- Hardcover: 272 pages
- Publisher: Macmillan; New edition edition (12 Jan 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0333659368
- ISBN-13: 978-0333659366
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 13.2 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,211,492 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Silver Pigs (Falco 01)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
" Witty and always enjoyable mysteries."
-- "Washington Post Book World" " Davis makes Rome live."
--"Washington Post Book World"
" Davis is both a deft storyteller and a scholar... a top drawer series."
-- "Newsday" RAVES FOR LINDSEY DAVIS AND
THE MARCUS DIDIUS FALCO SERIES
" "
" The Rome of Davis' imagination is licentious and entertaining."
-- "San Jose Mercury News"
" "
" An excellent series." - "Library Journal"
" Excellent... a cross between I, CLAUDIUS and MYSTERY!"
-- "Rocky Mountain News"
" "
" A pure delight... brilliantly [immerses] us in the marvels of ancient Roman life." --"Good Book Guide" on "The Accusers"
" An irresistible package of history, mystery, and fast-moving action, all punctuated by a sense of humor that few writers can match." -- "Cleveland Plain Dealer" on "Venus in Copper"
" "
" Roman history and culture are nice accessories for the more durable tool that Davis employs-- hilariously good writing." -- "Washington Post Book World" on "Last Act in Palmyra"
" "
" Davis' s vision of everyday life in the Roman Empire is superb. I haven' t read historical fiction this good since "I, Claudius" by Robert Graves and "The Persian Boy" by Mary Renault." -- "Detroit Free Press" on "Shadows in Bronze"
" "
" Lindsey Davis doesn' t just bring Rome to life-- she brings life to Rome better than anyone else everhas." -- "Detroit Free Press" on "The Iron Hand of Mars" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
-- "Washington Post Book World" " Davis makes Rome live."
--"Washington Post Book World"
" Davis is both a deft storyteller and a scholar... a top drawer series."
-- "Newsday" RAVES FOR LINDSEY DAVIS AND
THE MARCUS DIDIUS FALCO SERIES
" "
" The Rome of Davis' imagination is licentious and entertaining."
-- "San Jose Mercury News"
" "
" An excellent series." - "Library Journal"
" Excellent... a cross between I, CLAUDIUS and MYSTERY!"
-- "Rocky Mountain News"
" "
" A pure delight... brilliantly [immerses] us in the marvels of ancient Roman life." --"Good Book Guide" on "The Accusers"
" An irresistible package of history, mystery, and fast-moving action, all punctuated by a sense of humor that few writers can match." -- "Cleveland Plain Dealer" on "Venus in Copper"
" "
" Roman history and culture are nice accessories for the more durable tool that Davis employs-- hilariously good writing." -- "Washington Post Book World" on "Last Act in Palmyra"
" "
" Davis' s vision of everyday life in the Roman Empire is superb. I haven' t read historical fiction this good since "I, Claudius" by Robert Graves and "The Persian Boy" by Mary Renault." -- "Detroit Free Press" on "Shadows in Bronze"
" "
" Lindsey Davis doesn' t just bring Rome to life-- she brings life to Rome better than anyone else everhas." -- "Detroit Free Press" on "The Iron Hand of Mars" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Book Description
The much loved, bestselling Falco series is repackaged in stunning new jacket design
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
40 of 41 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the first of a series of detective stories set in Vespasian's Roman Empire and featuring the informer Marcus Didius Falco.
I tried this historical detective story because I had enjoyed Ellis Peter's "Brother Cadfael" detective stories. They were excellent but this is brilliant, as is the rest of the series.
Funny, exciting, and based on a painstaking effort to re-create the world of 70 AD.
By chance, Falco rescues a 16-year old girl called Sosia Camillina from a gang of thugs. She turns out to be the illegitimate niece of a senator, who suspects that an illegal trade is going on in silver pigs (ingots) from a godforsaken remote corner of the empire - Britain. To Falco's disgust he has to return to this barbaric spot where he had once served with the legions ...
The events of this story vary from the tragic to the hilarious, and are often completely unexpected. It includes a mystery and the start of a charming ongoing love story.
If you have met and enjoyed the Cadfael series, this is even better.
It isn't absolutely essential to read these stories in sequence, as the mysteries Falco is trying to solve are all self-contained stories and each can stand on its own. Having said that, there is considerable ongoing development of characters and relationships and I think reading them in the right order does improve the experience.
The full Falco series, in chronological order, consists at the moment of:
The Silver Pigs
Shadows in Bronze
Venus in Copper
The Iron Hand of Mars
Poseidon's Gold
Last Act in Palmyra
Time to Depart
A Dying Light in Corduba
Three Hands in the Fountain
Two for the Lions
One Virgin Too Many
Ode to a Banker
A Body in the Bath house
The Jupiter Myth
The Accusers
Scandal taks a Holiday
See Delphi and Die
Saturnalia
Alexandria
Nemesis
I have read and can warmly recommend all of these.
Lindsey Davis has also written a historical novel set in the same timeframe called "The Course of Honor" which is about the love affair between Vespasian and his mistress Caenis. The author has taken the two sentences from Suetonius which are all we know of Caenis, and from them she has conjured the vital image of a woman beautiful in both form and personality and a charming love story.
I tried this historical detective story because I had enjoyed Ellis Peter's "Brother Cadfael" detective stories. They were excellent but this is brilliant, as is the rest of the series.
