Las siete maravillas

Ancient World #1

by Steven Saylor

Una novela sobre el Mundo Antiguo

Autor de los bestsellers ROMA e IMPERIO

Año 92 a.C. Gordiano acaba de cumplir dieciocho años y está a punto de embarcarse en la aventura de su vida: un periplo que le llevará a contemplar las Siete Maravillas del mundo. Gordiano no es conocido todavía como «el Sabueso», pero en cada una de las Siete Maravillas, el joven e ingenuo romano descubrirá un misterio que desafiará sus poderes de deducción.

Antípatro de Sidón, su anciano tutor y el poeta más celebrado del momento, lo acompaña en su viaje. Pero el inofensivo poeta esconde mucho más de lo que a primera vista parece. Antes de salir de casa, finge su propia muerte para realizar la gira bajo una identidad falsa. De manera amenazadora, se vislumbran los primeros indicios de una revuelta política que sacudirá el mundo romano en su totalidad.

Maestro y discípulo viajan a las legendarias ciudades de Grecia y Asia Menor, y después a Babilonia y Egipto. Asisten a los Juegos Olímpicos, participan en exóticos festivales y se maravillan ante las construcciones más espectaculares jamás concebidas por la humanidad. Por el camino encuentran asesinatos, brujería y obsesiones fantasmagóricas.

Combinando misterio, magia y descubrimiento con una irresistible mirada al mundo antiguo, sus maravillas y sus intrigas, Steven Saylor acaba revelándonos la historia no contada de Gordiano y cómo se convirtió en el hombre conocido como «el Sabueso».

Steven Saylor (Texas, 1956) es autor de una serie de novelas ambientadas en los últimos años de la República romana, denominada Roma Sub Rosa, que se ha traducido a dieciocho idiomas y le ha convertido en una referencia internacional del género. Como experto en vida cotidiana romana y en los políticos de la época, ha participado en varios documentales del Canal de Historia.

Actualmente vive entre Berkeley, California, y Austin, Texas.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Short Stories, Audiobook

432 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2012

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

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 4 out of 5]

This eventful historical tale is the prequel of what will become the "Gordianus the Finder" series, and in which Gordianus's sharpness and wits will be tested to the full in company of his tutor, Antipater of Sidon.

At the beginning of this book you'll find a well-drawn map of "The World of the Seven Wonders" at around 90 BC, and not to forget a small piece by Philostratus about "The Life of Apollonius of Tyana".

At the back you'll notice a Chronology of important events concerning this book, and an Author's Note where the historical details concerning the Seven Wonders are superbly documented and explained.

Great storytelling by the author, accompanied with believable and lifelike characters make this prequel a brilliantly worked out travel and crime-story, with Gordianus and his tutor and real historical, Antipater of Sidon, the main figures in this tale of truth, lies, trust, deception, wonder and ruin.

The book starts in the year 92 BC, when Gordianus, now the young and junior, but later on will become the Finder, and his assumed dead tutor, Antipater of Sidon, who now goes under the assumed name of Zoticus of Zeugma, will travel through the Ancient World and see the Seven Wonders, from the Temple of Artemis until the Great Pyramid of Giza.

While traveling and seeing these Seven Wonders, with in between a brief stop at the utterly destroyed Corinth, Gordianus will quickly learn the finer points in acting as the Finder of the truth, while Antipater has secrets of his own during these travels, that will come to the surface at the end of this great tale.

What is to follow as a whole is an exciting and educational book with short stories, filled with knowledge and crime, and all this together is brought to us by the author in a most dedicated and original fashion.

Highly recommended, for this is an excellent start, and so I'm looking very much forward to the next one in this series, but what this book is concerned I like to call it: "A Wonderful Educational Wonder"!

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a prequel to the Rome Sub Rosa series that Saylor began over 20 years ago. For those who haven't read any of those ancient Rome mysteries, it will do no harm to start with this story of a young Gordianus who leaves Rome on his 17th birthday to see the world.

There is a big plot that isn't evident at the beginning. The Roman Empire is having its troubles, both in Italy and along its borders. Gordianus and his teacher, a celebrated poet traveling in disguise, learn more about the world as they go from one wonder of the ancient world to another.

Here are some of the things that Saylor does with great aplomb:
- We get an understanding of the critical events that affect Gordianus' growth and the man he becomes;
- We discover the mix of races, religions and politics that were extant at that ancient time;
- We become familiar with each of those seven wonders and their significance;
- We are immersed in the day to day of a world that no longer exists.

Well done, Saylor.

[Ana Cristina Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Precuela de la saga del detective Gordiano el Sabueso, situada en la Antigua Roma.

Al cumplir 18 años Gordiano emprende un viaje turistico-iniciático por el mundo conocido acompañado de su tutor Antípatro. Como corresponde a la saga, van encontrando y resolviendo misterios y crímenes en los diversos escenarios del viaje. Asistimos a las Olimpiadas, presididas por la magnífica estatua de Zeus, paseamos por los jardines colgantes de Babilonia, visitamos la biblioteca de Alejandría y muchos otros lugares de encanto legendario. Y sí, ya en aquella época había turistas y gente que se dedicaba a sacarles el dinero!

Muy entretenida y también se aprende alguna cosa.

