Marcus Caelius Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 (edited) Just took a quick run through the site's index and didn't see that this has been mentioned, yet, so I thought I'd bring it to folks' attention. It's apparently a multi-generational story that begins with Romulus and ends with the fall of the Empire. I'm anticipating a month's idle spell shortly, and just ordered it to occupy my time. My mistake: It apparently ends with the onset of the Empire. Edited March 19, 2007 by Marcus Caelius Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mosquito Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Just took a quick run through the site's index and didn't see that this has been mentioned, yet, so I thought I'd bring it to folks' attention. It's apparently a multi-generational story that begins with Romulus and ends with the fall of the Empire. I'm anticipating a month's idle spell shortly, and just ordered it to occupy my time. My mistake: It apparently ends with the onset of the Empire. I guess Steven Saylor runs low on money. Having exploited poor Gordianus over limits he needs to start new saga. If he will do it in "Roma sub rosa" style, the first book of his new serie will be average and each next will be worse than earlier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Just took a quick run through the site's index and didn't see that this has been mentioned, yet, so I thought I'd bring it to folks' attention. It's apparently a multi-generational story that begins with Romulus and ends with the fall of the Empire. I'm anticipating a month's idle spell shortly, and just ordered it to occupy my time. My mistake: It apparently ends with the onset of the Empire. I guess Steven Saylor runs low on money. Having exploited poor Gordianus over limits he needs to start new saga. If he will do it in "Roma sub rosa" style, the first book of his new serie will be average and each next will be worse than earlier. I thoroughly enjoyed the 'Roma Sub Rosa' series, so I'll be buying this book. It sounds like it's going to be a pretty epic tale, Should be interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLavius Valerius Constantinus Posted March 20, 2007 Report Share Posted March 20, 2007 Gordianus...hmm...I've been terribly bored by his character. I wish Saylor would create new novel based on a Roman soldier of some high rank that is young and rash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metro99 Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Newbie here, so hello to you all. I've been a huge fan of Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series and found the Gordianus the Finder character compelling. I've gone through the entire collection and literally ran to my local Borders Books when I read about his latest effort, "Roma." (Okay, maybe I didn't run, but I did walk quite briskly.) "Roma" is a series of interrelated short stories revolving around succeeding generations of the Pinarii family. The time frame runs from about 1000 BC to 1 BC. What a dreadful surprise! The narratives are lackluster and the characters are two dimensional. Much of the dialogue is wincingly bad. Since I'm an accountant and paid the full hardcover price, I was determined to plough my way through this overly long dreck. The effort was Herculean, not unlike sitting through prolonged dental work. I'm happy to say that I survived through the end, $24.95 (plus sales tax) poorer and with a much diminished opinion of Steven Saylor. I'm currently re-reading Colleen McCullough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Can any forum member recommend fiction relating to the Graeco-Roman period? Kindly note that I've gone through all of Pressfield, Rennault, and Scarrow. Pax. Robert Harris (Pompeii and Imperium) has been lauded by several members of this forum... myself included. I find his research equal to that of McCullough and yet far more balanced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metro99 Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Can any forum member recommend fiction relating to the Graeco-Roman period? Kindly note that I've gone through all of Pressfield, Rennault, and Scarrow. Pax. Robert Harris (Pompeii and Imperium) has been lauded by several members of this forum... myself included. I find his research equal to that of McCullough and yet far more balanced. Primus Pilus, I read and thoroughly enjoyed Harris' "Fatherland" a few years ago. Just last month I finished "Pompeii." Harris' depiction of Roman engineering techniques and the entire culture behind its system of water management was nothing short of brilliant. Unfortunately while I loved the first 90% of the book, the climatic ending left me cold. That said, I believe he is a superior author and intend to buy "Imperium" once it comes out in paperback (I refuse to purchase the hardcover version since I was burnt by Saylor's "Roma"). Many thanks for your input. Pax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Unfortunately while I loved the first 90% of the book, the climatic ending left me cold. Out of curiosity, what about the ending didn't you like. It's been a while since I read it so a refresher may be in order. Was it the heroism of the main character, the finality of it all, or something else entirely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Newbie here, so hello to you all. I've been a huge fan of Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series and found the Gordianus the Finder character compelling. I've gone through the entire collection and literally ran to my local Borders Books when I read about his latest effort, "Roma." (Okay, maybe I didn't run, but I did walk quite briskly.) "Roma" is a series of interrelated short stories revolving around succeeding generations of the Pinarii family. The time frame runs from about 1000 BC to 1 BC. What a dreadful surprise! The narratives are lackluster and the characters are two dimensional. Much of the dialogue is wincingly bad. Since I'm an accountant and paid the full hardcover price, I was determined to plough my way through this overly long dreck. The effort was Herculean, not unlike sitting through prolonged dental work. I'm happy to say that I survived through the end, $24.95 (plus sales tax) poorer and with a much diminished opinion of Steven Saylor. I'm currently re-reading Colleen McCullough's 2nd volume in her Masters of Rome series ("The Grass Crown"). Can any forum member recommend fiction relating to the Graeco-Roman period? Kindly note that I've gone through all of Pressfield, Rennault, and