What do you think?
Rate this book
Aenigma
AENIGMA. This is not a book. It is the longest riddle ever written. Would you dare to solve it?
It is the winter of the year 87 B.C. and a prophecy is revealed at the Oracle of “Seven they shall be to save the Treasure.” An Amazon, an Olympic athlete, a pirate, a stone princess, a priest of Apollo, the bearer of the Word, and a mysterious character, whom they call the Seventh, join in this adventure that will take them to fantastic places such as the city of Petra, the Library of Alexandria, and as far as Hades, the underworld.
Meanwhile, the known world is in turmoil, with the brutal war being fought between the great Roman general, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, and the rich and powerful king of Pontus, Mithridates VI, known as the Poison King. The fates intertwine the destiny of the chosen ones with that of these two great men in ancient history.
As the quest for the Treasure unfolds, the story gradually transforms into a riddle. The responsibility of solving it falls on the shoulders of one of them, the Seventh, the most mysterious and evasive of all. Will the Seventh be capable of solving the riddle and delivering the Word that will save them?
Blending fantasy with historical fiction and mathematical puzzles, AENIGMA will surprise the reader; the plot will lure you in like no other book, ever. Literally.
“The ending of this book is unique,” Alberico de Taurusci.
"A brilliant combination of mythological storytelling and mathematical puzzles" T. Fermat.
"No other author has portrayed Sulla, one of our greatest commanders, as Erus Ludus has done it. A masterpiece" - Vox, Acta Diurna Romana
It is the winter of the year 87 B.C. and a prophecy is revealed at the Oracle of “Seven they shall be to save the Treasure.” An Amazon, an Olympic athlete, a pirate, a stone princess, a priest of Apollo, the bearer of the Word, and a mysterious character, whom they call the Seventh, join in this adventure that will take them to fantastic places such as the city of Petra, the Library of Alexandria, and as far as Hades, the underworld.
Meanwhile, the known world is in turmoil, with the brutal war being fought between the great Roman general, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, and the rich and powerful king of Pontus, Mithridates VI, known as the Poison King. The fates intertwine the destiny of the chosen ones with that of these two great men in ancient history.
As the quest for the Treasure unfolds, the story gradually transforms into a riddle. The responsibility of solving it falls on the shoulders of one of them, the Seventh, the most mysterious and evasive of all. Will the Seventh be capable of solving the riddle and delivering the Word that will save them?
Blending fantasy with historical fiction and mathematical puzzles, AENIGMA will surprise the reader; the plot will lure you in like no other book, ever. Literally.
“The ending of this book is unique,” Alberico de Taurusci.
"A brilliant combination of mythological storytelling and mathematical puzzles" T. Fermat.
"No other author has portrayed Sulla, one of our greatest commanders, as Erus Ludus has done it. A masterpiece" - Vox, Acta Diurna Romana
- GenresHistoricalFantasy
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 2014
6 people are currently reading
595 people want to read
About the author
Erus Ludus
1 book9 followersMy pen name is Erus Ludus. It means ‘Master of the Game’ in Latin and if you have already read AENIGMA you would know by now why I chose that name.
From a Northern Italy family, I grew up in Venezuela, so I spent my childhood between Italian Alps, Venetian canals and Caribbean beaches (Oh yes! I was a lucky girl).
I received a computer engineer degree from USB and afterwards I earned an MBA from IESA (with an exchange program at London Business School). I spent most of my career in Marketing at Procter & Gamble. I quit P&G to accept an offer at United Nations in New York, as Economic Affair Officer, but due to health issues I could not take the job.
Since 2005, I live in my Miami with my husband, my two daughters and my dog, Nutella.
AENIGMA is a combination of everything I love: math, mythology, ancient history and riddles. To stage the story, I used places I think are surrounded by magic: the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea, the stone city of Petra and, of course, my beloved Venice.
I always wanted to be a character in a book and, with AENIGMA, I am giving that chance to you. Solve the riddle!
From a Northern Italy family, I grew up in Venezuela, so I spent my childhood between Italian Alps, Venetian canals and Caribbean beaches (Oh yes! I was a lucky girl).
I received a computer engineer degree from USB and afterwards I earned an MBA from IESA (with an exchange program at London Business School). I spent most of my career in Marketing at Procter & Gamble. I quit P&G to accept an offer at United Nations in New York, as Economic Affair Officer, but due to health issues I could not take the job.
Since 2005, I live in my Miami with my husband, my two daughters and my dog, Nutella.
