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kyokroon's review against another edition
3.0
3.5/5 stars!
Another great book in this series!
If you know me a little, you probably know that I'm a big fan of (almost) everything about the Antiquity, including the Roma Sub Rosa series. I'm especially fond of the first 5 books where the murder is the center of the whole story (and Cicero plays a big part, he's my problematic fave tbh ). Luckily, I also really did like this book in the series.
Before the book begins Gordianus has received a note that says that his son Meto has been killed. Gordianus instantly goes to Massillia (we know call it Marseille if anyone's interested) to find his son and what happened there. But Caesar is on the rise and he's laying siege on Massilla and as a result, Gordianus can't really get in the city. Besides the death of his son there's also another death: a girl jumped/was pushed from the Sacrifice Rock.
So this book contains 2 deaths that Gordianus has to sort out. That might seem a bit much, but to be honest the death of the girl isn't that complicated and Gordianus can't seem to find his son. In the background of this story plays the siege of Massilla: something I enjoyed reading about.
All in all, a good book in this series even though it focusses a bit more on the historical background than on the solving of a murder.
Happy reading!
Another great book in this series!
If you know me a little, you probably know that I'm a big fan of (almost) everything about the Antiquity, including the Roma Sub Rosa series. I'm especially fond of the first 5 books where the murder is the center of the whole story (and Cicero plays a big part
Before the book begins Gordianus has received a note that says that his son Meto has been killed. Gordianus instantly goes to Massillia (we know call it Marseille if anyone's interested) to find his son and what happened there. But Caesar is on the rise and he's laying siege on Massilla and as a result, Gordianus can't really get in the city. Besides the death of his son there's also another death: a girl jumped/was pushed from the Sacrifice Rock.
So this book contains 2 deaths that Gordianus has to sort out. That might seem a bit much, but to be honest the death of the girl isn't that complicated and Gordianus can't seem to find his son. In the background of this story plays the siege of Massilla: something I enjoyed reading about.
Spoiler
One thing I didn't really like was the ending with Meto. I know he's a tad... problematic, in the sense that he's such a devoted supporter of Caesar and lies and spies his way through the days, yet to disown his son in that way, was a bit too much for me. I also couldn't really match his constant worry about his son and then his sudden disownment at the end.All in all, a good book in this series even though it focusses a bit more on the historical background than on the solving of a murder.
Happy reading!
slimikin's review against another edition
dark
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sarajesus95's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
djrmelvin's review against another edition
3.0
Definitely better than the previous book, but that might be because I took a break between reading Saylor's Sub Rosa series. Perhaps the negatives (anachronistic ethics) aren't so noticeble if you don't immerse yourself in the series, or perhaps Saylor did a better job of writing characters that lived in the 40s BCE. Either way, this was a simple little mystery set in a fascinating time and place. Add in the return of Meto and I was hooked in a "junk food with some redeeming qualities" sort of way. Also unlike a lot of reviewers, I liked the ending.
traveller1's review against another edition
4.0
With this episode in the continuing saga of Gordianus the Finder, our hero leaves the mundane plane of every day existence and gains the rarified status of a super-hero. I say this as in this novel Gordianus survives several dangerous escapades, by rather incredulous means, escapades which would land any ordinary person (not a super-hero) in their urn.
The story: Gordianus, on hearing of the death of his son Meto, in the Greek colony of Massilia, travels to the city to see for himself just what is going on. He finds Massilia besieged by Caesar's troops, but he manages to enter the city (a tale in itself), and then meets an amazing variety of people, including the arch Roman exiles Verres and Milo. Adventures, death, gainful employment, and murder ensue. At novel's end father and son are reunited, but Gordianus disgusted by the intrigue and deception in his son's life as a follower of Caesar, renounces Meto.
As with every Saylor, a bright and detailed account of life in the ancient world is presented. Massilia itself is shown warts and all, and its customs revealed to our gaze, including that of the "scapegoat". One criticism, these later Gordianus novels suffer from being part of a series. They do not stand on their own as well as they should, however, this is the inevitable effect of a long running series.
The story: Gordianus, on hearing of the death of his son Meto, in the Greek colony of Massilia, travels to the city to see for himself just what is going on. He finds Massilia besieged by Caesar's troops, but he manages to enter the city (a tale in itself), and then meets an amazing variety of people, including the arch Roman exiles Verres and Milo. Adventures, death, gainful employment, and murder ensue. At novel's end father and son are reunited, but Gordianus disgusted by the intrigue and deception in his son's life as a follower of Caesar, renounces Meto.
As with every Saylor, a bright and detailed account of life in the ancient world is presented. Massilia itself is shown warts and all, and its customs revealed to our gaze, including that of the "scapegoat". One criticism, these later Gordianus novels suffer from being part of a series. They do not stand on their own as well as they should, however, this is the inevitable effect of a long running series.
silverstarswept's review against another edition
4.0
I started Last Seen in Massilia... tentatively. I'd felt that the previous book in the series, [b:Rubicon|102711|Rubicon (Roma Sub Rosa, #7)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171486247l/102711._SY75_.jpg|2804176], had set the scene for a darker and edgier second half to the series, and goodness me, I was right! I've never come across a series so capable of leaving me achingly nostalgic for the good old days, when Gordianus was a young man solving individual mysteries for anyone who'd pay and slowly building a family of his own. It's probably something to do with the sheer number of books and the length of the timeskips!
Family lies at the heart of Last Seen in Massilia - Gordianus comes to the city to find news of his younger son, Meto, revealed in Rubicon to bea spy for Caesar. An anonymous note sent to his house in Rome has informed Gordianus that Meto is dead, but he's not going to give up on his son that easily, and so he travels to Massilia with his son-in-law to do what he does best and find the truth about Meto's fate. Gordianus' anxiety, grief, and - eventually - anger permeate the entire novel, and for me this made it absolutely impossible to put down: I read the last 85% of it in one sitting between 11:30 pm and 2:30 am.
Thebreak between Gordianus and Meto at the end of the novel was extremely painful, and I really hope that it's resolved within a couple of books!
Family lies at the heart of Last Seen in Massilia - Gordianus comes to the city to find news of his younger son, Meto, revealed in Rubicon to be
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