"This vivid historical novel" of the seventh-century Roman emperor "puts the reader by his side as he governs . . . with an iron hand and a bloody sword" ( Publishers Weekly ). Harry Turtledove has won numerous awards and countless fans for his alternate history novels. Now, writing as H.N. Turteltaub, he draws on his expertise as a leading Byzantine scholar to present a tale of intrigue, treachery and passion that is startlingly true to historical fact. In Justinian , a monk uncovers the candid, vividly detailed journal of the infamous Byzantine emperor Justinian II. It reveals the epic story of his life, from assuming the throne at sixteen to Barbarian threats at the frontiers and nefarious plots inside Constantinople. After being overthrown, mutilated and exiled, Justinian mounts an unlikely return to power—and pursues revenge with legendary brutality. "Electrifying . . . An artfully styled narrative and painstaking attention to historical detail vivify this mesmerizing account of one of history's most remarkable rulers." — Booklist