Customer Reviews

A Mist of Prophecies

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Steven Saylor's "Roma Sub Rosa" stories, the adventures of Gordianus the Finder, continues to be one of the very best historical mystery series ever written. Not only is the history accurate (the First Century BCE as the Roman Republic shatters), the characters are three-dimensional and convincing, and the reader cares what happens to them. Often a mystery series will grow tired after several books, the plots becoming predictable and the relationships among the characters increasingly trivial. Not so with the "Roma Sub Rosa" tales. We continue to care about Gordianus the Finder and his family, even as new tensions tear them apart.

"A Mist of Prophecies" takes place against a backdrop of the war between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. Although these two rivals are off stage in this novel, their agents are active in Rome, creating a dangerous urban jungle. And perhaps even more perilous for Gordianus the Finder, the chaos unleashed by the war has prompted others to also grab for power, whatever Caesar and Pompey might do. Into this turmoil steps the beautiful, mad seer Cassandra who proves irresistable to Gordianus, beset by financial ruin, family discord, and the mysterious illness of his wife.

As much as I like this novel, I must discourage readers unfamiliar with Saylor's books from beginning with "A Mist of Prophecies." This is a series where the characters grow and their relationships evolve. So, start with "Roman Blood" and go through the rest in chronological order. And when you finish "A Mist of Prophecies," then you can wait with me for the next!

Saylor's latest offering is remarkably different to the rest of the Sub Rosa series. The format, the prose-style, the characterisation and the historical basis move well away from the preceding set.
Indeed this is the first of the novels that doesn't directly use a 'mystery' set in actual fact. At the time of the novel Caesar was about to meet Pompey at Pharsalus in 48 and Saylor only uses the references to the relatively unstable calm to place a date for this mystery. There is some dragging of historical 'fact' of the praetor Caelius in this year before Caesar's dictatorship and in some respects the tired old man ambience that permeates the entire book could be seen as echoing the sudden death of the Republic.
The book takes the form of alternating chapters set in the present, as Gordianus investigates the poisoning of the ex-troupe artist/seer 'Cassandra' and the past with a series of snapshots of Gordianus' interactions with her. The denouement is reversed, actually taking place at the beginning of the novel with the mundus (Saylor actually gives some subtle direction as to where the guilty party lies) and then moves on to explain what happened.
As in most of Saylor's novels it is the motive that is of utmost importance, that and Gordianus' relationship to both deceased and affiliators. We see a man struggling to accept his age and he changing times he lives in. His relationships and his reality are laid open bare to see.
I suspect that Meto will make a 'return' to good graces in the future, Davus is broadly hinted at as possessing acute mental faculties and the continuance of Hieronymous is excellent. Bethseda's illness neatly places a sense of pathos into the proceedings.
So, the novel: very different, as excellent as ever. However, you can't help wondering what is going to happen to the Sub Rosa series as time continues to pass for Gordianus.

In the hotbed of intrigue that is Rome in 48 BC, Caesar is away chasing Pompey in their struggle for Empire, the populous is divided in their allegiances and life goes on. The wives, daughters, lovers and family members of the power brokers of Rome are all caught up in this most recent tale of Gordianus the Finder. It is a departure from the last two books in the Roma Sub Rosa series that concentrated on political maneuverings and military operations, now returning to a more "human" centered tale involving the women of Rome; giving a face to historical figures that went without more than casual mention in the histories written by men, for men, about men.

This is probably Steven Saylor's most non-linear novel to date. It weaves back and forth through the events surrounding the murder of his latest case, who also happens to be his mistress. The story telling has been taken to a new level in this novel, and Steven Saylor deserves the highest accolades for his work here. Am I being too enthusiastic? I think not. A truly wonderful tale that is highly recommended.

While Caesar and Pompey are in Greece preparing for the ultimate showdown of their civil war, Rome is in dire straits under its Caesar-appointed custodians. Food is in short supply and the economy has all but collapsed with soaring inflation and a population deeply in debt (including Gordianus). Utter chaos could ensue at any moment as several opportunists exploit Rome's weakness to gain power for themselves. As if things weren't bad enough, Gordianus' wife Bethesda has fallen under a mysterious ailment that threatens to be fatal. Gordianus and his family are in the Forum seeking food (and hopefully a cure for Bethesda) when the beautiful but obviously deranged woman called "Cassandra" (for her alleged gift of prophecy), runs to Gordianus and collapses in his arms telling him before she dies that she has been poisoned by another woman. It turns out that Cassandra and Gordianus were not strangers. They were, in fact, secret lovers. (Yes, at his age!) Since Cassandra was a beggar with no relatives, Gordianus gives her a funeral. To his surprise, seven of the richest, most powerful women in Rome (including the wives and mistresses of Caesar, Cicero and Mark Antony) come to watch her body burn. Gordianus is sure that one of them is the murderer. Keeping his grief secret, Gordianus tries to identify the killer, as he is drawn deeper and deeper into Cassandra's complex world. Who exactly WAS Cassandra? Where did she come from? Why was she there? Was she a genuine seeress? A clever actress? A spy? Or all of the above? If she was a spy, who was she working for and why?

