Customer Reviews

The Tribune

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

The best part of The Tribune is the military detail on the responsibilities of a tribune commanding a regiment of light cavalry in the Roman Near East. The author, Patrick Larkin, also knows how to keep a plot moving. Aside from that I found little of interest in the book. Although the characters wear armor and kill each other with swords and javelins and so on, their mind set and values are almost completely modern. One of the chief pleasures of historical fiction -- a sense that the past was another world, inhabited by people with different morals, assumptions and ways of seeing and thinking -- is totally lacking.
The narrator, Lucius, is stodgy to the point of being wooden. He is also so unconvincingly high-minded as to seem a Christian saint before Christianity. Lucius agonizes endlessly over moral dilemmas, few of which seem likely to have preoccupied a real Roman tribune of cavalry circa 30 A.D.
The most interesting character, the Emperor Tiberius's adopted son Germanicus, disappears in the second half of the novel and dies off stage, and although he has been Lucius's protector and hero his death has next to no impact on the young tribune. None of the issues and people that dominate the first part of the book are at all important by the ending.
The prose is no better than serviceable; the dialogue (here comes that word again) wooden. Larkin's characters are types, not individuals. Lucius, for example, is given a wise older doctor as traveling companion, becomes best buddies with his second-in-command, a stalwart young Gaul, and is aided by a precocious youth, whose role is spoiled brat with a heart of gold.
Worse, characters are divided into good guys and bad guys, with the bad guys really bad and the good guys uncompromisingly good. Readers will not have to strain to decide in which camp the various characters belong. Look in vain for human ambiguity or complexity. One character in particular, the twelve year old, Paulus, is simply unbelievable. His speech and behavior would be far more plausible as a touchy and rather narrow but also highly intelligent and basically decent adult. That, of course, woul ruin the irritating one-to-one Biblical analogy Larkin is at such obvious pains to set up.
The Tribune can't decide what kind of book it wants to be. It starts as a historical novel and ends as rather clumsy propaganda for Christianity. Lucius, for example, is run through by a sword thrust but has his life saved by, no kidding, an actual miracle right out of the New Testament. We are also supposed to believe that God twice speaks directly to Lucius in dreams, influencing the plot. I prefer my historical novels straight, thank you.

I read this book in its entirety on a trans-pacific flight to Tokyo. I didn't want to put it down. Pat Larkin does a brilliant job crafting a suspenseful historical novel. This book is made for the movies. If you enjoy history, or mystery novels, this one is for you.

I have never read anything by Patrick Larkin before, but one of my friends told me about this book and I really enjoyed it. It captured my imagination, kept me guessing until the end, and made me want to read more about this time period since I do not know much about Roman history. This book would also make an excellent movie. I am on the hunt for more books by Patrick Larkin. I really like his writing style.

The Tribune is a murder mystery in ancient Judea. The brilliance of Larkin is that he weaves true historical persons with his fictional characters. This is what makes the Tribune such an unusual book. Most historical novels do not have major interactions with fictional/nonfictional characters. The Tribune has major interactions of this type. Larkin's main character interacts with Caesar Germanicus to Yeshua (Jesus). I can see a great potential for the Tribune turning into a great fictional/historical series like the Sharpe series by Cornwall. The Tribune is a fast, easy, and fun read. I hope Larkin is considering future works with this character in this setting.

I picked up The Tribune in a used bookstore for 80 cents. Although it has an interesting premise, the plot is predictable and the characters completely one dimensional stereotypes borrowed from other books (Turtledove for one). The author seems to have no idea of internal conflict or shades of gray in his characterizations. Heroes are all shiningly good and the villains unutterably evil, with nothing in between. There is a traitor and his identity is painfully obvious from the start, though you are supposed to be shocked and surprised when his revelation is tediously built up over too many pages towards the end of the book (ho hum, yeah, didn't see that coming).

The main characters appear to have modern mindsets and the dialogue in places sounds like it takes place in a modern high school. The writing doesn't convey the feeling of being in a different time, and it becomes apparent that the author hasn't researched the era very well.

As you get towards the end of the book, the story degenerates into a biblical dungeons and dragons quest, complete with sorcery and magical healing. Unfortunately, the battle scenes are incoherent, indicating the author knows in his head what he wants to have happen, but is incapable of putting it down in an intelligible fashion.

If this book was written by a ten year old, I'd say not too bad kid! If by an adult I'd say find another job.

I found this novel to be well-written, and I didn't want to put it down. Interesting plotlines, interesting setting, several interesting characters, I can't wait to see what next the author publishes.

Worth looking for!

Like many I'm busy and rarely have an oportunity to pick up a novel and read for pleasure. This book won't disappoint you. The fast pace will captivate you on many levels.
You will relate to the Tribune's struggle to choose right instead of the less difficult, more profitable wrong, His struggle to do his duty instead of following his heart. A captivating murder mystery with power politics and historical events swirling in the shadows. Can we live by the priciples of "Honor and Truth"?

Truly Intriguing.

How refreshing to read a book that loves its subject and gracefully incorporates color and detail into a rip-snorting adventure story. Very satisfying, a happy addition to the grand tradition. An high-minded young action hero surrounded by neatly drawn secondary characters, lots of intrigue and plot twists, and really excellent action scenes that draw you into the time and place. Yes, the famous Galilean is always there in the background, and the author does a nice job of playing off the tension between what the reader brings and what's on the page. Recommended.

I found the Tribune to be a fascinating story of ancient Rome and an excellent mystery that made it hard to put down. Pat Larkin's well-written story is a visual delight with his vivid descriptions of hard fought battles and murderous plots. This is the type of story that that had me wondering,worrying and cheering on the hero!!!

I stayed up all night because I couldn't put down this exciting book about the adventures of a Roman Tribune with a complicated conscience. Larkin's expertise in Roman military history is as apparent as his skill at weaving together a thrilling mystery. The closer I came to the conclusion, the slower I read because I didn't want to finish it. Ignore the naysayers who seem to have nothing better to do than try to cut down well written original novels--The Tribune is a hit that would make a terrific series. . .Way to go, Larkin!