Margaret George

With the beautiful and cunning Poppaea at his side, Nero Augustus 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...

"New York Times bestselling author Margaret George has brought history to vivid life with her chronicles of queens and kings. Now, she turns her gaze to an Emperor ... Built on the backs of those who fell before it, Julius Caesar's imperial dynasty is only as strong as the next person who seeks to control it. In the Roman Empire no one is safe from the sting of betrayal: man, woman--or child. As a boy, Nero's royal heritage becomes a threat to his...

Lucille, a pet Burmese tortoise, escapes from her home and ends up in the woods, hoping to be rescued and returned to her family. Includes facts about tortoises.

The queen of Egypt and Julius Caesar become devoted to each other and she bears him a child before he is assassinated. In her grief she turns to Marc Antony, a Roman she can trust. Their alliance angers Rome and war is declared on Egypt.