Customer Reviews

Catilina's Riddle

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This new novel by Steven Saylor should really not be fitted under the umbrella of "mystery". It is, specifically, an extensively rich treatise about the politics of the late Roman Republic. There is no real mystery per se within the story, and the discourses of the diverse characters in it, though long, reel us into the vivid truth of roman politics. There's a lot of rhetoric, that science that roman politicians were so famous for, and lots of family life. Gordianus is getting on in years and, with the natural worries and sluggishness that come with being the head of a household, he takes a new dimension in the eyes of the reader. He is, after all, human and vulnerable.

Throughout the novel there is a lot of traveling - it bears mentioning that Gordianus is now a farmer and has retired, as such, to the Etruscan countryside. But just as he starts to settle in, quite a few headless bodies keep turning up in all sorts of places. Gordianus is also challenged when asked a favor from his old employer Cicero, now the Roman Consul. He has to play host to Lucius Sergius Catilina, a patrician of dubious reputation accused of conspiring against the Republic in order to establish himself as dictator absolute. But Gordianus cannot really quite convince himself that Catilina is such an impious character, being so charming, so full of life and, in some cases, of truth. But Catilina is also full of riddles. If only Gordianus could find out the truth...

Once again, the charming character of this ancient detective brings us into a world long gone but at the same time so full of the ideas that shaped our future as mankind. Delight yourself, once more, with a true, colorful story about Ancient Rome.

Saylor gives us another powerful novel in Catilina's Riddle. I took Latin in high school and we studied the Catilinarian conspiracy. I had to memorize the first part of one of the speeches in the book: "Quo usque tandem abutere Catilina patientia nostra..."! I love how Saylor brings these great historical figures to life with his descriptive writing. With each novel in the series we also learn more about and grow to like Gordianus and his family. This novel shows artistry of words and intellectual scholarship together. That combination would seem to be hard to pull off, but Saylor does it well. Like other reviewers, I got a little bogged down at times with the intellectual scholarship, but it's not difficult to plug through. It's worth it to experience the action and revelation at the end. I am an even greater fan now and can't wait to start The Venus Throw.

Catilina's Riddle is an excellent and very different historical novel. As a former history major and student of Latin who loves detective novels, I found Catilina's Riddle compelling.
This novel appears to be another investigation of Gordianus the Finder but it is so much more. The real inquiry in Catilina's Riddle is psychological rather than legal. It presents the historical, political and sociological tussle between the forces of Cicero, noted advocate and orator, and Catilina, a charismatic rebel who seeks control of the Roman republic. The struggles portrayed in the book are carefully researched and written. Saylor mined the speeches of Cicero and Catilina and analyzed many ancient writings of the period to uncover minute details of the events. Most of the activity takes place at or near Gordianus' rural estate, but the events transform the Roman state.

In this novel Gordianus grows in wisdom and self-awareness. His major mission is to function as a host for Catilina and a spy for Cicero. His primary task, however, is learning to understand the elusive Catilina, abide his contentious neighbors, and tolerate members of his own household. Gordianus grapples with his own inward anxieties.
He relocated to an Etruscan farm to escape the pressures and chaos of Rome only to have the struggles follow him. Having uprooted his family he confronts their difficulties adapting to a new culture. City breed, Gordianus anguishes with the administration of a farm.

For a lover of history this is one of the most researched and footnoted historical novels ever written. For those who enjoy mysteries Catilina's Riddle is subtle but engrossing. For anyone who likes studying people and personalities, Saylor's descriptions of characters is intriguing. For people who love puzzles this novel is full of baffling perplexities.

"Catilina's riddle" was an extremely interesting book which kept me interested page by page. The detailed characters allowed me to actually get into the book rather than just read the pages. Gordianus was a very different char. for his time. He treated his family and friends , even slaves, with the respect and love they deserved. He admired everyone until they gave him a reason to lose respect. Although he was somewhat of a smart character, I didnt think the book did a real good job of expressing this. The intro. made him seem extremely smart and somewhat of a detective master. If so then why couldnt he figure out the "headless body" case which was placed practically under his nose. Gordianus seemed to lack strong opinions for his new acquaintances which led him in the direction of first appearance judgements. Catilina "seemed" to be a good char. so Gordianus put full trust in him and even laid down his life to show respect towards him. I believe Gordianus' char. is what kept me interested throughout the book. I never knew what his next move was. He seemed somewhat unpredictable.

"Catilina's Riddle" follows "Arms of Nemesis" in the Sub Rosa Series by Steven Saylor. Yet the two books show numerous differences.

"Arms of Nemesis" featured a son that would not speak, while "Catilina's Riddle" has a son that will not stop talking. "Arms of Nemesis" deals with arms; of war and of squids and of young lovers, while "Catilina's Riddle" deals with the heads of... well that is the mystery. In "Arms of Nemesis" women seduce men with beauty, in "Catilina's Riddle" men seduce other men with power. (This fact might catch unaware those not knowing that Saylor also writes gay erotica under the name of Aaron Travis.)

