- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Arrow; New edition edition (6 Jun 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0099200910
- ISBN-13: 978-0099200918
- Product Dimensions: 17.2 x 11 x 2.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 390,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Iron Hand Of Mars (Falco 04)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
This, the fourth of Davis's thrillers about Falco, a private enquiry agent and informer in the Rome of Vespasian, takes him off to the wilds of Germany. Though most of the Falco books play with, and translate into Roman terms, the stock material of the hard-boiled crime novel--police corruption, serial killers, financial scams and women adventuresses no better than they should be--this one, like the first, The Silver Pigs, stretches the formula in a different direction; much of the time here, in true John Buchan fashion, Falco is running and hiding in hostile landscapes rather than down mean streets. It is only a few decades since the Romans had the worst of defeats in the Teutoburger forest, and barbarians on the border are keen to repeat the lesson. And in a tower on a river bend, there lives the most hostile of all Germans, the prophetess known as Velada, and Justinus, brother of Falco's upper-class lover Helena, has fallen in love with her. Packed with desperate adventures and comic incidents, this is not one of the most tightly plotted of Davis's books, but it is in many other respects one of the most enjoyable.--Roz Kaveney
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"Surely the best historical detective in the business."-"Daily Telegraph"
--This text refers to an alternate
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Falco completes his most difficult mission yet - with flying colours,
This review is from: The Iron Hand of Mars (BBC Radio Crimes) (Audio CD)
In this, the fourth Falco to get the BBC dramatization treatment, the series is really starting to gel.
The Emperor Vespasian sends Falco to Germany to solve several seemingly impossible problems. Rebellious legions, missing legates, murderous warriors and a beautiful priestess all have their parts to play in the story. Falco even inadvertently stumbles across the site of the infamous massacre in the Teutoberger Forest, when three entire Roman legions were lost during the reign of Augustus. These scenes are memorably creepy and capture the atmosphere of Tacitus' historical account of the disaster. `The Iron Hand of Mars' introduces some intriguing characters, such as Xanthus, a flamboyant barber and Dubnus, a peddler whose wares are even more dubious than their seller. Fortunately for Falco, some old friends from earlier in the series turn up to extricate him from the tight corners he gets himself into. Anton Lesser (as Falco) and Anna Madeley (as Helena) make an excellent leading pair. The supporting cast, including the regulars like Titus, Vespasian, Petro and Justinus, contribute admirably to the drama. The exotic setting is well exploited by the producers. They should also be praised for helping the listener to differentiate easily between characters from various parts of the Roman Empire - and the hostile areas on its borders. One can only hope that the next in the series, `Poseidon's Gold', is not too long in the making.
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Once again a Falco novel bursting with humour and intrigue,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Iron Hand Of Mars (Paperback)
In this fun Falco novel, Marcus Didius Falco, the freelance sleuth from Rome is off to Germany to deliver an iron hand to a legion. Throughout, the plot keeps you sitting at the edge of your seat, wondering what will happen between Falco and his high-class girlfriend, Helena Justina, as he has forgotten her birthday. It calls for more funny moments with Nero's ex-barber who wants to see the world but is regarded with suspicion, and Titus Caesar, also angling after Falco's girlfriend.Helena's brother, Justinus, is stationed in Germany and Falco meets him there where they go for a trip over the Rhine into barbarian country. What exactly happens between Justinus and the barbarian queen Veleda is never told, only hinted at. This is the first novel where Justinus is introduced properly and he will appear again in later Falco novels as a great, amusing character. In Germany, there also is a surprise in store for Falco as someone he knows has come to find him. With all these fun characters, historical intrigue and murders just around the corner, this novel is gripping, full of suspense and a great laugh, as are all of the Falco novels.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Falco for all seasons,
By John's Mom "bibliomaniac" (Middle England) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Iron Hand of Mars (BBC Radio Crimes) (Audio CD)
Falco goes to the Roman/German frontier to deliver to the army a present from Vespasian and, by the way, while he's there, to make just a few little enquiries - which aren't so little.
I have loved the books and the characters since I first found The Silver Pigs. This BBC adaptation brings them to life with all their sense of mischief intact. If I play it in the car, the rush hour traffic disappears, the journey seems shorter, and I arrive home with a smile instead of a scowl. Historical, detective, romance and fun all in one book. Well done Lindsey Davis and well done BBC.
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