2 Book Lovers Reviews

The Shards of Heaven is the type of story that can pull me in quickly.  It’s fast paced, with characters that I already know and the audacity to bring in some unexpected elements that make the story new and unique.

The Shards of Heaven takes place following the assassination of Julius Caesar.  I think we all know the basics of what happened after that.  Octavian and Marc Antony filled the void left by Caesar and split the empire between them, Octavian in the West and Marc Antony in the East – with the infamous Cleopatra.  The two of them fight to control the whole empire, Octavian wins, Antony and Cleopatra die.  If I’ve spoiled anything for you, talk to your high school history teacher…not me.  This is the scenario in which Michael Livingston has placed his story.  I know these characters, I’ve read about them for many years, this makes it all that more fun to immerse myself into the story.

The key to making this work are the extra characters, the lesser known historical figures.  The Shards of Heaven is not about Octavian and Antony, it is about Juba, Selene and Caesarion.  Michael Livingston has brought these lesser known players to life.  These are my new friends, the characters that I want to follow now.  Vorenus and Pullo are fantastic added features that only add to the excitement and connection to these characters.

The next task expertly executed by Michael Livingston was to create a new and exciting story set within this familiar time in history.  In this regard, he goes above and beyond.  The author has created his own theology, questioning God, the gods and bridging mythology and religion.

The Shards of Heaven is an exhilarating adventure with a fabulous cast of characters.  Michael Livingston is a fearless author, willing to place a magical/mythical element into such a well-known historical scenario.

*4.5 Stars

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The Shards of Heaven

By Michael Livingston

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