What do you think?
Rate this book
This is the second story of Togas, daggers, and Magic – for lovers of Ancient Rome, Hardboiled detectives, and Urban Fantasy.
A rich landlord finds tenants are abandoning his apartment buildings, spouting tales of horrific events and whispering that the old gods - the numina - came alive and cursed the buildings.
Enter Felix, a professional fox. Dressed in a toga and armed with a dagger, Felix is neither a traditional detective nor a traditional magician - but something in between. Whenever there is a foul business of bad magic, Felix is hired to sniff out the truth. Now he must separate fact from superstition - a hard task in a world where the old gods still roam the earth.
In Numina is set in a fantasy world. The city of Egretia borrows elements from a thousand years of ancient Roman culture, from the founding of Rome to the late empire, mixed with a judicious amount of magic. This is a story of a cynical, hardboiled detective dealing with anything from daily life to the old forces roaming the world.
A rich landlord finds tenants are abandoning his apartment buildings, spouting tales of horrific events and whispering that the old gods - the numina - came alive and cursed the buildings.
Enter Felix, a professional fox. Dressed in a toga and armed with a dagger, Felix is neither a traditional detective nor a traditional magician - but something in between. Whenever there is a foul business of bad magic, Felix is hired to sniff out the truth. Now he must separate fact from superstition - a hard task in a world where the old gods still roam the earth.
In Numina is set in a fantasy world. The city of Egretia borrows elements from a thousand years of ancient Roman culture, from the founding of Rome to the late empire, mixed with a judicious amount of magic. This is a story of a cynical, hardboiled detective dealing with anything from daily life to the old forces roaming the world.
362 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2018
10 people are currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Assaph Mehr
8 books395 followersA free novella in the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series is waiting for you at Aquae et Ignis.
I have always been fascinated by ancient Rome, from the time I was in primary school and first got my hands on Asterix. This exacerbated when my parents took me on a trip to Rome and Italy – I whinged horribly when they dragged me to “yet another church with baby angels on the ceiling”, yet was happy to skip all day around ancient ruins and museums for Etruscan art.
A few years ago I randomly picked a copy of a Lindsay Davis’ Marcus Didius Falco novel in a used book fair. I fell in love with Rome all over again, this time from the view-point of a cynical adult. When I decided to sit down and write a novel, the setting was clear in my mind.
Assaph now lives in Tasmania, Australia with his wife, kids, two cats, and one dog. By day he is a software product manager, bridging the gap between developers and users, and by night (or whenever he can close the door) he’s writing.
I have always been fascinated by ancient Rome, from the time I was in primary school and first got my hands on Asterix. This exacerbated when my parents took me on a trip to Rome and Italy – I whinged horribly when they dragged me to “yet another church with baby angels on the ceiling”, yet was happy to skip all day around ancient ruins and museums for Etruscan art.
A few years ago I randomly picked a copy of a Lindsay Davis’ Marcus Didius Falco novel in a used book fair. I fell in love with Rome all over again, this time from the view-point of a cynical adult. When I decided to sit down and write a novel, the setting was clear in my mind.
Assaph now lives in Tasmania, Australia with his wife, kids, two cats, and one dog. By day he is a software product manager, bridging the gap between developers and users, and by night (or whenever he can close the door) he’s writing.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
November 27, 2019
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Around three years ago I reviewed Assaph Mehr’s previous Egretian novel, ‘Murder in Absentia‘, which I loved and for which I awarded four and a half stars. I am sorry to say that I could not get that enthusiastic about this second book. Indeed, I must confess to pausing about half way through until I forced myself to pick it up again two weeks later.
In Numina contains all the elements that I enjoyed in the first book; the details of Roman life, the food, especially the thought of fried dormice, the sea travel and the games. It also contains a lot of information on how their justice systems worked. As with Murder in Absentia, I made many diversions to an online Latin/English dictionary and to internet searches to complete my understanding.
The story is narrated by Felix the Fox who is an unconventional, partly trained, investigating magician. Mehr gives him real character and most readers will struggle not to like him. To support his work he has Aemilia, a teenager from a wealthy family and various odd-balls, generally those who can supply muscle as required. One of the amusing running threads is the conflicting attentions that he receives from Aemilia and her mother Cornelia.
To fully appreciate these books, the reader will need more knowledge of Latin and Roman history than I have. When I read the first book I found it such a novelty that I worked my way round these issues. This time I could not get so excited, particularly during the plodding and often repetitive descriptions of the magia reactions in the first half of the book and in the trial sections later on.
To his credit, the author has done his best to promote understanding. At the end of the book are substantial Author’s Notes and a Glossary, both of which are very useful. Unfortunately my appreciation of the story failed to engender sufficient energy in me to want to take full note of all this information.
I recommend In Numina for readers who either have some background knowledge of Roman history and Latin or those who are interested enough to research and learn. Based on my personal experience I have to limit my rating to just three stars.
Around three years ago I reviewed Assaph Mehr’s previous Egretian novel, ‘Murder in Absentia‘, which I loved and for which I awarded four and a half stars. I am sorry to say that I could not get that enthusiastic about this second book. Indeed, I must confess to pausing about half way through until I forced myself to pick it up again two weeks later.
In Numina contains all the elements that I enjoyed in the first book; the details of Roman life, the food, especially the thought of fried dormice, the sea travel and the games. It also contains a lot of information on how their justice systems worked. As with Murder in Absentia, I made many diversions to an online Latin/English dictionary and to internet searches to complete my understanding.
The story is narrated by Felix the Fox who is an unconventional, partly trained, investigating magician. Mehr gives him real character and most readers will struggle not to like him. To support his work he has Aemilia, a teenager from a wealthy family and various odd-balls, generally those who can supply muscle as required. One of the amusing running threads is the conflicting attentions that he receives from Aemilia and her mother Cornelia.
To fully appreciate these books, the reader will need more knowledge of Latin and Roman history than I have. When I read the first book I found it such a novelty that I worked my way round these issues. This time I could not get so excited, particularly during the plodding and often repetitive descriptions of the magia reactions in the first half of the book and in the trial sections later on.
To his credit, the author has done his best to promote understanding. At the end of the book are substantial Author’s Notes and a Glossary, both of which are very useful. Unfortunately my appreciation of the story failed to engender sufficient energy in me to want to take full note of all this information.
I recommend In Numina for readers who either have some background knowledge of Roman history and Latin or those who are interested enough to research and learn. Based on my personal experience I have to limit my rating to just three stars.
September 9, 2023
Having caught the bug of writing (and it is a kind of illness) and seen Murder In Absentia receive a modicum of success, there was nothing left for me to do but write a new Felix adventure. This time, I took pleasure in researching witchcraft and curses in the ancient world, as well as using (and abusing) Cicero’s courtroom oratory for a dramatic climax.
If you like any two out of the three passions behind this book – Ancient Rome, Dark Fantasy, and Murder Mystery – give this book a shot. I trust you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Videas Lumen!
Assaph
If you like any two out of the three passions behind this book – Ancient Rome, Dark Fantasy, and Murder Mystery – give this book a shot. I trust you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.
Videas Lumen!
Assaph
September 11, 2018
Welcome to Egretia, a fantastical land created by the imagination of author Assaph Mehr, based on his love for all things which bespoke of ancient Rome including the Asterix comics. His love and his passion for Rome was so evident in the prose that he could show me the harsh and vivid tapestry of those times including the magic and the gods.