A MIST OF PROPHECIES is a more conventionally "Agatha Christie" structured mystery than the previous volumes: a murder is committed, the suspects identified and then interviewed to discover the killer's identity. I was sure I had correctly guessed the murderess and her motivation at the end of Chapter 13, but I was wrong! Once again, what really makes the novel worthwhile are the colorful details of daily life in the Roman Empire. This book doesn't have the depth that some of the previous volumes have (e.g., THE VENUS THROW), but it's one of the faster-paced entries in this series and a lot of fun. At this point, there is only one more volume in this series after this book. I really don't want it to end! But A MIST OF PROPHECIES hints at the intriguing prospect of Gordianus' daughter Diana and her husband Davus entering the family business as a team. So maybe it won't be over!

"Mist of Prophecies" is the latest installment of Steven Saylor's Sub-Rosa series. Immediately it is one of his best and most enjoyable works to date. The book is good enough to be read on it's own but is best enjoyed by checking out the previoius 2 novels, "Rubicon" and "Last Seen In Massalia", (Checkout the great review by the reviewer Booksforabuck.) Changed by the vicissitudes of time, we see our protagonist, Gordianus the Finder older and more worldly and confronted with the tragic death of his intriguiging lover Cassandra. A seeress of unknown origin who dies in his arms and who's prophecies were urgently sought after by some of Rome's leading matrons. At the funeral, no one attends except the very same group of women observing the funeral rite from a discrete distance. Here is an excellent view at the behind-the-scenes look at the feminine Roman mindset. There are numerous flashbacks that reveals the plot and Gordianus' state of mind in an interesting way that is at once personal and prosaic. Notice, as we age it is natural to reminisce and Gordianus does that in a such a way to make his dilemma of loss and pain all the more real and convincing. Looking back at the past plots from the earlier books (makes you want to re-read, the Venus Throw and Murder On The Appian Way), brings Mist of Prophecies in sharp focus to the state of affairs in Rome, (the fall of the Republic) and the rise of Ceasar.

The similarities between ancient Rome and our world and are so close that there is much to consider; economic upheavals with a poplulation deep in debt, war, rogue politicians causing trouble and plenty of grandstanding and intrigue to keep you awake at night. A must read. Enjoy!

Mr. Saylor once again creates a masterpiece that allows that individual not familiar with the history of Roman Empire to slip through time and experience a fascinating culture. Mr. Saylor's offering to his readers is not only on par with the excellent standards he established for himself in previous works in this genre but exceeds the expectations of his readers. One experiences the sights, the smells, the thrill of political intrigue, the desperation of a man advancing into years and trying to convince himself that he is, if not the man he once was, not the elderly individual he believes others see him. If I taught a course in this time period, I would want to use one of Saylor's novels for supplemental material. He is concise and historically accurate and a pleasure to read.

The reader should be aware that this novel is a change of pace from Rubicon and Last Seen in Massilia: there's far less action. Gordianus investigates a young woman's murder by questioning the handful of people who attended her funeral; there is danger, but most of it is associated with rioting crowds in the Forum.

The structure of the novel is inspired. Chapters recounting the investigation alternate with chapters in which Gordianus recalls successive encounters he had with the young woman--all memorable because newsworthy events were taking place at the same time. Bit by bit, we see a political crisis play out, even as we learn more about the enigmatic victim...and our old friend Gordianus. It's all tied together in a highly satisfying conclusion, with a surprise development that left this reader panting for the next book.

I do have some quibbles with Saylor's portrayal of Gordianus's family. He describes their home life in some detail, yet never mentions daughter Diana's little son. Two novels ago, son-in-law Davus couldn't swim; in the last novel he had to and did--which might have been believable. But now he's an apparently strong swimmer, taking a dip in the Tiber for pleasure. Gordianus muses about his son Eco, and Eco's wife Menenia, having said things that seem out of character. That might be explainable. But he also reflects that Menenia and his own wife Bethesda have never gotten along; that's totally inconsistent with what we've read before.

Gordianus the Finder is accosted in the marketplace by a beautiful young woman. She staggers towards him and dies in his arms. The woman is known as Cassandra by many, but this is not her real name, but a name given by the people who believed she had the true gift of prophecy. lots of people would pay handsomely for this gift, others would do anything in their power to supress it. Cassandra has had the ear of some of the most influential people in Rome, people who would stop at nothing . . .

Obsessed with Cassandra's death Gordianus sets out to investigate. What he uncovers has serious implications concerning some of the most important women in Rome and puts Gordianus in serious danger of losing his own life.

Saylor brings the sights, sounds and smells of Ancient Rome to life yet again, surely this is how it must have been.