3,5*

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

FBC Review:

INTRODUCTION: Outside speculative fiction, no contemporary writer is more appreciated by me than Steven Saylor for his wonderful Roma sub Rosa series with its main character Gordianus "the Finder" who is my current #1 fiction hero.

I summarized my impressions to the Gordianus novels HERE and I reviewed Empire, the second installment in the author's take on Roman history by following about 11 centuries of the fortunes of a patrician family entrusted with a special religious symbol.

What about the author's highly awaited return to Gordianus' adventures in The Seven Wonders? Read on for my take on it, but in brief I have to say that it fulfilled my expectations and even surprised me a bit towards the ending which opens the possibilities of more from Gordianus' early career before his brilliant entrance in the Rome of the high and mighty helping Cicero's stinging Sulla's dictatorship in Roman Blood.

OVERVIEW/ANALYSIS: The Seven Wonders consists of short stories - most published last year in various magazines and anthologies of which I have previously read some four - glued together with an introduction in Rome where we get to see Gordianus father and an epilogue in Alexandria, where Bethesda appears in the hero's life.

The topic of the stories is self-explanatory and the blurb above covers the needed details more than adequately, so I will talk about the general feel of the book rather than of each adventure individually. There is a mystery - sometimes more obvious, sometimes more thriller-like than puzzling - but in each case the setting and the secondary characters are the highlight in addition of course to the still wise-cracking narration of Gordianus.

Structurally The Seven Wonders has an unifying thread of the Mithridatian menace to Rome which leads to the ambiguous of motivations of various characters and giving a subtle feeling to the book as a while which cannot be discerned by reading the stories in separation on original publication.

Also as hinted throughout the series, Gordianus is not averse to men either and here he comes out - to us of course as the classical antiquity's mores where different and trickier; I really loved that part and I would just note that more than anything, this shows the difference between the 1990's and 2012 in US social mores and of what is deemed appropriate to publication in mainstream books...

Gordianus' voice at 18 still compelling and while he is appropriately youthful and overall I think I prefer his more mature and wiser voice of the novels, the book gets the balance well in this regard. Also the Rome introduction and the Alexandria finale are outstanding as historical fiction on their own, so there is scope for more young Gordianus, both in Egypt and at Rome, though I still want that promised novel with Gordianus warning Caesar on the Ides of March...

Since most of the stories were published earlier they obviously need self-containment, so by necessity tend to be simplistic as mysteries and lack the powerful unity of the novels, while the continual switching of venues tends to break the narrative flow but that was to be expected in what is essentially a "fix-up" novel.

I would have really loved more about the travel itself as Gordianus and Antipater cover quite a distance in visiting the Seven Wonders and occasionally interesting venues in their neighborhoods - the time is done well, no flying so to speak -but the travel details are skimped on and I missed that.

Overall, The Seven Wonders (highly recommended novel of 2012) is a very good introduction to Gordianus. While not at the level of the best novels in the series, the book does quite a good job within its parameters that impose quite a few restrictions, while managing to have a unifying thread and excellent first and last parts.

[Tita · Rating 5 out of 5]

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



1ª leitura 2018
4 estrelas
Já sabem que sou mega fã do autor e de Gordiano mas falta-me de ler o primeiro livro sobre a juventude desta fantástica personagem.
Vamos acompanhando a viagem de Gordiano com o seu antigo tutor, pelas maravilhas do mundo e onde vai resolvendo mistérios, escrito em forma de contos mas que se interligam entre si.

Vejam também a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a prequel full-length novel of short stories woven together for the Roma Sub Rosa historical mystery series in which we're introduced to Gordianus Junior.

The short story, Down These Strange Streets: Styx and Stones , is pulled from this novel.

My Take
Yep, it's a torture session all the way through as Saylor won't let on why Antipater had to fake his death until the very end. I did enjoy his "death" by the way — Roman funereal rites are, um, interesting.

Seven Wonders is a nice blend of being introduced to Gordianus (the younger) and our tagging along on their tour of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World in this collection of short stories woven into a single tale.

Reading the trip is a great way to travel and discover new cultures, new foods, and be involved in mystery after mystery — at least until they invent time travel! — not that I enjoyed everything I learned in each culture.

Oh, man, the Cynic at the Games was pretty funny — a natural-born heckler, he had some good points. The bare bones of what's left of the Hanging Gardens is fascinating, but more so is the tour we embark on of the Pharos Lighthouse. Wow. It's incredible what the Ancients were able to accomplish.

And I still want to get an airline ticket to follow in their footsteps…!

The Story
Gordianus Senior is also a Finder, and he's worried about Junior being caught up in the wars that will soon engulf Rome. So together Gordianus the Papa and Antipater, a Greek tutor and poet, fake Antipater's death and Antipater whisks Gordianus out of Rome.

It will be a challenging trip for the two: in Rome, sentiment is rising against Greeks while everywhere else in their known world, the tide is turning against the Romans.

