Product Description

One afternoon as Gordianus the Finder is crossing the marketplace, a beautiful young seeress staggers towards him and dies in his arms. Possibly insane, and with no memory of her past Cassandra - like her Trojan namesake - had been reputed to possess the true gift of prophecy. For such a gift there are many in Rome who would pay handsomely...or resort to murder. Cassandra had been the confidante of the rich and powerful, until she fell victim to vicious killer. Obsessed with Cassandra and her mystery, Gordianus begins to investigate. As the citizens of Rome nervously await news of the war and the political situation verges on chaos, Gordianus gradually peels away the veils of secrecy that surround Cassandra's life and death. What he uncovers has deadly implications, involving some if the most powerful women in Rome - Gordianus's pursuit of the truth not only endangers his own life, but could well affect the future of Rome herself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #38076 in Books
• Published on: 2005-10-27
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
"'How wonderful to have a scholar write about ancient Rome; how comforting to feel instant confidence in the historical accuracy of the novel.' Sunday Times 'Readers will find his work wonderfully (and gracefully) researched....this is entertainment of the first order.' Washington Post 'Saylor has acquired the information of a historian but he enjoys the gifts of a born novelist.' Boston Globe"

Waterstone's Quarterly, June, 2002
'It is a class above the most historical crime fiction.'

About the Author
Steven Saylor's fascination with Ancient Rome began in childhood. A history graduate and former newspaper and magazine editor, he has now completed numerous novels featuring Gordianus the Finder. He lives in Berkeley, California.

Customer Reviews

The Mists of Prophecy
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.

A Mist of Prophecies
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.

A minor case
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.