Steven Saylor explains in the afterward to his novel, The
Throne of Caesar, that he wrote his prequels to the “Sub Rosa” series,
featuring Gordian’s the Finder, that he was unsure of how to make the murder of
Julius Caesar into a mystery since everyone knows who killed Julius Caesar, if
not also why.
The answer came in paralleling Caesar’s history with that
of Cinna’s – perhaps the greatest Roman poet to live. I won’t say any more so as not to spoil the
mystery, but it is based on history, shocking, and up to the standards of
Saylor’s books.
Saylor writes real Roman history and adds his famed
dectective to figure out what the things – murders in particular – happened in Roman
history. So, if you like solid
historical Roman history and/or mysteries, Saylor is highly recommended. One aspect of his novels that I have found highly
rewarding is that he includes an afterward to each book in which he names the books
he has found of most value in writing his novel. So, if there is any aspect of the history
covered that you find of interest and want to follow up on, Saylor gives you a
place to start.
I love his novels and look forward to the next one.
[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and
Goodreads.com.]
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