Review: Inferno

Conn Iggulden, Inferno, (Michael Joseph, 2026)

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8613921808

The story of an ancient narcissist

A slavegirl breaks a valuable vase belonging to her master Senator Pedanius. In defense of her daughter, her mother kills him.

Elsewhere in the great city, thirty slaves ready the emperor for the day.

By law, all 400 of Pedanius’ slaves must be killed for the crime of one. Nero enforces the ruling. He is divorcing his wife to marry mistress Poppaea. Two decisions unpopular with the plebs. They are chanting her name in the streets, with torches. Nero doubles down; Octavia is banished to Pandateria. Poppaea is a schemer, but we grieve with her when baby Claudia dies.

The king of the Iceni is dead, and the queen’s daughters are screaming. We see the battle for Britannia through Suetonius’ eyes and through Boudicca’s (whom Iggulden names Ymma). But it’s the Great Fire which is exciting. The Fire is deliberately caused by the Christians, in order to fulfil their prophecy of the End Days. Nero personally sets the scapegoats alight in the arena. We meet St Paul and St Peter, and to give us more footage of the Christians, Iggulden makes prefect Burrus a convert.

This Nero is the wanna-be musician, surrounding himself with sycophants who’ll clap for him, but with more power now, he’s become more of a tyrant. Nero’s insistence on the sycophancy goes to extremes; he doesn’t seem to require sincerity. He watches his audience eagerly, in case they register a flicker of inattention to his performances. Vespasian nods off and gets sent to Judaea.

And yet there are moments of strong leadership, before narcissism triumphs. He rises to the occasion of the Great Fire, devoting his own wealth to the relief.

Multiple point of view characters make it interesting and pacey. The writing is gorgeous, and filled with intimate details of ancient Roman life.

This review first appeared in Historical Novels Review.