Harris, Robert: *1957

Imperium, 2006 - Thematic Parallels: Ambition

Harris, Robert: Imperium, 2006
"Imperium" explores themes of power, ambition, and political strategy. The title itself refers to the Roman concept of "imperium," denoting the authority granted to individuals holding certain public offices.
The following books are thematically similar. They lend themselves well to being read in groups, compared with one another, or used to teach a similar topic over an extended period with a class:
- Hosseini, Khaled: A Thousand Splendid Suns, 2007, ~370pp
  This novel involves power struggles and human hardship in a historical and political context.
  - In both novels survival in a corrupt system often means sacrificing ideals, bending rules, or risking personal integrity. Despite being constrained by larger forces, central characters find moments to act decisively, asserting moral courage.
- Moore, Brian: Lies of Silence, 1990, ~210pp
  This novel involves political tension and personal conflict, likely with themes of moral and political complexity.
  - Despite their different historical and cultural contexts, bothnovels explore how individuals—caught in the crosshairs of politics, conflict, and personal struggle—navigate crises where choices are fraught, and silence or inaction can be as damning as formal complicity. They show how political systems—whether through intimidation or rhetoric—shape human behavior and morality.
- Orwell, George: Nineteen Eighty-Four, 1949, ~320pp
  This is a dystopian novel about totalitarian power, surveillance, and state control, dealing with political power dynamics.
  - While Orwell shows the extremes of political power through a terrifying dystopia of mind control and authoritarian domination, Harris reveals the more recognizable—but equally dangerous—machinery of ambition, manipulation, and systemic decay in a democratic republic.
- Shaffer, Peter: The Royal Hunt of the Sun, 1964, ~130pp
  This is a historical play involving power struggles during the Spanish conquest.
  - The stories raise questions about the morality of imperial ambition—whether it is driven by greed, faith, glory, or necessity. Neither character is framed as a purely heroic figure—the audience/reader is left uneasy. Both follow a trajectory of meteoric rise followed by the seeds of decline.
List of general discussion questions on Ambition (pdf)
List of essay prompts on Ambition (pdf)