A book well written with interesting characters, but the story itself is Byzanz at the time of Justianian and Theodora. All you had to do is change the names. I've already read "Ein Kampf um Rom" of Felix Dahn and another one from Gillian Bradshaw and so I know the plot all along. No really new things here. Kay shapes a lot of his books around real history, and I've found them(especially "A Song for Arbonne")wonderful, but this is to much of the old theme with to little differences. I seem to know the whole plot in advance. So only 3 stars ...