The first stop on their journey is Ephesus, "home to the great Temple of Artemis" where they will stay with a former pupil of Antipater's and solve a terrible crime. The next stop is in Halicarnassus, home of the great Mausoleum and where Antipater's widowed cousin, Bitto, lives a most horrific lifestyle — in Antipater's eyes. It's her neighbors that are the problem. One which Gordianus resolves quite unexpectedly. It's on to Olympia from there where Gordianus and Antipater are in time for the Olympic games. And, yes, another mystery even as they take the tour to view the great statue of Zeus. The ruins of Corinth are along their path to the harbor, and the two stop to rummage and pay homage to its destruction. The next stop is Rhodes to see what remains of the Colossus of Rhodes where Gordianus uncovers a nasty plot.

It's Babylon and its fabled hanging gardens after this where Antipater and Gordianus experience the same regrets we do in this modern day about the Mayan ruins. It's off to Egypt and the Great Pyramid after that where Gordianus prevents the ruin of a man and finds another ruin.

Last on the list is the Library of Alexandria, for Antipater and Gordianus have the same question: who made this list of Seven Wonders and why? And along the way, they pass the Pharos of Alexandria. It's a stop that resolves a number of questions and strips Gordianus of the last of his innocence. He also encounters what he considers the Eighth Wonder of the World.

The Characters
Gordianus is turning eighteen as they set out on their journey from Rome. Gordianus, the father, is a Finder who loves puzzles and his son. Damon is the ancient doorkeeper in the house. Antipater of Sidon, soon to become Zoticus of Zeugma, is a world-renowned Greek poet and scholar with a secret life. He has been, informally, Gordianus' Teacher. Consul Quintus Lutatius Catulus had thought he was Antipater's best friend, and he's rather put out about the funeral.

Ephesus
Eutropius is a widower with a daughter, Anthea, who will perform in the procession along with one of her friends, Chloe, the daughter of her father's friend, Mnason. Amestris is a slave girl in the household of Eutropius. The Megabyzoi are the priests with Theotimus, the head priest.

Halicarnassus
Bitto, Antipater's cousin, loves life and has found a unique way to ensure a comfortable lifestyle. Tryphosa and her daughter-in-law, Corinna, are Bitto's unwelcome neighbors; Timon was Tryphosa's son and Corinna's husband before he died.

Olympia
Exagentus, a wealthy man from Pontus, is the friend with whom Gordianus and Antipater stay during the Games. Protophanes of Magnesia is an athlete favored to win the pankration, until events threaten to derail his plans to participate. Simmius is the Cynic. Phidias is the artist who sculpted the great statue of Zeus.

Corinth, or at least its ruins
Titus Tullius and his party are fellow guests at the inn where Antipater and Gordianus are staying. Ismene is a waitress and a witch while Gnaeus is a retired Roman soldier who runs the inn. Marcus, Quintus Menenius, and Lucius are Roman soldiers stationed there.

Colossus of Rhodes
Posidonius is a scholar, scientist, and explorer who has spent time in Gaul. Zenas is his faithful and reliable slave. Gatamandix is a Druid of a tribe called the Segurvoi and another guest. Cleobulus is a young Rhodian and one of Posidonius' pupils. Vindovix is a Gaul with a fairly extravagant mustache and an interest in Gordianus. He claims an ancestor of his posed for the Colossus.

Babylon
Darius is the guide who attaches himself to our duo. Mushezib is an astrologer who befriends them. The priestess of Ishtar has jurisdiction over the abandoned temple.

Egypt
Hidden relics and the origin of the Delta's name appear here along with Antipater's musings over the Nile's origin. Kemsa is their guide there. Djal, son of Rhutin, is in desperate need of help, and we learn of the reverence Egyptians have for the mummies of their ancestors. We also learn of the three different funerary plans. All graded by cost, of course. Anubis and Isis are part of a vision quest Gordianus experiences.

Alexandria
Isidorus is a chance-met fellow passenger on the way who just happens to work at the Library. And we learn that inter-office politics and paperwork have been around for a very long time. It's also where Gordianus discovers the truth of the saying "Stay here long enough, and every traveler in the world will cross your path" when he sees the assassin who escaped in Olympia. He also encounters a small group of spies against Rome: Anubion is some sort of supervisor at the lighthouse and Nikanor has become a liability. Bethesda is the slave Gordianus buys.

The Cover
The cover is the greens of a sea at dark of night with a pair of ships sailing under a lightning-filled sky off the coast where the lighthouse of Pharos shines.

The title sums it up quite succinctly, for we are visiting The Seven Wonders.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gordianus is back! I just finished the Roma Sub Rosa series a month or so ago, and it's great to meet a young Gordianus just becoming aware of his talents in this prequel. Saylor's gift of making the ancient settings seem alive and natural is still present in this book, and we get a more light-hearted, less cynical protagonist than in the later installments of the series, and we see some of the early experiences that shape Gordianus's character. He's still recognizable as the Finder we've come to know and love, but Saylor does a great job of showing his youth and inexperience. It's endearing and a bit bittersweet.

Each chapter reads a bit like a short story, though the volume holds together as a novel through the character development of Gordianus and through some events whose significance only becomes clear toward the end.

My only quibbles- I would have liked to see just a bit more of Gordianus's father at the beginning (clearly the relationship is the most meaningful in Gordianus's life to this point) and a little more of Bethesda near the end - but perhaps there are more prequels to come? I do prefer the more traditional novels in the series to these short-story pieces precisely because they allow for more development of relationships and characters.

