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A Mist of Prophecies: A Mystery of Ancient Rome (Roma Sub Rosa)
 
 
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A Mist of Prophecies: A Mystery of Ancient Rome (Roma Sub Rosa) (Hardcover)

by Steven Saylor (Author)
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Hardcover: 320 pages
  • Publisher: Constable; First Edition edition (1 Jul 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 1841195103
  • ISBN-13: 978-1841195100
  • Product Dimensions: 23.2 x 15.2 x 3.2 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 191,556 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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    #16 in  Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Authors, A-Z > S > Saylor, Steven

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Product Description

Review

"* 'Saylor puts such great detail and tumultuous life into his scenes that the sensation of rubbing elbows with the ancients is quite uncanny' - The New York Times * 'Saylor's scholarship is breathtaking and his writing enthralls' - Ruth Rendell, Sunday Times * 'Saylor has acquired the information of a historian but he enjoys the gifts of a born novelist' - The Boston Globe * Saylor goes to considerable trouble to make the atmosphere of the place feel authentic.' - Times Literary Supplement


Waterstone's Quarterly, June, 2002

'It is a class above the most historical crime fiction.'
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53 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars The Mists of Prophecy, 24 Jul 2002
By A Customer
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.

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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A Mist of Prophecies, 18 Aug 2003
This review is from: A Mist of Prophecies: A Mystery of Ancient Rome (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.
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18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars A minor case, 10 Sep 2002
By Mr. Warren M. Fisher (East Grinstead, West Sussex United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)      
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.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Molto interessante
From Giulia Regoliosi's web page "Gli antichi detectives" (Detectives of the ancient world)
Ambientato nel 48 a.C. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Moreno Morani

5.0 out of 5 stars 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 3 months ago by Anuska

5.0 out of 5 stars 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

4.0 out of 5 stars 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

3.0 out of 5 stars 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 25 Sep 2004 by P. SIMPSON

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