"A Mist of Prophecies" was a disappointment. Granted, it was an above average novel, but it had the potential to be much more.

The novel opens in Rome in 48 BC when the city is in tumult and the city government is hard pressed to maintain basic law and order. There is an alleged prophetess who goes under the name of Cassandra and who like her Trojan namesake is widely believed to be able to forsee the future. However, she is poisoned and detective Gordianus the Finder decides to try to figure out who's responsible for the dirty deed.

So far, so good. However, the plot unravels from there. Gordianus decides that the killer must have been one of the seven prominent women who went to Cassandra's funeral although it is not clear on what basis he makes that determination.

One problem with mystery novels set in past historical times is that the detectives are invariably private citizens who do not have any legal power to compel folks to talk to them. Nor do they have any sort of investigator's license to give them legitimacy. So, the authors of these novels generally have the suspects answer just about every question put to them by the hero except the one that would establish who done it. When a suspect refuses to answer a particular question, you know right then and there that this person is either guilty or a red herring.

In the case of "A Mist Of Prophecies," the reader can figure out who the villainess is early on in the book since the author, Steven Saylor, failed to establish a plausible red herring. The guilty party in this novel just about did everything possible to make it easy for Gordianus to determine her guilt so much so that she might as well as gone around in public with a target painted on her back.

While the mystery part is weak, the historical part is the novel's strength. The reader learns a lot about Roman history during this important time period in a way that holds the reader's interest. Additionally, the novel is well written and has richly drawn characters.

Overall, I give it 3 out of 5 stars, but it could have been so much better.

This latest Gordianus the Finder murder mystery novel is far more somber in tone, slighty slower in pace, and is a little convoluted in the telling than previous ones. So if you're looking for a Gordianus installment that is in keeping with "Roman Blood" and "Murder on the Appian Way," you might be in for a disappointment. I'm a staunch fan and am a real addict for the series, so that my lauding of this latest Gordianus novel can be seen as a personal bias. I liked this book quite a bit. The mood and the tone reflects Gordianus's state of mind completely -- his fears for what the current political upheaval could mean for Rome and her people; his anxiousness over his wife's ill health and their financial woes, and his apprehension over his estrangement with his son, Meto. Tying all these emotions together is his fascination for the mysterious young seeress, Cassandra, and his guilt over his feelings for her. The backdrop to all this emotional angst is the power struggle that is going on between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and the anxiety that everyone feel as they anxiously await the results of this conflict.

"A Mist of Prophecies" opens with the funeral of the mysterious, Cassandra, a young woman who had the uncanny ability to foresee the future. But who exactly Cassandra is and where she hails from is a mystery, for Cassandra seems to have suffered from a form of amnesia. And one day, while Gordianus is shopping at the market with Bathsheba (his wife) and Diana (his daughter), Cassandra bursts upon them much agitated. She collapses in Gordianus's arms and dies after claiming that she has been poisoned by a woman. Because Cassandra has no family (and because, it is hinted here, of his relationship with her) Gordianus decides to foot the bill for her funeral. He also privately resolves to investigate her death. And at her funeral, Gordianus gets his first intimation of just how high Cassandra flew, for seven of Rome's most prominent women from rather important and powerful families attend her funeral. And they include Terentia (Cicero's wife) and her sister, Fabia (a Vestal Virgin); Antonia (Mark Anthony's wife); Fausta (the tyrant Sulla's daughter, who is also the wife of Milo, leader of the rabble); Calpurnia (Caesar's wife); and Clodia (the disgraced sister of Publius Clodius). Perhaps the mysterious 'she' that Cassandra referred to is one of these seven women? Grappling with his grief and anxiety, Gordianus begins his determined search for Cassandra's murderess, an investigation that is steeped in a danger all of its own as Gordianus begins poking and prying into the affairs of these rich and powerful women...

As I noted this mystery unfolds at a more sedate pace than previous Gordianus mysteries and in a more circular manner as well, as chapters dealing with the investigation are juxtaposed with Gordianus's memories of when he first saw Cassandra and how they met. I suppose that one could describe this novel as a tender elegiac to Cassandra -- an old man's tender memories of the young woman he cared for. I liked the book for it's poignancy and it's tenderness. I also liked this novel because I thought that it belonged to the female characters of this mystery -- to Cassandra and Diana (who seems to understand what it is her father is going through even if she does not approve), and to the seven patrician women who may hold the key to the mystery of who murdered Cassandra and why. Of course we're only really treated to a thumbnail sketch of these women, but it did make for fascinating reading to read of the wives and daughters of the men who made Rome tremble and shake. I loved "A Mist of Prophecies" and fairly devoured it in one go. Steven Saylor did a fantastic job of getting the feel and mood of Rome (at that particualr time) right, as well as informing and relating to us the political realities of the period. "A Mist of Prophecies" is a wonderful read, and one that (in my opinion) should not be missed.