Recommendations based on Dictatorby Robert Harris

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  1. Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome

    by Robert Harris
    A fictionalized account of the life of Cicero, a Roman lawyer and orator, during the tumultuous period of Julius Caesar's rise to power.

    Part One – Senator – 79–70 BC The book opens with Tiro , the secretary of Marcus Tullius Cicero and the book's narrator, looking back in time over the thirty-six years he was with his master. They ... (Wikipedia)

  2. Conspirata

    by Robert Harris
    Historical political thriller set in ancient Rome, featuring a Senator's struggle to protect the Republic.

    Cicero returns to continue his struggle to grasp supreme power in the state of Rome. Amidst treachery, vengeance, violence, and treason, this brilliant lawyer, orator, and philosopher finally reaches ... (Goodreads)

  3. Conclave

    by Robert Harris
    Political thriller about the election of a new Pope amid a power struggle in the Vatican.

    The Pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They are holy ... (Goodreads)

  4. Children of Time

    by Adrian Tchaikovsky
    A race of intelligent spiders battles to save their species from extinction.

    The book's plot involves a planet inhabited by evolved spiders uplifted by human scientist Avrana Kern, and their much later discovery by the last humans alive in the universe. , , , The work plays ... (Wikipedia)

  5. The Last Kingdom

    by Bernard Cornwell
    Epic tale of a Saxon warrior's quest to reclaim his birthright and unite the divided kingdom.

    A collection of the first four installments of Bernard Cornwell’s bestselling series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England, “like Game of Thrones, but real” (,The Observer, London)—the ... (Barnes & Noble)

  6. Dissolution

    by C.J. Sansom
    A lawyer in Tudor England investigates a suspicious death, uncovering a vast conspiracy.

    Henry VIII has ordered the dissolution of the monasteries and England is full of informers. At the monastery of Scarnsea, events have spiralled out of control with the murder of Commissioner Robin ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet

    by David Mitchell
    An epic tale of love and adventure set in an 18th century Japanese trading port.

    The novel begins in the summer of 1799 at the Dutch East India Company trading post Dejima in the harbor of Nagasaki . It tells the story of a Dutch trader's love for a Japanese midwife who is ... (Wikipedia)

  8. The Hunt for Red October

    by Tom Clancy
    A thrilling adventure of a submarine captain's race against the clock in a thrilling game of cat and mouse.

    During the Cold War ,(the story must be set in 1982, according to the days assigned to the dates in the novel, e.g. Dec. 17 was a Friday only in 1982,1976 and 1971 ) Marko Ramius, a Soviet Navy ... (Wikipedia)

  9. I, Claudius

    by Robert Graves
    An epic tale of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, told through the eyes of a dynasty's forgotten leader.

    Into the 'autobiography' of Clau-Clau-Claudius, the pitiful stammerer who was destined to become Emperor in spite of himself, Graves packs the everlasting intrigues, the depravity, the bloody purges ... (Goodreads)

  10. Us

    by David Nicholls
    A couple's marriage is tested during a summer trip across Europe, forcing them to confront their past and future together.

    Douglas Petersen may be mild-mannered, but behind his reserve lies a sense of humor that, against all odds, seduces beautiful Connie into a second date and eventually into marriage. Now, almost three ... (Goodreads)

  11. Claudius the God and His Wife Messalina

    by Robert Graves
    A historical account of the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius and his controversial wife Messalina.

    With the same brilliance that characterized his classic I, Claudius , Robert Graves continues the tumultuous life of the Roman who became emperor in spite of himself and his handicaps. Claudius the ... (Goodreads)

  12. The Flame Bearer

    by Bernard Cornwell
    A Saxon warrior embarks on a quest to reclaim his homeland from Viking invaders.

    Uhtred fails again to capture Bebbanburg. His son-in-law, the pagan warlord Sigtryggr, king of Northumbria, asks for help against invading West Saxons who seem intent on breaking the recent truce ... (Wikipedia)

  13. Seveneves

    by Neal Stephenson
    Humanity's struggle for survival after an apocalyptic event threatens to extinguish life on Earth.

    In the near future, an unknown agent causes the Moon to shatter. As the pieces begin to collide with one another, astronomer and science popularizer "Doc" Dubois Harris calculates that Moon fragments ... (Wikipedia)

  14. Bring Up the Bodies

    by Hilary Mantel
    A gripping historical drama recounting the downfall of Anne Boleyn during the reign of Henry VIII.

    Bring Up the Bodies follows closely upon the events of Wolf Hall . The King and Cromwell —now Master Secretary to the King's Privy Council—are guests of the Seymour family at Wolf Hall. The King ... (Wikipedia)

  15. The Name of the Rose

    by Umberto Eco
    A Franciscan friar investigates a series of murders in a medieval monastery, uncovering a sinister plot.

    In 1327, Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and Adso of Melk , a Benedictine novice travelling under his protection, arrive at a Benedictine monastery in Northern Italy to attend a theological ... (Wikipedia)

  16. A Brief History of Seven Killings

    by Marlon James
    A fictionalized account of the attempted assassination of Bob Marley, exploring the history of Jamaica.

