- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: St Martin's Press; 1 edition (31 Oct 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0312271212
- ISBN-13: 978-0312271213
- Product Dimensions: 24.1 x 16.3 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,327,644 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
A Mist of Prophecies (Roma sub Rosa)
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle .
Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"As usual, Saylor's research is impeccable, but the history never distracts from the very human drama.... With this intelligent and compelling story, Saylor shows once again why fans of ancient historicals regard him as the leader of the field."--"Publishers Weekly" (Starred Review) "The problem with a writer with the brilliance of Steven Saylor is that he leaves almost impossible standards for other writers to measure up to. With A Mist of Prophecies, Saylor exceeds even his usual standards of excellence."
--"El Paso Times""" "Vivid and robust...exquisite detail and powerful drama."
--"Philadelphia Inquirer""" "If you want to visit Rome--ancient Rome--this is the way to go!" --"Oklahoman""" "It would be impossible to imagine a more stellar lineup of suspects in all imperial Rome." --"Kirkus Reviews" "A fascinating work!" --"Midwest Book Review""" "One of the best mystery series being published today...A pitch-perfect work...gripping prose." --"Austin Chronicle" "Saylor writes with such easy grace that the politics of these vicious times become as captivating to the reader as the mystery of Cassandra's life and violent death." --"Tampa Tribune & Times""" "A gritty depiction of the underbelly of the great city in its heyday...The secret history of Rome has never been so fascinating." --Maxim Jakubowski, "The Guardian"
--"El Paso Times""" "Vivid and robust...exquisite detail and powerful drama."
--"Philadelphia Inquirer""" "If you want to visit Rome--ancient Rome--this is the way to go!" --"Oklahoman""" "It would be impossible to imagine a more stellar lineup of suspects in all imperial Rome." --"Kirkus Reviews" "A fascinating work!" --"Midwest Book Review""" "One of the best mystery series being published today...A pitch-perfect work...gripping prose." --"Austin Chronicle" "Saylor writes with such easy grace that the politics of these vicious times become as captivating to the reader as the mystery of Cassandra's life and violent death." --"Tampa Tribune & Times""" "A gritty depiction of the underbelly of the great city in its heyday...The secret history of Rome has never been so fascinating." --Maxim Jakubowski, "The Guardian"
Waterstone's Quarterly, June, 2002
'It is a class above the most historical crime fiction.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
The last time I saw Cassandra... Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
The last time I saw Cassandra... Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product)
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
60 of 62 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The Mists of Prophecy
The Mists of Prophecy is the latest in Steven Saylor's Rome Sub Rosa series and marks the return of Gordianus the Finder. While Rome anxiously waits to hear the outcome of the war between Pompey and Caesar a beautiful young seeress, the aptly named Cassandra, is poisoned. As Gordianus investigates her death he comes into contact with the wives of many of the men that have been at the centre of Saylor's earlier mysteries and reminisces about his own intense relationship with the murdered woman.
As with his previous books Saylor manages to weave historical fact and fiction so tightly that readers may be tempted to consult the history books to establish which events are documented fact and which only occurred in the imagination of the author. The supporting cast of recurring characters continues to increase which each novel but now at the expense of some stalwarts (eg. Gordianus and his older son are suddenly distant for not apparent reason) although any appearance by Clodia is worth sacrificing a considerably less interesting character for.
After a disappointing entry with Last Seen in Massallia Saylor has had a return to form with this book and although it does not reach the heights of Murder on the Appian Way fans will find much to enjoy. As with the most recent novels in the series a more sombre atmosphere pervades this book than in his earlier works. The disintegration of his relationship with his son Meto, a devoted follower of Caesar, weighs heavily on Gordianus's mind as does the mysterious illness of his wife and crushing debt. This Gordianus is not the sardonic observer of earlier novels but a tired and aging man on whom political upheaval and his own personal problems are taking their toll. The gallery of roman political wives in this novel make for fascinating reading (perhaps at the expense of the mystery itself) but perhaps the most interesting aspect of the book are the hints in the final chapter which promise the return of some well loved characters in the next installment.
15 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This was the second Steven Saylor book I have read and have since ordered all of the 'Roma Sub Rosa' Series.
In this book Saylor creates a first class mystery which seems to have a life of its own. Caesar is away from Rome engaging Pompey, his rival, in battle, leaving lesser mortals to care for the city and the citizens' problems - not altogether satisfactorily. Times are hard and there is widespread unrest against which Saylor weaves a tale of intrigue and deceit wherein from beginning to almost the end it is never clear what roles Cassandra, the young seeress, and the most important females of Rome play. Saylor's tapestry contains threads of the culture and society of the time integral to the mystery adding shadow and light to the tale. All in all this is a thoroughly interesting and enjoyable read.
In this book Saylor creates a first class mystery which seems to have a life of its own. Caesar is away from Rome engaging Pompey, his rival, in battle, leaving lesser mortals to care for the city and the citizens' problems - not altogether satisfactorily. Times are hard and there is widespread unrest against which Saylor weaves a tale of intrigue and deceit wherein from beginning to almost the end it is never clear what roles Cassandra, the young seeress, and the most important females of Rome play. Saylor's tapestry contains threads of the culture and society of the time integral to the mystery adding shadow and light to the tale. All in all this is a thoroughly interesting and enjoyable read.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
A disappointing entry in the Roma Sub Rosa series after the brilliant "Rubicon" & "Last Seen in Massilia". With those books Saylor took us into the heart of the civil war tearing Rome apart, but here he takes a step back. Unfortunately the case Gordianus is pursuing is a minor one and worse still the Finder seems engulfed in a perilous depression. His mood permeates the book in a negative way, weighing down the narrative and hobbling an already pedestrian plot. The book finally catches fire at the end and hopefully bodes well for the next instalment (Gordianus in Egypt with Caesar, Pompey and Cleopatra?)
An enjoyable read, but below Saylor's usually flawless standards.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A Mist of Prophecies Steven Saylor
Slower than some of his other books but have just began the sequel and I AM HOOKED AGAIN.The book had a slow start and I felt that he was anxious to get onto the next plot.
Published 19 days ago by denbyfan1
not quite dynamic enough
It was nice to return to my favourite Roman characters after 18 months since I read Last Seen in Massilia. Read more
Published 20 months ago by John Hopper
Gordianus, a Sherlock Holmes and more of the Roman Republic
Yet another good book by Steven Saylor about Gordianus The Finder. Once this series are started there is no turing back until the full series have been read.
Published on 21 Mar 2010 by NRP Wilson
Molto interessante
From Giulia Regoliosi's web page "Gli antichi detectives" (Detectives of the ancient world)
Ambientato nel 48 a.C. Read more
Ambientato nel 48 a.C. Read more
Published on 14 Sep 2009 by Moreno Morani
Excelent
Of all Saylor's books, this is my favourite. The plot is addictive and the characters have so much inner life. I read it without being able to stop. Read more
Published on 16 July 2009 by Anuska
Ninth in the Sub Rosa Series
Steven Saylor's fascination with Ancient Rome began at an early age. A history graduate and former newspaper and magazine editor, he lives in Berkeley, California. Read more
Published on 23 Dec 2006 by J. Chippindale
Ancient Rome at its Bery Best
Gordianus the Finder is accosted in the marketplace by a beautiful young woman. She staggers towards him and dies in his arms. Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2004 by J. Chippindale
Winding down?
I've really enjoyed Saylor's roman novels, but this latest continues the decline noticeable in the previous couple. Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2004 by P. SIMPSON
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
