CAESAR COMES ALIVE Arthur Paone, a retired attorney living in Belmar, NJ, with his wife of 34 years, has taken a memorable period in the history of Western civilization and brought it alive on the page for the modern reader in a vivid and completely engaging narrative. The reader will find quite caught up in it, and enjoy both the story and the refresher course on this critical period in Roman history, as Paone stays close to known historic facts. Most impressive is his skillful treatment of his principle protagonist, Julius Caesar. Considering his legendary status in western history, and the fact that books about him would fill a large library, developing him as a quasi-fictional character was a risky and courageous undertaking. But Paone pulled it off, and he did it with style. Caesar truly comes alive here as an understandable and very human individual. Paone shows Caesar as a civic leader, a politician, a husband and lover, a father, a military strategist, and as a hero and a visionary. But he does even more than this. He also shows us, in a most persuasive way, the emotional, intellectual, and moral qualifies that made him such a legendary figure; that made him that rare and extraordinary human being whose accomplishments would live on for many centuries beyond his own relatively short life. The reader will come away from this actually understanding the man Caesar, and also how he achieved his greatness. The supporting actors, Cicero and Cleopatra, likewise come alive for the reader. The story also has a robust contemporary echo. The popular reformer who threatens the entrenched interests of the privileged elite certainly has powerful echoes in today's poisonous political environment. It is no small accomplishment on Paone's part to be able to capture the essence of such an extraordinary character and get it down on the page in narrative form in such a believable and engaging way. "Caesar truly comes to life on the battlefield: at the battles of the Nile and Zela, he brilliantly outmaneuvers his enemies." Kirkus Reviews "Mr. Paone certainly succeeds in telling his story from a unique perspective. . . . It is also remarkable how the scenes are vividly described so that I can almost imagine Caesar on top of his white horse during one of his many great battles. This is a book that shows him as a real human being in spite of his extraordinary life. I recommend this to readers of all ages." Reviewed by Maria Beltran for Readers Favorite "This fictional biography portrays Julius Caesar as a brilliant military leader and strategist . . . . Caesar truly comes to life on the battlefield: at the battles of the Nile and Zela, he brilliantly outmaneuvers his enemies. . . . A lot of history packed into a short novel." Kirkus Reviews " Caesar, Cicero & Cleopatra is a great historical novel. . . . Paone brings Caesar and his contemporaries to life in this novel. We get an inside look at the thinking of the great man, based on real historical research. . . . [Paone's] perceptions of iconic characters like Pompey . . . and others who have come down to us through history books ring true yet fresh. . . . Mr. Paone has that rare gift of being able to make history come alive for the reader and in Caesar, Cicero & Cleopatra he brings the ancient world to us and lets us visit it for a while." Ray Simmons for Readers' Fa vorite "Author Arthur J. Paone brings to life some of the most iconic historical figures of ancient times . . . . [His story] shows a very human Caesar, with more elaboration on his passions and intellectual pursuits as well as details that point to his exceptional leadership and brilliant military strategies. . . . The author's cleverness in making ancient history current and readable gives me characters that I am willing to root for even if I know what the invitational outcome will be. This is a work of historical fiction that makes history accessible." - Celina Cuardo for Bookideas “. . . . Though this is strictly speaking a work of fiction, the bulk of the story is rooted in fact, has plenty of research behind it, and even includes quoted speeches by Cicero. . . . Readers will see Caesar as a contemplative, intellectual, compassionate man, with a black sense of humor and a motivation not to cement his own legacy, but to make Rome as great as it could possibly become. . . . . Aside from being a quality read, the author has created a tale that is still politically relevant as it is historical . . . . The balance of fact and fiction make this book fascinating and engaging simultaneously, bringing a man over 2,000 years old new life after so many years. . . .” Review by Michael Radon for The US Review of Books I have written and self-published other books, but this is my first fiction. The others were politically oriented or agenda driven. But this one was a pure pleasure in drowning myself in the historical facts that we know; untangling the contradictions that have come do