All in all, this was a fun read, and I learned a lot about the Seven Wonders. As with almost all of Saylor's novels, I felt like if I suddenly found myself in the places described, they'd seem almost familiar, and I honestly struggle to remind myself that Gordianus was not a historical person. I am now prompted to go and do my own reading about the places and historical people represented in the books. I am looking forward to whatever Saylor has in store for Gordianus next!

[Hermine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of the Roma Sub Rosa series and had been waiting for this book for a while knowing it would well be worth it. Steven Saylor knows how to tell a great story and he did just that with Seven Wonders.

The story follows Gordianus on his first real adventure (adventures, perhaps?). Despite reviewer criticism that perhaps the characters in this book aren't as fully developed as they are in the series itself, I don't feel the same way. Gordianus is a developed character for those who have read the series prior to this book. This is just a book of short stories, and I don't see how characters that don't exist from one chapter to the next could be or why they should be more developed than they were.

It was a light, quick, and fun read of a few short stories that kept me occupied for a couple days. I already feel as though I know Gordianus through all the books I've already read, so I just needed him to tell me a few stories to pass the time, and he did that well.

The story ends in Alexandria, but I would have loved to read more Alexandria exploits or even read about Gordianus' journey back home to Rome. But hopefully that is another book in the making.

[Jaksen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The well-told tale of how Gordianus the Finder, featured in sixteen books written by Mr. Saylor, got his start. At the age of seventeen, the young Gordianus, a citizen of ancient Rome and now officially a man, goes on a lengthy tour with his Greek tutor, Antipater, to visit the seven wonders of his world. These include the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Colossus or Rhodes (or what's left of it), the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (the same, what remains is in ruins), the Temple of Artemis, the Statue of Zeus and a few others. Some of these structures are intact; others are in ruins or, in the case of the Great Pyramid, even ancient in Gordianus' time. (The book starts in AD 92, or CE 92 - take your pick.) Much is going on in Rome at this time, including possible war, and Gordianus' father would like his son away from the city, so the timing of this trip is perfect.

And Gordianus, being naturally inquisitive and destined (in later books) to be the Finder, an early interpretation of an investigator or detective, will enjoy every minute of the journey. At each location he helps solve a problem, situation, or crime; luxuriates in the environment each city or country offers, and meets an assortment of interesting characters. However, at the same time, a different, larger, more intricate and ominous puzzle is forming. Does he see this? No, he does not! (And neither did this reader.)

Mr. Saylor is a master of description, location, and of ancient time periods. The amount of research necessary to write this book - which came after many of those in the Gordianus series proper - must have taken months. Years! He notes at the end of this volume the various drawbacks - and rewards - that come with researching a period in which fact and fiction sometimes overlay one another in confusing and conflicting ways.

As for the book, thoroughly enjoyable as each 'wonder' is described; each region explored; characters are introduced from all different nations, ethnicities, and so on. In fact, you've got the whole 'gang from this era' well-represented.

My favorite: when Gordianus visits the Great Lighthouse in Alexandria. (Which, incidentally was not considered one of the seven wonders at this time.) It amazes me the remains of this magnificent edifice are still being uncovered and studied. (It was damaged in earthquakes in 956 and 1323, and finally fell to ruins in 1480.)

Anyhow, the perfect starting point for the Gordianus series, as an introduction to the central character and the world in which he lived. Perfect for lovers of this period of history - and mysteries, too!

Five stars

[Rachael · Rating 2 out of 5]

This addition to the Roma Sub Rosa series is a deviation from the norm in many ways. First, it is a prequel, going back in time to when Gordianus was eighteen and showing the process of the boy becoming the man and Finder returning readers know so well. Second, it purports to be a novel but is much closer to a short story collection. Third, it is a bit of a travelogue, focusing on places over anything else. The execution of each of these three things is largely responsible for how well the book succeeds or fails.

As a prequel, this left me rather underwhelmed. Gordianus is, in many ways, far too advanced in his trade already. We are told at the start that his father, the man currently known in Rome as the Finder, has taught young Gordianus all the tricks of the trade and that is really all the development of his skills we are given. The father disappears from the book entirely after a few short pages. While Gordianus occasionally thinks of his father's lessons as he uses his detective skills, there is no real sense of him being anything other than the professional readers of the series already know. We are told in the end that while he had the skills, he lacked one critical aspect of his adult personality and really of maturity and he has now developed that, but we are told that rather abruptly without it really having been demonstrated previously. The only area in which Gordianus grows and matures throughout these tales is in his sexual awakening and those were fun little moments that amused me but have no heft to them.

As a blend of novel and short story collection, this almost succeeds, but ultimately I was again disappointed. Most of the tales here, seven of ten chapters if my count is correct, were published in various magazines and anthologies as individual short stories before being collected here. As such, each chapter is a contained story with characters, stand alone plot, and completed mystery. The mysteries are necessarily much less complex than those of the full novels in this series, but roughly on par with the previous short story collections. I of course enjoyed some stories more than others and personally prefer the previous collections over this one, but as short stories I have no real complaints with them. The attempt to unite the stories into one novel, however, was much more problematic. There is an overarching plot lingering in the background of the stories, articulated most clearly in the first and last proper chapters (ignoring the epilogue for the moment) which were not previously published as stand alone tales. The problem is that this overarching plot is rather weak and the twist or mystery reveal that comes in the last chapter was obvious to me at most one-third of the way through the book.

