Imperial Purple

"Imperial Purple" by Edgar Saltus is a historical story that looks closely at the life of Julius Caesar and all the drama during the change from the Roman Republic to Imperial Rome. The story kicks off right after Caesar's murder, showing the mix of fear and love people had for him. Caesar is shown as a captivating but also conflicting leader, and the book tells about his rise, his daring personality, and the relationships and events that reveal his charisma and ruthlessness, like his military conquests. Saltus does a good job of showing the clashing views on Caesar, painting him as both a showy conqueror and a clever politician, which all leads up to his shocking death by the people who used to be under his rule.