The third and final Cicero novel takes the story from the start of Cicero's exile through to his violent death fifteen years later in 43 BC. Harris maintains the excellent standard of the first two novels and his portrait of Cicero as a flawed but principled statesman continues to convince - would that we had such principle and skill now! Harris also builds into his narrative a number of clever surprises, such as how Cicero engineers the trial of Caelius Rufus which offers him the opportunity for revenge on his arch enemy Publius Clodius. Otherwise, the author follows the standard sources closely, making excellent use of the writings of Cicero himself, especially the huge number of surviving letters. What I liked most about the novel was the understated portrayal of Cicero's loyal secretary, the long-suffering but loyal Tiro, without whose care we would not now know so much about Cicero, the man, the politician and his times.

The final years of Cicero’s life were dominated by Caesar's civil war, one of the last politico-military conflicts in the Roman Republic before the establishment of the Roman Empire. The life of a politician, at the time of Cicero, was indeed a noble affair and it was possible for the ordinary common man (plebeian) to be elected as tribune granting him the power to propose and veto legislation. Rome was a society in which the organization of both military and civil life was implemented to the nth degree. Equally it was also a civilization where oratorical skills demanded both the respect and support of the legislative, and yet life was viewed in an unprincipled manner the thrust of a rapier or the wire of the garote only a heartbeat away. Dictator is the third book by Robert Harris in a trilogy about the life of Marcus Tullius Cicero; statesman, lawyer, scholar and philosopher who played a leading role in the politics of the late Roman Republic. The author conveys this important period through the eyes of Tiro, Cicero’s confidential secretary and literary advisor made a freeman in 53BC. By using the voice and observations of Tiro Harris is able to bring alive Rome at this time, in particular the unpredictability and bawdiness that was the watchword of senatorial debate. A large portion of the novel is devoted to Julius Caesar and his attempt to have himself proclaimed Dictator who on his death was officially recognised as a god, the Divine (Divus) Julius…..”His body was glistening, well muscled, and plucked entirely hairless in every respect- a disconcerting affectation which had the effect of emphasising his numerous scars and bruises, presumably picked up on the battlefield. His face was undeniably striking- angular and lean, dominated by dark and penetrating eyes. The overall effect was one of great power, of both the intellect and the will. One could see why men and women alike fell easily under his spell. Set against a background and a time of painful change, with hard fought battles, and eloquent debate on every page Dictator is a superb read and a fitting conclusion to both a wonderful trilogy and history of an important historical figure. Highly recommended.

I came to the third of this trilogy with apprehension as I thought the second, though insightful and worthy, a little dull. However I should not have worried because despite everyone knowing what happened to Cicero, this was a roller coaster of action and emotions as his fortunes ebbed and flowed. This is an extraordinary tour de force covering some of the most important events between the fall of the Republic and rise of the Emperors where you are completely drawn in to the Roman intrigues focusing the main antagonists: Caesar, Pompei and of course Cicero. Robert Harris has a light touch and remarkable ability to keep the action moving.

This is the third and final book in the Cicero trilogy. As a historical figure I found I could not warm to the man, and one of the reasons I have loved this series is because it made me like Cicero as a person for the first time. In this final and most turbulent period of his life his worth and beliefs are tested to the limit. The story is told by Tiro, Cicero’s secretary, and it is through his eyes that we witness these events. He is an intelligent man, in his own quiet way making a long lasting mark on the world, and in many respects very different from his master, yet complementing him very well. Although not blind to his master’s faults, there is real affection and devotion there, which in turn elicit our own responses in favour of Cicero. The skill of the author is to make Cicero likeable in spite of his faults and even because of them. He is a complex individual, fallible and human, given to lapses in judgement as much as to astute insights, often wracked by internal struggles yet always with a shrewd eye to the political scene. There are cogent reasons given for what could amount as contradictory behaviour at best, and though these may not excuse it, they are understandable, especially when judged in view of the violent times he lived in and the behaviour of others. The narrator certainly does not shy from giving us a glimpse of what that world was capable of. Cicero is shown as being shocked at the staggering number of so-called enemy massacred, men sacrificed as part of Caesar’s policy for personal aggrandisement. Nor do the ordinary sins of the republic go uncriticized (Epirus never recovered from the selling of its 150,000 inhabitants into slavery a century before). The political scene is deftly portrayed, and this is further enriched by knowing the characters not just as public figures but as individual men and women enmeshed in Cicero’s life and interwoven with his family’s, so that their fates are not just dry accounts in history, but the fully fleshed lives of human beings. And it also cleverly shows how intermingled public and private lives were. The scope of the book, to cover one of the most pivotal moments in ancient history, hand in hand with the more intimate portrait of a great figure, was a big undertaking, and it is breathtaking in what it manages to achieve. Mr Harris is a very accomplished storyteller – the build up of tension as the drama unfolds is skilfully handled, achieving a frightening pace; and cleverly intertwined with the characters’ hopes and fears, so that our sympathy for them is accordingly heightened when these are swept aside by the tide of events. The acumen needed to weigh the complex political situation, to gauge the intricacies of people’s motives, to be prepared for the reactions of the factions in the state, makes this a fascinating foray into a world brought so vividly to life. As a reader you are drawn into the maelstrom, rooting for the characters even as you are aware of their ultimate powerlessness in the face of the political storm. So if you are looking for a riveting read, with compelling characters, gripping plots and intrigues, world changing political and military events, as well as the more intimate workings of one of the great men of history, you are in for a treat.