Enter Felix, an investigator extraordinaire who had some magical talents remaining from his days of learning. The story had him being called to investigate the unusual occurrences happening in the Insulae, the flats of Lucius Valerius whose tenants were either dead or driven away by the dark curses. This book had him finding the reasons, the perpetrator, and the final courtroom drama.
The plot was intricate enough in some ways to keep me gripped into the story, especially in the latter half. Though set in Egretia, it had the stamp of ancient Rome, where magic and scriptures, lead tablets and incantations, potions and sacrifices, all abounded and tied in together to make this story a potent mystical read.
Felix, as the main character, was intelligent yet highly passionate, he was clear in matters of magic yet befuddled in matters of heart, his plans were good on paper, yet had its own twists when in action. Therein lay his charms. He was quite a foxy character. The other characters played their parts, especially the ladies. They had their wills and the ways and quite a clever mind to weave their ploys in the scenes.
The book took me 4 days to finish and my niggles came with it. The story had a lot of Latin words interspersed within the prose. For a person who hardly knew some words, it took me repeated readings to get the gist of the words. I found the flow of the story breaking in my mind, and I couldn’t see this book like a movie. And I found the book a bit wordy especially when the tension in the plot ought to be maintained.
But those were my own limitations of the language, the book had a Sherlock – Perry Mason flavor to it along with magic and ancient Gods, which made it quite an enjoyable read. I kept imagining the plot written in modern English, and I thought that it would make a fantastic story with global appeal.
Enter Felix, an investigator extraordinaire who had some magical talents remaining from his days of learning. The story had him being called to investigate the unusual occurrences happening in the Insulae, the flats of Lucius Valerius whose tenants were either dead or driven away by the dark curses. This book had him finding the reasons, the perpetrator, and the final courtroom drama.
The plot was intricate enough in some ways to keep me gripped into the story, especially in the latter half. Though set in Egretia, it had the stamp of ancient Rome, where magic and scriptures, lead tablets and incantations, potions and sacrifices, all abounded and tied in together to make this story a potent mystical read.
Felix, as the main character, was intelligent yet highly passionate, he was clear in matters of magic yet befuddled in matters of heart, his plans were good on paper, yet had its own twists when in action. Therein lay his charms. He was quite a foxy character. The other characters played their parts, especially the ladies. They had their wills and the ways and quite a clever mind to weave their ploys in the scenes.
The book took me 4 days to finish and my niggles came with it. The story had a lot of Latin words interspersed within the prose. For a person who hardly knew some words, it took me repeated readings to get the gist of the words. I found the flow of the story breaking in my mind, and I couldn’t see this book like a movie. And I found the book a bit wordy especially when the tension in the plot ought to be maintained.
But those were my own limitations of the language, the book had a Sherlock – Perry Mason flavor to it along with magic and ancient Gods, which made it quite an enjoyable read. I kept imagining the plot written in modern English, and I thought that it would make a fantastic story with global appeal.
August 13, 2018
Felix the Fox. Investigator, magician, lover, compulsive payer of debts.
A case of cursed buildings pulls Felix into dangerous waters, and we are kept on our toes from the first page to the last. Will our hero prevail? Or will his enemies come out on top?
This fascinating tale from ‘not Rome’ mixes whodunnit, with magic, with an elusive love story.
Highly recommended.
A case of cursed buildings pulls Felix into dangerous waters, and we are kept on our toes from the first page to the last. Will our hero prevail? Or will his enemies come out on top?
This fascinating tale from ‘not Rome’ mixes whodunnit, with magic, with an elusive love story.
Highly recommended.
May 23, 2025
A.very clever idea.
Take Ancient Rome, add a street smart private eye place them in a world filled with magic and you have the Stories of Toys Daggers and magic. Felix the Fox lives in Egreteria a city which is somewhere within the Roman world. Felix has some.magical talent though he was never fully trained and after his.family ran into financial difficulties he was forced to give up his dreams and find a way to earn a living. He hires himself out to anyone.who will pay his fee, turning his hand to anything in order to earn his living. Felix.does.have moral code though which he will not break. This book sees him hired by a very wealthy property owner who has three insula (apartment blocks) upon which curse s hAve been placed wh i h are causing nightmarish happenings and violence has also occurred which has led to the death of several of his tenants.
Take Ancient Rome, add a street smart private eye place them in a world filled with magic and you have the Stories of Toys Daggers and magic. Felix the Fox lives in Egreteria a city which is somewhere within the Roman world. Felix has some.magical talent though he was never fully trained and after his.family ran into financial difficulties he was forced to give up his dreams and find a way to earn a living. He hires himself out to anyone.who will pay his fee, turning his hand to anything in order to earn his living. Felix.does.have moral code though which he will not break. This book sees him hired by a very wealthy property owner who has three insula (apartment blocks) upon which curse s hAve been placed wh i h are causing nightmarish happenings and violence has also occurred which has led to the death of several of his tenants.
June 11, 2020
In Numina is the second novel starring Felix the Fox, detective of the supernatural. If you enjoy tasty detective stories set in ancient Rome, if you like a touch of horror (or at least gruesome) as a side dish, then In Numina is your fine dining experience.
Like most detective series, this one has the same star and some recurring characters, but you don't need to read the first novel to enjoy the second one, though I'm sure most readers will want to read both (there's another in the works). They both take place in an alternate-world version of Rome called Egretia. Mehr does an excellent job of weaving in real-world elements into his fiction but it's never obtrusive and never clumsy. The more of Rome you know, and especially the Roman Republic, the more you'll appreciate the small touches. At the same time, no reader needs to know any Roman history at all, for the story tells you all you need to know, and keeps it at that.
As for the story itself, someone has been unleashing murderous spirits upon several apartment complexes in a lower class section of the city. It's the sort of place the authorities happily ignore, most times, but the landlord is desperate. All his tenants are leaving. Or dead.
Enter Felix the Fox, whom the landlord hires. Is it pranksters? Ghosts? Something even worse? When it comes to dark deeds done in the underbelly of the world of magic, Felix is our guy. What he discovers has consequences that are personal but which also reverberate through the city. The story moves along at a good clip, rarely lagging, and all loose ends are wrapped up tightly, with maybe a hint toward future doings.
An important secondary plotline, carried forward from the first book, involves Felix's love life, which is complicated to say the least. I like the way some of the complications reach back into Felix's past; old tragedies continue to affect his present choices, and this makes for a more interesting sort of character to follow.
Readers might be puzzled by having the big fight scene happen so far from the end of the book, to be followed by a detailed account of a legal trial. Usually, the action scene takes place as the climax, or near to it. It's an interesting choice and one that could have gone wrong, but Mehr handles the trial quite well. The structure, I realized later, is reminiscent of those old Perry Mason shows where any action scenes always took place prior to the courtroom scenes. In Numina can be thought of as a blend of Philip Marlowe and Perry Mason. Not bad company.
Lastly, anyone with any interest in history should read the Author Note at the end of the book. It's filled with details, explanations and additional information, and is worth the read. And for those looking for more, the author invites you to the Egretia website, which has still more information on Egretia and ancient Rome both.
In short, if your search is for "Roman supernatural detective stories" this one should come up high on the results.
