Empire - Hardback

Discover the rise and fall of the world’s greatest empire in the stunning second novel in THE GOLDEN AGE series, from the nation’s finest historical novelist.Pericles returns home more than a hero: he’s the leader of Athens, the empire’s beacon of light in the dark.But even during times of peace, the threat of Sparta – Athens’s legendary rival – looms large on the horizon. When a sudden catastrophe brings Sparta to its knees, Pericles sees a golden opportunity to forever shift the balance of power in his city’s favour.For sometimes the only way to win lasting peace is to wage war.Sparta may be weak, but their power is far from extinguished. Soon a ruthless young boy steps forward to lead the Spartans back to greatness. As the drums of battle draw closer, can Pericles rise once more or will the world’s greatest empire fall under his watch?About the authorConn Iggulden is one of the most successful authors of historical fiction writing today. He has written three previous bestselling historical series, including Wars of the Roses. Dunstan is a stand-alone novel set in the red-blooded world of tenth-century England, and The Falcon of Sparta is a stand-alone in which Iggulden returns to the Ancient World. The first book in his new Athenian series, The Gates of Athens, was a Sunday Times top five bestseller. Protector is the latest instalment in the Athenian series.