AENIGMA is a combination of everything I love: math, mythology, ancient history and riddles. To stage the story, I used places I think are surrounded by magic: the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea, the stone city of Petra and, of course, my beloved Venice.
I always wanted to be a character in a book and, with AENIGMA, I am giving that chance to you. Solve the riddle!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 7, 2015
This is a very clear and well written book. The depth of historical descriptions and the characters make you believe that the author has research the era very well.
The story follows a group of "seven as they hunt for the missing five manuscripts that will help them deceiver the word allowing access to the knowledge of the universe. During this time Mithridates, King of Pontos, was expanding his empire removing the all Romans from his lands. Roman sent Sulla, the red commander, to restore Rome's pride, only Sulla was also after the five manuscripts.
Written like a Greek story, including Gods, Amazons, battles with thousands of men, treatory, riddles, and hidden love. What more could you want?
The ending isn't a surprise and who the "seventh" was is very obvious, I had worked that out before they had reached Alexandria. However the word is more challenging to work out.
The story follows a group of "seven as they hunt for the missing five manuscripts that will help them deceiver the word allowing access to the knowledge of the universe. During this time Mithridates, King of Pontos, was expanding his empire removing the all Romans from his lands. Roman sent Sulla, the red commander, to restore Rome's pride, only Sulla was also after the five manuscripts.
Written like a Greek story, including Gods, Amazons, battles with thousands of men, treatory, riddles, and hidden love. What more could you want?
The ending isn't a surprise and who the "seventh" was is very obvious, I had worked that out before they had reached Alexandria. However the word is more challenging to work out.
November 4, 2014
Aenigma is a very clever story.
The characters move through the story line with a naturalness and grace that I've found is often missing from a story translated from it's original language.
Erus Ludus has created a journey that leaves you pondering long after the book has been put aside, and I'm thrilled to hear that more is planned.
A gentle read, but gripping.
The characters move through the story line with a naturalness and grace that I've found is often missing from a story translated from it's original language.
Erus Ludus has created a journey that leaves you pondering long after the book has been put aside, and I'm thrilled to hear that more is planned.
A gentle read, but gripping.
November 29, 2014
A great story for anyone who loves history, mythology.
I was engrossed from page 1 to end.
I was engrossed from page 1 to end.
February 23, 2015
I loved it! This book keeps you turning pages all the way to the end and leaves you begging for more. Lots of action, mystery, battles and wars, and riddles that will have you thumbing back through this book trying to figure out the answer to the riddles long after you've read the last page. There's also a little history thrown in there too! Before you even get to page one the preface will grab your full attention and you will find yourself staying up to the wee hours of the morning reading this book. I'm no good at solving riddles but I could not resist the temptation to try and so I found myself thumbing through the pages looking for clues long after I read the last page and couldn't resist having to read it a second time shortly after I finished it to see what I might have overlooked the first time. I sure hope there's more to this story because I just can't get this book out of my head!!! If you like mysteries, history, fantasy, and medieval battles you will really enjoy this book. And of course there's also a bit of romance mixed in too! I can hardly bear the wait for a continuation of this story!!!! I see a great series unfolding in this author's future!
October 30, 2014
In the first part of the book there are two fascinating historical figures who stand out: Mithridates VI of Pontus, also known as the king of poisons, who challenged the expansion of the Roman Empire, and the Roman General who eventually confronts him, Lucius Cornelius Sulla. History is intertwined with fantasy as many events that appear completely unrelated come together to set the scene for part two. From warriors to mermaids, part two took me on a Mediterranean voyage that was real, magical, and beautiful.
I would recommend this book, and I would also recommend keeping in mind what Erus Ludus says in his introduction and paying attention to all the details - the end is different.
I would recommend this book, and I would also recommend keeping in mind what Erus Ludus says in his introduction and paying attention to all the details - the end is different.
October 19, 2014
I gave five stars for the amazing ending. You have to read this book up to the end!
I still have the characters in my mind despite I closed the book hours ago.
This book has everything: fantasy, history, romance and puzzles.
I still have the characters in my mind despite I closed the book hours ago.
This book has everything: fantasy, history, romance and puzzles.
February 7, 2015
I received a free copy of this book form the GoodReads First Reads program in exchange for an honest review. Good plot, great characters, loved the ending!
January 10, 2015
Received this book as a Goodreads First Read. It was rich with characters. Loved how Sulla was portrayed. A true adventure for the reader and you definitely will love the ending!
