Buddy Read: The First Man In Rome #1 - MAR & APR 2010

[Kate.]

Hello everyone .

Quite a few of us seem very interested to start on the Colleen McCullogh Master Of Rome Series 1-7. As many of us are busy with other things over January & February , March has been suggested as the starting month.

The First Man in Rome


Lets us know what you think.

Also would you prefer it to be for one or two months ?

[Susan C]

March through April would be great!

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

I'm in Kate - Thanks

[Kate.]

I was just flicking through the book and wow , i cant believe the research gone into it. There is a character list , maps , illustrations (even of the characters !!) , gloassary , diagrams , guide and pronounciation of names.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I hope y'all enjoy this one - I'm very fond of it.

[Lyn (Readinghearts)]

As for one or two months, I'll go with the majority.

[Kate.]

Probably do it for 2 months as its a big one too.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Kate wrote: "Probably do it for 2 months as its a big one too."

That's probably a good idea. Though for me it certainly read quicker than Wolf Hall (which I liked - but was a slow read).

[Kimberly]

Hello All--Are we postponing this once since Imperium is currently going on this month? Just checking in.

[Kate.]

I think we could read either one :)

[Kimberly]

Hmmm...is anyone else interested in reading this now? If not, I can wait. It's not like I don't have anything else to read, LOL! :)

[Tina]

I'm interested! I've got a couple of things to finish, but will be in it shortly.

[Kimberly]

Sounds good :o) I'll plan on starting it later in the month. I also want to finish a couple things before starting it too.

[Tina]

Anyone still interested in reading this? I'm set to get started. . .

[Kimberly]

I'm interested! Anyone else besides me and Tina? Will this still be a two-month read?

[Kimberly]

Hmmm...looks like we may be the only ones Tina! I can start this at the beginning of April (I have one more quick read to do before then). What do you think?

[Tina]

The beginning of April sounds good to me too! Maybe some people will join in as we go along.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

I believe I could fit in a re-read.

[Kimberly]

I'm not sure if I'm the only one who ended up reading First Man, but I thought I would post that I finished it in case anyone else is interested in discussing.

[Tina]

Yay Kimberly! Did you like it? I must admit that I have been intimidated by the sheer size of it and have put off and put off reading it. . . now I've got only one week to finish it before I read my next 'big book' in May (Count of Monte Cristo).

What did you think of it? Hopefully I'll have something to post on it soon! :-)

[Kimberly]

That's funny--I just finished Count of Monte Cristo before reading this! This was certainly a change of pace after that, but it is another door-stopper. I did like it, but I think I possibly would have liked it more if I hadn't just finished such another long book and also wasn't already so saturated in Rome. I took a lot of Greco-Roman history/culture classes in college so for some reason when I read Roman HF my eyes kind of glaze over at times. Anyway, First Man in Rome is good and, I thought, very historically accurate. McCullough does a fantastic job with all the details. The highlight of the book was definitely the lives of the characters for me, particularly Sulla.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

Sulla is my favorite character for the whole series.

[Kimberly]

Susanna wrote: "Sulla is my favorite character for the whole series."

Have you read the whole series then? What did you think of the other books?

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads]

My favorite volumes are probably Fortune's Favorites (the last with Sulla, alas), which is the third volume, and The First Man in Rome. I am a fan of all of them, though.

[Tina]

Wow! Just finished it (had to take a break for not one, but two hospital stays--whew!) I have to say that I am in awe. Some books I read and I think 'you know, maybe I could do that.' This one, NO WAY! I'm amazed at the meticulous research, crafted writing, and skilled storytelling. Definitely got five stars from me. I'll definitely be reading the rest of her series.