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mbondlamberty's review against another edition
Fun and easy reads through which to learn your Roman history.
sunflowerjoy's review against another edition
2.0
It isn't that I didn't enjoy this book (or what I read of it) it is simply the fact that I couldn't connect with a character that stuck with me throughout the entire journey. I definitely think I enjoy character-driven books much better. Instead this book was like reading a bunch of short stories, which isn't necessarily bad. The only thing that really connects one to the other is the genealogy and the setting.
readers_block's review against another edition
4.0
I learned so much in this book.
The format wasn't quite what I was expecting actually, but I ended up really loving it. It's an entire history of Rome from 1,000 B.C. to 1 B.C., told in a fictionalized format by following one main family's lineage. Because of this, you never get too deep in with a character before the story changes, but that doesn't end up being a problem because each story is so fascinating and you learn something concrete about Roman history in each one.
I really really enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading the second in the series.
The format wasn't quite what I was expecting actually, but I ended up really loving it. It's an entire history of Rome from 1,000 B.C. to 1 B.C., told in a fictionalized format by following one main family's lineage. Because of this, you never get too deep in with a character before the story changes, but that doesn't end up being a problem because each story is so fascinating and you learn something concrete about Roman history in each one.
I really really enjoyed this and am looking forward to reading the second in the series.
mikegray6's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. Interested to read the next one. Reading this type of historical fiction book is a great way to learn about history, which this definitely did. I didn't love the short-story style, but I also recognize it was necessary to tell a story that takes place over 1000 years. After going to Rome, it was super cool to see how much was accurate.
sophiewilliams's review against another edition
3.0
Reminded me a lot of the Rutherford style of book.
mrsmarch's review against another edition
5.0
Steven Saylor definitely took on a huge task when he chose to write a novelized history of Rome from the viewpoint of one of the oldest patrician families, but least-known in modern times --- the Pinarii, and their cousins the Potitii. The novel touches on the important turning-points of Rome's history, when members of the Pinarii or the Potitii are constantly being caught up in momentous events --- the sack of Rome by Gauls, the Carthaginian wars, the campaign of Scipio, the dictatorship of Sulla, and so on --- and actually living the events, with the uncertainty and awe of a person caught up in the middle of something with no idea how it will end. The Pinarius or Potitius central to each episode of the book is our main character but not history's main character, and as the family descends through time and is influenced by past character's actions, so are we as readers. This is half-story, half-history, in the Livian vein and a great homage to Livy's history of Rome. The facts are mostly solid, and if two "facts" were available, well we are writing a novel here, not a textbook, and we (the writer) are allowed to pick whichever one fits the story we want to tell the best. I feel compelled now to check a few of Saylor's facts, like was Julius Caesar's sister Julia really married to a Pinarius, or has Saylor made that up out of whole cloth; because if all these occurrences of Pinarii and Potitii were Saylor has them occurring are documentable fact, then Saylor's masterful filling-in-of-the-blanks is even more refined and elegant than I thought.
The source material Saylor lists in the book's Afterword is also excellent, including his use of T.P. Wiseman's [b:Remus A Roman Myth|1315802|Remus A Roman Myth|T.P. Wiseman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1182703905s/1315802.jpg|1305104] as source material on the pre-foundation history of Rome and the various foundation myths. I cannot praise enough this decision on Saylor's part. Saylor's Remus was not a carbon copy of Wiseman's Remus, but many of Wiseman's observations seem to have influenced Saylor's character creation, and his imagination of the earliest layout of the city. Whereas Wiseman deals academically with the Romulus & Remus story, Saylor says to himself "How can I make this plausible in the real world, not the world of myth?" and then he goes and does so. I can't say enough, even in the review of a different book, about the value of Wiseman's work on Remus to classical scholars; and if you are going to take on the task of tackling Saylor's Roma, then Wiseman's Remus: A Roman Myth will subsequently be no trouble at all and might help the reader flesh out the pre-historic Roman world as presented by Saylor. The one is so clearly, and well, informed by the other.
