Reviews

El enigma de Catilina by Steven Saylor

inesbeato's review against another edition

4.0

Steven Saylor é um profundo conhecedor da Roma Antiga e um exímio contador de histórias. Para quem, como eu, escolhe os seus livros pela vertente histórica, “O enigma de Catilina” foi certamente um deleite. No entanto, acredito que tenha sido uma desilusão para quem o tiver escolhido pela apregoada parte policial e de suspense, já que nesta obra essa vertente foi muito menos explorada que nos anteriores. Foi, pelo contrário, uma viagem muito mais “teórica” pelos meandros do Império Romano, numa altura pouco posterior ao fim da revolta dos escravos liderada por Spartacus, e dos seus principais intervenientes, como Cícero, Catilina, Crassus, Pompeu ou César.

Foi uma leitura deveras interessante, que contou ainda com uma abordagem um pouco mais intimista sobre Gordiano e a relação com a sua família, numa aventura sempre pautada pela escrita cativante de Saylor. Este autor tem uma capacidade ímpar de me transportar para a Roma Antiga, como ainda não encontrei em nenhum outro.

rociobn28's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

kyokroon's review against another edition

2.0

Not a bad book, but I had expected a little bit more from this.... I love this series precisely because it is a detective series in ancient Rome, which was sadly enough all absent from this book... It's situated mostly on a farm outside of Rome (with a lot of talk about farming and other agrarian stuff as a consequence), and there is barely any detectiving going on (the only ~~mystery were beheaded corpses but they of barely any importance to the story). I understand that there is a lot of debate about Catilina and that Saylor might not have wanted to make a decision in these matters, but it just made for a bit of a boring narrative... It just felt as if the main action and interesting stuff happened just around the corner (of better, in the city of Rome itself), while the narrative was stuck at some random person who was only tangently connected to the events...

sarajesus95's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

5.0

ijsvogel's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated

3.25

trish204's review against another edition

5.0

The third book about Gordianus the Finder ... This time it is about the famous Catilina - whom some regard as a conspirator, others as a victim and others even as a monster.
In this book, the main character (Gordianus) takes a side but the author makes sure that there are plenty of other views expressed as well so as to enable the reader to make up his/her own mind.
Again, Steven Saylor has done a splendid job in making Ancient Rome come to life. There have been quite some chapters in which the country life was explained for a change, which was not really fitting Gordianus (it wasn't boring, but it didn't seem right either), but it was a nice change of view and the surroundings - although the view from the city itself is given as well.
Quite funny to read about all the links between famous names such as Cicero, Ceasar, Catilina, Crassus, Spartacus, Marcus Antonius and others.

So thumbs up ... and it will definitely not have been my last book about Gordianus. ;-)

mibramowitz's review against another edition

3.0

I liked it and I really liked the ending, but the middle dragged between the farm mystery and the city politics. I hope the next book has more in terms of good female characters. 3.5 stars.

etrauud's review against another edition

5.0

The last few chapters had me nervous and excited in a way that few movies make me. Saylor's narratives are stupendously vivid, the climax of the Mystery was so great. I recommend reading any of Saylor's sub-rosa series. However i must warn that a good knowledge of Roman history, politics, and tradition is necessary to fully enjoy the extent of detail in these books, but it's incredibly rewarding.

djrmelvin's review against another edition

3.0

The mystery portion of the book drags through every stage of its plotting, but as historical fiction, this is the best yet of this series. This is no doubt because of the change of setting: Gordianus has inherited a farm, introducing himself and the reader to a whole new aspect of life in ancient Rome (of course, it's not ancient Rome in the books). Also, the changes in his domestic situations with added family members provide another way for Saylor to reveal what it was to live in as not only a citizen but every other class of persons in that time period. The Real Person characters move in and out of the story almost effortlessly, even the best known one who is linked so closely to the family at the end of the book there's no way he won't be appearing in later stories. It's the setting and the supporting characters that keep me coming back to this series, Gordianus adopted children especially.

lostinthelibrary's review against another edition

4.0

I enjoyed this book despite it being less of a mystery than previous books and more straight up historical fiction. The author clearly has such a love for this time period and the characters (real and imagined) within his novels. Rich with detail and constantly intriguing with a wonderful exploration of father/son relationships to boot. It just loses a star for the fact that the mystery took a bit of a back seat.