Like most detective series, this one has the same star and some recurring characters, but you don't need to read the first novel to enjoy the second one, though I'm sure most readers will want to read both (there's another in the works). They both take place in an alternate-world version of Rome called Egretia. Mehr does an excellent job of weaving in real-world elements into his fiction but it's never obtrusive and never clumsy. The more of Rome you know, and especially the Roman Republic, the more you'll appreciate the small touches. At the same time, no reader needs to know any Roman history at all, for the story tells you all you need to know, and keeps it at that.
As for the story itself, someone has been unleashing murderous spirits upon several apartment complexes in a lower class section of the city. It's the sort of place the authorities happily ignore, most times, but the landlord is desperate. All his tenants are leaving. Or dead.
Enter Felix the Fox, whom the landlord hires. Is it pranksters? Ghosts? Something even worse? When it comes to dark deeds done in the underbelly of the world of magic, Felix is our guy. What he discovers has consequences that are personal but which also reverberate through the city. The story moves along at a good clip, rarely lagging, and all loose ends are wrapped up tightly, with maybe a hint toward future doings.
An important secondary plotline, carried forward from the first book, involves Felix's love life, which is complicated to say the least. I like the way some of the complications reach back into Felix's past; old tragedies continue to affect his present choices, and this makes for a more interesting sort of character to follow.
Readers might be puzzled by having the big fight scene happen so far from the end of the book, to be followed by a detailed account of a legal trial. Usually, the action scene takes place as the climax, or near to it. It's an interesting choice and one that could have gone wrong, but Mehr handles the trial quite well. The structure, I realized later, is reminiscent of those old Perry Mason shows where any action scenes always took place prior to the courtroom scenes. In Numina can be thought of as a blend of Philip Marlowe and Perry Mason. Not bad company.
Lastly, anyone with any interest in history should read the Author Note at the end of the book. It's filled with details, explanations and additional information, and is worth the read. And for those looking for more, the author invites you to the Egretia website, which has still more information on Egretia and ancient Rome both.
In short, if your search is for "Roman supernatural detective stories" this one should come up high on the results.
June 8, 2019
Urban Fantasy tends to come in two varieties. The first is a female heroine who is a dhampir, witch, or shifter who is investigating some horrible series of crimes while not quite fitting into either the human or supernatural world. The second is a male protagonist who is usually a wizard, loosely based on John Constantine (or Harry Dresden) and snarky as hell. Before you think I'm criticizing this, I should mention that I wrote I WAS A TEENAGE WEREDEER about a snarky investigator caught between two worlds and THE SUPERVILLAINY SAGA about a male wizard based in part on Harry Dresden.
IN NUMINA: URBAN FANTASY IN ANCIENT ROME manages to shake up the formula by moving the location of the story to, well, Ancient Rome. Well, not Ancient Rome but Egretia, that is a fantasy version of the culture. That's a bit misleading from the title but that's a small issue as Assaph Mehr does his best to replicate life in the years before Julius Caesar destroyed the Republic. Or, if you're a Julian, before those dastardly traitors Brutus and Cassius destroyed the Republic. It reminds me a good deal of HBO's Rome in that there's a lot of focus on the values differences between then and now.
Felix is an occult detective working in the center of the world. A rich landlord hires him to investigate a horrific curse that has fallen over rich apartment buildings. Felix is uncomfortably saddled with his patron's daughter (that Felix states will only hurt her marriage possibilities as well as risk her life). Felix is well-versed in magic, history and detective work before the profession existed. He's aware of the supernatural but discards most surreal explanations for the mundane.
The best part of the book is the careful attention to detail that is paid in replicating not just the generic parts of Rome that people remember (aqueducts, gladiators, Senatorial intrigue) but also more daily interactions. The fact Romans had lawsuits, extensive land ordinance laws, and all the petty suburbanite adultery you'd expect. These add a lot of flavor to Felix's adventures as Egretia is both familiar as well as strange.
Felix is a decent protagonist and fun when he zigs instead of zags. Felix is a heroic figure who wants to end the curses of the apartment complexes. He's also a figure who has no problem with slavery, casual corruption, and the murder of individuals who have insulted his honor. H's also not a "good" Roman but engages in all the normal practices of a man of his station by sleeping with the wives of associates and working to benefit himself while cleaning up the city of foul sorcery.
I think readers will really enjoy this book. It's got a lot of politics, intrigue, world-building, and fun twists. This is the kind of book where the exorcism of the apartments that drive the story takes up only a third of the book followed by an extensive legal case only for things to twist against. The book sometimes overuses gratuitous but I had a lot of fun from beginning to end.
9/10
IN NUMINA: URBAN FANTASY IN ANCIENT ROME manages to shake up the formula by moving the location of the story to, well, Ancient Rome. Well, not Ancient Rome but Egretia, that is a fantasy version of the culture. That's a bit misleading from the title but that's a small issue as Assaph Mehr does his best to replicate life in the years before Julius Caesar destroyed the Republic. Or, if you're a Julian, before those dastardly traitors Brutus and Cassius destroyed the Republic. It reminds me a good deal of HBO's Rome in that there's a lot of focus on the values differences between then and now.
Felix is an occult detective working in the center of the world. A rich landlord hires him to investigate a horrific curse that has fallen over rich apartment buildings. Felix is uncomfortably saddled with his patron's daughter (that Felix states will only hurt her marriage possibilities as well as risk her life). Felix is well-versed in magic, history and detective work before the profession existed. He's aware of the supernatural but discards most surreal explanations for the mundane.
The best part of the book is the careful attention to detail that is paid in replicating not just the generic parts of Rome that people remember (aqueducts, gladiators, Senatorial intrigue) but also more daily interactions. The fact Romans had lawsuits, extensive land ordinance laws, and all the petty suburbanite adultery you'd expect. These add a lot of flavor to Felix's adventures as Egretia is both familiar as well as strange.
Felix is a decent protagonist and fun when he zigs instead of zags. Felix is a heroic figure who wants to end the curses of the apartment complexes. He's also a figure who has no problem with slavery, casual corruption, and the murder of individuals who have insulted his honor. H's also not a "good" Roman but engages in all the normal practices of a man of his station by sleeping with the wives of associates and working to benefit himself while cleaning up the city of foul sorcery.
I think readers will really enjoy this book. It's got a lot of politics, intrigue, world-building, and fun twists. This is the kind of book where the exorcism of the apartments that drive the story takes up only a third of the book followed by an extensive legal case only for things to twist against. The book sometimes overuses gratuitous but I had a lot of fun from beginning to end.
9/10
August 23, 2018
Unique twist of history and magic that left me wanting more. Mr. Mehr understands the Roman world and mindset, and so creates depth and believability to this fictional world. Recommended for anyone who enjoys Roman fiction, mysteries, and fantasy. (That's probably you, so read it!)
October 24, 2020
I write Historical Fantasy, but whenever I read Assaph Mehr's works I immediately think "Gee I wish I could write that well." I'd give it 6+ stars if I could.
Two to three years ago I read Murder in Absentia and loved every page of this historical fantasy set in Egretia - an alternate world Classical Rome. I immediately bought In Numina but only found time to read it this month. Once again Felix is called to solve a problem. A former employer can't seem to keep tenants on his property due to hauntings and demonically grisly murders. A former mystery school student (didn't complete his studies) Felix is sought because of skill and experience with the supernatural.
