Rubicon

Roma Sub Rosa #7

by Steven Saylor

A story of murder and double-cross during the Roman Civil War puts Gordianus the Finder in a tough spot when Pompey takes his son-in-law hostage, and Gordianus must prove that his son, who works for Pompey's enemy Caesar, did not kill Pompey's beloved cousin to save both their lives. Tour.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Crime, Roman

276 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Steven Saylor is the author of the long running Roma Sub Rosa series featuring Gordianus the Finder, as well as the New York Times bestselling novel, Roma and its follow-up, Empire. He has appeared as an on-air expert on Roman history and life on The History Channel.

Saylor was born in Texas and graduated with high honors from The University of Texas at Austin, where he studied history and classics. He divides his time between Berkeley, California, and Austin, Texas.

Reviews

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My sixth in the Roma Sub Rosa historical mystery series and revolving around Gordianus the Finder, a private detective. The story is set in ancient Rome in January of the Year of Rome 705 (49 B.C. to us).

Chronologically, it's MY sixth and Saylor's seventh because the technical sixth, The House of the Vestals , is a collection of short stories that I've slotted in chronologically on my website.

My Take
It's another pip of a story from Saylor, and yet I'd also call it a bridge novel. For all the action in Rubicon, it's more of a set-up for the next story arc in this series with Meto's betrayal and Numerius' blackmail. That's my guess anyway, and it's been driving me mad to read the next story to find out what's going on. I know it has something to do with Massilia (in Gaul) and Caesar's troops, if only because the next book in the series is called Last Seen in Massilia .

Pompey has compiled an interesting assessment of Gordianus and his family. One can read his disdain, curiosity, and a bit of envy for Gordianus in the report, as well as his doubts about this "most honest man in Rome". They are doubts that Gordianus will believe about himself by the end, although I think he's being too hard on himself.

Hmmm, Gordianus wonders if Publius Clodius' murder in A Murder on the Appian Way , 5, was the "true beginning of civil war". Reading these whys that Gordianus raises got me to thinking about our own political system and the wreckage of ordinary people's lives due to politicians being so insulated from real life. There are some nasty parallels between Rome's rise and fall and our own rise…and coming fall. Those who do not pay attention to history are doomed to repeat it. I'd hope we were smart enough to pay attention.

Whew, that is some rumor running around about Meto. I'm not quite sure why Romans are so shocked. Aren't the Romans known for sampling both sexes?

I do enjoy this series. Saylor has created a realistic world of ancient Rome. I can feel so much of what happens, as though I were walking the streets of Rome and the roads of Italy. The character interaction is also a treat. The political machinations, the greed, the everyday conversation, the meals, and more will pull you into this world. In many ways, this would be a fabulous way to teach kids about Rome, by making it real, drawing parallels between home life now and then.

The Story
It's a disaster. Someone has, somehow, assassinated a cousin of Pompey. In Gordianus' atrium! And Pompey is forcing Gordianus to investigate his death.

It's useless for Gordianus to protest that he retired a year ago. Pompey refuses to listen and forces Davus to join his army as a goad for Gordianus to "do his duty".

It's racing through frenemy lines, being captured, saving pranksters, stealing through siege lines, and surviving death.

The Characters
Gordianus the Finder is 61 now and retired as a private investigator a year ago. Bethesda is Gordianus' wife. Diana, their daughter, fell in love with Davus, a former slave and bodyguard to Pompey, and who is now Gordianus' son-in-law. He's…not too bright and is tasked with protecting the household. They have a son, Gordianus and Bethesda's grandson, Aulus.

Eco is Gordianus' oldest adopted son and married with children. He has taken over Gordianus' investigative business. Menenia is his wife and they have twin eleven year olds: Titania and Titus. Meto, a genius with letters, is Gordianus' youngest adopted son and currently with Caesar in the field as his literary adjutant.

Mopsus and Androcles are household slaves Gordianus acquired in A Murder on the Appian Way . Cicatrix is the garlic-eating bodyguard Pompey leaves for Gordianus in place of Davus.

