Kingdom of the Wicked Book One

This is a really disappointing version of a steampunk novel transfered to a modern/ancient rome setting. The idea „what if“ is really intrigiung, but completly loste here. How sad.

A very good read that makes you think. If you are like me, an amateur student of the first century A.D. and Christianity, you will appreciate that Ms. Dale has done a considerable amount of good research and done a great job extrapolating that into a very plausible future society where Rome - Roman might, Roman law, and unfortunately, Roman morality - rules the world. My only beef, and it's admittedly a very personal one, is in her portrayal of Jesus. Disclaimer, and it's a big one, I read the book as I am starting down the road to possibly converting to Catholicism! So her take on The Lord as an unsure, almost autistic/savant kind of man was a bit of a challenge. But that's not bad, I mean it is a work of fiction and it does challenge your assumptions within the context of her plot and imaginary world. So please don't let that stop you from getting and reading the book. I wasn't so put off by that aspect of her work that I am not eagerly waiting for the Book 2 to come out.

A simply wonderful book, a world that feels so real you almost feel like it is simply a plane flight away.Dale has put an exceptional amount of time and effort into dragging modernity back into the first century AD crafting a realistic culture around it.Not just a fun peice of fiction but a subtle critique on Abramatic societies in today's world.Perhaps a little hard to understand for those not familiar with Roman culture Dale nonetheless is able to describe her world throughout the story without resorting to simply explaining to the reader.The Authors note at the end fames the circumstances such a world could have arisen brilliantly and reminds us that of all sad words of mouth or pen, the saddest are these. It might have been.

I'm halfway through this and thoroughly engaged in the story. An interesting premise reflecting on modern society and a comment that history is doomed to repeat itself unless we learn from its lessons.

The question isn't so much WWJD, but what would a modern fluid multi-religious, hedonistic & militaristic state do when confronted with religious zealots who challenge the status quo?