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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
My sixth in the Roma Sub Rosa historical mystery series and revolving around Gordianus the Finder, a private detective. The story is set in ancient Rome in January of the Year of Rome 705 (49 B.C. to us).
Chronologically, it's MY sixth and Saylor's seventh because the technical sixth, The House of the Vestals, is a collection of short stories that I've slotted in chronologically on my website.
My Take
It's another pip of a story from Saylor, and yet I'd also call it a bridge novel. For all the action in Rubicon, it's more of a set-up for the next story arc in this series with Meto's betrayal and Numerius' blackmail. That's my guess anyway, and it's been driving me mad to read the next story to find out what's going on. I know it has something to do with Massilia (in Gaul) and Caesar's troops, if only because the next book in the series is called Last Seen in Massilia.
Pompey has compiled an interesting assessment of Gordianus and his family. One can read his disdain, curiosity, and a bit of envy for Gordianus in the report, as well as his doubts about this "most honest man in Rome". They are doubts that Gordianus will believe about himself by the end, although I think he's being too hard on himself.
Hmmm, Gordianus wonders if Publius Clodius' murder in A Murder on the Appian Way, 5, was the "true beginning of civil war". Reading these whys that Gordianus raises got me to thinking about our own political system and the wreckage of ordinary people's lives due to politicians being so insulated from real life. There are some nasty parallels between Rome's rise and fall and our own rise…and coming fall. Those who do not pay attention to history are doomed to repeat it. I'd hope we were smart enough to pay attention.
Whew, that is some rumor running around about Meto. I'm not quite sure why Romans are so shocked. Aren't the Romans known for sampling both sexes?
I do enjoy this series. Saylor has created a realistic world of ancient Rome. I can feel so much of what happens, as though I were walking the streets of Rome and the roads of Italy. The character interaction is also a treat. The political machinations, the greed, the everyday conversation, the meals, and more will pull you into this world. In many ways, this would be a fabulous way to teach kids about Rome, by making it real, drawing parallels between home life now and then.
The Story
It's a disaster. Someone has, somehow, assassinated a cousin of Pompey. In Gordianus' atrium! And Pompey is forcing Gordianus to investigate his death.
It's useless for Gordianus to protest that he retired a year ago. Pompey refuses to listen and forces Davus to join his army as a goad for Gordianus to "do his duty".
It's racing through frenemy lines, being captured, saving pranksters, stealing through siege lines, and surviving death.
The Characters
Gordianus the Finder is 61 now and retired as a private investigator a year ago. Bethesda is Gordianus' wife. Diana, their daughter, fell in love with Davus, a former slave and bodyguard to Pompey, and who is now Gordianus' son-in-law. He's…not too bright and is tasked with protecting the household. They have a son, Gordianus and Bethesda's grandson, Aulus.
Eco is Gordianus' oldest adopted son and married with children. He has taken over Gordianus' investigative business. Menenia is his wife and they have twin eleven year olds: Titania and Titus. Meto, a genius with letters, is Gordianus' youngest adopted son and currently with Caesar in the field as his literary adjutant.
Mopsus and Androcles are household slaves Gordianus acquired in A Murder on the Appian Way. Cicatrix is the garlic-eating bodyguard Pompey leaves for Gordianus in place of Davus.
The army of Julius Caesar has…
…crossed the Rubicon River with his troops. Marc Antony is one of Caesar's tribunes. Curio is another tribune and a friend of Antony's. Some say he is more than a friend. Engineer Marcus Vitruvius is tasked with closing the harbor mouth at Brundisium. Marcus Otacilius is the cohort commander Gordianus and Tiro meet along the mountain path.
Pompey's army is…
…in Brundisium. Pompey, a.k.a., the Great One (ego much?) is drawing Caesar's army away from Rome. Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, a.k.a., Redbeard, one of Pompey's generals, was supposed to replace Caesar as governor of Gaul. Now he and Pompey are at odds over where and what to defend. Engineer Magius has boobytrapped Brundisium. Scribonius is one of Pompey's officers.
Numerius Pompeius, a second generation or so cousin to Pompey, is one of his favorites. Maecia, Numerius' mother, is the very model of a Roman matron. She'll tell you so. The unwed Aemilia is the daughter of Titus Aemilius and pregnant with Numerius' child. Soscarides the Alexandrian is a philosopher who met with Numerius.
Cicero is an old, sometimes friend of Gordianus' who is self-righteous, smug, and peevish (we first met him in Roman Blood, 1). Terentia is his wife; Tullia is his pregnant daughter married to Dolabella, Caesar's man, and Marcus is his younger son. Tiro is his faithful slave and secretary, currently sick in Greece. Fortex is one of the guards Cicero left behind.