The one thing that does successfully unite these stories is the travelogue theme of the collection. Gordianus is traveling the known world, visiting each of the Seven Wonders in turn and encountering a mystery at each place. The physical descriptions of the wonders themselves were a bit flat, but the overall sense of place and time with all the little details that I consider to be one of the hallmarks of Saylor's series are here and as fantastically done as ever. Gordianus's journey gives him and the readers a sense of the culture and history of multiple places around the Mediterranean and the background is as vibrant, entertaining, and educational as Saylor at his best. My personal favorite of the historical backgrounds focused on Gordianus's visit to the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, a visit which just happens to coincide with an Olympic Games, but perhaps my enjoyment of that was due solely to the fact that I read this the week of the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London games.

[Steven Harbin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last 2 entries in this series left me a little underwhelmed but with this "prequel" set in Gordianus the Finder's youth, I fell back in love with author Saylor's "Roma Sub Rosa" series. So much so that I'm going to go back and give the last 2 books another try. Briefly, this latest book is a group of short stories regarding the 18 year old Gordianus and his tutor, the Greek poet Antipater of Sidon ( a real historical figure ) and their grand tour of the ancient Hellenistic world, with an itinerary which includes visiting each of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World." Each of the short stories was previously published independently in the last few years but they read well both alone and in this form where some overall plot threads come together at the end of the book. I think it would be better to have read some of the previous books in the series, especially Roman Blood before reading this book, but it's not necessary. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries as well as anyone who is interested in Roman and Hellenistic history. I'm hoping that Saylor will come back with some more stories set in the decade of Gordianus youth, between the events of this book and those of the aforementioned "Roman Blood."

[Marta Clemente · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este é o meu primeiro livro de Steven Saylor. Conta-nos as aventuras do jovem Gordiano numa viagem extraordinária às sete maravilhas do mundo.
Achei extremamente interessante a forma como está escrito. No fundo os vários capítulos são cada um deles um conto passado numa das sete maravilhas. As descrições são excelentes, a escrita fluída... Enfim, uma leitura muito agradável.
A cereja no topo do bolo é o capítulo final em que o autor faz um oportuno enquadramento histórico.
Este é o primeiro de 16 livros que serão lidos em 16 meses como proposta do @um_rapaz_que_le na sua página de Instagram.

[Georgina Ortiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steven Saylor never fails to amuse (and educate) with his stories. Some bits better than the others. Noticed that this particular collection is somewhat lighter in tone than the Roma Sub Rosa series.

Final rating: 3.5 stars

[J.J. Garza · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una atronadoramente mediocre novela de ‘misterio histórico’ que resulta ser atronadoramente mediocre como misterio y atronadoramente mediocre como novela histórica.

[Marquise]

Not for me, I'm not usually a fan of "detectives-in-togas" fiction.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Seven Wonders: A Novel Of The Ancient World, by Steven Saylor

I have a special unease about a book like this. The author wants to portray his character as sort of a detective, a solver of mysteries, while also painting the main character, one Gordianus, as a praiseworthy and cultured Roman among the decadent late republic. It is clear that the author wants the reader to think highly of his main character, and highly of themselves for being similarly cosmopolitan and open-minded and smarter than the average late republican American, more than likely, in our own corrupt age. There are several essential problems with this book, though, that keep it from being even at the usual level of escapist mystery fare like this. For one, the book is a prequel, so the author already has a character in mind that he has written about and has already talked about in detail, and is returning to an earlier, more innocent (?) time in the character's life when he was first sexually exploiting the slaves of others to lose his virginity in Ephesus and exploring his enjoyment of bisexuality for the first time (but, we may imagine, probably not the last) in Rhodes, as well as speaking out on behalf of a local transsexual who is suspected of being involved in a poisoning in Halicarnassus, all of which he does in this volume (spoiler alert). A second problem with this book is that much of it is made up of several short stories that the author has already published, giving this an episodic feeling, albeit one loosely tied together through related characters and a plot that I will get into later.

This novel is about 300 pages or so. It begins with a map of the seven wonders and ends with a chronology as well as an author's note that discusses his own search for information about the Seven Wonders. In between there are ten chapters, some of which appear to have been independently published as short stories. The first chapter, a prelude in Rome, shows Gordianus being entrusted by his father to the care of one Greek poet Antipater who is pretending, for various reasons, to be dead and taking a false identity to travel under (1). They travel to Ephesus, where they get caught up in a murder mystery involving a corrupt high priest (2) and then hoof it to Halicarnassus where they enjoy the permissive hospitality of a heteara (upper-class courtesan) who is related to Antipater (3). After this, they travel to Olympia to see the Olympics, where they get caught up in politics involving Mithridates and where Gordianus helps a young athlete avoid ritual pollution and win two events (4). This is followed by an interlude in the ruins of Corinth where Gordianus escapes being killed as a result of his heathen piety and avoidance of greed (5). This is followed by an exploration of the Colossus of Rhodes and the author's own unpleasant harassment from a monumental Gaul (6). More relationships between temple robbing and heathen piety find themselves explored when Gordianus and Antipater visit Babylon and ponder over how to increase tourism there (7). A trip to the Great Pyramid leads to an exploration of mummies as loan collateral and the missing Sphinx, along with an erotic experience the author has with a spirit being pretending to be Isis (8), whom Gordianus credulously believes is the goddess herself. This is followed by an exploration of the use of the mirrors of the Pharos Lighthouse for secret communication, which involves Gordianus in more skullduggery involving Mithridates and those supporting him against Rome (9). The book then ends with Gordianus hanging out in Alexandria avoiding the Social War back at home and purchasing a Hebrew slave girl bound to be exploited that he, curiously and ominously, labels as the Eighth World Wonder (10).