This is instantly complicated because of two women, one a former lover, and the woman's daughter who is helping in the investigations and is developing a crush on him. Messy. There is much to love in the extraordinary world-building and great characterizations NOT seen through a 21st century lens. In that world as in classic Rome slavery is fine, gods are to be placated an divinations performed with numerous sacrifices, brothels and taverns abound and women marry whom they are told to marry and accept that they will ultimately have no voice. Some readers find that difficult to accept but that's history as it was. Despite all the realism there's compassion and tenderness, mystery and great detective work. I certainly hope Mr. Mehr will write us more Felix!
March 3, 2020
I’m always looking for something I haven’t seen before in fantasy, so when I heard this was a murder mystery set in ancient Rome, I was sold.
The plot is evident from early on which creates a fast-paced introduction. You should know by 10% if you’re going to like the plotline or not. Three apartment buildings have become haunted, there are rumors flying around that speak of strange noises, floors shifting around, screams heard in the dead of night – and most importantly, people are dying. The owner of the apartments is getting desperate, he hires someone called Felix the Fox to help investigate what’s going on and to try and stop it. The owner is actually a relative of a woman he used to… uh… “date”. Felix sort of gets around and this lady (Cornelia) from way back when throws his name out there when she hears of her cousin’s troubles. (Yes, they totally start banging again) Cornelia has a nineteen-year-old daughter, Amelia, and she is to accompany him on his investigations. Things, of course, get fuckin’ real when they go to the apartments and find a disemboweled family. Felix had anticipated a prank or something else, but, clearly not.
I thought the world-building was excellent, the magic system in this is semi-structured. It’s not quite like a Sanderson or Rowe book, but there’s definitely a formula to it all. There are specific chants, animal sacrifices, and lead tablets that contain curses that can be used. Felix can smell and taste ‘magia’, and is able to determine what kind of magic was used based on that. He also describes magic as having a certain kind of texture to it, but he hasn’t gone through the training one needs to “see the flows of magia”. Other more trained wizards are able to track the flow of magic by sight. There are specific ways it can and can’t be used and I thought it was well fleshed out.
I haven’t seen many fantasies set in ancient Rome, so the backdrop to everything felt very new and fresh which gave it big points in originality. There was particular attention paid to the food, none of it sounded appealing to me, but it was interesting to read about. I consider myself a layperson when it comes to knowledge about ancient Rome outside of what I was taught in high school and the random documentary on TV. It would be interesting to hear how accurate everything was from someone who’s read this book and also considers themselves a history buff in this area. This could have an appeal to people who enjoy historical fiction, I think.
Felix is a complex character who is absolutely smack in the middle of the ‘grey’ area. He had moments of genuine affection, I felt sympathetic towards his situation more than once… but I also found him getting under my skin far too often to really warm up to him. If you’re going to write a grey character and put in glaring flaws that most people would find irritating to read about… there needs to be redeeming factors. Not necessarily morally redeeming, but something to make it worth the irritation or distaste. Glokta is not a likable person, he’s terrible, but he’s also fascinating. Jalan is an ass, but he’s also funny. I found Felix interesting, but not fascinating enough to really counter the amount of sexism he showed. If there had just been just a couple lines that addressed his inner thoughts on women it would have been enough to signal to the reader he’s kind of a jerk. But, it just kept happening where he would wonder why men get married, and thought of them as fickle, untrustworthy, lesser than himself… he thinks of their emotions as silly adolescent things, they need to be protected and can’t handle themselves etc etc.
There was also a romance in this that didn’t really settle well with me, it involves a love triangle between the mother, Cornelia, this dude Felix, and the daughter. Lol, I dunno. When she literally flung herself on him and said “deny this!” after he tried to rebuke her… I just found myself wanting to stop. Not my jam.
The writing had a style to it, but it wasn’t more subtle. It shows up mostly in the dialogue which comes off as ‘formal’ (for lack of a better word). It does read like a natural dialogue, it’s not like I found myself saying “no one talks like that, stahp”. It sounded similar to the way you’d send an email or message to a colleague you don’t know well. There’s a touch of world-building delivered via dialogue for a naive character, which is one of those things that can get on my nerves if it happens too often, or if that person should already know everything being discussed. It wasn’t a frequent thing and there was a decent reason she needed things explained so I didn’t get overly bothered by it.
This was a book that both hit it out of the park for me in the world-building and had a character that annoyed the shit out of me and made me want to stop. When things like that happen it gets very difficult to write a review. Despite my distaste for the MC, he had depth and definitely had his own motivations and voice. It’ll be one of those times the personal enjoyment score and a final score are very different. This was highly recommended on the SPFBO FB page when I asked for people’s favorite submissions – and I absolutely see an audience for it. I actually found the plot to be one of the weaker points. The MC finds out who was behind it pretty easily, there wasn’t much in the way of misdirection or buried clues which is what I like in mysteries. I’d like to see more of this world from a different character’s perspective.
TOOFUCKINGLONGDIDNTREAD: Ancient roman murder mystery adventure. A semi-structured magic system based around curses, enchantments, and flows of magic. Written concisely it reads quickly. Could appeal to historical fiction fans. Grey characters, romance, gruesome deaths, love triangle, haunted apartment buildings.
Ratings:
Plot: 11.5/15
Characters 12.25/15
World Building 13.5/15
Writing: 12/15
Pacing: 13/15
Originality 13.5/15
Personal Enjoyment: 5/10
Final Score: 80.75/100
The plot is evident from early on which creates a fast-paced introduction. You should know by 10% if you’re going to like the plotline or not. Three apartment buildings have become haunted, there are rumors flying around that speak of strange noises, floors shifting around, screams heard in the dead of night – and most importantly, people are dying. The owner of the apartments is getting desperate, he hires someone called Felix the Fox to help investigate what’s going on and to try and stop it. The owner is actually a relative of a woman he used to… uh… “date”. Felix sort of gets around and this lady (Cornelia) from way back when throws his name out there when she hears of her cousin’s troubles. (Yes, they totally start banging again) Cornelia has a nineteen-year-old daughter, Amelia, and she is to accompany him on his investigations. Things, of course, get fuckin’ real when they go to the apartments and find a disemboweled family. Felix had anticipated a prank or something else, but, clearly not.
I thought the world-building was excellent, the magic system in this is semi-structured. It’s not quite like a Sanderson or Rowe book, but there’s definitely a formula to it all. There are specific chants, animal sacrifices, and lead tablets that contain curses that can be used. Felix can smell and taste ‘magia’, and is able to determine what kind of magic was used based on that. He also describes magic as having a certain kind of texture to it, but he hasn’t gone through the training one needs to “see the flows of magia”. Other more trained wizards are able to track the flow of magic by sight. There are specific ways it can and can’t be used and I thought it was well fleshed out.
I haven’t seen many fantasies set in ancient Rome, so the backdrop to everything felt very new and fresh which gave it big points in originality. There was particular attention paid to the food, none of it sounded appealing to me, but it was interesting to read about. I consider myself a layperson when it comes to knowledge about ancient Rome outside of what I was taught in high school and the random documentary on TV. It would be interesting to hear how accurate everything was from someone who’s read this book and also considers themselves a history buff in this area. This could have an appeal to people who enjoy historical fiction, I think.