The army of Julius Caesar has…
…crossed the Rubicon River with his troops. Marc Antony is one of Caesar's tribunes. Curio is another tribune and a friend of Antony's. Some say he is more than a friend. Engineer Marcus Vitruvius is tasked with closing the harbor mouth at Brundisium. Marcus Otacilius is the cohort commander Gordianus and Tiro meet along the mountain path.

Pompey's army is…
…in Brundisium. Pompey, a.k.a., the Great One (ego much?) is drawing Caesar's army away from Rome. Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, a.k.a., Redbeard, one of Pompey's generals, was supposed to replace Caesar as governor of Gaul. Now he and Pompey are at odds over where and what to defend. Engineer Magius has boobytrapped Brundisium. Scribonius is one of Pompey's officers.

Numerius Pompeius, a second generation or so cousin to Pompey, is one of his favorites. Maecia, Numerius' mother, is the very model of a Roman matron. She'll tell you so. The unwed Aemilia is the daughter of Titus Aemilius and pregnant with Numerius' child. Soscarides the Alexandrian is a philosopher who met with Numerius.

Cicero is an old, sometimes friend of Gordianus' who is self-righteous, smug, and peevish (we first met him in Roman Blood , 1). Terentia is his wife; Tullia is his pregnant daughter married to Dolabella, Caesar's man, and Marcus is his younger son. Tiro is his faithful slave and secretary, currently sick in Greece. Fortex is one of the guards Cicero left behind.

Lentulus and Marcellus are the new consuls of Rome, both of whom are fleeing Rome. The Salacious Tavern is an out-of-the-way drinking establishment. Ipsithilla is one of its whores and was there six years ago when Gordianus first walked into the tavern.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a classic Roman wall: a deep, deep lapis lazuli wall framed out in a huge panel of two warships doing battle with one ship burning up in a huge fire and sending a column of dense smoke into the orange sky.

The title finds that Caesar has crossed the Rubicon, the northern boundary of Rome proper. It's treason for an army to cross it. Today, crossing the Rubicon is an idiom meaning that one has passed a point of no return.

[Read By Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first six of these books were fun, but the mystery aspect was always pretty lacking,which is a glaring flaw in a mystery book. But damn if the mystery in this book didn't completely surprise and shock me. Well done all around. Plus, just by the name of the book alone, you can guess what time period of Roman history this is taking place during; and the Caesar-Pompey drama was great here. Plus, Tiro had a big role again, and Tiro is great.

[Kyo · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 / 5 stars

Mehh.. This book turned out to be a disappointment to me.

I really love the Roma Sub Rosa series, because I love the Antiquity and detectives. Just like the other books, this book begins with a mysterious murder and Gordianus tasked with solving it.

Throughout this whole book there seemed to be more political stuff going on than actual detective work. While that's great if it's encompassed in the mystery (see A Murder on the Appian Way for instance), it felt really disconnected here. The murder and the political turmoil that's happening seem not really woven together. Don't get me wrong: Roman politics interest me greatly, but when I want to read a mysterious murder mystery, I want a book to be about the murder and the act of solving it, not the surrounding political problems that may (slightly) play into it.

So, not my favourite book of the series, but I was still planning to give it 3 or 3.5 stars. That definitely changed during the so-called "plot-twist"
this was me:

the idea that Gordianus had done it himself and that he was an unreliable narrator was so incredibly far-fetched to me; it just seemed like Saylor had to find a way to encompass mystery in another book he'd already written about the beginning of Rome's civil war .

All with all, definitely not my favourite book in the series (probably even the least favourite).

Happy reading!

[Inês Beato · Rating 4 out of 5]

Não sei explicar a razão porque gosto tanto dos livros de Steven Saylor e o porquê de Gordiano ser, neste momento, o meu herói preferido, com todos os seus defeitos e manias.

