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Editorial Review:
Steven Saylor's seventh instalment in his Roma Sub Rosa series begins with a character saying, "Pompey will be mightily pissed." Scholars might argue that there is no evidence of this particular synonym for anger ever being used in 49 BC, but the author would no doubt respond that poetic license includes doing whatever it takes to bridge the gap for modern audiences. And indeed, the head of the Roman Senate is mightily pissed. Rome is on the verge of another civil war and the forces of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony have crossed the Rubicon River and are marching toward the capital. To top it all off, one of Pompey's favourite cousins has been garrotted to death.
Before Pompey flees the city, he asks Rome's greatest detective, Gordianus the Finder, to solve the murder. But Pompey has reason to distrust Gordianus, who may have an allegiance with Caesar. To force his loyalty, Pompey seizes the detective's son-in-law and makes him join his household army. By doing so, he ensures that Gordianus's involvement in the coming conflict will be a very personal one. Confused and troubled, Gordianus walks through Rome toward the house of his former friend and mentor, the poet Cicero. "All around me, I felt the uneasiness of the city, like a sleeper in the throes of a nightmare." Awakening from the nightmare, surviving the chaos and solving this whodunit will be the Finder's toughest battle yet. --Dick Adler
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Pacy and tense - a very good read Another cracking book in this series, with a shocking twist near the end. Shorter than his others, but very pacy and tense, so no worse for that (one or two have felt a bit padded).
Another Terrific Read
Steven Saylor's fascination with Ancient Rome began in his childhood. A history graduate and former newspaper and magazine editor, he lives in Berkeley, California. His series of books about Ancient Rome and featuring Gordianus the Finder are extremely popular both here in England and also in America. Anyone who is a fan of Lindsey Davis will love these books too. The armies of Caesar are marching on Rome, an act that is unthinkable in the history of the great City. Pompey and the whole of the... more info
The Seventh Book in a Great Series Steven Saylor's fascination with Ancient Rome began in his childhood. A history graduate and former newspaper and magazine editor, he lives in Berkeley, California. His series of books about Ancient Rome and featuring Gordianus the Finder are extremely popular both here in England and also in America. Anyone who is a fan of Lindsey Davis will love these books too. The armies of Caesar are marching on Rome, an act that is unthinkable in the history of the great City. Pompey and the whole of the senate... more info
Good but not his best Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series is one of the best of the current crop of detectives in the ancient world. His mission is to plot the decline and fall of the Roman Republic from around 80BC to 40BC, through the life of one man - Gordianus the Finder - and his family. Gordianus ages from 30 to 70 during the process -- which is quite a novel step for a whodunnit character (most of them either seem to age not at all, or do so very slowly). So to get the best out of them, you really do need to read them... more info
