The Conqueror

Written by Bryan Litfin

Narrated by Michael Braun

Travel back to one of the most pivotal eras in history—— a time when devotion to the pagan gods was fading and the Roman Empire was being conquered by the sign of the cross.

AD 309. Rome teeters on the brink of war. Constantine’s army is on the move. On the Rhine frontier, pagan Germanic barbarian Brandulf Rex joins the Roman army as a spy. Down in Rome, senator’s daughter Junia Flavia finds herself embroiled in antiChristian politics as she works on behalf of the church.

As armies converge and forces beyond their control threaten to destroy everything they have worked for, these two people from different worlds will have to fight together to bring down the evil
Emperor Maxentius. But his villainous plans and devious henchmen are not easily overcome.

Will Rex and Flavia live to see the Empire bow the knee to Christ? Or will their part in the story of Constantine’s rise meet an untimely and brutal end?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781705003299

Reviews for The Conqueror

[bookslesstravelled · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed Litfin's Chiveis Trilogy in the past, and was excited to hear about this new series! While I can see it being controversial and not for everyone, the same is true for the other series and I also found I enjoyed many of the same themes in this book that I had loved in the other series. As the Chiveis books didn't fully have my attention or love until the second book once things started to really play out, I feel this one has potential to follow that same method, with the first books setting up the story and introducing the characters and their problems, the second is likely what will tell if this is a new favorite for me, or just another fun read. That said, I'm excited to see where this series goes from here, and really enjoyed reading The Conqueror!

[bookscookslooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ancient Rome is one of my favorite places to travel in a novel so I was thrilled to be able to read this book, An author's note sets up that the novel is historical not Biblical fiction so it strays into the lives of the upper class Romans in ways a book from a Christian publisher normally would not although not in ways a mainstream publsisher would.Obviously a lot of research went into the writing and that is evident without being obnoxious.It's the first book of a planned trilogy so it will be interesting to see where it goes.

[true54blue · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As historical novels go this is jam packed with excitement, love, violence, and improbable events surrounding the main characters. I can understand why some reviewers are upset about the graphic descriptions of ancient Rome and its wickedness as we have been saved from much of that by centuries of Christian dominance. Would I put it in a church library - no; would I recommend it to Christians who like historical fiction - probably depending on the person. On the whole it's a page turner but, like most historical fiction, I became frustrated by the constant centering of the main characters who always act in ways that fit the plot and the necessary historical realities. Although I should be interested in where the subsequent volumes will take us the ending of this trilogy is already clear: Rex will be restored, he and Flavia will be reunited, marry and live happily serving the church.

[stardust_fiddle · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

From the moment I saw this book, I knew I wanted to read it, and not only because the cover is beautiful and very well done. Despite being an avid historical fiction devotee, I have read precious few books about the early Roman Empire. In all honesty, it was not a time period that drew my interest until I took Latin in college; my immediate love of the language planted a seed of interest in the ancient culture that dominated the landscape of the early Christian church. Not often do I have the opportunity to review a book based on this era, after the Diocletian persecutions. As Bryan Litfin remarks in his Historical Note section at the beginning of the book, “The Conqueror” is not a biblical novel, but rather a historical one, which sets the scene for the entire story. Perhaps because it is intended to be primarily historical, “The Conqueror” leaves me feeling conflicted and struggling to tease out my thoughts. Amazon does not list it among Christian fiction, but because it is published by Revell, that is what I would expect, and the book summary lends credence to this. My issue is that it reads like a secular novel, with too much focus on “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). Flavia is a devoted Christian, yet she seems unable to truly defend her faith and answer Rex’s questions; granted, she is a teenager, but given her privileged upbringing and the amount of time she spends engaged in helping the church, this seems implausible. Similarly, I would have liked to see more dynamic characters. Here, evil is evil and it seems like a missed opportunity at times to test the characters’ ability to change in more deliberate ways. I do, however, appreciate how Flavia and Rex’s stories converge, leading to more integrations as the story progresses. Covering somewhat less than four years, from October 309 A.D to May 313, “The Conqueror” is an epic novel of the fight between the authorities of the day and between polytheism and Christianity. I think that it is safe to say that politics haven’t changed much over the years. Power grabbing, scandals, affairs, assassinations. Let’s just hope that we never see a return of the amphitheaters! As for the Roman army, I find the thorough training of the speculators such as Rex and his best friend Geta both interesting and disturbing, because they are taught to kill without compunction if necessary. I understand this concept in a war environment, but it can be taken to excess in less dire situations. I will say, though, that Litfin excels at keeping the plot moving with plenty of action, adventure, and drama. I enjoyed learning about the catholic (universal) church at this time in history, and about the Empire’s journey toward Christianity. In the opening indices, Litfin includes a list of the major characters in his story who were actual historical figures, a Gazetteer of Ancient and Modern Place Names, and a glossary of terms, all of which enrich and inform the reading experience. My overall impressions are that if you enjoy historical fiction set in the ancient world and are not disturbed by violence or sensuality, you may enjoy this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All opinions are my own.

[lifeofliterature · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I’m having some difficulty writing a review for this book because it is obvious that the author did a lot of research for this novel and overall, it is very well written. However, I had a hard time reading about the inappropriate pagan behavior of the Romans and did not think that content needed to be that detailed for a book published by a Christian publisher. I definitely do not recommend that this book be read by young adults due to the explicit descriptions of adult content. I recognize that the author wished to portray the depravity of humanity during this time, but I do think some of the details could have been more subtle and just as effective. The plot overall is interesting and I appreciate all the research that the author did for this book, which clearly comes through. I liked certain portions of the story and thought the character development was well done. The cover is stunning and there is some good material packed within the almost 500 pages. However, overall, I would caution others that some of the content is explicit and not suited for all readers.I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed learning about Ancient Rome and how Constantine becomes Emperor. I love the characters of Brandulf Rex and Junia Flavia. I love how the spy and the daughter of a high ranking Roman get to be friends. I loved learning some of the ways that the first Christians prayed and celebrated the mass. This has romance, intrigue and religion all in the same story. This is well written and kept me wanting more. I am looking forward to reading more about Constantine, Rex and Flavia in the next book in the series. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[kimpotter-309059 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

The Conqueror by Bryan Litfin is the first book in his Constantine’s Empire series. First off let me say that I didn’t finish this book. The story started off great but then became too graphic for a Christian fiction book; in my opinion. If the author had stayed away from going into the pagan/debauchery side of the story of early Rome, I might have been able to finish the book. There was too much inappropriate behavior and language included. Not just the characters’ language but the authors descriptive language. The flaunting of the marital vows by Christians, was the final straw. I won’t be getting the second book. I received this book from the publisher for my honest review.

[nx74defiant · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Set during the early days of the Emperor Constantine. It does a good job in it's betrayal of the early christian church. Some of Flavia and Rex's adventures seem a bit over the top.

[aramistdawg · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book really drew me in. Set in about A.D. 300, a young Christian girl ends up in prison for her convictions. I still haven't finished it due to work and other activities, but am looking forward to seeing how it wraps up.

[charlesboyd · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An engrossing historical novel about people who are for Constantine becoming the Roman Emperor and people against it A couple of problems that keep this novel getting five stars from me. One, just too many improbable happenings and the ending is one that most readers will hate.

[janerawoof · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Enthralling, sometimes exciting, novel of the worlds of early Christianity among paganism during the Roman Tetrarchy, as represented by Flavia, a senator's daughter and devout Christian and Brandulf Rex, a stalwart pagan. Love arises between the two who meet in most unusual circumstances. It also details the rise of Constantine and the battle at the Milvian Bridge. Rex is an elite warrior in the Roman Army, tasked with infiltrating the forces of the Augustus Maxentius and gathering intelligence for Constantine in a coming struggle between the two for dominance. Christianity presented in the novel through the words of Christian clergy and from Flavia's mouth didn't seem "preachy" to me. I did like how interpretations of some of Jesus's parables were woven into the story: that of the laborers and that of the sower. The selfless actions of Christian characters brought Christianity home to me. I was surprised at the importance of Tertullian's words presented so often; he was a theologian but not canonized. As far as the scriptures, I don't believe they had been codified formally during the early 4th century. I felt the characters were presented realistically and I felt I got to know them. In fact this was one book that after the heart-wrenching ending, I kept speculating on what Rex's and Flavia's lives might be like afterwards. I have done that with only one other novel. I felt they COULDN'T end where the author left them. Is there a sequel in the works? The author tantalizes us. The only jarring notes were some modern expressions, especially the words okay and guys, and the mention of potatoes.Highly recommended.

[jjean7-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A well written Historical fiction - a lot of detail and events - political power vs spiritual power, loyalty vs betrayal combined with heart-stopping plot -twists - love - a page turner -

[gmathis_7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My mom taught me one of my favorite mom-isms when I was graduating from kid chapter books to big people chapter books: "You can learn just as much about history from a good historical novel as you can from a textbook." This novel fills in a gap in my historical fiction timeline: just past 300 A.D. in the days of the emperor Constantine, when Roman rulers ping-ponged back and forth between tolerance and persecution of Christians and more behind-the-scenes power struggles than an episode of Survivor.Revell is my go-to publisher for good, guaranteed clean, light period fiction/romance. This title surprised me: it is a little heavier and meatier--though our hero, Brandulf Rex, a Roman speculator (spy/bodyguard) does make the acquaintance of Flavia, a courageous young Christian. The history is well-researched, a glossary is thoughtfully provided to help with unfamiliar terminology. In the advance proof, I caught an "alright" which I hope is properly edited in the final...sorry, nonstandard usage makes me nuts, but that is a minor, minor flaw in what is otherwise a captivating and enjoyable read.