Não se tratam certamente de obras primas e a escrita não é nada de excepcional (não é má, atenção, Saylor tem uma escrita até bastante elegante), mas têm essencialmente uma magia e uma capacidade singular de me transportar para o mundo do império romano, fazer-me sentir que estou a passear pelas ruas de Roma, seja no monte Palatino ou na Subura, ou a fazer compras nos seus mercados ou a habitar as suas casas. É fantástica a forma realista e direta como Saylor passa a mensagem e nos dá a conhecer história, interligando-a com ficção.

Neste livro em concreto, o pano de fundo é o Rubicão e o início da guerra civil entre Júlio César e Pompeu. Aqui já encontramos um Gordiano nos seus 60 anos, mais frágil e fraco, mas que, ainda assim, com a sua inteligência e perspicácia, consegue levar a sua avante.

Uma série excelente, que me viciou por completo! Para continuar a acompanhar com todo o entusiasmo.

[Mary Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best yet. Don't want to give away too much but this book completely floored me. Gordianus (now 62) is now virtually retired but on the day we meet him again he is in trouble. There is a dead body in his garden and worst of all the Dead man is a relative of Pompey the Great. As if things could not get any worse before Gordianus can send word to Pompey the Great man himself arrives at his house with an armed escort. Pompey insists that Gordianus investigate and find out who murdered his cousin and to ensure Gordianus complies he takes as a hostage Davos, Gordianus son in law. Now all.of.Rome knows Ceasar has crossed the Rubicon and is marching on Rome so the worst place for Davis to be is next to Pompey serving as one of his bodyguards added to which the fact that Gordianus son Meto is still a close confidant of Caesars means that he is not fully trusted by either side (both faction fear he may be a spy). Worst of all Rome is in turmoil, everybody who can is fleeing and Gordianus has no good of being able to.find anyone with any knowledge of the murder..................................

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, although these books are becoming less about the actual mystery and more about describing the historical events taking place. I enjoy that, because I can't get enough of the late Roman Republic, but those reading this just for the murder mystery might be disappointed. I enjoyed how well Saylor put me into the times of the great struggle between Caesar and Pompey.

[Mary JL · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rated this a four instead of a three because it seemend more intense to me.

Usually Gordianus is out risking his own neck; but with civil war approaching, everyone he knows and loves may be in danger.

In a previous book, Gordianus worked for Pompey the Great. So, if Ceasar wins, he may not trust Gordianus. But Gordianus' son, Meto, is on Ceasar's staff, so if Pompey wins, he might not trust Gordianus either. In the politics of those days, the idea of neutrality was not a common concept. Gordianus, quite frankly, would like to take neither side.

But when Pompey's kinsman is found murdered in the Gordianus family garden, our detective has no choice. If he wishes to get his son in law back from Pompey, he must search for the killer.

There is a unusual twist at the end when Gordianus has his final meeting with Pompey. I'll say no more, so no spoilers here,

But of the several I have read in this series, this is one of the best.

These are mysteries; but readers of historical novels would be entertained as well, as Saylor's research and sense of place is top notch.

HIghly recommended for fans of mysteies and/or historical novels.

(Edited 10-18-12 to fix some typos).

[Timons Esaias · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a fan of this series, having read six earlier volumes and having six or seven awaiting attention on my unread shelf. While this entry in the series left me a bit disgruntled, I want to be clear that I intend to continue reading them. One should not over-interpret my marginal complaints.

Saylor's Sub Rosa series has always been two things at once, in the books before this one: a detective novel and a historical novel set in the time of the Civil Wars that brought the Roman Republic to an end. I'm usually fairly comfortable with that twin character, but in this one the two types of story kinda pulled the thing apart.

It starts with a murder, a body in Gordianus's own garden, and he is very quickly provided a client, then more clients, and a detection job. But after just a bit the detective gig unravels, and this becomes a tale of Caesar crossing the Rubicon, Pompey retreating to Brundisium, and Gordianus getting caught between the two camps.

The last bit is typical of the Gordianus stories, as he is uneasy with all of the players in the Civil War game -- while at the same time being forced to work for them.

Saylor made some narrative choices in this book that I can't really discuss without giving the game away, so I won't. I will mention that there is the appearance of plot holes as the thing goes along, but many of them are filled by the end.

