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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Perhaps this superb historical novel will be the breakthrough Saylor richly deserves. His previous nine entries in his Roma Sub Rosa series (Roman Blood, etc.) convincingly recreated first-century B.C. Rome through the eyes of a clever and empathetic detective, Gordianus the Finder, whose pursuit of truth has enmeshed him in complicated political intrigues involving such legendary figures as Julius Caesar, Cicero and Pompey. The 10th installment, set in Alexandria, once again features Caesar, now maneuvering between the two rivals for the Egyptian throne, Ptolemy and Cleopatra, in an effort to consolidate his own claim to rule Rome. Gordianus's reputation as an honest fact finder, and his familiarity with the centers of power, make him a valuable asset to all three leaders, even as he grapples with a bitter personal loss. The mystery—the identity of the poisoner who claimed the life of the royal taster and almost killed both Caesar and Cleopatra—is a subplot that appears only late in the book. That the reader is engaged throughout despite this is a compelling testament to Saylor's growth as a writer and to his seemingly effortless ability to imagine characters who feel real. Longtime fans will find the evolution of Gordianus's personal relationships fascinating, but the backstory is not so complex as to bar new readers from entering Saylor's world.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Saylor is certainly among the best history-mystery writers going. Historical mysteries are problematic. Can the writer inform the reader without sounding like a condescending lecturer? Can the writer integrate actual historical figures and happenings convincingly, without burying plot and theme under a too-thick mulch of details? Saylor can in his acclaimed Rome Sub Rosa series: he not only draws the reader into the fully realized, intrigue-filled era of Caesar and Pompey, he does so with grace, wit, and full-throttle suspense. His hero, Gordianus the Finder, is a Roman citizen whom the gods have blessed with the gift of finding people and solving mysteries. The tenth Sub Rosa is a political thriller of the first order. Saylor places Gordianus (who brings his ailing wife to her native Alexandria for a water cure in the Nile) at the convergence of a number of forces in 43 B.C.E.: Caesar has just defeated Pompey in a battle at sea; the boy-king Ptolemy and his sister, Cleopatra, are in a death struggle for the Egyptian throne. Readers will be equally absorbed by the bloody history unfolding (Saylor's description of the beheading of Pompey is both suspenseful and wrenching); by the historical figures depicted (Ptolemy listening to his flute player with the head of Pompey in a clay jar at his feet is a miniature study in royal pathology); and by the mysteries Gordianus must solve to keep his own head. Wonderful reading. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
See all Editorial Reviews
Perhaps this superb historical novel will be the breakthrough Saylor richly deserves. His previous nine entries in his Roma Sub Rosa series (Roman Blood, etc.) convincingly recreated first-century B.C. Rome through the eyes of a clever and empathetic detective, Gordianus the Finder, whose pursuit of truth has enmeshed him in complicated political intrigues involving such legendary figures as Julius Caesar, Cicero and Pompey. The 10th installment, set in Alexandria, once again features Caesar, now maneuvering between the two rivals for the Egyptian throne, Ptolemy and Cleopatra, in an effort to consolidate his own claim to rule Rome. Gordianus's reputation as an honest fact finder, and his familiarity with the centers of power, make him a valuable asset to all three leaders, even as he grapples with a bitter personal loss. The mystery—the identity of the poisoner who claimed the life of the royal taster and almost killed both Caesar and Cleopatra—is a subplot that appears only late in the book. That the reader is engaged throughout despite this is a compelling testament to Saylor's growth as a writer and to his seemingly effortless ability to imagine characters who feel real. Longtime fans will find the evolution of Gordianus's personal relationships fascinating, but the backstory is not so complex as to bar new readers from entering Saylor's world.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* Saylor is certainly among the best history-mystery writers going. Historical mysteries are problematic. Can the writer inform the reader without sounding like a condescending lecturer? Can the writer integrate actual historical figures and happenings convincingly, without burying plot and theme under a too-thick mulch of details? Saylor can in his acclaimed Rome Sub Rosa series: he not only draws the reader into the fully realized, intrigue-filled era of Caesar and Pompey, he does so with grace, wit, and full-throttle suspense. His hero, Gordianus the Finder, is a Roman citizen whom the gods have blessed with the gift of finding people and solving mysteries. The tenth Sub Rosa is a political thriller of the first order. Saylor places Gordianus (who brings his ailing wife to her native Alexandria for a water cure in the Nile) at the convergence of a number of forces in 43 B.C.E.: Caesar has just defeated Pompey in a battle at sea; the boy-king Ptolemy and his sister, Cleopatra, are in a death struggle for the Egyptian throne. Readers will be equally absorbed by the bloody history unfolding (Saylor's description of the beheading of Pompey is both suspenseful and wrenching); by the historical figures depicted (Ptolemy listening to his flute player with the head of Pompey in a clay jar at his feet is a miniature study in royal pathology); and by the mysteries Gordianus must solve to keep his own head. Wonderful reading. Connie Fletcher
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
See all Editorial Reviews
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