October 2, 2014
I received this book for free in exchange for a review. So, here it goes:
I have to say that I liked this book a lot. Love the plot, the characters and more than anything how it ends. Amazing ending!
As the book description says the book belongs to the historical fantasy genre. It starts with a prophecy at the Oracle of Delphi where seven chosen should reunite. In the first part the author tells the story of the beginning of these seven characters and the reasons that started the war between Rome and the Pontus. The ‘bad guys’ of the plot are two real historic characters: the roman Lucius Cornelius Sulla and Mithridates VI, the Poison King. To be honest I did not know too much about these characters but I have to say they were fascinating, very ambitious, very bloody but fascinating. I checked and Aquilius’ death, the Asiatic Vespers and the siege of Athens were real historical facts.
The characters (an amazon, athlete, pirate, princess, the bearer, the priest and the mysterious Seventh) meet at Delphi and they star their mission using the help of mythological creatures and gods while in the middle of the war. The plot starts to change to become a riddle that take you to the unexpected ending. Really creative.
I did not give the full five stars review because you can tell it’s the first book of this author and there is a little inexperience in treating some situations.
If you want a book with fantasy mythology, history, riddles and some surprises, this is the book for you.
I have to say that I liked this book a lot. Love the plot, the characters and more than anything how it ends. Amazing ending!
As the book description says the book belongs to the historical fantasy genre. It starts with a prophecy at the Oracle of Delphi where seven chosen should reunite. In the first part the author tells the story of the beginning of these seven characters and the reasons that started the war between Rome and the Pontus. The ‘bad guys’ of the plot are two real historic characters: the roman Lucius Cornelius Sulla and Mithridates VI, the Poison King. To be honest I did not know too much about these characters but I have to say they were fascinating, very ambitious, very bloody but fascinating. I checked and Aquilius’ death, the Asiatic Vespers and the siege of Athens were real historical facts.
The characters (an amazon, athlete, pirate, princess, the bearer, the priest and the mysterious Seventh) meet at Delphi and they star their mission using the help of mythological creatures and gods while in the middle of the war. The plot starts to change to become a riddle that take you to the unexpected ending. Really creative.
I did not give the full five stars review because you can tell it’s the first book of this author and there is a little inexperience in treating some situations.
If you want a book with fantasy mythology, history, riddles and some surprises, this is the book for you.
July 24, 2015
No spoilers (ever) =-)
Wow… I did not see that end coming.
Aenigma is more than a simple story it is an enigma. With an original narrative, fun cast of characters and a relatively smooth pace from part two through to the end. Part one of this novel is what dropped this book one star and kept it from becoming a five star book. The introduction of the characters felt drawn out and took up roughly half of the story. A better way to say this is it could have been more concise. Overall, with only part one as my only concern, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fun read with an even better surprise ending.
I was given a free e-book copy for my honest review. Erus Ludus>
Genre: Historic Fiction/Fantasy
Ideal Age: 16+
Content: Sexual Content
Page Count: 346
Wow… I did not see that end coming.
Aenigma is more than a simple story it is an enigma. With an original narrative, fun cast of characters and a relatively smooth pace from part two through to the end. Part one of this novel is what dropped this book one star and kept it from becoming a five star book. The introduction of the characters felt drawn out and took up roughly half of the story. A better way to say this is it could have been more concise. Overall, with only part one as my only concern, I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fun read with an even better surprise ending.
I was given a free e-book copy for my honest review. Erus Ludus>
Genre: Historic Fiction/Fantasy
Ideal Age: 16+
Content: Sexual Content
Page Count: 346
October 22, 2014
I received an electronic copy of this book in exchange for a review.
The one thing that makes this book interesting is that there is an unsolved riddle running through, revealed through five great books of wisdom. It is left to us, the readers, to solve, with the prize of becoming a character in the next book.
The rest of it? A long-winded pseudo-historical with more characters than I could keep track of, as well as such wonderfully period exclamations as "Wow!"
Unless you really want to solve an obscure riddle or you have a love of bad historical fiction, I'd avoid this one like the plague.
The one thing that makes this book interesting is that there is an unsolved riddle running through, revealed through five great books of wisdom. It is left to us, the readers, to solve, with the prize of becoming a character in the next book.
The rest of it? A long-winded pseudo-historical with more characters than I could keep track of, as well as such wonderfully period exclamations as "Wow!"
Unless you really want to solve an obscure riddle or you have a love of bad historical fiction, I'd avoid this one like the plague.
October 2, 2014
Very unusual ending!
SPOILER ALERT!!!
Can't wait to share with other readers how to decipher the word.
