The Catholic Book Club discussion

Read this question after reading the book.
(view spoiler)[The main characters in the book are Flavius, the protagonist; Zenobia (Zabbai), his beloved; Marcius Luculus, the Stoic Tribune; Anicius Manlius, the centurion; Paulus, the thief; Artaban, the Parthian officer; Bardanes, the Tartuffe; plus a number of secondary characters, and a few historical names. (hide spoiler)] Who is your favorite character? Why?

Zabbai, although it was certainly a surprise when a first-person narrator suddenly surfaced in chapter 9. It took me a paragraph or two to get over my assumption she was a male.

Jill wrote: "Zabbai, although it was certainly a surprise when a first-person narrator suddenly surfaced in chapter 9. It took me a paragraph or two to get over my assumption she was a male."

This is a consequence of the English translation. In Spanish, the sex of the narrator is clear from the first line in chapter 9. But in English, adjectives usually have the same form in the masculine and feminine genders, therefore it's more difficult to distinguish the sex.

When I was writing this book, I read each chapter to my family as soon as I finished it, and I remember that at the first line in chapter 9, my son exclaimed: "Oh, no! It's a girl!" :-)

About the first person narrator suddenly surfacing: yes, I intended it as a surprise for the reader. But not everybody saw it. At the time of the first Spanish edition of this book, dated 2002, in the magazine Publishers Weekly, someone wrote a review of the book that said this: "The third-person narration suddenly changes to a first person, and the story is henceforth told by Zenobia."

This is not correct, Zenobia was narrating from the beginning, but she was telling Flavius's story, and therefore couldn't appear in person until they met.

The review in Publishers Weekly can be seen complete in the Amazon page of this edition of the book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/8423655156/

I also found Marcius Luculus admirable, exemplifying the best in human virtues: compassion for the beggar woman, refusing to give credence to secondhand information, carefully observing the mettle of his men. I was surprised when he said, "God go with you." Seems like he is a good candidate for conversion.

I know that everybody are going to get angry with me but i would like to ask a question. Am i the only perdón Who felt a bit pity for the Parthian courtier Artaban? I know that This character is fool but i remember the warm welcome to the main character, as he invited a banquet. In my case i would not do It although the dealer was a merchant of a remote country. Certainly Hispania or Spain was a wealthy zone but It is considered the end of the world for Finisterre and the Hercule's columns Dante and Tasso told the Story how Ulyssess was punished by the Greek Gods for go beyond of the Hercule's columns they have not a lot of knowledge of Greek Mythology. It is true that Artaban commited the Big mistake of trusting in Bardanes but for the punishment is excesive loss the jewells the half of the Fortune and One wife i have ever had simpathy for the cuckolds in Spain we employ the Word cornudos to define This people. Besides with the fear that the King Vologesos could charge Artaban of the wrong he could die executed. The punishment to This character is a bit Harsh.

Flavius would be my favorite but Marcius Luculus, the Stoic Tribune would be a close second. In fact I would love to read more about him. It made me think of Dr Kevin Vost's book The Porch and the Cross: Ancient Stoic Wisdom for Modern Christian Living.

About Ataban i think that ocassionally although i am a bit odd :-), sometimes the author has ideas of some characters and the readers have others. I might say the case of Athelsthane Walter Scott killed this character in Ivanhoe and i think that the publisher, that he liked the character forced to resurrect him, although he made that the character was a bit anticlerical.

I would like to tell an anecdote to the big users of Goodreads my frirnd Alfonseca has the saga of the Sleuths of the Transition https://www.goodreads.com/series/1836... a group of detectives Gonzalo and Vicky, who investigate crimes in the Post-Franco´s period and the author knew that i felt a weakness for one character Leon that he is the Gonzalo`s brother and knowing it The Professor in his last book the "The mystery of the Egyptian vulture country house" he wrote more scenes for him, besides he created other character Arthur that he was a historian it is possible that this character was a reflect of our cross message about the Arthurian Mythology.

Besides Flavius and Zabbia I enjoyed Crispus in the last few chapters. As a character he seemed a good spy to me. He was sure of his skill yet also acted quickly and efficiently when he realizes in short time he needs to spring into action. I think his escape with Flavius added some action and drama, an adventurous bit.