The Splendor Before the Dark

A Novel of the Emperor Nero

By: Margaret George

Narrated by: Steve West, Katharine Lee McEwan, Susan Denaker

Nero’s ascent to the throne was only the beginning....Now Margaret George, the author of The Confessions of Young Nero, weaves a web of politics and passion, as ancient Rome’s most infamous emperor cements his place in history.

With the beautiful and cunning Poppaea at his side, Nero commands the Roman empire, ushering in an unprecedented era of artistic and cultural splendor. Although he has yet to produce an heir, his power is unquestioned.

But in the tenth year of his reign, a terrifying prophecy comes to pass and a fire engulfs Rome, reducing entire swaths of the city to rubble. Rumors of Nero’s complicity in the blaze start to sow unrest among the populace—and the politicians....

For better or worse, Nero knows that his fate is now tied to Rome’s—and he vows to rebuild it as a city that will stun the world. But there are those who find his rampant quest for glory dangerous. Throughout the empire, false friends and spies conspire against him, not understanding what drives him to undertake the impossible.

Nero will either survive and be the first in his family to escape the web of betrayals that is the Roman court, or be ensnared and remembered as the last radiance of the greatest dynasty the world has ever known.

“A resplendent novel filled with the gilt and marble of the ancient world.”—C. W. Gortner, author of The Romanov Empress

Great Escapist Literature

The Nero within these pages made me shed a tear or two. Whether or not the author's depiction is close to reality probably will never be known. However, the author showed a universal truth; for every 'monster's there is someone who loves him. Margaret George elevates historical fiction so brilliantly that it makes a reader weep for a man herald as the anti-christ. Amazing read.

Excellent!

Full of drama and history, this is a stunning book. Margaret George is a wonderful author, and the narrators are FABULOUS

Awesome narration - enjoyed the characterizations,

What a dramatic life; I think Nero himself would be pleased! Poppaea's connections with Pompeii and the House of the Menander made me wonder if the famous "portrait" might have caught Nero's attention on a visit??

Great sequel!

Another great read by one of my favorite authors. I’d read The Confessions of Young Nero first. I was anxious to see how his life continued. Although reading Confessions first isn’t really necessary, I highly recommend it so the reader can have a better understanding of his childhood and the people and events that take him into adulthood. Narration is very good!

I love this book! such a great retelling

this is such a great retelling if a very misunderstood man who may have been eccentric, but was definitely ahead of his time