    On December 3, 1976, just before the Jamaican general election and two days before Bob Marley was to play the Smile Jamaica Concert, gunmen stormed his house, machine guns blazing. The attack nearly ... (Goodreads)

  17. The House of Silk

    by Anthony Horowitz
    A thrilling detective story set in Victorian England, unravelling a devious criminal plot.

    The House of Silk begins with a brief, personal recounting of events by Watson, much like that in, A Study in Scarlet, by the original author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The reader is informed of the ... (Wikipedia)

  18. The Children Act

    by Ian McEwan
    A family court judge must make a difficult decision between the law and her conscience.

    Fiona Maye is a respected High Court Judge specialising in Family Law and living in Gray's Inn Square. While reviewing a case, she is approached by her husband, Jack, who tells her that because of ... (Wikipedia)

  19. For Whom the Bell Tolls

    by Ernest Hemingway
    A soldier's story of courage and survival in the Spanish Civil War.

    The novel graphically describes the brutality of the Spanish Civil War. It is told primarily through the thoughts and experiences of the protagonist, Robert Jordan. It draws on Hemingway's own ... (Wikipedia)

  20. Lady Chatterley's Lover

    by D.H. Lawrence
    A working-class man's affair with an aristocratic woman, and their coming to terms with the strictures of society.

    Lawrence's frank portrayal of an extramarital affair and the explicit sexual explorations of its central characters caused this controversial book, now considered a masterpiece, to be banned as ... (Goodreads)

  21. World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War

    by Max Brooks
    A collection of interviews recounting tales of the zombie apocalypse.

    It has been nearly twenty years since the start of the apocalyptic worldwide pandemic known as the Zombie War, and about ten years since the war has ended in humanity's victory. The framing device ... (Wikipedia)

  22. Dominion

    by C.J. Sansom
    Historical mystery set in 15th century England, exploring themes of power, loyalty and redemption.

    1952. Twelve years have passed since Churchill lost to the appeasers, and Britain surrendered to Nazi Germany after Dunkirk. As the long German war against Russia rages on in the east, the British ... (Goodreads)

  23. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

    by George R.R. Martin
    A gritty fantasy tale of knights and dragons, set in a time of chaos and war.

    A century before A GAME OF THRONES, two unlikely heroes wandered Westeros… A KNIGHT OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS compiles the first three official prequel novellas to George R.R. Martin’s ongoing ... (Goodreads)

  24. The Foundation Trilogy

    by Isaac Asimov
    Intergalactic future-history saga of a Galactic Empire on the brink of collapse.

    A THOUSAND-YEAR EPIC, A GALACTIC STRUGGLE, A MONUMENTAL WORK IN THE ANNALS OF SCIENCE FICTION FOUNDATION begins a new chapter in the story of man's future. As the Old Empire crumbles into barbarism ... (Goodreads)

  25. The Three Musketeers

    by Alexandre Dumas
    An adventurous tale of friendship, courage, and battle in 17th century France.

    In 1625 France, d'Artagnan leaves his family in Gascony and travels to Paris to join the Musketeers of the Guard . At a house in Meung-sur-Loire , an older man derides d'Artagnan's horse. Insulted, ... (Wikipedia)

  26. The Art of Fielding

    by Chad Harbach
    A college baseball team's success and failures are intertwined with the lives of five individuals.

    Henry Skrimshander begins the novel as a 17-year-old playing on a Legion baseball team in Lankton, South Dakota. Although physically short and not muscular, Henry has an unusual gift for fielding, ... (Wikipedia)

  27. American Tabloid

    by James Ellroy
    A riveting crime drama set in the 1950s, featuring a complex web of characters and their dark and twisted agendas.

    "Shakedowns" covers just 26 days, introducing the three principal characters, and establishing their relationships, history, and career trajectories. Pete Bondurant is a former LASD deputy; he ... (Wikipedia)

  28. Batman: Year One

    by Frank Miller
    The origin story of Batman, tracing his journey to become Gotham City's greatest hero.

    Bruce Wayne returns home to Gotham City at the age of twenty-five from training abroad in martial arts, man-hunting, and science for the past 12 years. James Gordon moves to Gotham City with his ... (Wikipedia)

  29. Watership Down

    by Richard Adams
    A group of rabbits embark on a treacherous journey to find a new home.

    In the Sandleford warren , ,[b], Fiver, a young runt rabbit who is a seer , receives a frightening vision of his warren's imminent destruction. , When he and his brother Hazel fail to convince their ... (Wikipedia)

  30. The Player of Games

    by Iain M. Banks
    A game-player embarks on a journey to win a tournament in a distant world, uncovering secrets along the way.

    The Culture - a humanoid/machine symbiotic society - has thrown up many great Game Players. One of the best is Jernau Morat Gurgeh, Player of Games, master of every board, computer and strategy. ... (Goodreads)