The omniscient narration of Roma does not have the same voice as the character-centric narration of Saylor's Gordianus the Finder mystery series, for which I am truly grateful. The writing style employed for mysteries would not suit a larger work such as Roma. Different genres require different approaches, and it is not every writer who can go from one to another easily and successfully. The tone and style of Roma is suitable to a long fiction work with many characters and a complex plot full of details. The book has been broken up into historical episodes, loosely based on a single generation of characters, but of course the common thread running through all the episodes is the family being focussed on (usually the Pinarii). You only need to worry about one Lucius Pinarius at a time, which is a relief, as Romans were not very creative namers and you tended to get two or three of every name in a single generation. When one Lucius Pinarius thinks back to the actions of another Lucius Pinarius, Saylor says something like "Lucius remembered that his great-great-grandfather, also named Lucius Pinarius, did such-and-such or knew so-and-so," and that is enough to jog the reader's memory: "Oh yeah, I remember that," or "Oh my gosh kid, you are so misinformed!" But as misinformation (or lies?) from a previous generation become enshrined in popular memory, they become historical fact, and it seems to me that in the book itself Saylor has found a way to comment on the veracity (or not) of the historical "facts" we're operating with today. Did it really happen the way we think it did? Or is there a historical truth there that will never come to light? And how does knowing that is a possibility change the way we view history itself?
In short: This may be a bit overwhelming for the Roman history novice, who isn't vaguely familiar with the people and places Saylor employs in his narrative. There's a lot in this book to soak up. If you aren't daunted by that, all the better for you. For the reader fairly familiar with Roman history, especially the the early books of Livy and the half-forgotten period of the Kings and the early Republic, my recommendation is "have at with abandon, you will love this."
The source material Saylor lists in the book's Afterword is also excellent, including his use of T.P. Wiseman's [b:Remus A Roman Myth|1315802|Remus A Roman Myth|T.P. Wiseman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1182703905s/1315802.jpg|1305104] as source material on the pre-foundation history of Rome and the various foundation myths. I cannot praise enough this decision on Saylor's part. Saylor's Remus was not a carbon copy of Wiseman's Remus, but many of Wiseman's observations seem to have influenced Saylor's character creation, and his imagination of the earliest layout of the city. Whereas Wiseman deals academically with the Romulus & Remus story, Saylor says to himself "How can I make this plausible in the real world, not the world of myth?" and then he goes and does so. I can't say enough, even in the review of a different book, about the value of Wiseman's work on Remus to classical scholars; and if you are going to take on the task of tackling Saylor's Roma, then Wiseman's Remus: A Roman Myth will subsequently be no trouble at all and might help the reader flesh out the pre-historic Roman world as presented by Saylor. The one is so clearly, and well, informed by the other.
The omniscient narration of Roma does not have the same voice as the character-centric narration of Saylor's Gordianus the Finder mystery series, for which I am truly grateful. The writing style employed for mysteries would not suit a larger work such as Roma. Different genres require different approaches, and it is not every writer who can go from one to another easily and successfully. The tone and style of Roma is suitable to a long fiction work with many characters and a complex plot full of details. The book has been broken up into historical episodes, loosely based on a single generation of characters, but of course the common thread running through all the episodes is the family being focussed on (usually the Pinarii). You only need to worry about one Lucius Pinarius at a time, which is a relief, as Romans were not very creative namers and you tended to get two or three of every name in a single generation. When one Lucius Pinarius thinks back to the actions of another Lucius Pinarius, Saylor says something like "Lucius remembered that his great-great-grandfather, also named Lucius Pinarius, did such-and-such or knew so-and-so," and that is enough to jog the reader's memory: "Oh yeah, I remember that," or "Oh my gosh kid, you are so misinformed!" But as misinformation (or lies?) from a previous generation become enshrined in popular memory, they become historical fact, and it seems to me that in the book itself Saylor has found a way to comment on the veracity (or not) of the historical "facts" we're operating with today. Did it really happen the way we think it did? Or is there a historical truth there that will never come to light? And how does knowing that is a possibility change the way we view history itself?
In short: This may be a bit overwhelming for the Roman history novice, who isn't vaguely familiar with the people and places Saylor employs in his narrative. There's a lot in this book to soak up. If you aren't daunted by that, all the better for you. For the reader fairly familiar with Roman history, especially the the early books of Livy and the half-forgotten period of the Kings and the early Republic, my recommendation is "have at with abandon, you will love this."
jlynnelseauthor's review against another edition
5.0
"Who could say what might be occurring at that very moment somewhere in the world... where the birth of a man or movement might alter the world's destiny once again?"