Funny, exciting, and based on a painstaking effort to re-create the world of 70 AD.
By chance, Falco rescues a 16-year old girl called Sosia Camillina from a gang of thugs. She turns out to be the illegitimate niece of a senator, who suspects that an illegal trade is going on in silver pigs (ingots) from a godforsaken remote corner of the empire - Britain. To Falco's disgust he has to return to this barbaric spot where he had once served with the legions ...
The events of this story vary from the tragic to the hilarious, and are often completely unexpected. It includes a mystery and the start of a charming ongoing love story.
If you have met and enjoyed the Cadfael series, this is even better.
It isn't absolutely essential to read these stories in sequence, as the mysteries Falco is trying to solve are all self-contained stories and each can stand on its own. Having said that, there is considerable ongoing development of characters and relationships and I think reading them in the right order does improve the experience.
The full Falco series, in chronological order, consists at the moment of:
The Silver Pigs
Shadows in Bronze
Venus in Copper
The Iron Hand of Mars
Poseidon's Gold
Last Act in Palmyra
Time to Depart
A Dying Light in Corduba
Three Hands in the Fountain
Two for the Lions
One Virgin Too Many
Ode to a Banker
A Body in the Bath house
The Jupiter Myth
The Accusers
Scandal taks a Holiday
See Delphi and Die
Saturnalia
Alexandria
Nemesis
I have read and can warmly recommend all of these.
Lindsey Davis has also written a historical novel set in the same timeframe called "The Course of Honor" which is about the love affair between Vespasian and his mistress Caenis. The author has taken the two sentences from Suetonius which are all we know of Caenis, and from them she has conjured the vital image of a woman beautiful in both form and personality and a charming love story.
31 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This first 'Falco' novel from Lindsey Davis has a more sombre quality than her subsequent novels but with no less humour and attention to characterisation. This remains my favourite of the series, partly because it defines the relationships between the principal characters. It also tells the events that form the haunting memories of some of Davies' later novels. Like any good read it expands beyond the confines of the pages and grabs the imagination. The smells of the ancient Roman empire, both fragrant and foul, infuse the pages.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Based in ancient Rome in the time of the emperor Vespasian, The Silver Pigs finds itself deep in the intrigue and deception of the roman administrators, right to the top. In his search for the truth it takes Falco, (the main character), to near death in the distant, and freezing, (the Romans didn't have underwear), province of Britannia. Of course, he saves the day but only by weaving his way through the rich and twisting tapestry of everyday life as a roman citizen.
The book is based on a strong plot and a very likable character, but is highly detailed about roman politics and everyday roman life. Anyone can read and enjoy this, you don't have to know anything about ancient Rome but it will appeal more to those who like the roman period. The best thing about the book is that it is the first in a string of Falco novels (thirteen so far, I have them all), so once you are hooked you can follow your hero all over the roman empire as he eaks out an existence doing his bit for Rome and tries to inch his way up the greasy pole to a better life.
I would give this book 10/10, one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read.
The book is based on a strong plot and a very likable character, but is highly detailed about roman politics and everyday roman life. Anyone can read and enjoy this, you don't have to know anything about ancient Rome but it will appeal more to those who like the roman period. The best thing about the book is that it is the first in a string of Falco novels (thirteen so far, I have them all), so once you are hooked you can follow your hero all over the roman empire as he eaks out an existence doing his bit for Rome and tries to inch his way up the greasy pole to a better life.
I would give this book 10/10, one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The start of something very special.
Having just devoured and reviewed Lindsey Davis' latest book, 'Master and God', I decided to go back to the beginning of my acquaintance with a favourite author, and re-read 'The... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Louisa Gray
A Cracker of a Book
When someone behind the desk in my local library realised I like detective novels, she asked if I'd tried Lindsay Davis's books. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Prue
the silver pigs
I would recommend anyone who wants a good read set in Rome 70 AD Lindsey Davis's series about a detective(or informer as they used to be known)named Marcus Didious Falco,they are... Read more
Published 8 months ago by colette
The Silver Pigs
I remember reading this book when it was first published and it is wonderful to be able to rediscover this wonderful series on kindle. Read more
Published 9 months ago by S Riaz
First in the series
Marcus Didius Falco rescues a girl who is being chased by some armed men. Her name is Sosia and she was kidnapped from her home and was being taken to a bank deposit box which... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Damaskcat
Wow!!! A FANTASTIC book! Humour, mstery and ancient history all...
I love this series!
My first introduction to the series was through the audio bookFalco: See Delphi and Die (A Marcus Didius Falco Mystery) which has had me intrigued as... Read more
My first introduction to the series was through the audio bookFalco: See Delphi and Die (A Marcus Didius Falco Mystery) which has had me intrigued as... Read more
Published 12 months ago by E. Heckingbottom
Very Disapointing
After reading reviews of other readers I though I may have found a new set of books to start reading. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Peter Smith
A great experience!
What a great experience this book has been.
My very first book by Lindsey Davis and certainly not the last. Read more
My very first book by Lindsey Davis and certainly not the last. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Clemens Schoonderwoert
Falco starts
Written very much in the vein of the many American PI novels but set in Rome. There is always a hint of humour and self deprecation running through. Read more
Published 17 months ago by JANICE
Good
This was her first novel written some time ago now and it proved so good she has gone on to write a whole series.
Published 22 months ago by Richard963
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