SPOILER ALERT!!!
Can't wait to share with other readers how to decipher the word.
October 17, 2015
Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Book.
------------------------------------
Aenigma is a fictional adventure story set in ancient Greece, caught in the middle of the conflicts between Rome and the kingdom of Pontus.
“Would you dare to be a character?” is the challenge for the first person to solve the book’s riddle, revealed from five ancient books. Although the plot was predictable, with some interesting written descriptions of events, I found much of this to be highly unbelievable. The basic plot was for a group of seven to find five books in the world, each book possessing a hidden message, assuming none were destroyed. Worse probability than finding a single needle lost in a world of haystacks. There were no prior instructions on which books to obtain or where they may be obtained. This group just happened to stumble upon them as they moved along their adventure. And the ending wasn’t an ending but a challenge for the reader to solve the riddle and email the author with the promise that the first would be a character in her next book. The riddle was not only obscure, but didn’t make sense, making it impossible to solve.
The author was a computer engineer trained business management professional from Northern Italy and used the pen name of Erus Ludus, which according to the author means Master of the Game in Latin. Perhaps the author should’ve used the Latin pen name of Dominus Obscurum.
Aenigma is an unbelievable story with adventure, romance, and twists. A challenging read for anyone wanting to solve an impossible and obscure riddle.
------------------------------------
Aenigma is a fictional adventure story set in ancient Greece, caught in the middle of the conflicts between Rome and the kingdom of Pontus.
“Would you dare to be a character?” is the challenge for the first person to solve the book’s riddle, revealed from five ancient books. Although the plot was predictable, with some interesting written descriptions of events, I found much of this to be highly unbelievable. The basic plot was for a group of seven to find five books in the world, each book possessing a hidden message, assuming none were destroyed. Worse probability than finding a single needle lost in a world of haystacks. There were no prior instructions on which books to obtain or where they may be obtained. This group just happened to stumble upon them as they moved along their adventure. And the ending wasn’t an ending but a challenge for the reader to solve the riddle and email the author with the promise that the first would be a character in her next book. The riddle was not only obscure, but didn’t make sense, making it impossible to solve.
The author was a computer engineer trained business management professional from Northern Italy and used the pen name of Erus Ludus, which according to the author means Master of the Game in Latin. Perhaps the author should’ve used the Latin pen name of Dominus Obscurum.
Aenigma is an unbelievable story with adventure, romance, and twists. A challenging read for anyone wanting to solve an impossible and obscure riddle.
November 24, 2014
Aenigma has a weak beginning. It is very wordy and I feel the same information could have been given with half fewer words. I almost gave up on reading it until it got to the actual search for the treasure at part 2 (which was half way through the book).
I understand some groundwork has to be laid in all stories, but this was laborious reading for me. The characters were all well defined and the story (once the search began) was very good. Had this book gripped me earlier in the narrative I would have given it more stars. The ending is surprising and worth the read if you do begin to read the book.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I understand some groundwork has to be laid in all stories, but this was laborious reading for me. The characters were all well defined and the story (once the search began) was very good. Had this book gripped me earlier in the narrative I would have given it more stars. The ending is surprising and worth the read if you do begin to read the book.
I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
October 5, 2016
I enjoyed the start of this book, a bit of Greek mythology and Roman historic fiction is my thing really, and this blends those plus the Amazons.
Some way through I got rather lost, all the names started blurring into one and I wasn't quite sure who was who any more. This was most likely mainly my fault for reading at work where I'm liable to being distracted and interrupted, but also because the story struggled to retain my interest after the "quest" had begun.
The ending is definitely unique but perhaps not worth the effort.
I received a copy of this book for free through GoodReads Giveaways.
Some way through I got rather lost, all the names started blurring into one and I wasn't quite sure who was who any more. This was most likely mainly my fault for reading at work where I'm liable to being distracted and interrupted, but also because the story struggled to retain my interest after the "quest" had begun.
The ending is definitely unique but perhaps not worth the effort.
I received a copy of this book for free through GoodReads Giveaways.
June 17, 2015
I didn't love this book. I found it boring with a very underdeveloped/vauge plot and underdeveloped characters. I figured out right at the beginning who the "seventh" was. I really did not find it clever at all. It actually annoyed me that I was correct in my assumption (insert hard eye roll). I am obviously in the minority since right now this book has a rating of 4.77! Just not for me…
Want to read
July 18, 2015I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Review will be added later.
December 10, 2014
This book was well-written, but not my type of book.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews