- Paperback: 320 pages
- Publisher: Robinson Publishing; New edition edition (27 Sep 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 184119431X
- ISBN-13: 978-1841194318
- Product Dimensions: 19.4 x 13 x 2.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 720,434 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Amazon.co.uk Review
There are those who say that Steven Saylor's stunningly atmospheric novels featuring an ancient Roman sleuth are the last word in this particular genre. But there are also those who say that Lindsey Davis's Falco (in her own series of Roman mysteries) is every inch the equal of Saylor's Gordianus the Finder. Actually, it doesn't matter a damn who does this kind of thing best: both writers are such masters of their craft, that readers should be grateful two such adroit practitioners are working at the height of their powers. The latest in Saylor's Roma sub Rosa series, Last Seen in Massilia, is probably his most compelling yet, and his wry hero's first-person narration again pulls off the brilliant sleight-of-hand of transplanting a modern sensibility into a denizen of the ancient world, while always avoiding anachronism. As a guide through the bloody back alleys of Rome and the decadent splendours of its Senatorial palaces, Gordianus is non-pareil: the perfect cynical survivor.
The Roman world is torn apart by a civil war, and Caesar and Pompey struggle for ascendancy. But life goes on pretty much as normal for Gordianus, who receives an anonymous message telling him that his son is dead. Meto was playing the dangerous game of acting as a double agent for Caesar, and as Gordianus tries to find who is behind the murder, he finds himself in the blockaded seaport of Massilia, with famine and bloodshed an ever-present threat. And as he pursues what seems an impossible quest, Gordianus' only friend in the city has been chosen by the corrupt officials to die for the sins of a populace and stave off catastrophe. And then there is the young woman Gordianus has seen fall from the Sacrifice Rock outside the city.
Saylor's plotting remains as deliriously convoluted as ever, while his grasp of historical detail never falters. The reader, while transfixed by the narrative, is continually aware of the sights and smells of the eternal city when it was the centre of the civilised world. One reads each new Gordianus novel thinking, "Is this the one in which Saylor loses that golden touch?" But so far, it hasn't happened--the burnish the author gives his work still dazzles.
--Barry Forshaw --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"* 'Saylor's scholarship is breathtaking and his writing enthralls.' - Ruth Rendell * 'How wonderful to have a scholar write about ancient Rome; how comforting, to feel instant confidence in the historical accuracy of the novel.' - The Sunday Times
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Unmistakably marvelous,
By A Customer
This review is from: Last Seen in Massilia (Hardcover)
"Last Seen in Massilia" is the latest offering of the Roma Sub Rosa series of historical investigative novels featuring down-at-your-heels Sherlockian, Gordianus the Finder. Now I've digressed about Saylor's brilliance many times before, especially in the commencement of the series (particularly the first three novels) and "Last Seen in Massilia" does not fail in achieving a 5-star total breezily, too. It follows the story of Gordianus and his ever persistently loyal son-in-law Davus (first introduced in "A Murder on the Appian Way" as a substitute of sorts for the hulking mass of adoration which was Belbo) travel to the besieged cityship of Massilia, girt by sea as it were, which holds the humiliated exiles of centralized Rome, including Milo. "Last Seen in Massilia" juxtaposes Gordianus and Davus in a series of delightful little escapades in attempting to gain access into this fortified city, as it was last claimed by an anoynymous tipper that his second adopted son (seen originally in "Arms of Nemesis") Meto has been murdered there. Gordianus is terribly frightened of what he may gain in the process of entering the seaborn port of Massilia, but what he finds is even *more* devastating... Davus makes a healthy return as a rather brilliant characterization as he and Gordianus provide alleviated good fun within some of the more dire moments. The wit is one of Saylor's gifts, and he does not prove to deteriorate in that department at all. Neither does he plot-wise. We are introduced to Hieronymous, Gordianus's singular companion, and in doing so we see what it is like for Gordianus to react with someone his own age, for any restricted amount of time (Cicero does not count, his disposition changes, ironically, with the tides). Who is the cowled monk of an abandoned monastery who seems to know much more than *it* is letting on...will Hieronymous achieve his own end, or live to tell the tale?...and what is the mystery with the alleged suicide of the township's citizen, a woman, and one with intriguing heritage?... Gordianus unravels the stitches in this classic whodunnit, which seeps with the palatial grandeur of ancient Rome being eventually obliterated by the Triumvirate. Another more pertinent question arrives: will Gordianus live to tell the truth?
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Roman gold,
By Mr. Warren M. Fisher (East Grinstead, West Sussex United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Last Seen in Massilia (Paperback)
Another brilliant Gordianus novel and one of the most compelling and touching so far. Transplanted from Rome to the besieged city of Massilia, Gordianus is desperately seeking his son, now rumoured dead and is pitched into the heart of the bloody Roman Civil War. To witness Gordianus' heartbreak and grief is deeply moving and Saylor delivers an ending laden with tragic pathos.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good with a greater depth of characterisation,
By A Customer
This review is from: Last Seen in Massilia (Paperback)
A stimulating read taking us into the besieged city of Massilia (current day Marseilles). The plot line is very strong although with a few improbable twists! I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any-one who has enjoyed the previous books in this series.
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