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THE EMPEROR'S VIRGIN The time is A.D. 95. Into the glittering court of the infamous Emperor Domitian strides Maximus Marcus, an ambitious yet idealistic commander, summoned from the provinces to serve his emperor in the highest councils of Rome. Sharpening the conflict between the two men is their mutual desire for Rome's chief vestal virgin, Cornelia, sworn to a life of chastity. This is an allegory of power, as old as civilization and as modern as Watergate and Clintongate. PRAISE FOR THE EMPEROR'S VIRGIN "A deserved bestseller. . Next-to-impossible to put down. " - Maclean's "The most talked about novel of 1980." - Edmonton Journal "Sylvia Fraser makes history breathe." - Ottawa Citizen "Sylvia Fraser can certainly tell a story. There are intrigues, assassination plots, assorted acts of dark villainy, gladiatorial combats, chariot races, pitched battles among armies, sado-masochistic rites, incest, seductions, rapes, tortures and mutilations. They keep the plot humming. A theatrical, raw and densely textured novel ... diverting, exciting and stylish." - Toronto Star "Fraser has used her research and a crisp, powerful writing style. Studded with gem-like surprises to create a vivid, fascinating portrait of a Roman that is astonishing in its similarity to North American life." - Ottawa Journal |
| "Her book catches fire. Her characters are contemporary people, trapped in a sick society that is visibly deteriorating around them, struggling to maintain their sanity and essential decency." - Toronto Sun |