Alas, not all of them. I was not really happy with some of the author's decisions, but I grant that they are artistically valid. It will be interesting to see how the ramifications play out in the following volumes.

But there were other issues, which kept throwing me out of the story. Specifically, Saylor keeps using lazy writing devices (and outright errors) that I spend much of my time trying to suppress in my students and professional clients. It won't do him any good to point them out twenty years after the fact (book is copyright 1999), but for readers and writers, be warned: He's a grimace addict, 6 of them in this volume. (I think the previous volume had only three or four.) The crossing of arms happens a bit too often. The solecism "stepped foot" (for "set foot") appears on page 75; the utter misuse of the oft-misused word "careen" appears on page 154. Soldiers anachronistically appear "at attention" on several occasions; and there are painfully obvious Maid & Butler speeches (one using a previous title in the series) on 87 and 154. Phrases about eyes "adjusting" are anachronistic in ancient Rome, but there are several; and while you can make a case for shooting, I'm not sure that shooting glances and looks isn't an anachronism.

But the most annoying bit, which happens repeatedly throughout the book, and is a key plot issue, is typified by this utterly misguided pair of sentences: "Parchment burns easily. Parchment could also be torn, ground underfoot, chewed, even swallowed."

This is a writer who has no idea what he is talking about. Parchment is a form of leather, for crying out loud. It will scorch, but no, it will not burn easily. And it'll stink being scorched, which also ruins his scenes. No, parchment cannot be torn, not by the average person. No, it can't be ground underfoot, not any more effectively than you can grind a catcher's mitt underfoot. You can chew it, but it'll take hours to break it down much. And Zeus help you if you decide to try to swallow any but the tiniest pieces.

These parchment mistakes are spread through the book, in five or six scenes. I started reading this book just before the Writing Popular Fiction residency, at which I was giving my World-Building workshop. Part of that workshop is showing the students samples of papyrus and parchment, and giving them pieces of parchment to take home, so that they won't make mistakes like these. So, of course, I read them the offending lines from the early pages. I didn't know it was going to get worse.

Ah, well.

In sum, this book was frequently entertaining, frequently annoying, and ultimately a bit of a letdown. But I'll be reading the sequel.

[Ines Amendoeira · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

[Ivana Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this one. Not much of a mystery but it makes up for that by having such a lot of historical detail. Lots of authors have covered the civil war between Caesar an Pompey, so there's nothing new here, but it's well worth reading.

[Moshe Mikanovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the way this instalment of the Roman Empire story unfolds while Gordianos the finder continues looking and finding things. Excellent

[Rui · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boa continuação de uma boa saga com um contexto histórico aliciante. É de ler e esperar por mais. Obrigado, Steven.

[Tita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Releitura 2023
Classificação 5 Estrelas
Vejam a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.



Leitura 2016
Classificação: 4 Estrelas
Steven Saylor já se tornou num dos meus autores preferidos graças aos livros da série Roma Sub-Rosa, caracterizados por serem policiais-históricos.
Neste livro, Numérico, sobrinho de Pompeu é encontrado morto no jardim de Gordiano, que é forçado a investigar e descobrir o culpado do crime. Paralelamente, há a ameaça da guerra civil entre Pompeu e César, que acaba por servir de pano de fundo à nossa investigação, ou será ao contrário? ;)
Apesar de termos um crime logo no início da história e de irmos acompanhando a investigação de Gordiano, desta vez, ao contrário do que é habitual, não senti o livro como um policial, pois achei que o foco principal do livro era a guerra entre Pompeu e César, e não a investigação de Gordiano. É certo que no final é-nos desvendado o culpado e o porquê, algo que até me surpreendeu, mas realmente o ponto alto do livro é mesmo o clima de tensão e todos os jogos políticos que levaram César ao poder.
Mas não pensem que por este livro se focar mais como histórico, se torna mais maçudo, nada disso, a escrita de Steven Saylor é muito agradável e directa, que me leva a viajar por Roma Antiga.
Apesar de não poder considerar Rubicão como policial, foi, como sempre, uma boa leitura e só tenho pena que, muito provavelmente, terei que dar um "salto temporal" no próximo livro de Saylor que ler, pois o seguinte livro - Desaparecido em Massília - é o único que me falta.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steven Saylor developed a passion for all things "Roman" as an adolescent. He's spent years reading and researching everything he could find on this time period and writes stories based on historical events and characters. He doesn't sugar-coat the past nor does he write under the influence of any religious dogma. If you're easily offended by depictions of gladiatorial games, bloodshed, and sexual attractions and situations, do NOT read this series. If however, you're an adult who accepts that ancient people approached life differently and relished food, entertainments and pleasures (when they could), then get comfortable and enjoy some good stories. Life was hard in ancient times and this author tells it like it was! I just wish my local libraries had the entire series...it's so aggravating to attempt reading books in order chronologically and then running into the problem of a library not having a particular title. Guess I'll have to stop being cheap and go buy the missing titles LOL.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though there is a mystery to be solved, this book is more about the stressful times accompanying Caesar's rise to power in Ancient Rome. The description of military and political maneuvering is well done and easily followed. I would call this historical fiction with a mystery included. The ending included a series of surprising twists that made sticking with the story well worth it for me.