Felix is a complex character who is absolutely smack in the middle of the ‘grey’ area. He had moments of genuine affection, I felt sympathetic towards his situation more than once… but I also found him getting under my skin far too often to really warm up to him. If you’re going to write a grey character and put in glaring flaws that most people would find irritating to read about… there needs to be redeeming factors. Not necessarily morally redeeming, but something to make it worth the irritation or distaste. Glokta is not a likable person, he’s terrible, but he’s also fascinating. Jalan is an ass, but he’s also funny. I found Felix interesting, but not fascinating enough to really counter the amount of sexism he showed. If there had just been just a couple lines that addressed his inner thoughts on women it would have been enough to signal to the reader he’s kind of a jerk. But, it just kept happening where he would wonder why men get married, and thought of them as fickle, untrustworthy, lesser than himself… he thinks of their emotions as silly adolescent things, they need to be protected and can’t handle themselves etc etc.
There was also a romance in this that didn’t really settle well with me, it involves a love triangle between the mother, Cornelia, this dude Felix, and the daughter. Lol, I dunno. When she literally flung herself on him and said “deny this!” after he tried to rebuke her… I just found myself wanting to stop. Not my jam.
The writing had a style to it, but it wasn’t more subtle. It shows up mostly in the dialogue which comes off as ‘formal’ (for lack of a better word). It does read like a natural dialogue, it’s not like I found myself saying “no one talks like that, stahp”. It sounded similar to the way you’d send an email or message to a colleague you don’t know well. There’s a touch of world-building delivered via dialogue for a naive character, which is one of those things that can get on my nerves if it happens too often, or if that person should already know everything being discussed. It wasn’t a frequent thing and there was a decent reason she needed things explained so I didn’t get overly bothered by it.
This was a book that both hit it out of the park for me in the world-building and had a character that annoyed the shit out of me and made me want to stop. When things like that happen it gets very difficult to write a review. Despite my distaste for the MC, he had depth and definitely had his own motivations and voice. It’ll be one of those times the personal enjoyment score and a final score are very different. This was highly recommended on the SPFBO FB page when I asked for people’s favorite submissions – and I absolutely see an audience for it. I actually found the plot to be one of the weaker points. The MC finds out who was behind it pretty easily, there wasn’t much in the way of misdirection or buried clues which is what I like in mysteries. I’d like to see more of this world from a different character’s perspective.
TOOFUCKINGLONGDIDNTREAD: Ancient roman murder mystery adventure. A semi-structured magic system based around curses, enchantments, and flows of magic. Written concisely it reads quickly. Could appeal to historical fiction fans. Grey characters, romance, gruesome deaths, love triangle, haunted apartment buildings.
Ratings:
Plot: 11.5/15
Characters 12.25/15
World Building 13.5/15
Writing: 12/15
Pacing: 13/15
Originality 13.5/15
Personal Enjoyment: 5/10
Final Score: 80.75/100
January 6, 2019
Well, goshdarn it. You know that moment when you read an author new to you and they absolutely hook you from beginning to end and you close the book and say to yourself "Hey, I've got a new favourite author"? This book was that moment for me.
Assaph Mehr tells a story of mystery and magic in ancient Rome. Think Jim Butcher's Dresden Files taken back a couple of millenia. Felix the Fox, a skullduggerous scallywag who alternates between being a troubleshooter and getting into trouble with women, is commissioned to solve a little property problem. Namely, his employer's cheaper properties are having a problem with keeping their tenants, what with the ghosts and terrors and deaths and whatnot.
So begins Felix's adventure which sees him chart a course through the supernatural and political worlds, and between the affections of his investigative companion and her mother. It's not easy being a fox.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it really hit its stride in a middle section that was utterly gripping. The cast of characters are great too - I really rooted for even minor characters. I even teared up over one character's reaction late in the book. Sniff. Honestly, I prefer it too to the Dresden Files, as it treats its female characters much better.
A fast-paced thrill of a read, this is absolutely worth adding to your bookshelf. Enjoy!
Assaph Mehr tells a story of mystery and magic in ancient Rome. Think Jim Butcher's Dresden Files taken back a couple of millenia. Felix the Fox, a skullduggerous scallywag who alternates between being a troubleshooter and getting into trouble with women, is commissioned to solve a little property problem. Namely, his employer's cheaper properties are having a problem with keeping their tenants, what with the ghosts and terrors and deaths and whatnot.
So begins Felix's adventure which sees him chart a course through the supernatural and political worlds, and between the affections of his investigative companion and her mother. It's not easy being a fox.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book - it really hit its stride in a middle section that was utterly gripping. The cast of characters are great too - I really rooted for even minor characters. I even teared up over one character's reaction late in the book. Sniff. Honestly, I prefer it too to the Dresden Files, as it treats its female characters much better.
A fast-paced thrill of a read, this is absolutely worth adding to your bookshelf. Enjoy!
August 16, 2018
A mysterious romp through the ancient cobbled streets of Egretia, a city modeled after the fascinating and multi-faceted historical city of Rome, In Numina provides readers a bit of everything — chills, thrills, mystery, and romance.
Written from the perspective of Felix the Fox, the tale's erstwhile protagonist, this story is packed full of intrigue interspersed with fascinating details pulled from the underbelly of Rome itself.
I found myself immersed in the workings of Felix's cunning thought-processes as he unravels the frightening truth behind the chilling murders in the down-market side of town, and the parade of characters he brings with him are riveting: high-society matrons-turned detective, renegade (and slightly mad) ex-magicians, stone-faced yet loyal gladiators, and even Cicero himself.
The twists and turns are as complex as the city streets of Egretia, and this author does an excellent job of weaving dozens of details into a thread that's as fun to read as it is to try to unravel yourself before the end.
What can I say? Highly recommend for readers of alternate history, mystery, action-adventure, and similar genres.
Written from the perspective of Felix the Fox, the tale's erstwhile protagonist, this story is packed full of intrigue interspersed with fascinating details pulled from the underbelly of Rome itself.
I found myself immersed in the workings of Felix's cunning thought-processes as he unravels the frightening truth behind the chilling murders in the down-market side of town, and the parade of characters he brings with him are riveting: high-society matrons-turned detective, renegade (and slightly mad) ex-magicians, stone-faced yet loyal gladiators, and even Cicero himself.
The twists and turns are as complex as the city streets of Egretia, and this author does an excellent job of weaving dozens of details into a thread that's as fun to read as it is to try to unravel yourself before the end.
What can I say? Highly recommend for readers of alternate history, mystery, action-adventure, and similar genres.
August 13, 2018
I am a huge fan of the first Felix book, Murder in Absentia, so I am beyond excited that In Numina is just as wonderful a book. It is a fantasy. It is a detective story. It is a historical. I love all three of those genres, but the mix of them has proven to be one of my favourite blends of all. Rome (the basis of his imaginary Egretia) is endlessly fascinating, and the true to life details Mehr adds to the story sent me off in happy research spirals. I spent afternoons reading about how Romans could tell a tavern was also a brothel, or about the tool they used to exfoliate, or cuisine. Then I’d return to the novel to read about hiring a gladiator or dabbling with magic.
Felix is a great character. He’s flawed, but he learns. I always root for him. He always seems genuinely curious, and that is a pretty important trait in an investigator. Reading about his adventures is a joy. I found myself smiling as I read. In Numina is going to be one of those books I read again and again. I suggest reading with a nice glass of wine.
Felix is a great character. He’s flawed, but he learns. I always root for him. He always seems genuinely curious, and that is a pretty important trait in an investigator. Reading about his adventures is a joy. I found myself smiling as I read. In Numina is going to be one of those books I read again and again. I suggest reading with a nice glass of wine.
September 1, 2018
A rich Senator is losing tenants to some supernatural horror.
Who's he gonna call?
Felix the Fox supernatural murders investigated, unspeakable horrors removed, and strange magic investigated.
Ok, but seriously. This is the second book in the Stories of Togas, Daggers, and Magic series staring Felix. Now you don’t need to read the first to understand or get this one, and to some degree this one will not spoil the first, beyond knowing that Felix lives to be in book 2.
Assaph makes this alternative view of the Roman empire come alive with details so strong you can almost smell them. The walks through the city help the reader feel that they are actually there “riding shotgun” with Felix as he does his investigations.
Who's he gonna call?
Felix the Fox supernatural murders investigated, unspeakable horrors removed, and strange magic investigated.
Ok, but seriously. This is the second book in the Stories of Togas, Daggers, and Magic series staring Felix. Now you don’t need to read the first to understand or get this one, and to some degree this one will not spoil the first, beyond knowing that Felix lives to be in book 2.
Assaph makes this alternative view of the Roman empire come alive with details so strong you can almost smell them. The walks through the city help the reader feel that they are actually there “riding shotgun” with Felix as he does his investigations.
September 2, 2018
Like to immerse yourself in an ancient culture? Like to solve mysteries? Like to dabble with the occult and dream about magic? Now you can do all that and more in a single novel. Pretty (and capable) women, fortunes in the balance, dark magic, a sleuth with a troubled past and contacts throughout the darkest parts of a simulated Rome, crushed up with curses, a repentant crazy genius and a stalwart guard and you have In Numina. Do brush up on your French or Spanish and it might help with the wealth of Latin terms.
March 12, 2020
In Numina is a great follow up to Murder in Absentia. This time we follow Felix on an investigation on hauntings of apartment buildings, which shouldn't be a problem for Felix. We end up with an adventure of more than a simple investigation. We revisit relationships with characters of the previous book and get actual character development, which sometimes gets overlooked in other books.
Assaph Mehr has obviously done his research and written a book that I would recommend to anyone. I'm excited for what lies ahead for Felix.
Assaph Mehr has obviously done his research and written a book that I would recommend to anyone. I'm excited for what lies ahead for Felix.
April 16, 2020
A marvelous mashup of Sam Spade meets Hogwarts; all set in Ancient Rome, In Numina is an amazing detective tale laced with magic and ancient gods. Featuring Felix the Fox, an investigator hired to solve the mysterious hauntings in the apartments of Lucius Valerius, a noble citizen of Egretia, who is losing tenants (in more ways than one) and money. Felix investigates using his Holmes-like techniques coupled with magical talents to uncover a far more nefarious plot in which he is tested to his limits.
In addition to the mystery, Assaph includes a marvelous trial session, worthy of the best John Grisham. It is clear that Assaph has a passion for Roman culture, he firmly plants the reader into the story and you can feel brush of your toga against your legs as you stride through the story.
Felix is also featured in Murder in Absentia and I look forward to seeing more tales in the future. If you are looking for a different and refreshing type of fantasy, here it is.
In addition to the mystery, Assaph includes a marvelous trial session, worthy of the best John Grisham. It is clear that Assaph has a passion for Roman culture, he firmly plants the reader into the story and you can feel brush of your toga against your legs as you stride through the story.
Felix is also featured in Murder in Absentia and I look forward to seeing more tales in the future. If you are looking for a different and refreshing type of fantasy, here it is.
January 2, 2019
I have not read the first volume in this series, Murder in Absentia, and it was not necessary to have done so to enjoy the second one. This book's strengths are world building and the seamless integration of the world into the mystery plot. I also got the sense that the characters are becoming more well-rounded as the series progresses.
My knowledge of Roman culture is superficial, and so I found the world of Egretia to be fascinating, from the Roman Numerals that number the chapters, to the sporting and debate contests, to the theology of the Numina themselves. I suspect a classicist might be bothered by the liberties taken with magic in Egretia the way I am by silly neuroscience in science fiction, but for the intelligent lay reader, the author's research presents a pleasing and believable world. The magic fits well with the materials and knowledge available to its inhabitants. And I loved that the climax of the book came at a trial with a famous orator showing off his skills.
Unfortunately, for me, the plot took a little too long to get going. I picked the book up and put it down several times before I really got into it. Felix and his sidekick-and-sometime-love-interest, Aemilia, spend too much time investigating haunted houses in which nothing much happens except that the reader is given a detailed description of the truly gross and horrifying demise of the former occupants. I think that for such scenes, less would be more, and I found it somewhat difficult to suspend my disbelief that there wouldn't be more swift and serious consequences--both legal and social--for a landlord whose tenants died such gruesome, unexplained deaths.
So in these early sections of the book I found the romantic subplots a bit more interesting than the main plot, in particular Felix's relationship with Cornelia. I was a bit surprised to learn in the bonus material that Cornelia, a widow and Aemilia's mother, was only a few years older than Felix himself. The love triangle between Felix, Cornelia, and Aemilia was something new that I haven't seen much of in fantasy or anywhere else.
I was glad that the female characters were not simply ciphers or cliches, but I still felt that they could have had more depth. Felix was a decent narrator and came across as thoughtful and level-headed, but his voice was a little generic. He was neither a relentlessly logical Sherlock Holmes nor as introspective or passionate as I might have liked. He seemed only intermittently capable of strong feelings, and I wondered about the origins of his ability to compartmentalize them. The allusions to his lost love, Helena, are tantalizing but very incomplete. Perhaps here is where I would have benefitted from reading the first book the most. Overall this is a well-done series with an intriguing protagonist. I am interested in reading more!
My knowledge of Roman culture is superficial, and so I found the world of Egretia to be fascinating, from the Roman Numerals that number the chapters, to the sporting and debate contests, to the theology of the Numina themselves. I suspect a classicist might be bothered by the liberties taken with magic in Egretia the way I am by silly neuroscience in science fiction, but for the intelligent lay reader, the author's research presents a pleasing and believable world. The magic fits well with the materials and knowledge available to its inhabitants. And I loved that the climax of the book came at a trial with a famous orator showing off his skills.
Unfortunately, for me, the plot took a little too long to get going. I picked the book up and put it down several times before I really got into it. Felix and his sidekick-and-sometime-love-interest, Aemilia, spend too much time investigating haunted houses in which nothing much happens except that the reader is given a detailed description of the truly gross and horrifying demise of the former occupants. I think that for such scenes, less would be more, and I found it somewhat difficult to suspend my disbelief that there wouldn't be more swift and serious consequences--both legal and social--for a landlord whose tenants died such gruesome, unexplained deaths.
So in these early sections of the book I found the romantic subplots a bit more interesting than the main plot, in particular Felix's relationship with Cornelia. I was a bit surprised to learn in the bonus material that Cornelia, a widow and Aemilia's mother, was only a few years older than Felix himself. The love triangle between Felix, Cornelia, and Aemilia was something new that I haven't seen much of in fantasy or anywhere else.