My biggest problem with this work, and one that is a problem only for me and for readers like me, is that this book wants to engage with the culture of Second Temple Judaism, and show that this character is engaging with such a culture, without having any respect or interest in following the rather strict moral laws of God. There is nothing in this novel that suggests that Gordianus, or the author, are at all interested in following the rigorous moral laws of God as discussed in the Bible. Not only does the author and his protagonist have the morals of the heathens that Paul condemns in Romans 1, but similarly they are both far too deeply interested in writing about pious (or perhaps not) Jews, including a Jewess whom the protagonist buys as a slave at the very end of this book, while also being far too deeply credulous and interested in the heathen worship of demons, whom the lead character appears to have some interaction with, at least one of them impersonating Isis. This is a novel of the ancient world without the joy of escapism, only the seedy immorality, casual cynicism, and deep and unpleasant interest in politics of all kinds that make our own time so unpleasant and that are transported to an equally unpleasant and repellant version of the past that only puts the evils of the present day in our face.

[Martin Denton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this after having consumed most of the Gordianus novels by Steven Saylor; this is a prequel so there's no need to have read the others before trying this one out.

It has been many years since I read this, but what I remember most was the clever premise, which is that a young man in Ancient Rome, nearly 2100 years ago, goes on a tour with his tutor to view the all-but-one-still-extant seven wonders of the world. What a great pedagogical idea, for him and for us, vicariously! We travel with Gordianus to Egypt to see the Pyramids, to Babylon for the Hanging Gardens, to Rhodes for the remnants of the great statue of Helios, and so on.

Along the way Gordianus, who has a knack for both getting involved in trouble and solving mysteries, has many adventures. I confess I don't recall any of them; what I took from this lovely book was the joy in learning in a new way about an aspect of history--via the seven wonders--that I knew woefully little about. In fact, that's what I've liked about all of Saylor's books. This one, I think, because of its clever hook, is the most accessible and the one I'd be most inclined to recommend.

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A few years ago, I read through the Roma sub Rosa series in which a first-century Sherlock Holmes named Gordianus the Finder made his living investigating murders and other sundry mysteries which were in great supply during Rome's transition from republic to empire. The Seven Wonders marks the return of the Finder, or rather his beginning as a freshly-togaed young man touring the world with his tutor, Antipater of Sidon -- a poet who fakes his own death, and not just to get out of town. Although Gordianus will encounter mysteries in every city he visits, the greatest intrigue is in his own camp. The stars of The Seven Wonders are the wonders themselves, as Saylor's story is a fictional travelogue of the ancient world. Today, of course, only one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World" remains standing, the Great Pyramid. The others have been lost to natural disasters or human neglect. In Gordianus' day, most of them dominate the landscape of their cities. The Colossus of Rhodes has already fallen from earthquakes, but even partially submerged it's magnificent -- and the Hanging Gardens, though largely a pile of rubble, are a very impressive pile of rubble protected by the staggeringly beautiful Ishtar Gate. Gordianus invariably arrives in each city just as something special is going on: the Olympics, for instance, or a fertility festival. The Seven Wonders is a cultural tour of the classical world punctuated by death, theft, and skirt-chasing. (Gordianus was a responsible family man in virtually every other Roma sub Rosa series, but here he's young, knows no fear, and is randy as a goat in springtime. He even manages to be seduced by a goddess while sleeping in the Great Pyramid.) I daresay the novel is more enjoyable for the setting than the actual mysteries, since most of the time the reader is kept clueless until Gordianus reveals what he's been noticing and mulling over without letting the reader know. Had the work been longer, the mysteries might have been more enticing -- but 300 pages is brief considering the scope of his travels.

The Seven Wonders is enjoyable enough, though nothing on the order of Roma or Empire.

[Drianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A prequel to the other Gordianus books. Baby!Gordianus, accompanied by the poet Antipater of Sidon, goes on a Grand Tour of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. At each Wonder, he solves a mystery and has sex with someone.

I liked this book, but it is fluffy and offers little in the way of character development or insight into Baby!Gordianus. He appears to have been pretty much the same as ever, already holding a lot of weirdly non-Roman beliefs (apparently, so does his father, whom I would've liked to have learned more about). He's already a mystery-solver (apparently, an innate gift of the gods?), but the mysteries here were really trivial and a bit silly (also, if I came across that many dead bodies on my vacation, I'd start to worry that maybe it was me).