However, I prefer Lindsey Davis' Falco mysteries, with their entertaining and clever characters, interesting mysteries, and views of many different levels of ancient Roman society. Her more recent Albia mysteries are even better.

[Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice twist in this one, makes it stand out a little from the others in the series so far.

[Vicki Cline · Rating 4 out of 5]

A relative of Pompey's is killed in Gordianus' garden when he comes to consult him. Naturally Pompey is upset and charges Gordianus with finding out who did it, and takes Gordianus' son-in-law Davus as a sort of hostage while on his way out of Italy to regroup in Greece and fight against Caesar, who has just crossed the Rubicon in defiance of Rome's laws. Not one of my favorites, but the solution is unusual and all of the books in the series are very interesting.

[Pilvi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book tried to be a historical story but also some sort of crime story. It didn't succeed in both. The historical side was OK, the crime side... Well, the author should honestly forget trying to write crime stories. He's better in historical novels. It was easy reading and at least I had no difficulties finishing it.

[Fernando Gonzalo Pellico · Rating 4 out of 5]

En la línea de todas las de Roma Sub Rosa: excelente novela histórica. Con un Gordiano ya más maduro y reflexivo, eso sí.

Como es característico de la serie, muy bien ambientada en el período final de la República; es notorio que Saylor conoce muy bien esa época y a sus personajes más famosos. Una muy buena novela, que, sin ser indispensable, entretiene, enseña y sorprende.

Recomendable

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why this book: I was looking for a “light” and enjoyable read and this book had been recommended to me many years ago. I have also listened to Dan Carlin’s fantastic series “Death Throes of the Republic” which covers the lead up to the end of the Roman Republic, when Ceasor made himself emperor.

Summary in 3 sentences: During the period when Pompey and Julius Caesar were preparing to do battle over the soul of the Roman empire, a close relative of Pompey is murdered on the estate of our protagonist. Pompey takes our protagonist’s son-in-law as collateral until he can identify the murderer. The story is a first person perspective of our protagonist, who also has a son who is a key member of Julius Caesar’s staff. During the course of our protagonist’s investigation into Pompey’s relative’s murder, we learn about Roman culture at that time, the chaos inside the city as people flee, it’s future is in doubt, how people lived and interacted, and how our protagonist carefully navigates the delicate politics between these two rivals.

My impressions: This is who-done-it that takes place in Rome during the window when Julius Ceasar has crossed the Rubicon and is about to take over Rome and become emperor, essentially spelling the end of the Roman Republic. We see the world of Rome through the eyes of Gordianus, a Roman attorney who has been able to remain essentially neutral in the tension between Caesar and Pompey. But when one of Pompey’s relatives is murdered on his grounds, he can’t stay neutral any longer and has to put himself on the line. He must get involved in the deceit and intrigue and maneuvering for power, influence and money that inhere in such turbulent and uncertain times. Through him we learn about what was happening in Rome in this chaotic time, as well as things about Roman culture.