Lentulus and Marcellus are the new consuls of Rome, both of whom are fleeing Rome. The Salacious Tavern is an out-of-the-way drinking establishment. Ipsithilla is one of its whores and was there six years ago when Gordianus first walked into the tavern.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a classic Roman wall: a deep, deep lapis lazuli wall framed out in a huge panel of two warships doing battle with one ship burning up in a huge fire and sending a column of dense smoke into the orange sky.
The title finds that Caesar has crossed the Rubicon, the northern boundary of Rome proper. It's treason for an army to cross it. Today, crossing the Rubicon is an idiom meaning that one has passed a point of no return.
Chronologically, it's MY sixth and Saylor's seventh because the technical sixth, The House of the Vestals, is a collection of short stories that I've slotted in chronologically on my website.
My Take
It's another pip of a story from Saylor, and yet I'd also call it a bridge novel. For all the action in Rubicon, it's more of a set-up for the next story arc in this series with Meto's betrayal and Numerius' blackmail. That's my guess anyway, and it's been driving me mad to read the next story to find out what's going on. I know it has something to do with Massilia (in Gaul) and Caesar's troops, if only because the next book in the series is called Last Seen in Massilia.
Pompey has compiled an interesting assessment of Gordianus and his family. One can read his disdain, curiosity, and a bit of envy for Gordianus in the report, as well as his doubts about this "most honest man in Rome". They are doubts that Gordianus will believe about himself by the end, although I think he's being too hard on himself.
Hmmm, Gordianus wonders if Publius Clodius' murder in A Murder on the Appian Way, 5, was the "true beginning of civil war". Reading these whys that Gordianus raises got me to thinking about our own political system and the wreckage of ordinary people's lives due to politicians being so insulated from real life. There are some nasty parallels between Rome's rise and fall and our own rise…and coming fall. Those who do not pay attention to history are doomed to repeat it. I'd hope we were smart enough to pay attention.
Whew, that is some rumor running around about Meto. I'm not quite sure why Romans are so shocked. Aren't the Romans known for sampling both sexes?
I do enjoy this series. Saylor has created a realistic world of ancient Rome. I can feel so much of what happens, as though I were walking the streets of Rome and the roads of Italy. The character interaction is also a treat. The political machinations, the greed, the everyday conversation, the meals, and more will pull you into this world. In many ways, this would be a fabulous way to teach kids about Rome, by making it real, drawing parallels between home life now and then.
The Story
It's a disaster. Someone has, somehow, assassinated a cousin of Pompey. In Gordianus' atrium! And Pompey is forcing Gordianus to investigate his death.
It's useless for Gordianus to protest that he retired a year ago. Pompey refuses to listen and forces Davus to join his army as a goad for Gordianus to "do his duty".
It's racing through frenemy lines, being captured, saving pranksters, stealing through siege lines, and surviving death.
The Characters
Gordianus the Finder is 61 now and retired as a private investigator a year ago. Bethesda is Gordianus' wife. Diana, their daughter, fell in love with Davus, a former slave and bodyguard to Pompey, and who is now Gordianus' son-in-law. He's…not too bright and is tasked with protecting the household. They have a son, Gordianus and Bethesda's grandson, Aulus.
Eco is Gordianus' oldest adopted son and married with children. He has taken over Gordianus' investigative business. Menenia is his wife and they have twin eleven year olds: Titania and Titus. Meto, a genius with letters, is Gordianus' youngest adopted son and currently with Caesar in the field as his literary adjutant.
Mopsus and Androcles are household slaves Gordianus acquired in A Murder on the Appian Way. Cicatrix is the garlic-eating bodyguard Pompey leaves for Gordianus in place of Davus.
The army of Julius Caesar has…
…crossed the Rubicon River with his troops. Marc Antony is one of Caesar's tribunes. Curio is another tribune and a friend of Antony's. Some say he is more than a friend. Engineer Marcus Vitruvius is tasked with closing the harbor mouth at Brundisium. Marcus Otacilius is the cohort commander Gordianus and Tiro meet along the mountain path.
Pompey's army is…
…in Brundisium. Pompey, a.k.a., the Great One (ego much?) is drawing Caesar's army away from Rome. Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, a.k.a., Redbeard, one of Pompey's generals, was supposed to replace Caesar as governor of Gaul. Now he and Pompey are at odds over where and what to defend. Engineer Magius has boobytrapped Brundisium. Scribonius is one of Pompey's officers.