I certainly could've done with the gleefully recounted 'romances' (but at least there was nothing explicit like in the first couple books of the series: I really hate when Saylor attempts to write het!sex; it ends up being misogynist and icky), and the fact that everyone in the entire world apparently finds Gordianus sexy, well, strains credulity. But I was really happy that one of Gordianus' partners was a man (a Gaul, even: you know what those Gauls are like?... and yes, I read the citation in the afterword), even if that does rather contradict Gordianus' attitude/experiences in the later books (particularly in Catalina's Riddle, when he is shocked! shocked! that Catiline suggests he might enjoy sex with men, and then his reaction to Caesar/Meno in some of the later ones), because I suppose it's actually a sign of how the world has changed in the last 10-20 years that Saylor could, in fact, state that Gordianus had sex with the Gaul now (albeit with less dwelling on it than, say, with Amestris or Bitto, or, of course, Bethesda).

A nice book, even if not as gripping as some of the others.

[J.S. Dunn · Rating 3 out of 5]

rating 3.5, agree with others' comments that this work uses the artifice or device of having the protag travel to see the ancient world's Seven Wonders fairly well but lacks the continuity and theme of a novel rather than a short story collection. Also that it lacks depth or is fluffy.

This novel is rather dismissive of women characters other than for sex scenes of dubious value. [ Too many conference lectures on "How To Write Great Sex Scenes?" or , A 20s or 30s NYC editor who thinks that sex per se will add commercial appeal? Either is unfortunate given the result. ]

If the mystery element in each story/chapter were removed, Seven Wonders would lack any dramatic tension and be a travelogue. That's no excuse for its often weak if not insipid dialogue.


Overall, another hyped product from a Big 6 imprint that shows the effect of an author churning out too much historical fiction in a short time frame and of recycling the same old story line or setting. Still, it's a relief from Tudors of any stripe.

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

EDIT 2024: I tried to re-read this book, but the blatant sexual objectification of women, including minors, and the misogynist tropes are just unbearable. I couldn't pass the first two chapters. It's just sad that some men are unable to describe female characters without pointing out how their breasts or buttocks move while they walk. Seriously.

Old review: Although I enjoyed the historical background, this book didn't feel like a novel to me. Besides, I got tired that the outline in every chapter was almost the same: amazing place, mystery, someone dying, the main character has sex .
Many times, the viewpoint from the character felt like something taken from a history book instead of fiction.
Although I know this was set in Ancient times, the fact that most of the women were basically sex prizes for the main character made me bored. And the sex scene with the goddess in Egypt ehm... so awkward and unnecessary . Near the end, I was struggling not to skip pages. The plot twist was good for a moment.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read some of the early mysteries in this series. It was fun to go back and read these "prequels" where the author fills in some of Gordianus' background. It seem he was always a "finder." Gordianus visits the seven wonders of the ancient world with his tutor and solves a mystery at each spot...except the one big mystery that almost escapes him.

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh to have seen the 7 Wonders! Going along with Antipater and Gordianus was NOT a substitute, but what a pleasant voyage. The details were keen and a good look in on what it must have been like to have seen the sites. And the sights at the sites.

[Laurel Bradshaw · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 red stars

Perhaps a tad generous, especially if you are coming to this series after the Roma Sub Rosa series about the older Gordianus "the Finder." But I like to read books in internal chronological order, so this is my introduction to Steven Saylor's books. There are four books in the "Ancient World" series, and I guess these could all be considered prequels to the later series. Not sure if they should also be considered young adult or not, but that is kind of the vibe of this one - Gordianus is goofy, awkward, and naive. I found it quite entertaining. It felt like being on a bus tour (no buses in 92 B.C., I know) with a chatty tour guide (or in this case, various local characters) expounding on the history of each of the Seven Wonders of the World, and various aspects of Roman, Greek, or Egyptian culture and history as we go. And it brought to mind a memory from my childhood playing "school" with my sisters - I was the teacher, of course, being the oldest, and I had a little booklet of facts all about the Seven Wonders that I used for my "lessons." I remember it very vividly. Yes, I loved history even then, and I was a very nerdy, scholarly child. So anyway - this book is like a collection of short stories. At each location, Gordianus gets to solve some little mystery, and have some kind of romantic/sexual encounter (not explicit). Technically, this predates the Roman "Empire", but Rome (like Gordianus) is certainly on the cusp of what it will become.


Description: The year is 92 B.C. Gordianus has just turned eighteen and is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime: a far-flung journey to see the Seven Wonders of the World. Gordianus is not yet called "the Finder"―but at each of the Seven Wonders, the wide-eyed young Roman encounters a mystery to challenge the powers of deduction. Accompanying Gordianus on his travels is his tutor, Antipater of Sidon, the world's most celebrated poet. But there is more to the apparently harmless old poet than meets the eye. Before they leave home, Antipater fakes his own death and travels under an assumed identity. Looming in the background are the first rumblings of a political upheaval that will shake the entire Roman world. Teacher and pupil journey to the fabled cities of Greece and Asia Minor, and then to Babylon and Egypt. They attend the Olympic Games, take part in exotic festivals, and marvel at the most spectacular constructions ever devised by mankind. Along the way they encounter murder, witchcraft and ghostly hauntings. Traveling the world for the first time, Gordianus discovers that amorous exploration goes hand-in-hand with crime-solving. The mysteries of love are the true wonders of the world...