It’s a good and fun read, not very long, apparently well researched. Reading this during the COVID Pandemic helped me realize that our panic is small potatoes compared to being on the edge of a civil war, with all the people of means fleeing the city for their lives, assuming that whoever wins between Ceasar and Pompey, there will be wholesale slaughter in the city. Gordianus nicknamed “the finder” is called upon and forced by Pompey to resolve a problem that has no good solution, and he and his family are at great risk, almost whatever happens.

I learned a few things about slavery in Rome. Gordianus’s “children” were all adopted slaves. His “son” who was a close associate of Caesar’s was an adopted slave. One of Pompey’s key associates with whom Gordianus travelled to see Pompey was a freed slave. Gordianus had two small boys in the house he was raising who were slaves that he expected to adopt. The title “citizen” in Rome was a title that gave one real privileges. Traveling through the country side in order to link up with Pompey’s forces fleeing Ceasar, we get to know something of rural Italy during this window, the taverns, the roads, how people travelled and lived, their fears of the soldiers. In their conversations and dialogue we learn of their beliefs, their religion, their fears, their hopes.

The ending is climactic and surprising, and leaves the door open to the sequel, Last seen in Massilia as Gordianus must continue to dance between multiple forces, and this time to connect with Caesar’s forces.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rubicon could not have been more different to the previous Roma Sub Rosa book, The House of the Vestals, a fairly light-hearted collection of short stories set a couple of decades before the two books it comes between. The House of the Vestals did a nice job of filling in some of the gaps between Roman Blood and Arms of Nemesis, detailing the development of Gordianus' relationships with his eldest son Eco, his then-slave Bethesda, and various friends. Rubicon threw me right back into the "present", with the political and military landscapes seemingly merging into one as Caesar and Pompey vie for control of Italy and, ultimately, the Roman Republic. Gordianus, famously honest but notoriously non-partisan, finds himself with obligations to both sides: his younger son Meto is an aide, confidant, and (many say) lover of Caesar, while, rather more pressingly, a young relative of Pompey's is murdered in Gordianus' home, and the Great One demands Gordianus finds the killer, taking away his daughter Diana's husband until Pompey knows who's responsible.

Although previous novels have certainly dealt with dark themes (sexual violence in Roman Blood and The Venus Throw come to mind, as well as the ever-present murder), I would argue that Rubicon escalates this to a point we haven't seen before. It also sees Saylor employing a kind of ingenuity that I certainly hadn't expected - the revelation around 85% of the way through immediately called to mind Agatha Christie's The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and led me (and Gordianus himself) to reflect on issues of trust and morality. It wasn't only Gordianus whose character was called into question, as Tiro received his first proper spotlight since Roman Blood and was found to be much changed and yet somehow still the same, if only in the fact that his unwavering loyalty is to Cicero alone.

I found this a pretty upsetting read, because I've come to love Roma Sub Rosa for the characters and the relationships between them almost more than the mystery element or the historical setting, and Rubicon changed much of that, moving the series towards what I suspect will be a continued darker and edgier tone. However, it was still a gripping, entertaining, and emotional read - my main complaint being that I feel Meto's storyline deserved proper attention throughout the whole novel, rather than a series of jokes and insinuations about his relationship with Caesar, followed by several huge revelations in a row in the final 15% of the book - and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.

[Chejo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Resulta un tanto frustrante que el autor nos haya presentado a un personaje joven, solo para hacerlo envejecer tan rápidamente. Esto hace que, poco a poco, las hazañas en las que se ve envuelto Gordiano resulten menos creíbles, especialmente si tomamos en cuenta su edad. En esta entrega, el autor vuelve a concentrar la acción en un solo lugar, repitiendo la fórmula de diálogos extensos que, por momentos, abruman por su falta de dinamismo y terminan sintiéndose más como relleno que como verdadero aporte a la historia.