Numerius Pompeius, a second generation or so cousin to Pompey, is one of his favorites. Maecia, Numerius' mother, is the very model of a Roman matron. She'll tell you so. The unwed Aemilia is the daughter of Titus Aemilius and pregnant with Numerius' child. Soscarides the Alexandrian is a philosopher who met with Numerius.
Cicero is an old, sometimes friend of Gordianus' who is self-righteous, smug, and peevish (we first met him in Roman Blood, 1). Terentia is his wife; Tullia is his pregnant daughter married to Dolabella, Caesar's man, and Marcus is his younger son. Tiro is his faithful slave and secretary, currently sick in Greece. Fortex is one of the guards Cicero left behind.
Lentulus and Marcellus are the new consuls of Rome, both of whom are fleeing Rome. The Salacious Tavern is an out-of-the-way drinking establishment. Ipsithilla is one of its whores and was there six years ago when Gordianus first walked into the tavern.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a classic Roman wall: a deep, deep lapis lazuli wall framed out in a huge panel of two warships doing battle with one ship burning up in a huge fire and sending a column of dense smoke into the orange sky.
The title finds that Caesar has crossed the Rubicon, the northern boundary of Rome proper. It's treason for an army to cross it. Today, crossing the Rubicon is an idiom meaning that one has passed a point of no return.
whiskydj's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
mjl2994's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
danielshelsel's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
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
5.0
escan's review against another edition
4.0
Rubicon could not have been more different to the previous Roma Sub Rosa book, [b:The House of the Vestals|102717|The House of the Vestals (Roma Sub Rosa, #6)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1339311428l/102717._SY75_.jpg|652030], a fairly light-hearted collection of short stories set a couple of decades before the two books it comes between. The House of the Vestals did a nice job of filling in some of the gaps between [b:Roman Blood|102720|Roman Blood (Roma Sub Rosa, #1)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388555429l/102720._SY75_.jpg|2569207] and [b:Arms of Nemesis|102712|Arms of Nemesis (Roma Sub Rosa, #2)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1316126310l/102712._SY75_.jpg|1609422], detailing the development of Gordianus' relationships with his eldest son Eco, his then-slave Bethesda, and various friends. Rubicon threw me right back into the "present", with the political and military landscapes seemingly merging into one as Caesar and Pompey vie for control of Italy and, ultimately, the Roman Republic. Gordianus, famously honest but notoriously non-partisan, finds himself with obligations to both sides: his younger son Meto is an aide, confidant, and (many say) lover of Caesar, while, rather more pressingly, a young relative of Pompey's is murdered in Gordianus' home, and the Great One demands Gordianus finds the killer, taking away his daughter Diana's husband until Pompey knows who's responsible.
Although previous novels have certainly dealt with dark themes (sexual violence in Roman Blood and The Venus Throw come to mind, as well as the ever-present murder), I would argue that Rubicon escalates this to a point we haven't seen before. It also sees Saylor employing a kind of ingenuity that I certainly hadn't expected -
I found this a pretty upsetting read, because I've come to love Roma Sub Rosa for the characters and the relationships between them almost more than the mystery element or the historical setting, and Rubicon changed much of that, moving the series towards what I suspect will be a continued darker and edgier tone. However, it was still a gripping, entertaining, and emotional read - my main complaint being that I feel Meto's storyline deserved proper attention throughout the whole novel, rather than a series of jokes and insinuations about his relationship with Caesar, followed by several huge revelations in a row in the final 15% of the book - and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
Although previous novels have certainly dealt with dark themes (sexual violence in Roman Blood and The Venus Throw come to mind, as well as the ever-present murder), I would argue that Rubicon escalates this to a point we haven't seen before. It also sees Saylor employing a kind of ingenuity that I certainly hadn't expected -
Spoiler
the revelation around 85% of the way through immediately called to mind Agatha Christie's [b:The Murder of Roger Ackroyd|16328|The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (Hercule Poirot, #4)|Agatha Christie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1389734015l/16328._SY75_.jpg|1073110], and led me (and Gordianus himself) to reflect on issues of trust and morality. It wasn't only Gordianus whose character was called into question, as Tiro received his first proper spotlight since Roman Blood and was found to be much changed and yet somehow still the same, if only in the fact that his unwavering loyalty is to Cicero alone.I found this a pretty upsetting read, because I've come to love Roma Sub Rosa for the characters and the relationships between them almost more than the mystery element or the historical setting, and Rubicon changed much of that, moving the series towards what I suspect will be a continued darker and edgier tone. However, it was still a gripping, entertaining, and emotional read - my main complaint being that I feel Meto's storyline deserved proper attention throughout the whole novel, rather than a series of jokes and insinuations about his relationship with Caesar, followed by several huge revelations in a row in the final 15% of the book - and I'm looking forward to continuing the series.
awwhh's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
sophiewilliams's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable, interesting time period to be set in. Looking forward to reading the next and finding out what happens to the characters
mgcco's review against another edition
5.0
Love the book's twist. Reading it is like watching HBO's Rome all over again.
inesbeato's review against another edition
4.0
Não sei explicar a razão porque gosto tanto dos livros de Steven Saylor e o porquê de Gordiano ser, neste momento, o meu herói preferido, com todos os seus defeitos e manias.
