The Morning Light is an idealistic, philosophical novel about a Roman Senator's doomed stand against slavery in the 2nd century B.C. Senator Janus Luminius cautiously compromises in his pursuit of a Roman consulship so that he can enact his cherished reforms. But when Janus gambles everything to prevent the fantasies of an unscrupulous merchant from undermining Rome's economy, he discovers those illusions are far more attractive to the Senate's leadership than his own more civilized dreams.