Still 'Catilina's Riddle" is a good book. Saylor has a veritable silver mine of a series, one that hopefully will keep producing for many more books. Though the rapid aging of the main character from book to book is worrisome, hopefully Saylor will go back and tell us of other adventures of The Finder. Or perhaps one of the sons is going to take over... we await.

Steven Saylor immerses himself too much in the politics of this novel and the book drags. There is not the sense of urgency that is present in his other novels, nor is there a clear-cut plot to follow. The book is still worth reading because it does delve into the political tension of the day. However, Gordinius is tired in this novel -- tired of city life and tired of political scheming. He seeks to protect his family from the schemes of others, but is unable to. If you've read the other Saylor novels read this one -- if only to find out what happens to his family. If you love the political aspects of his books, you'll love this novel. However, if you're reading it for the mystery, skip this book and go directly to Venus Throw where Saylor is back in top form.

This is the second year I have used Catilina's Riddle in my Latin III class. As we translate Cicero and Sallust, this book adds a little levity. Although it's a bit longer than I would like, it's an easy read. Saylor sheds some personality on Cicero, Catiline, and other historical characters in a way that Sallust could not. He pulls translations almost verbatim out of Cicero's "In Catilinam." Students are able to relate more closely to the plight of Catiline. The work even lends itself to some lessons in historiography (i.e., since historians base their perceptions of Catiline primarily on the works of Cicero and Sallust, how do we know what the "real" Catiline was like?). The plot of Gordianus and his misgivings about his inherited farm are secondary, but they keep the story moving along.
I find Saylor's work to lack the passion and insight that some other historical fiction writers seem to conjure. Mary Renault's works, for instance, stand alone. However, I had several students who simply could not put the book down. Anything that inspires a 15-year old to read like that deserves applaud.

This is the third novel in the Gordianus series. In it, Gordianus, disgusted at the political corruption in Rome, moves his family to the countryside, where he expects to find peace and harmony. And escape from the politics of Rome. In reading this book I was reminded of what one of my college professors used to say: "Our problems aren't new: they were all experienced by the Romans." And just as we can't escape to the countryside and leave politics behind, so Gordianus can't, either. The corruption, like an octopus, has its tentacles everywhere. Gordianus's young daughter, Diana, discovers a headless corpse in their "idyllic" country villa, and the murder is tied to the political rivalries in Rome: Cicero versus Catalina. Because Cicero is Gordianus's patron, Gordianus feels he must help Cicero by solving the mystery. An enjoyable read, with situations that, though 2,000 years old, ring true today.

This is one of Steven Saylor's excellent "Gordianus the Finder" series of novels set in Republican Rome. It truly constitutes superb entertainment at several levels. Firstly, this novel is permeated with extremely insightful observations concerning the basic nature of Republican Roman society. We see Rome as a society with certain recognizable features of our own, but still shockingly different from Western culture. Slavery, a rigid class system, a thoroughly corrupt system of justice, and a dysfunctional economic system are among the chronic problems of ancient Rome. This novel explains much of this without boring the reader. To the contrary, Saylor's discussions of Roman society and government are fascinating.

Equally fascinating is the plot of this novel. The story is told in the first person by Gordianus the Finder, who is essentially a professional investigator. Here, Gordianus is asked to do certain favors for Consul of Rome Marcus Tullius Cicero. Specifically, Cicero asks Gordianus to play host to Lucius Sergius Catilina, Cicero's sworn enemy. The reasons are complex, and in this novel Gordianus finds himself becoming enmeshed against his will in violent Roman politics of the highest nature.

This novel moves at a leisurely pace, in common with most or all of the Gordianus the Finder novels. This will put off some readers, but I found myself enjoying every page of the novel. This one is an excellent read, made even better by the fact that the author has something to say. Catilina is a controversial figure in Roman political history and to this day historians argue about whether he was the rogue that Cicero made him out to be. What we see in this novel is that the ruling Roman aristocracy is smothering the middle and lower classes and political change is inevitable. Perhaps Catilina was trying, with many allies, to effect this change. As the "Afterword" in this novel points out, Catilina was the loser and the histories were written by his enemies. Likely we will never fully understand the man or his intentions.

Author Saylor's portrayal of the aristocratic Claudius family is hilarious. Saylor clearly has little use for the Roman upper classes as he believes they existed in late Republican Rome.

The gradual pace of this novel is offset by the fact that it neatly ties up most of its loose ends in a startling and entertaining fashion that most readers will appreciate. Besides being good history, this novel is also excellent storytelling.

Highly recommended. RJB.

Catilina's Riddle is a delightful blend of the historical fiction and "whodunit" murder mystery genres. Saylor takes time in developing complex characters, provoking the marble effigies of toga-clad senators to speak. His book stands as evidence that political intrigue is as ancient as murder. As a mystery it is better than some, though don't expect the plot-twisting mastery of Dame Agatha. As historical fiction, the well- researched novel packs more history per square inch than most novels on the market. It is a good, though lengthy read: recommended.