[Chejo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro es el primero de una trilogía que narra la juventud de Gordiano, antes de los eventos de la saga Roma Sub-Rosa.

La premisa es interesante: el recorrido por las Siete Maravillas del mundo antiguo sirve de excusa para combinar historia y ficción. El autor logra una excelente conexión entre el viaje ficticio del joven Gordiano y las descripciones detalladas de cada maravilla —o de lo que queda de ellas—, aportando contexto, referencias y una carga histórica que, sin duda, es el punto más fuerte del libro.

Sin embargo, la trama principal deja bastante que desear. Los “mini casos” que Gordiano resuelve en cada parada resultan poco memorables, y terminan relegando lo que podría haber sido un hilo narrativo mucho más potente: la revelación de que su maestro era un espía. Este elemento, que podría haber sido el verdadero motor de la historia, se diluye por completo con un cierre abrupto y decepcionante.

Otro aspecto conflictivo es la construcción del personaje. Aquí se nos presenta a un Gordiano joven con una bisexualidad evidente, lo cual entra en contradicción con el Gordiano adulto de la saga original, donde no solo se lo muestra como estrictamente heterosexual, sino que incluso llega a expresar un rechazo hacia su hijo por su orientación. Esa incoherencia —junto con su actitud marcadamente más religiosa y respetuosa en la juventud, contrastando con su escepticismo posterior— hace que su evolución se sienta poco convincente y mal cohesionada.

Lo que doy punto a su favor es la explicación de contexto histórico y narrativo de la novela que nos brinda el autor al final (por lo menos en este libro), compartiendo sus ideas e influencias, elementos literario que hizo falta en su saga anterior.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about an amiable young Roman detective. I love any books about
a) young amiable people
b) Romans
c) detectives (in non-scary stories).
As a result, I really enjoyed this book. I found the main character endearing, and the world immersive. I stayed up late to finish it last night and couldn't concentrate on my work this morning because I running through ancient cities in my imagination.

Our hero visits the seven wonders of the world, along with ruined Corinth, solving a mystery in every place and bedding a stranger in every place apart from Corinth. The mysteries themselves were not the point of the story, and it was usually extremely obvious what the outcome of each would be. Likewise, the romances were fairly banal. Each chapter was around 77-78 pages on my e-reader, so the author didn't have much space to develop either the mysteries or the love/lust stories. I wonder if he set himself the rather mammoth task of squeezing all of this into one book and then found he couldn't really achieve it well. However, none of this mattered. I found myself much more interested in the hero and the ancient world than the plot. Throughout the novel there were questions about whether the hero's tutor was playing him or not, and these questions were deliberately not revealed at the end. Gah. I know this was the point but I still would rather have known!

The writing was hit and miss. Some of the descriptions were beautifully written. I could imagine myself in the hero's shoes, experiencing the splendour of the ancient world. However, the text was exposition-heavy and the dialogue clunky. I had assumed it was the first novel of a new author, or a self-published book, but it turns out this is a prequel for an already popular series. I assume then that the problems with exposition and dialogue were caused by the fact the author was cramming so much into one book.

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not read anything by this author before but had some books from his Sub-Rosa Rome series ready to start, when I found out that these books were a prequel of sorts - giving some background about the 18 year old young Roman finder. So (liking to read things in order), I gave this a crack before I started the main series.

Not disappointed. The story flowed well and certainly gave some historical facts (some of which were delivered lecture style). Basically our young MC and his older Greek tutor leave Rome and go off adventuring - to visit all the seven ancient wonders. As it happens, at every port the duo encounters a mystery to solved, a wrong to be righted - with our young hero often 'saving the day'. Sometimes it all felt a little too contrived, the language bordering on middle school (although there were some sexual references so not really a younger kid read), however it the writing had a certain innocence to it, naivety?? So enjoyable, but off to read how this young finder turned out and see what he gets up to as a 'proper adult'.

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 5 out of 5]

These were the early days.
No; I'm not talking about the fact that these tales took place in an era when Rome was the preeminent power, but competitors and enemies were very much there. I meant that these are the very first cases of Gordianus the Finder— when he had barely attained manhood.
An opportunity had arisen where he could travel and see the Seven Wonders, accompanied by his teacher (and one of the greatest poets of the time) traveling incognito. This book is the collection of those travels, invariably accompanied by dangers, riddles, political machinations, even murder!
The mysteries were not very complex. But the world-building, characterisations, and empathy for all the beauty lost to ravages of time and men make these tales very-very memorable.
The book also allows us to grow up along-with Gordianus, in a fashion, as we get exposed to strange and terrible customs, rituals, social norms, and life.
Highly recommended.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

It has been a while since I entered the world of Gordianus the Finder. This was a prequel to the regular series that looks at his travels around the ancient world to see the Wonders of the World. Each chapter is a different wonder and they involve some mystery or murder that Gordianus cleverly solves. It was fun to see the origins of the character, but the story itself wasn't quite a page-turner like the rest of the series I remember. Glad I read it for sure, but if someone was new to the series I would start reading them in chronological order by publication date.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 92 BC, the Greek poet Antipater has chosen to fake his death, and asks his student, 18-year-old Gordianus, to accompany him of his trip to see the Seven Wonders. But at each Wonder, Gordianus has a tricky puzzle to solve.