A review by raptorimperator
Saturnalia by John Maddox Roberts

4.0

This one was fun, being set during Saturnalia, the one day in the year where the slaves don't have to obey their masters in Rome. Hermes enjoys it far too much, even taking the liberty of calling Decius by his name instead of master, which I found hilarious. The case was good too, specifically since the most likely suspect was way too obvious, making it more of a mystery of who did it. With the exception of a few deviations, the narrative flowed nicely. And I like book 4, the story is able to stand on its own feet without relying too heavily on historical events, unlike the first 3 books, which while still fun to read made it the plot all too predictable for a student of Ancient Roman history.

The Metellii seem to like to hedge their bets, politically, making sure they have an alliance with each of the 3 big men to Rome: Crassus, Pompey, and Caesar. Decius being the link to Caesar with being betrothed to Julia Minor. I enjoyed Decius's interactions with Julia in this one, as they were able to be more free with their affections for one another thanks to the Saturnalia season. Decius still finds her complete unwillingness to see who her uncle Julius Caesar really is despite all the evidence he presents her, amusing and frustrating. I just find it amusing. Though some of the shine in her eyes might have worn off in this one. If just a bit.

Now that the series has hit its stride with book 4 and book 5, I'm looking forward to book 6.