I was glad that the female characters were not simply ciphers or cliches, but I still felt that they could have had more depth. Felix was a decent narrator and came across as thoughtful and level-headed, but his voice was a little generic. He was neither a relentlessly logical Sherlock Holmes nor as introspective or passionate as I might have liked. He seemed only intermittently capable of strong feelings, and I wondered about the origins of his ability to compartmentalize them. The allusions to his lost love, Helena, are tantalizing but very incomplete. Perhaps here is where I would have benefitted from reading the first book the most. Overall this is a well-done series with an intriguing protagonist. I am interested in reading more!
February 27, 2020
Cercetator caputalis
Mr. Mehr has mastered the art of storytelling while delivering an engrossing episode of hair raising sleuthing.
Spending time describing the culture and fleshing out the characters and their interactions with each other draws you into the life and times of a modern Roman city, a way of life completely alien to today's society but the parent of our own in many ways. Entertainment and education at it's best.
Mr. Mehr has mastered the art of storytelling while delivering an engrossing episode of hair raising sleuthing.
Spending time describing the culture and fleshing out the characters and their interactions with each other draws you into the life and times of a modern Roman city, a way of life completely alien to today's society but the parent of our own in many ways. Entertainment and education at it's best.
May 5, 2020
Action, arcane goings on, Roman culture and plenty of interesting shifting in the plot to keep the reader attentive. An excellent read in my estimation!
September 27, 2022
A wonderful blend of fantastical history...
This second installment is a bit less detective noir and more mystical, as it artfully weaves the strong spiritual nature of the Romans into an intriguing plot full.of.mystery and magic. While the gods are ever present in the Roman psyche , the author has deftly focused on the force of magic to propel this engaging story forward. A great read!
This second installment is a bit less detective noir and more mystical, as it artfully weaves the strong spiritual nature of the Romans into an intriguing plot full.of.mystery and magic. While the gods are ever present in the Roman psyche , the author has deftly focused on the force of magic to propel this engaging story forward. A great read!
December 28, 2020
Oh goody! It's been FOUR FLIPPING YEARS since I read the first book, MURDER IN ABSENTIA.
Mehr doesn't miss a beat! I fell right back into the intrigue and ancient glory of Egretia, and it really didn't take long for Felix the Fox to get himself into some good old-fashioned trouble! I absolutely love the style of this series, which reads like a museum guide exploring an ancient culture--but at the same time, it's uniquely it's own fantastic setting that just WORKS. SO. WELL. His characters are diverse and entertaining, and the mystery is just about as twisty and perilous as they come! This series has everything... Greek mythology, curses, magic, artwork coming to life and going on a murder-spree, a guest appearance by Cicero himself, a Muppets reference (when I say EVERYTHING, I mean it!) Fans of paranormal adventures, ancient history, and some very subtle, extremely clever jibes at pop culture should DEFINITELY start reading this series!
Mehr doesn't miss a beat! I fell right back into the intrigue and ancient glory of Egretia, and it really didn't take long for Felix the Fox to get himself into some good old-fashioned trouble! I absolutely love the style of this series, which reads like a museum guide exploring an ancient culture--but at the same time, it's uniquely it's own fantastic setting that just WORKS. SO. WELL. His characters are diverse and entertaining, and the mystery is just about as twisty and perilous as they come! This series has everything... Greek mythology, curses, magic, artwork coming to life and going on a murder-spree, a guest appearance by Cicero himself, a Muppets reference (when I say EVERYTHING, I mean it!) Fans of paranormal adventures, ancient history, and some very subtle, extremely clever jibes at pop culture should DEFINITELY start reading this series!
September 26, 2020
Felix the Fox is back, and he's better than ever! Equally at home in the city's slums and sewers as he is in the dining halls and boudoirs of the city's elite, our intrepid investigator faces danger from an evil enchanter--and even more danger from a plucky nineteen-year-old temptress! The star of the show is the city itself: a fantasy version of ancient Rome at the height of the Republic, described by Mehr in authentic detail. The story culminates in a spectacular trial featuring none other than Marcus Tullius Cicero, the leading orator of his (and every other) day. Cicero, by the way, richly deserves a spinoff series of his own--just sayin'!
September 29, 2018
I enjoyed this one probably more than the first! Honestly, I like Felix's friend Araxus. I don't think he's as crazy as Felix makes him out to be.........
January 20, 2021
Once again enjoyed the setting and the author's knowledge of Ancient Rome, and the deft intertwining of magic. An enjoyable read.
August 5, 2021
Magic and evil in ancient Rome
Felisx is a lovable rogue,, detective and worker of magic. He talked in a battle with a senator and Cicero even makes an appearance.
Felisx is a lovable rogue,, detective and worker of magic. He talked in a battle with a senator and Cicero even makes an appearance.
October 31, 2021
See my review of the first Felix the Fox book, "Murder in Absentia". This book is just as good. I'm hooked!
November 6, 2021
Another fantastic story
A great 2nd book in a series I hope has a few more entries. A lot of work goes into bringing this historical fantasy to life. Work that has paid off for me.
A great 2nd book in a series I hope has a few more entries. A lot of work goes into bringing this historical fantasy to life. Work that has paid off for me.
September 23, 2018
Egretia Revisited
’The view shifted to the open seas, dazzling as the westering sun reflected on far-off white-capped waves.’
Felix the Fox is a private investigator in Egretia - an alternative Ancient Rome where magic is real. He works as a sort of PI dealing with cases which need his special ability to handle magic, although he is not fully trained in the arts. This time he is asked to discover the cause of horrific, body-parts-left-lying-around hauntings in the insulae belonging to Valerius Flaccus, the friend of his lover from ‘Murder in Absentia’ Cornelia (a relationship he quickly revists). As Felix gets deeper into the mire of murder and magic, things get very deadly very quickly.
OK, admission time. I loved ‘Murder In Absentia’ - I really, really loved it and couldn’t wait to get my hands on the sequel. ‘In Numina’ is a great read and an essential read for all those who loved ‘Murder In Absentia’. But it never quite managed to equal its predecessor, in my opinion, so much so it dropped a star in my estimation. That said, I enjoyed the book overall and can thoroughly recommend it to all fans of ‘Murder in Absentia’.
“He wasn’t babbling. He was having the same conversation we did — only he was holding it back to front."
What I Really Liked:
- The wonderful blend of magic and Roman culture. This was just as brilliant as it was ‘Murder in Absentia’. The author has done a masterful job of solid worldbuilding and blends the magic seamlessly into the whole. Egretia is presented as a convincingly real and vibrant city. You can smell the smells, hear the sounds and see the people. Just brilliant!
- The characters. They all walk out of the pages of the book and sit in your living room. Even the bad guys are well done and far from two-dimensional. They make the whole book come to life in your hands. Hmm, maybe I should rephrase that in the light of some of the events in this book...
- The genre mix. Historical urban fantasy meets Roman whodunit meets alternative Rome. Also, more so than ‘Murder In Absentia’, this book has a lot of incredibly gory horror scenes in the mix. I think this is probably a completely unique mix and all kudos to the author for carrying it off with such skill and aplomb.
