though it seems a dated idea now, I began teaching when boys were told only girls were good at English, despite the great names that must spring to mind after that statement. My father loved working with wood and equations, but he also recited ‘Vitai Lampada’ with a gleam in his eye and that matters, frankly.
I’ve always loved historical fiction as a genre and cut my teeth on Hornblower and Tai-Pan, Flashman, Sharpe and Jack Aubrey. I still remember the sheer joy of reading my first Patrick O’Brian book and discovering there were nineteen more in the series. I love just about anything by David Gemmell, or Peter F. Hamilton or Wilbur Smith. I suppose the one thing that links all those is the love of a good tale.
That’s about it for the moment. If you’d like to get in touch with me leave a comment in the forum or you can tweet me @Conn_Iggulden. I’ll leave it there for the moment. If you’ve read my books, you know an awful lot about the way I think already. There’s no point overdoing it.
Conn Iggulden
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Rtc
A great ending to a really good trilogy!
A great ending to a really good trilogy!
May 19, 2026
The story of an ancient narcissist
A slavegirl breaks a valuable vase belonging to her master Senator Pedanius. In defense of her daughter, her mother kills him.
Elsewhere in the great city, thirty slaves ready the emperor for the day.
By law, all 400 of Pedanius’ slaves must be killed for the crime of one. Nero enforces the ruling. He is divorcing his wife to marry mistress Poppaea. Two decisions unpopular with the plebs. They are chanting her name in the streets, with torches. Nero doubles down; Octavia is banished to Pandateria. Poppaea is a schemer, but we grieve with her when baby Claudia dies.
The king of the Iceni is dead, and the queen’s daughters are screaming. We see the battle for Britannia through Suetonius’ eyes and through Boudicca’s (whom Iggulden names Ymma). But it’s the Great Fire which is exciting. The Fire is deliberately caused by the Christians, in order to fulfil their prophecy of the End Days. Nero personally sets the scapegoats alight in the arena. We meet St Paul and St Peter, and to give us more footage of the Christians, Iggulden makes prefect Burrus a convert.
This Nero is the wanna-be musician, surrounding himself with sycophants who’ll clap for him, but with more power now, he’s become more of a tyrant. Nero’s insistence on the sycophancy goes to extremes; he doesn’t seem to require sincerity. He watches his audience eagerly, in case they register a flicker of inattention to his performances. Vespasian nods off and gets sent to Judaea.
And yet there are moments of strong leadership, before narcissism triumphs. He rises to the occasion of the Great Fire, devoting his own wealth to the relief.
Multiple point of view characters make it interesting and pacey. The writing is gorgeous, and filled with intimate details of ancient Roman life.
This review first appeared in Historical Novels Review.
A slavegirl breaks a valuable vase belonging to her master Senator Pedanius. In defense of her daughter, her mother kills him.
Elsewhere in the great city, thirty slaves ready the emperor for the day.
By law, all 400 of Pedanius’ slaves must be killed for the crime of one. Nero enforces the ruling. He is divorcing his wife to marry mistress Poppaea. Two decisions unpopular with the plebs. They are chanting her name in the streets, with torches. Nero doubles down; Octavia is banished to Pandateria. Poppaea is a schemer, but we grieve with her when baby Claudia dies.
The king of the Iceni is dead, and the queen’s daughters are screaming. We see the battle for Britannia through Suetonius’ eyes and through Boudicca’s (whom Iggulden names Ymma). But it’s the Great Fire which is exciting. The Fire is deliberately caused by the Christians, in order to fulfil their prophecy of the End Days. Nero personally sets the scapegoats alight in the arena. We meet St Paul and St Peter, and to give us more footage of the Christians, Iggulden makes prefect Burrus a convert.
This Nero is the wanna-be musician, surrounding himself with sycophants who’ll clap for him, but with more power now, he’s become more of a tyrant. Nero’s insistence on the sycophancy goes to extremes; he doesn’t seem to require sincerity. He watches his audience eagerly, in case they register a flicker of inattention to his performances. Vespasian nods off and gets sent to Judaea.
And yet there are moments of strong leadership, before narcissism triumphs. He rises to the occasion of the Great Fire, devoting his own wealth to the relief.
Multiple point of view characters make it interesting and pacey. The writing is gorgeous, and filled with intimate details of ancient Roman life.
This review first appeared in Historical Novels Review.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Nero's reign was brutal as he murdered those who crossed him. It took me a long time to finish because it was so violent. The epilogue is very helpful for those who want to which facts are recorded by historians, The trilogy was fascinating.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews