Overview
a.d. 66: Having been falsely implicated in a plot to assassinate the emperor Nero, Titus Petronius has a choice: await the executioner at dawn, or die a noble Roman death by his own hand. Deciding that his will be a suicide like no other the world has ever seen, he summons a small circle of intimate friends to his magnificent villa on the enchanting Tyrrhenian coast of southern Italy. There, over the course of a balmy autumn's night, Petronius throws the party of a lifetime. As they feast on course after course of the most sumptuous and exotic fare the empire has to offer, his guests are expressly forbidden to dwell on the imminent tragedy; instead, they are enjoined to sing, eat, drink, and celebrate. But as his life dwindles to a few precious hours, Petronius himself cannot shake off the ghosts of his past or his regret over mistakes that can no longer be set right. With the fateful dawn approaching, he recalls the great love affair of his life, and his years as Nero's "Arbiter of Elegance." Not until the very end will he bequeath his magnum opus, The Satyricon, to posterity.
Exquisitely written and profoundly moving, The Uncertain Hour is a vivid portrait of life in ancient Rome and a gripping entrée into the mind of a great man during his final hours.
Editorials
From Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble Discover Great New WritersIn A.D. 66, the guests at Titus Petronius' villa on the coast of southern Italy have yet to realize that they're attending the party of a lifetime. The most sumptuous fare, the finest wine, and the most dazzling entertainment are theirs to enjoy. But the celebration their host has planned is far from merely festive. Former consul, provincial governor, and legion commander, Petronius has been falsely implicated in a plot to assassinate the emperor Nero and faces two choices. He can appear before the executioner at dawn or go the way of the Romans and die by his own hand. But between his last sunset and his final sunrise, he intends to throw a party far more magnificent than any the Empire has ever seen, and to remain with his guests as long as possible.
While course after course is served and wine glasses are refilled, Petronius forbids his guests to speak of his imminent demise. But as dawn approaches and the celebration winds down, Petronius is haunted by the memory of friendships forged, mistakes he made -- and his greatest love. An intimate exploration of one of history's great men in his final hours, Browner's moving novel is also a teeming portrait of ancient Rome, full of exquisitely rendered revelations, both timeless and universal. (Fall 2007 Selection)
Publishers Weekly
This engaging historical novel opens in A.D. 66, with Roman aristocrat Titus Petronius planning his suicide. Emperor Nero has falsely implicated him in an assassination plot, and the high-born Petronius prefers suicide to dishonor. Setting his affairs in order, he organizes an elaborate banquet for his close friends before he retires to his quarters to open his veins. Between sumptuous courses, elevated conversation and bawdy verse, Petronius muses on his past, and philosophical reflections on the meaning of life accompany a string of flashbacks, many of which detail the former governor's romance with a centurion's wife, Melissa Silia. Reviewing his career, Petronius realizes more attention to his mistress and less to the temptations of ambition would have avoided this disaster. Meanwhile, at the banquet, the grief of a young friend who cannot accept Petronius's refusal to flee to safety threatens to spoil the mood. Browner (Turn Away) has done his homework, and his meticulous description of a Roman banquet and its attendant rituals, as well as his account of first-century Roman politics, letters and even clothing styles, is immediately immersive. Browner creates with considerable skill a snapshot of Roman life—and death. (June)
Copyright 2007 Reed Business InformationLibrary Journal
This latest work from novelist and translator Browner (Turnaway) is based loosely on the life of Titus Petronius Niger, author of The Satirycon. Petronius has been falsely accused of betraying the emperor Nero and has decided to throw a grand dinner party and then commit suicide to avoid an impending death sentence. The entire novel takes place on the evening of this party, which results in a very slow pace and plenty of space for dull, unimportant details and flat and clichéd prose. While the characters might have historical importance, they do not hold the attention of the reader, who can't develop a real bond with Petronius or his friends or worry much about the unjust death looming ahead. Even in describing Petrnius's overtly caring acts, the novel still feels hollow. Not recommended.
—Shalini Miskelly