The book jacket describes the book as a "panoramic historical saga," and I would agree! This is an excellent work. Such a great concept that the author chose to follow. Spanning 1000 years, the novel follows the shifting fortunes of two families through the ages. You experience the founding of a settlement along a riverbank to the ascent of a city poised to become the capital of the world. Linking each generation is a talisman as ancient as Roma itself.
I think one of my favorite parts in this novel is the every-changing maps marking each chapter. Not only do you read stories of a family, but you can see the world they live in develop with each generation. I was truly in love with this journey through time. I think the best historical fiction is also rich in facts, and this book is no exception! Carefully crafted and brilliantly voice through the 549-page novel, I never lost interest! It seems that struggles for equality and political arguments and intrigue will remain uncannily familiar subjects throughout time. In Rome, these struggles permeated life through the city's growth.
I also learned so much about the society. Sometimes its hard to keep historical names straight, and that's because men would commonly change their names due to accomplishments in life. Even as fathers passed down their names to their sons, the book was never confusing. I could easily keep the different characters straight.
I think another favorite piece of this novel would be how events in one chapter would become legends and myths in the next. The development of the society based on character choices in each chapter was just mesmerizing and fascinating. I love exploring history, and this really took me through the development of a strong and proud people!
At the close of this family's story, I felt a sense of peace had finally graced their life. And of course, their family line did not end. This book illustrates that life and love will carry us to the end of time! There are no endings as long as love endures. Sappy? Yes, but the book was truly epic! Saylor is great at penning both strong men and women characters. Loved it! This book would be in my top 10 historical recommendations!
The book jacket describes the book as a "panoramic historical saga," and I would agree! This is an excellent work. Such a great concept that the author chose to follow. Spanning 1000 years, the novel follows the shifting fortunes of two families through the ages. You experience the founding of a settlement along a riverbank to the ascent of a city poised to become the capital of the world. Linking each generation is a talisman as ancient as Roma itself.
I think one of my favorite parts in this novel is the every-changing maps marking each chapter. Not only do you read stories of a family, but you can see the world they live in develop with each generation. I was truly in love with this journey through time. I think the best historical fiction is also rich in facts, and this book is no exception! Carefully crafted and brilliantly voice through the 549-page novel, I never lost interest! It seems that struggles for equality and political arguments and intrigue will remain uncannily familiar subjects throughout time. In Rome, these struggles permeated life through the city's growth.
I also learned so much about the society. Sometimes its hard to keep historical names straight, and that's because men would commonly change their names due to accomplishments in life. Even as fathers passed down their names to their sons, the book was never confusing. I could easily keep the different characters straight.
I think another favorite piece of this novel would be how events in one chapter would become legends and myths in the next. The development of the society based on character choices in each chapter was just mesmerizing and fascinating. I love exploring history, and this really took me through the development of a strong and proud people!
At the close of this family's story, I felt a sense of peace had finally graced their life. And of course, their family line did not end. This book illustrates that life and love will carry us to the end of time! There are no endings as long as love endures. Sappy? Yes, but the book was truly epic! Saylor is great at penning both strong men and women characters. Loved it! This book would be in my top 10 historical recommendations!
mamanrees's review against another edition
3.0
I'm torn on whether to give this book three or four stars, so maybe I'll come back and revisit it once I've had a chance to contemplate. I really enjoyed the book, and felt like I got an interesting overview of Rome's early history, but the story didn't totally grab me. I kept setting it down and coming back to it days later, but with three small boys at home my attention span is not what it was. I absolutely loved Saylor's historical mysteries, and this just didn't suck me in the way they did.
kbelcher1992's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought it was a great way to walk through the "history" of Rome and it's empire while also being very entertaining and intriguing. One of the things that most fascinated me was the clash between the patrician and the plebian. It feels like the same problems are echoing through our society today. While I know it wasn't 100% historical, I have to wonder how much more people would enjoy history if they perused it via books like this. I would highly recommend if you are interested at all in Roman history.