Whereas the first of this trilogy, Imperium, had me in stitches at the outrageous antics of Cicero and the senate, Lustrum had an altogether more serious aura. Not sure how to rate this one. I loved it. It was so well-written and there was the thread of Cicero’s oratorial greatness woven throughout. But at the same time, horrifying. Expect betrayal, backstabbing and deeply flawed characters. It’s a marvel any government survives the lure of power.

Regardless, I am very much looking forward to reading the concluding book, Dictator.