Extended Review: Helen Dale — Kingdom of the Wicked

Book 1: Rules and Book 2: Order

Note: A short review of Book 1 will appear in the British Fantasy Society Journal (publication date TBC). However, having now read the second, I have decided to produce a thorough review of both books. This review contains mild spoilers for the first book.

Imagine a world where the Roman Empire has undergone an industrial revolution. It has done away with slavery, invented the television, cars and genetic modification. They have maintained their gods, festivals, and many of other traditions, mixing in modern medicine and media. Into all this comes Ben Yusuf, or Jesus as he is generally known, preaching a new way of living and attracting followers in the most unexpected of quarters.

It reads like those very rare but brilliant writing prompts that might appear on a subreddit dedicated to Classicists who write fiction in their spare time. Now it has actually been done, and has had plenty of reviewers picking over the details of how this technologically advanced Rome would work. All of this is very entertaining for Classicists, especially since Rome has played such an important role in our notions of modern ‘Western civilisation’. While examining what might have triggered an industrial revolution in early Imperial Rome might be an entertaining diversion for many a Classicist…