The Steven Saylor appreciation thread

[Gaston de Foix]

My Latin teacher gave me a copy of one of Gordianus' the Finder's novels as a teenager and I was hooked.

Recently, randomly, I found a line from Murder on the Appian Way floating around in my head: "What an extraordinary woman you are, Clodia. Shall I live and die and never make love to you?"

So who else on this forum is a fan?

[Darth Richard II]

I'm on I think book 7, but I own them all. Good stuff.

[James Arryn]

Yes, good stuff, great tone, the adopted orphans thing gets a bit confusing, but great.

[Peadar]

Yup, count me in to the Saylor Bandwagon. Love the Gordianus serues, but wasn't so thrilled with "Roma" book.

And thanks, for the thread, because I see there are a few new ones, for example, a prequel...

[Ormond]

I have read the first four novels and two books of short stories. I had some problems with Roman Blood, the first novel, which seemed to me to introduce some modern sensibilities into an ancient Roman story.

However, I think the second novel in the series, Arms of Nemesis, is one of the best historical mysteries I have ever read. I also really liked Catilina's Riddle and The Venus Throw, the third and fourth books in the series. The short story volumes (The House of the Vestals and A Gladiator Dies Only Once) didn't leave as much of a lasting impression on me as the novels did, but I liked them when I read them.

My one little quibble with Saylor: These books are told in the first person by Gordianus, who is supposed to be a heterosexual man. And yet it seems to me he's much more likely to comment on how good looking the men in the stories are than the women. Saylor himself is openly gay and I think that may occasionally come through his first person writing a bit too much. But since I am gay myself and knew Saylor was before I ever read one of his books, maybe I'm paying a lot closer attention to that than most readers would. In any event, it's not enough of a problem that I think it really harms the books; it's just something I chuckle at.

[Gaston de Foix]

I have read the first four novels and two books of short stories. I had some problems with Roman Blood, the first novel, which seemed to me to introduce some modern sensibilities into an ancient Roman story.

However, I think the second novel in the series, Arms of Nemesis, is one of the best historical mysteries I have ever read. I also really liked Catilina's Riddle and The Venus Throw, the third and fourth books in the series. The short story volumes (The House of the Vestals and A Gladiator Dies Only Once) didn't leave as much of a lasting impression on me as the novels did, but I liked them when I read them.

My one little quibble with Saylor: These books are told in the first person by Gordianus, who is supposed to be a heterosexual man. And yet it seems to me he's much more likely to comment on how good looking the men in the stories are than the women. Saylor himself is openly gay and I think that may occasionally come through his first person writing a bit too much. But since I am gay myself and knew Saylor was before I ever read one of his books, maybe I'm paying a lot closer attention to that than most readers would. In any event, it's not enough of a problem that I think it really harms the books; it's just something I chuckle at.

I think Gordianus is mostly heterosexual - he certainly seems to feel a powerful attraction to Catilina in Catilina's riddle.

The Seven Wonders his most recent, is definitely not his best work. It feels forced and episodic.

I think he should do a reset and move to Eco as his main protagonist and thus allow the story to move forward and with a new cast of characters.

Has any Saylor fan tried Lindsay Davis' work or John Maddox Roberts? Do you recommend it.

[James Arryn]

I have read the first four novels and two books of short stories. I had some problems with Roman Blood, the first novel, which seemed to me to introduce some modern sensibilities into an ancient Roman story.

However, I think the second novel in the series, Arms of Nemesis, is one of the best historical mysteries I have ever read. I also really liked Catilina's Riddle and The Venus Throw, the third and fourth books in the series. The short story volumes (The House of the Vestals and A Gladiator Dies Only Once) didn't leave as much of a lasting impression on me as the novels did, but I liked them when I read them.

My one little quibble with Saylor: These books are told in the first person by Gordianus, who is supposed to be a heterosexual man. And yet it seems to me he's much more likely to comment on how good looking the men in the stories are than the women. Saylor himself is openly gay and I think that may occasionally come through his first person writing a bit too much. But since I am gay myself and knew Saylor was before I ever read one of his books, maybe I'm paying a lot closer attention to that than most readers would. In any event, it's not enough of a problem that I think it really harms the books; it's just something I chuckle at.

The Romans came before the Judeo-Christian ethos, and as such didn't define a person for his sexual tastes any more than they would his tastes in wine, food or sport. They defined a man for any taste which was taken to excess, but not for it itself, and they would not understand our belief in/need to fit people into an either/or sexual taste box. Same if true for the Greeks, Persians, Egyptians and pretty much everyone before Constantine.

[Ormond]

The Romans came before the Judeo-Christian ethos, and as such didn't define a person for his sexual tastes any more than they would his tastes in wine, food or sport. They defined a man for any taste which was taken to excess, but not for it itself, and they would not understand our belief in/need to fit people into an either/or sexual taste box. Same if true for the Greeks, Persians, Egyptians and pretty much everyone before Constantine.

I understand that. I am not referring to how Gordianus defines other people sexually. I am referring to what I perceive as his greater attention to male beauty than female beauty.

[Darth Richard II]

He does seem to skip over the descriptions of the women's, although I honestly did not notice til someone pointed it out.

[James Arryn]

I understand that. I am not referring to how Gordianus defines other people sexually. I am referring to what I perceive as his greater attention to male beauty than female beauty.

Ah, cool, my misunderstanding. I don't recall noticing either way, just that you know every time Gordianus goes out for groceries, he's coming back with another orphan.