Athena Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Great review, Steve! I might have to look into the Wild Cards series myself, though one of your links said it can be very graphic at times (with sex). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 Yeah, that's what I meant by the 'unsavoury' bits. Actually, this one wasn't so bad in that regard, but I get the impression from the link that the later books take it further. Put it this way: there wasn't anything in there that, to me, was any worse than similar scenes in 'A Song of Ice & Fire', and you've been reading those Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 (edited) Yeah, this is the main one: http://www.wildcardsonline.com/index.html I found this quite interesting, too, and it helped make up my mind about giving it a go Great cheers! I'll have a look one of your links said it can be very graphic at times (with sex). I'll have a closer look Edited May 13, 2014 by Timstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 # 34 The King's Gambit (SPQR 1) by John Maddox Roberts 1990 - Thomas Dunne paperback - 259 pages From Amazon: In this Edgar Award nominated mystery, John Maddox Roberts takes readers back to a Rome filled with violence and evil. Vicious gangs ruled the streets of Crassus and Pompey, routinely preying on plebeian and patrician alike. So the garroting of a lowly ex-slave and the disembowelment of a foreign merchant in the dangerous Subura district seemed of little consequence to the Roman hierarchy. But Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger, high-born commander of the local vigiles, was determined to investigate. Despite official apathy, brazen bribes and sinister threats, Decius uncovers a world of corruption at the highest levels of his government that threatens to destroy him and the government he serves. Thoughts: This one was thrust into my hands by a friend who thought I'd enjoy it. This friend studied Ancient Rome, and is the same friend who introduced me to Steven Saylor and Dennis Lehane, among others, and who also despises Conn Iggulden's 'Emperor' series with a fiery passion because it plays so fast and loose with the historical facts, so I was expecting good things from this one. Mind you, he also likes Stephen Donaldson . . . Anyhoo, this particular story all felt very familiar after having read several of Steven Saylor's books. A murder takes place, and a fire breaks out, sending everyone into a panic in case it spreads, so the murder kind of gets overlooked, apart from by one man - Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger, commander of the vigiles, and in whose district of Rome the murder took place. So he sets out to investigate but nobody seems particularly interested and he isn't getting very far when another murder happens, and things then start to get rather tangled. In the true style of a lot of historical mysteries, the investigation brings Decius into contact with many characters from real life (including, naturally, Caesar, Cicero, Pomey, Crassus etc etc) and leads him into great danger and the midst of a far larger conspiracy. In all honesty, I thought it was a bit 'by-the-numbers', checking off the famous names, places, and historical events, almost like the author wanted to show off his research (this became increasingly obvious as the story went on and he took diversions to explain various aspects of Roman life, occasionally killing the momentum). Also, Decius is a strange case in that he's something of a blank slate. He has a quite disinterested father, no mother, no friends, no wife or lover, so there's very little about him to distinguish him or give him any depth, apart from his occasionally witty observations about Rome (the story is told in the first person) or the way he questions his suspects. As a result, I thought it was a bit lacking in character. On the plus side, it's a brief novel that moves at a decent pace, and it's relatively self-contained - although I imagine that threads from this story would be picked up in the subsequent books. I don't know whether I'll read more of them or not. I've read that this is the weakest book in the series, but I think I'd prefer - at the moment, at least - to carry on with Steven Saylor's 'Roma Sub Rosa' series. It has all the good points of this book and few of the problems. And, of course, there are other murder/mystery series set in Ancient Rome. So it's difficult to recommend this one over and above those, in my opinion. 6/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 If I were rich and had a big house and a library . . . http://www.foliosociety.com/pages/obrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Interesting review, it's a shame the book wasn't as good as you'd hoped. Those editions look very beautiful! I'll have to look into this series, I haven't heard of the it nor of the author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 If I were rich and had a big house and a library . . . http://www.foliosociety.com/pages/obrian Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 Those editions look very beautiful! I'll have to look into this series, I haven't heard of the it nor of the author. Nice to know my reviews of them have had an effect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 Nice to know my reviews of them have had an effect x Sorry, my brain has been a bit of a sieve lately. I'm having trouble remembering things. My apologies . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 14, 2014 Author Share Posted May 14, 2014 To be fair, I've only reviewed one of them so far this year 'Twas fantastic, though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted May 14, 2014 Share Posted May 14, 2014 But I like how you got your ADwD dig in there. I was going to say the same thing but you got there a couple of days before me. I think you've taken that out of context a little. It wasn't meant to be a dig, just my opinion of his obvious enjoyment of writing for this series as opposed to that series, which it seems to me he hasn't enjoyed for years (given his willingness to get side-tracked by anything and everything else) I've been thinking of re-reading the series sometime soon, just to see whether the earlier books are as good as I remember (and whether ADWD really was as bad as I found it to be). Reckon you'd ever make time to do the same? I'll have a closer look Shame on you Tim! Or should we call you Oberyn Martell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I've been thinking of re-reading the series sometime soon, just to see whether the earlier books are as good as I remember (and whether ADWD really was as bad as I found it to be). Reckon you'd ever make time to do the same? May as well plan it for before The Winds of Winter comes out as you will have forgotten everything... and the TV show will have been over for 5 years. Shame on you Tim! Or should we call you Oberyn Martell? He's dreamy isn't he! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 I've been thinking of re-reading the series sometime soon, just to see whether the earlier books are as good as I remember (and whether ADWD really was as bad as I found it to be). Reckon you'd ever make time to do the same? I re-read the first four before ADwD came out, so I'd say it's unlikely - especially since it'll be a cold day in hell before I waste my time on ADwD again (yes, that was a dig this time ). Tbh, I didn't think they benefited in re-read the way Malazan did, apart from confirming that A Storm of Swords is amazing. I still enjoyed them, but I'm not sure I'd want to read them again at this stage May as well plan it for before The Winds of Winter comes out as you will have forgotten everything... and the TV show will have been over for 5 years. Just in time for the Qatar World Cup! And sadly still not long enough to erase ADwD from my memory (yes, that was another dig ). He's dreamy a nightmare isn't he! Fixed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I just searched for and found your review for A Dance with Dragons. I have to agree with you on quite a few points. I have less than 100 pages left in part one, so it's too early to say anything about book two, but still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 I just searched for and found your review for A Dance with Dragons. I have to disagree with you all points. Also fixed! Just in time for the Qatar World Cup! Ambitious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Tim, where is your review of the book? I can't seem to find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 In my old thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 15, 2014 Share Posted May 15, 2014 Thanks ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 Another trip to Forbidden Planet yielded this for £4.99: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Yay, a new book! I hope you enjoy it (£4.99 is a great price imo). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 but I think I'd prefer - at the moment, at least - to carry on with Steven Saylor's 'Roma Sub Rosa' series. Hmm, I`ve kept meaning to try `Roman Blood`. Is it set around the same time as Robert Harris` Imperium and Lustrum ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 17, 2014 Author Share Posted May 17, 2014 Hmm, I`ve kept meaning to try `Roman Blood`. Is it set around the same time as Robert Harris` Imperium and Lustrum ? The third book, Catalina's Riddle, is set at the same time as Lustrum, yeah, and it shows it from a different perspective, which was interesting. The series as a whole covers a lot of years, mainly so it can drop in at times when important events were happening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 The third book, Catalina's Riddle, is set at the same time as Lustrum, yeah, and it shows it from a different perspective, which was interesting. The series as a whole covers a lot of years, mainly so it can drop in at times when important events were happening. Thanks Steve. Kindle Daily Deal has the first four books of the series for £1.09 - that was lucky, eh ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 18, 2014 Author Share Posted May 18, 2014 Thanks Steve. Kindle Daily Deal has the first four books of the series for £1.09 - that was lucky, eh ? That's the same collection/price I got at Christmas I'd already read the two novels included in it, but not the two collections of short stories, so it was well worth it Hope you enjoy them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 (edited) That's the same collection/price I got at Christmas I'd already read the two novels included in it, but not the two collections of short stories, so it was well worth it Hope you enjoy them! Thanks - I read the first page of Roman Blood and was sold on them. It seemed very good. It`s not my usual era, but I`m looking forward to learning about it. It`ll be just like Rome, the TV show, right ? Edited May 18, 2014 by Little Pixie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.