One of Harry Turtledove's three best books, right up there with "How Few Remain", and "Over the Wine-dark Sea". HT chose a pseudonym for this one, but fooled no one with it. The story of Justinian II, a Byzantine Emperor who forgot nothing, but may have learned a little bit, by having his reign interrupted by being mutilated and deposed.
But he made a come-back and had his revenge thus setting up another cycle of revenge for vengeance. Still, an interesting book, and engrossing, even though I have a non-fiction account of the same reign. ( )

H.N. Turtletaub is a thinly disguised pseudonym for Harry Turtledove, who writes science fiction and also alternative histories. The Justinian of the title is the second Justinian, who misruled the Byzantine empire in the 9th century. The tale is rich with significant detail, with gory mutilations and graphic sex, and with action. The author imagines an emperor thrown out and mutilated by usurpers, receiving a plastic surgery operation in a backwater of the Black Sea by an Indian itinerant physician, and marrying a princess of the Tartars before concluding his bloody and autocratic rule. Entertaining but a bit slow in parts. ( )

Historical novel based on the life of Justinian II (685-695). Still unread.