- The storyline. Creative and ingenious. Lots of plot twists and turns. Very well done and completely compelling. I loved it.
’My mind was reeling with all the possible scenarios of night-time romps and mistaken bed-partners.’
What I Struggled With:
- My two reservations about ‘Murder In Absentia’ which I hoped might have been addressed, were actually even more noticeable in ‘In Numina’. Firstly, the writing style was very heavy on reportage throughout and passages of legal speak - and lectures about legal stuff - destroyed the pace of the book for me at a crucial moment. Secondly, Felix yet again just happened to have (or be able to find) the right spell when he needed it. This was especially noticeable at the end of the book when a key climactic event of the story was reversed by him. It takes a lot of the tension out of a story when you know anything bad that happens can be made to just go away.
- His romantic relationships. This I found particularly disturbing, though other readers might not. I can’t go into details because of spoilers, but what was presented as a supposedly comic situation in the book, I saw as extremely unpleasant entitled male behaviour between two women. To make matters worse, Felix - the instigator of it - was then presented as some kind of hapless victim needing to call on the gods to protect himself. It really didn't wash for me.
Overall:
This is a really solid read, a good follow up to Murder In Absentia and an absolute must for all Felix the Fox fans everywhere. Despite the couple of reservations mentioned above, I really enjoyed it a lot and I’m really hoping we haven’t seen the last of Felix, Egretia and its inhabitants.
Star Rating: 4
Who Would Enjoy this Book:
Anyone who enjoys the kind of Roman detective stories by such folk as Lindsey Davis, Rosemary Rowe, Stephen Saylor, David Wishart, Ruth Downie, Jane Finnis. But this is not Rome, so be prepared for some fun and incredible twists along the way. Also be warned there is some real horror writing in these pages which really is not for the faint-hearted. Oh, and read ‘Murder In Absentia’ first.
’The view shifted to the open seas, dazzling as the westering sun reflected on far-off white-capped waves.’
Felix the Fox is a private investigator in Egretia - an alternative Ancient Rome where magic is real. He works as a sort of PI dealing with cases which need his special ability to handle magic, although he is not fully trained in the arts. This time he is asked to discover the cause of horrific, body-parts-left-lying-around hauntings in the insulae belonging to Valerius Flaccus, the friend of his lover from ‘Murder in Absentia’ Cornelia (a relationship he quickly revists). As Felix gets deeper into the mire of murder and magic, things get very deadly very quickly.
OK, admission time. I loved ‘Murder In Absentia’ - I really, really loved it and couldn’t wait to get my hands on the sequel. ‘In Numina’ is a great read and an essential read for all those who loved ‘Murder In Absentia’. But it never quite managed to equal its predecessor, in my opinion, so much so it dropped a star in my estimation. That said, I enjoyed the book overall and can thoroughly recommend it to all fans of ‘Murder in Absentia’.
“He wasn’t babbling. He was having the same conversation we did — only he was holding it back to front."
What I Really Liked:
- The wonderful blend of magic and Roman culture. This was just as brilliant as it was ‘Murder in Absentia’. The author has done a masterful job of solid worldbuilding and blends the magic seamlessly into the whole. Egretia is presented as a convincingly real and vibrant city. You can smell the smells, hear the sounds and see the people. Just brilliant!
- The characters. They all walk out of the pages of the book and sit in your living room. Even the bad guys are well done and far from two-dimensional. They make the whole book come to life in your hands. Hmm, maybe I should rephrase that in the light of some of the events in this book...
- The genre mix. Historical urban fantasy meets Roman whodunit meets alternative Rome. Also, more so than ‘Murder In Absentia’, this book has a lot of incredibly gory horror scenes in the mix. I think this is probably a completely unique mix and all kudos to the author for carrying it off with such skill and aplomb.
- The storyline. Creative and ingenious. Lots of plot twists and turns. Very well done and completely compelling. I loved it.
’My mind was reeling with all the possible scenarios of night-time romps and mistaken bed-partners.’
What I Struggled With:
- My two reservations about ‘Murder In Absentia’ which I hoped might have been addressed, were actually even more noticeable in ‘In Numina’. Firstly, the writing style was very heavy on reportage throughout and passages of legal speak - and lectures about legal stuff - destroyed the pace of the book for me at a crucial moment. Secondly, Felix yet again just happened to have (or be able to find) the right spell when he needed it. This was especially noticeable at the end of the book when a key climactic event of the story was reversed by him. It takes a lot of the tension out of a story when you know anything bad that happens can be made to just go away.
- His romantic relationships. This I found particularly disturbing, though other readers might not. I can’t go into details because of spoilers, but what was presented as a supposedly comic situation in the book, I saw as extremely unpleasant entitled male behaviour between two women. To make matters worse, Felix - the instigator of it - was then presented as some kind of hapless victim needing to call on the gods to protect himself. It really didn't wash for me.
Overall:
This is a really solid read, a good follow up to Murder In Absentia and an absolute must for all Felix the Fox fans everywhere. Despite the couple of reservations mentioned above, I really enjoyed it a lot and I’m really hoping we haven’t seen the last of Felix, Egretia and its inhabitants.
Star Rating: 4
Who Would Enjoy this Book:
Anyone who enjoys the kind of Roman detective stories by such folk as Lindsey Davis, Rosemary Rowe, Stephen Saylor, David Wishart, Ruth Downie, Jane Finnis. But this is not Rome, so be prepared for some fun and incredible twists along the way. Also be warned there is some real horror writing in these pages which really is not for the faint-hearted. Oh, and read ‘Murder In Absentia’ first.
August 21, 2018
Assaph Mehr’s ‘Murder in Absentia’ is one of my all-time favourite books, so I was rapt when I discovered Felix was going to make another appearance. ‘In Numina’ is an outstanding tale of murder, ghosts and magic, cleverly woven through a story of greed, corruption, and an all-consuming desire for power. Felix is at his cunning best as he attempts to unravel the mystery surrounding several horrific deaths, and rumours that ancient gods are involved.
The intricacies of life in Egretia are a wonderful backdrop to this book, an intoxicating blend of Ancient Rome and a place beyond the imagination. From the decaying squalor, to the refined elegance, and everything in between – Mehr has created world of intriguing personalities, some we have met before, most are new, but whose lives and shenanigans suck you in and hold on tight from first page to last word. Felix… oh Felix... sorry, got side tracked momentarily… is courageous, tenacious, and completely irascible, and while he may not seem to be quite the…errr… typical hero, he can still set the heart fluttering (and does… many, many times)!
In Numina – if you love a great mystery, fascinating characters with enough plot twists and turns to rival any theme park ride – this is the book for you! 5 stars all the way - highly recommended.
The intricacies of life in Egretia are a wonderful backdrop to this book, an intoxicating blend of Ancient Rome and a place beyond the imagination. From the decaying squalor, to the refined elegance, and everything in between – Mehr has created world of intriguing personalities, some we have met before, most are new, but whose lives and shenanigans suck you in and hold on tight from first page to last word. Felix… oh Felix... sorry, got side tracked momentarily… is courageous, tenacious, and completely irascible, and while he may not seem to be quite the…errr… typical hero, he can still set the heart fluttering (and does… many, many times)!
In Numina – if you love a great mystery, fascinating characters with enough plot twists and turns to rival any theme park ride – this is the book for you! 5 stars all the way - highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews