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xavierdragnesi's review against another edition
3.0
I think this was a 3.5.
The best parts of this book were its immersiveness and its plot. Lindsey Davis manages to bring out the full vibrance of the Roman Empire, from the provincial backwaters of Britain to the contrasting splendour and squalor of Rome. The plot was also intriguing the whole way through, with multiple crimes and mysteries that incorporated aspects of both public and private life intertwining into the conclusion.
It was interesting for once to have a detective that wasn't naturally blessed with amazing skills of deduction, and instead got to the bottom of things through sheer determination and strength of character. However, the flip side of this was that Falco was never a particularly appealing protagonist - irascible, sardonic and unable to fit comfortably in any of the social classes, his streak of irrepressible curiosity wasn't enough to elevate him beyond seeming to me like a rather ordinary citizen who happened to become involved in this chain of events.
Additionally, the pacing of the novel is quite fast, and although this greatly added to the sense of excitement and urgency when things were coming to a head, it also meant that the narrative was choppy at times, and some of the intrigues did not feel adequately unpacked.
Nevertheless, there are 20 books in this series, and I'm still definitely interested to see where Falco goes from here.
The best parts of this book were its immersiveness and its plot. Lindsey Davis manages to bring out the full vibrance of the Roman Empire, from the provincial backwaters of Britain to the contrasting splendour and squalor of Rome. The plot was also intriguing the whole way through, with multiple crimes and mysteries that incorporated aspects of both public and private life intertwining into the conclusion.
It was interesting for once to have a detective that wasn't naturally blessed with amazing skills of deduction, and instead got to the bottom of things through sheer determination and strength of character. However, the flip side of this was that Falco was never a particularly appealing protagonist - irascible, sardonic and unable to fit comfortably in any of the social classes, his streak of irrepressible curiosity wasn't enough to elevate him beyond seeming to me like a rather ordinary citizen who happened to become involved in this chain of events.
Additionally, the pacing of the novel is quite fast, and although this greatly added to the sense of excitement and urgency when things were coming to a head, it also meant that the narrative was choppy at times, and some of the intrigues did not feel adequately unpacked.
Nevertheless, there are 20 books in this series, and I'm still definitely interested to see where Falco goes from here.
imaginarytiger's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
aij's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
fake_plastic_trees's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
melausten's review against another edition
4.0
I never imagined I'd have a huge book crush on a 1st century, ex-legion, gumshoe with a knack for witty commentary, but here we are.
shirleytupperfreeman's review against another edition
3.0
I was first introduced to Roman detective ('informer') Marcus Didius Falco when we listened to Alexandria by Lindsey Davis. It turns out that that was book #19 in the Didius Falco series. The Silver Pigs is the first book and it is lots of fun. The stories take place starting in the year 70CE and the author is a knowledgeable historian so we actually learn something about the time period while helping Falco solve the crimes. Falco is cheeky, intelligent, daring, hard on the outside and soft on the inside. His relationship with Helena Justina, the Senator's daughter, is particularly amusing. Great, yet intelligent, escape.
heroineinabook's review against another edition
3.0
Widely recommended by historians and booksellers for its authenticity to the period, incredibly detailed research, and snappy pacing, in the end I found that while I enjoyed the book, ultimately I wasn't in love with it. There were some inauthenticities that drove me slightly mad (like the use of the word "fuck" which while rare in the story, is not true to period. That word doesn't show up in English until the high middle ages. I'm also fairly certain there was not a Latin equivalent of the word, which makes it a bit more annoying). I try to keep my prejudices in check knowing that if this was written true to language of the period, modern eyes would be bored so the work had to be given some leeway to make it more palatable. I couldn't relate to or connect with any of the characters, which while not a terribly huge problem, is not exactly easy finish the work.
But i do like the concept of the series! And I did feel like not only was my brain getting entertainment, but I was also getting a bit of an education too. I'll give this a few more books before I either fully commit or ditch them. Davis also has a new series with a female lead in the same period, which I also want to check out.
But i do like the concept of the series! And I did feel like not only was my brain getting entertainment, but I was also getting a bit of an education too. I'll give this a few more books before I either fully commit or ditch them. Davis also has a new series with a female lead in the same period, which I also want to check out.
j_s_savage's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 really. There are some good lines but the story is a bit unexciting with no real mystery. Having said that I would read another Falco novel (this is my first) as I think the series could develop quite well.
rlse's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0