Más allá de la estructura de la novela, lo que realmente se ha transformado es el personaje principal. Gordiano ha experimentado cambios abruptos —comprensibles, en parte—, pero que no terminan de encajar con el desarrollo previo que el autor nos había mostrado. Un ejemplo claro es su reacción frente a los rumores sobre la homosexualidad de su hijo. Aunque siempre se nos presentó como alguien de mente abierta mientras el tema no tocara su núcleo familiar, cuando estos rumores lo afectan directamente, su reacción es sorprendentemente hostil. Incluso se muestra más afectado por esto que por el hecho de que su hijo se haya convertido en espía, en lugar de seguir el ideal de la verdad que él creía haberle inculcado.

La ruptura de esa relación padre-hijo, en realidad, ya se venía gestando desde el libro de Catilina, donde Gordiano, al no poder controlar a su hijo como pater familias, pierde toda autoridad para hacerlo regresar al camino que él considera correcto. Y aquí es donde surge otra contradicción: Gordiano termina actuando en contra de sus propios principios al comenzar a mentir. Si bien esta decisión es el motor de la trama, cuesta ver en qué se diferencia realmente de las acciones que tanto critica en su hijo. Esto le da al personaje un matiz de hipocresía que resulta difícil de ignorar.

En cuanto al tratamiento del tema de la homosexualidad, aunque es cierto que en la antigüedad existía una mayor libertad o una visión diferente de la sexualidad, eso no implica que cada personaje deba tener alguna inclinación homosexual. En este aspecto, parece influir bastante el pasado literario del autor, centrado en la literatura homosexual. Como resultado, los personajes heterosexuales —hombres y mujeres— terminan siendo extremadamente simples o estereotipados, lo que dificulta conectar con ellos. Por eso, mi opinión sobre el desarrollo de los personajes, y en especial sobre Gordiano, es ambigua.

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

This historical Roman adventure/mystery is the 11th volume, chronologically speaking, of the wonderful "Gordianus the Finder" series.

Storytelling is excellent, all characters, whether real historical or fantastic fictional, are very believable nd lifelike, and the hostile and warlike atmosphere, with the Roman Civil War ever lurking closer, come splendidly off the pages.

At the beginning of the book, you'll see a well-drawn map of Italy in 49 BC at the outbreak of the Civil War, and the route that Tiro and Gordianus will take to get to Brundisium, while at the back you'll notice an Author's Note, where the historical details are wonderfully explained.

The book is divided into three parts, being Minerva, Mars and Dionysus, and these chapters will keep you spellbound from start to finish.

the year is now 49 BC, Januarius, at the beginning of the Roman Civil War between Gaius Julius Caesar and Pompey Magnus, and Gordianus finds himself in huge trouble when the duplicitous, Numerius Pompeius, is found strangled to death in Gordianus's garden, near the statue of Minerva.

When Pompey Magnus visits Gordianus's home in the hope of finding Numerius Pompeius alive, Pompey finds out that Numerius is dead, and he insists that Gordianus will find the killer of Numerius, and as a security that Gordianus will do so, Pompey will take Gordianus's son-in-law, Davus, with him on his flight south to Brundisium.

What is to follow, is an intriguing and warlike Roman adventure/mystery, where treachery and murder are the main ingredients, and in which Gordianus, for the most part in the company of Cicero's spy/secretary, Tiro, will play a fantastic part in revealing the culprit and deceiving other major players of the murder of Numerius, and finally hoping against hope that it will do some good for his son, Meto, in the end.

Highly recommended, for this is another terrific addition to this magnificent series, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Thrilling Duplicitous Roman Tale"!

[Waldir F. Reccanello · Rating 4 out of 5]

César atravessou o Rubicão; Pompeu fugiu para o sul da Itália; Roma e sua população se encontram divididas entre seus dois líderes. Em meio a tudo isso, um assassinato dentro dos jardins da casa de Gordiano obriga nosso herói a novamente se envolver com a política romana, levando-o, muito a contragosto, a lidar com Pompeu, Cícero e César, equilibrando-se em uma verdadeira corda bamba: se pender demais para um lado, corre o risco de perder a cabeça para o outro. De forma ainda mais surpreendente, Gordiano nos é mostrado ainda mais humano e falho que nas histórias anteriores, mas, ainda assim - e talvez por isso mesmo - ainda mais apaixonante. Como sempre, a proximidade com a realidade de Roma e de seu jogo político nos revela toda sua beleza e sua corrupção, ao mesmo tempo em que demonstra a dubiedade de seus principais atores, divididos entre a sede de poder e os deveres da honra. Apesar de não ser meu livro preferido da série "Roma Sub Rosa", seu final surpreendente manteve o nível de excelência que já lhe é característico, deixando aquela vontade de começar já a próxima história.