Scarrow. Pax. Hi Metro, welcome to UNRV Have you read any of Conn Igulden's work? His work is far from historically accurate as I'm sure many of the other forum members will waste no time in pointing out but as far as story telling goes I thought the 'Emperor' series was a pretty enjoyable read (as long as you realize that it is fiction and was wrote to entertain not to educate). what about Manda Scott's 'Boudica' series? or Valerio Massimo Manfredi's work? Both write good historical fiction loosely based on Fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primus Pilus Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Also Shipways' Imperial Governor is highly considered by most fans of the Roman historical fiction genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metro99 Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Unfortunately while I loved the first 90% of the book, the climatic ending left me cold. Out of curiosity, what about the ending didn't you like. It's been a while since I read it so a refresher may be in order. Was it the heroism of the main character, the finality of it all, or something else entirely? Primus, I don't want to reveal too much of the plot details for those Forum members who might wish to read this novel. You hit the nail squarely on the head. The two aspects of the ending that irritated me: (1) the protagonist is an engineer (I forget the precise term Harris uses -- I'm at work and the book is at home), not a soldier or an athlete. I felt that he was a bit too heroic and prodigious in attempting to rescue the damsel in distress; (2) the very ending of the novel was so vague and uncertain that I actually blurted out, "Oh for crying out loud!" Fortunately I was not on the subway at the time. In spite of these misgivings, I would still recommend "Pompeii" to the Forum, just bear in mind that the ending is a bit over the top. Some free advice: buy the paperback...sorry, that's the accountant in me. Too bad someone hasn't started a thread on Roman accounting techniques. I'd love to know how M.L Crassus maintained his financial records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaius Paulinus Maximus Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Also..... How could I forget! "The Eagle In The Snow" by Wallace Breem, It's the best book that I've read on Roman fiction and it's also the book I stole my name from http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eagle-Snow-Wallace...1319&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metro99 Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Newbie here, so hello to you all. I've been a huge fan of Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series and found the Gordianus the Finder character compelling. I've gone through the entire collection and literally ran to my local Borders Books when I read about his latest effort, "Roma." (Okay, maybe I didn't run, but I did walk quite briskly.) "Roma" is a series of interrelated short stories revolving around succeeding generations of the Pinarii family. The time frame runs from about 1000 BC to 1 BC. What a dreadful surprise! The narratives are lackluster and the characters are two dimensional. Much of the dialogue is wincingly bad. Since I'm an accountant and paid the full hardcover price, I was determined to plough my way through this overly long dreck. The effort was Herculean, not unlike sitting through prolonged dental work. I'm happy to say that I survived through the end, $24.95 (plus sales tax) poorer and with a much diminished opinion of Steven Saylor. I'm currently re-reading Colleen McCullough's 2nd volume in her Masters of Rome series ("The Grass Crown"). Can any forum member recommend fiction relating to the Graeco-Roman period? Kindly note that I've gone through all of Pressfield, Rennault, and Scarrow. Pax. Hi Metro, welcome to UNRV Have you read any of Conn Igulden's work? His work is far from historically accurate as I'm sure many of the other forum members will waste no time in pointing out but as far as story telling goes I thought the 'Emperor' series was a pretty enjoyable read (as long as you realize that it is fiction and was wrote to entertain not to educate). what about Manda Scott's 'Boudica' series? or Valerio Massimo Manfredi's work? Both write good historical fiction loosely based on Fact. Hail Gaius, Yes, I've heard of Igulden, but I must confess that I much prefer historical fiction that absolutely adheres to the established timeline of events. My dream novel would be half fictional recreation, half historical fact. That way you combine the thrill of the novel with the knowledge of history. Sort of like chocolate flavored wheatgrass. Yeah, I know, that ain't never gonna happen. As for Scott's "Boudica" series, I must hang my head in shame and admit that history from the point of view of the "barbarians" holds no charm for me. Given the choice between societies that produce marble monuments or those that make mud and wattle huts I'll always choose the former. I hope that doesn't sound too snobbish. I'm not familiar with Valerio Massimo Manfredi. Does he write collections or stand-alone novels? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metro99 Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 Also..... How could I forget!"The Eagle In The Snow" by Wallace Breem, It's the best book that I've read on Roman fiction and it's also the book I stole my name from http://www.amazon.co.uk/Eagle-Snow-Wallace...1319&sr=8-1 Gaius, I know I'll hate myself within five minutes after posting this question but: does the novel have a happy ending? I ask because part of the subtitle is "...Rome's Last Stand." There are only about a dozen things in life that depress me and the fall of the Western Roman Empire is one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Augusta Posted May 4, 2007 Report Share Posted May 4, 2007 As for Scott's "Boudica" series, I must hang my head in shame and admit that history from the point of view of the "barbarians" holds no charm for me. I think you and I will get on, Metro99! I have read the Scott series and couldn't wait to get to the parts that deal with her half-brother who goes off to join the auxiliary cavalry. Hehe - and in the final novel - the history is well-known, so there's no spoiiler alert here - the final battle had me shouting for joy 'The Romans are winning! The Romans are winning!' And I'm English... I should be ashamed of myself - but I'm not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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