Twilight Empress

Twilight Empress: A Novel of Imperial Rome
by Faith L. Justice

Publication Date: May 12, 2017
Raggedy Moon Books
eBook & Print; 392 Pages

Series: The Theodosian Women, Book 1
Genre: Fiction/Historical/Action & Adventure

Twilight Empress tells the little-known story of a remarkable womanóGalla Placidia, sister to one of the last Roman Emperors. Roman princess, Gothic captive and queenóPlacidia does the unthinkableóshe rules the failing Western Roman Empireóa life of ambition, power and intrigue she doesnít seek, but canít refuse. Her actions shape the face of Western Europe for centuries.

A woman as well as an Empress, Placidia suffers love, loss, and betrayal. Can her strength, tenacity and ambition help her survive and triumph over scheming generals, rebellious children, and Attila the Hun? Or will the Dark Ages creep closer and bring down the Empire?

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My Review: I absolutely loved this book! (How’s that for a starter?)

First of all, this is one of my very favorite time periods in history. I love all things Ancient Rome. The problem is, that not everyone knows how to do it justice. Faith L. Justice, however, did an absolutely amazing job. (Oh my goodness, look what I did there.)

The book follows the life of Placida, sister to a Roman Emperor in 400 AD. The story opens with her being captured by the Goths. She lives in their camp, learns their ways, and ends up with a grudging respect for their lifestyle. After falling in love with…and ultimately marrying…a Goth named Ataulf, she finds herself Queen. This upsets her brother back in Rome, and what follows is a true test of Placida’s character, as well as all that she has come to learn under the Goths’ influence.

I loved following the experiences of this incredible woman. Twilight Empress follows Placida’s life until her death, allowing us to get to know Placida on an intimate level. I loved her immensely. Watching her navigate unhappy circumstances, politics and her personal life was incredibly engrossing. The author’s writing is superb, and she did a wonderful job of bringing Placida to life for her readers.

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About the Author

Faith L. Justice is a science geek and history junkie, which is reflected in her writing. Her short stories and poems have appeared in such publications as “The Copperfield Review”, “Beyond Science Fiction and Fantasy”, and the “Circles in the Hair” anthology. Faith has published in such venues as “Salon.com”, “Writerís Digest”, “The Writer”, and “Bygone Days”. Sheís an Associate Editor for “Space & Time Magazine”, a frequent contributor to “Strange Horizons”, and co-founded a writerís workshop more years ago than she cares to admit.

To contact Faith, read her essays and interviews, or get a sneak preview of her historical novels, visit her website at www.faithljustice.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.