In a Time Before: A Story of Love, Death and Life in Rome of the 1st and 21st Century

Description

Justice Cory Coffey grew up in Mamau Nora’s home after his parents died in an auto accident. When Mamau passes just before his college graduation, Cory decides not to honor her final wish and give her funds to her beloved charity. Instead, he takes the money to live a little, beginning with a trip to Rome.

Just before flying on this trip of a lifetime, he has a dream during which he is the cause of two young lovers’ death in the Arena. Then, arriving in Italy, he experiences two more equally disturbing nightmares.

In Rome, Cory meets a beautiful young woman named Melissa. She offers to show him around her favorite city beginning the next day. That night he falls asleep and dreams he is in first-century Rome. He finds he owns a slave, also called Melissa, whom the master of the house has often abused.

During his first day in 1st Century Rome, his patron requires him to participate in a political battle in the Forum Romanum. With that event, he begins what becomes a series of nine days in the ancient city, taking place over four calendar months

In between his visits to 1st century Rome, he spends one day back in the 21st Century. While living this day, he and the modern-day Melissa tour the locations he visited during his nighttime life in the ancient city.

At the end of each day in modern Rome, he finds himself returned to Imperial Rome. Then, for one or more days, he lives life as it was for Rome’s wealthy citizens and begins to understand the pain of his slaves’ existence.

Each trip back brings new adventures, some that show the best of the 1st-century Roman civilization. Some fill him with the fear that always hid just beneath the surface of this ancient Imperial world.

At last, unable to deny what is happening, Cory is confused as to why? He begins to wonder if he might free the slaves in the Domus (house) and country villa the individual he replaces every month owns. A volcano, fire, and plague all fit together to help fulfill his plans before his final day in the 1st Century comes to a close.

As his combined stay in modern and ancient Rome ends, Cory discovers he has fallen in love twice.

Additionally, instead of a “self-centered jerk,” as he described his former self, he finds he is developing a new attitude concerning life’s meaning.

An exciting story one reader described as “Excellent and Outstanding.” Another reader indicated she intended to read a chapter or two in the evening before going to bed. Instead, she finally forced herself to put the book down at midnight only to get up at eight a.m. to finish the last pages.

Followers of Lindsey Davis and Stephen Saylor should find this novel a delight to read. So come join Cory and Melissa in 1st and 21 Century Rome.