Não se tratam certamente de obras primas e a escrita não é nada de excepcional (não é má, atenção, Saylor tem uma escrita até bastante elegante), mas têm essencialmente uma magia e uma capacidade singular de me transportar para o mundo do império romano, fazer-me sentir que estou a passear pelas ruas de Roma, seja no monte Palatino ou na Subura, ou a fazer compras nos seus mercados ou a habitar as suas casas. É fantástica a forma realista e direta como Saylor passa a mensagem e nos dá a conhecer história, interligando-a com ficção.
Neste livro em concreto, o pano de fundo é o Rubicão e o início da guerra civil entre Júlio César e Pompeu. Aqui já encontramos um Gordiano nos seus 60 anos, mais frágil e fraco, mas que, ainda assim, com a sua inteligência e perspicácia, consegue levar a sua avante.
Uma série excelente, que me viciou por completo! Para continuar a acompanhar com todo o entusiasmo.
Não se tratam certamente de obras primas e a escrita não é nada de excepcional (não é má, atenção, Saylor tem uma escrita até bastante elegante), mas têm essencialmente uma magia e uma capacidade singular de me transportar para o mundo do império romano, fazer-me sentir que estou a passear pelas ruas de Roma, seja no monte Palatino ou na Subura, ou a fazer compras nos seus mercados ou a habitar as suas casas. É fantástica a forma realista e direta como Saylor passa a mensagem e nos dá a conhecer história, interligando-a com ficção.
Neste livro em concreto, o pano de fundo é o Rubicão e o início da guerra civil entre Júlio César e Pompeu. Aqui já encontramos um Gordiano nos seus 60 anos, mais frágil e fraco, mas que, ainda assim, com a sua inteligência e perspicácia, consegue levar a sua avante.
Uma série excelente, que me viciou por completo! Para continuar a acompanhar com todo o entusiasmo.
kyokroon's review against another edition
2.0
2.5 / 5 stars
Mehh.. This book turned out to be a disappointment to me.
I really love the Roma Sub Rosa series, because I love the Antiquity and detectives. Just like the other books, this book begins with a mysterious murder and Gordianus tasked with solving it.
Throughout this whole book there seemed to be more political stuff going on than actual detective work. While that's great if it's encompassed in the mystery (see A Murder on the Appian Way for instance), it felt really disconnected here. The murder and the political turmoil that's happening seem not really woven together. Don't get me wrong: Roman politics interest me greatly, but when I want to read a mysterious murder mystery, I want a book to be about the murder and the act of solving it, not the surrounding political problems that may (slightly) play into it.
So, not my favourite book of the series, but I was still planning to give it 3 or 3.5 stars. That definitely changed during the so-called "plot-twist"
this was me:
.
All with all, definitely not my favourite book in the series (probably even the least favourite).
Happy reading!
Mehh.. This book turned out to be a disappointment to me.
I really love the Roma Sub Rosa series, because I love the Antiquity and detectives. Just like the other books, this book begins with a mysterious murder and Gordianus tasked with solving it.
Throughout this whole book there seemed to be more political stuff going on than actual detective work. While that's great if it's encompassed in the mystery (see A Murder on the Appian Way for instance), it felt really disconnected here. The murder and the political turmoil that's happening seem not really woven together. Don't get me wrong: Roman politics interest me greatly, but when I want to read a mysterious murder mystery, I want a book to be about the murder and the act of solving it, not the surrounding political problems that may (slightly) play into it.
So, not my favourite book of the series, but I was still planning to give it 3 or 3.5 stars. That definitely changed during the so-called "plot-twist"
this was me:
Spoiler
the idea that Gordianus had done it himself and that he was an unreliable narrator was so incredibly far-fetched to me; it just seemed like Saylor had to find a way to encompass mystery in another book he'd already written about the beginning of Rome's civil warAll with all, definitely not my favourite book in the series (probably even the least favourite).
Happy reading!