[Emmanuel Gustin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is set at the death of the Roman Republic, and the start of the civil wars from which the Empire emerged. Saylor eschews political analysis or a detailed retelling of the major historical events. Instead he develops a storyline that does bring Gordianus in contact with the famous (Pompeius, Caesar, and Cicero) but still retains a personal and intimate character.

It is well done. Arguably that plot is somewhat contrived and implausible, and serves to create dramatic scenes far more than the puzzle of a whodunnit. As to the murder at the center of the personal story, it is fairly obvious who did it, if you think logically. Saylor as usual tries to hide the truth in plain sight. The resolution is too heart-wrenching to be entirely satisfactory, but fits the author’s development of a complex dynamic between Gordianus and Meto, which spans several books.

There are too many implausibilities to make this a great story, but it is a fun book if you have any interest in Roman history.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather a departure in some ways from a "typical" Gordianus story, which can only fully be explained with spoilers, so I'll be oblique.

Our relationship with Gordianus feels a l little less intimate in this volume. He shares his thoughts and ponderings less. It becomes more the kind of story where a character reports his movements, what he sees, and even his reactions to those, but not so much his analysis, theories and reflections. This is clearly a creative choice, and I don't say it is a mistake, but I did miss my usual generously discoursing Roman.

The plot itself is interesting, and continues to develop Gordianus himself in fascinating ways. It feels in some way a result of bold choices by Saylor, who isn't afraid to have Gordianus and his stories evolve, riding the rapids of a turbulent era.

[Sara G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid, but not my favorite in the Roma Sub Rosa series. The book starts out with Pompey evacuating Rome, as Caesar has just crossed the Rubicon. His cousin is found murdered at Gordianus's house. Pompey insists that Gordianus investigate and find the murderer, even though Gordianus claims he is too old and not doing his work as "the Finder" anymore, so Pompey takes Gordianus's son-in-law Davus as a hostage. It's all a bit confusing and didn't really satisfy me at the end, but I feel like it's a good setup for the next book in the series. Plus, the civil war between Pompey and Caesar is fascinating.

[Simon B · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a solid murder mystery (it wrongfooted me) but I particularly enjoy these books because Saylor combines sound historical research with some imaginative slices of everyday life that are often missing from narratives about ancient Rome. This novel has portraits of famous Romans Caesar, Pompey, Cicero and Marc Antony but also includes characters who are household slaves, influential freeman and gossipy tavern owners. It presents the opinions of Roman woman characters on the civil war, discusses what Greek poetry an 18yo woman might copy out for her secret lover and informs us near which roadside family tombs on the Appian Way that bandits are most likely to accost a traveller.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gardianus' son, Meto, which in the audio book changes the way the author says his name. At first, I think "WHO" ... MEAT0 vs METo... took a while to get over being annoyed... 5 books with one name... anyway... this story revolves around Pomey and Caesar's civil war and the fighting and killing... it was barbaric to see who law was pretty much out the window....This book was pretty shocking at the end. I normally can figure out who did what to who... but this one ... boy it really got me... no spoilers. Gardinaus is 61 at this point... I feel like I know his whole life! !

[Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best one of the series so far. There is so much happening in this book with Pompey retreating, Caesar advancing, murders happening etc that you get lost in the old world. Steven does a brilliant job of taking you into the Roman era with all the political intrigue and chaos that was at the start of the Roman civil war. There are so many twists and turns in this story and so well paced that I had to rate this 5 out of 5. Looking forward to the rest