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Title: SPQR II: The Catiline Conspiracy by John Maddox Roberts ISBN: 0-312-27706-7 Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur Pub. Date: 01 August, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.6 (5 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: Good fun and good historical fiction
Comment: This is a political mystery set around the historical Catiline conspiracy. The detail of what life was like in those days (for the elite) is wonderfully done while the reading is light and easy. This is like Colleen McCullough's historical series but much lighter in tone and slimmer. For me the pleasure was much more in the details of life in the last days of the Roman Republic thanin the mystery (although I like a good mystery too). Also, I finally made some sense of what the Catiline Conspiracy was about, after having puzzled over it in Latin and history classes in my youth.
Rating: 4
Summary: Not quite as good as SPQR I
Comment: Having read two of the JMR novels now I'm hoping a trend doesn't emerge having bought the other four as well. The trend is this:
If you know anything about this period of history then the plot is nothing new.
The Cataline Conspiracy is precisely that - an historical pice of fiction that follows the historical version of events. In that case this is an excellent piece of fiction, but it has the detrimental effect of meaning it's not a particularly gripping whodunnit as you know exactly what's going to happen.
Both books have had a beautiful femme fatale, and in this case the murders aren't really relevant at all to the rest of the novel - hence the 'murder mystery' tag isn't really applicable here. Other than that it is a well written and engrossing piece of historical fiction. The developing enmity between Clodius and Decius is fast becoming the interesting bit in the series and the entire incident with the October Horse is the best section throughout. A good set of supporting actors makes this very readable. If you want a good murder mystery, this isn't it. If you want a good fictional account of the Cataline Conspiracy, this is it.
Rating: 5
Summary: Comfortably at home in the Roman Republic
Comment: It is wonderful to see J. M. Roberts' SPQR novels back in print. With the sixth novel 'Nobody Loves a Centurion' now published, it gives a good excuse to go back and re-read this magnificent series of historical mysteries.
In this second novel, the protagonist Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger continues his rise through the Roman political system as the yearly quaestor in charge of the treasury-a low ranking, thankless and mundane job. Caius Julius Caesar is the pontifex maximus, Pompey is wielding his imperium in the near east, and Cicero is one of the consuls-the supreme magistrates of the Republic. In this post-Sulla era, Rome is fairly quiet but marred by the unexplained murders of several equites-the upper middle class businessmen/citizens that don't have the prestige of being patricians, but but the true holders of much of Rome's financial wealth.
In his usual sideways manner, Decius Caecilius gets himself involved and appointed to investigate. What follows is a rather well told tale of intrigue and desire based upon the historical conspiracy of Lucius Sergius Catilina against the Republic. Steven Saylor covered some of the same material in his equally excellent novel 'Catilina's Riddle'-but from a slightly different perspective. This key moment in Roman history was truly a political turning point that presaged the end of the Republic and the coming of the Imperators.
Crassus, Pompey, Caesar and Catilina are brought to life in a way that history books can't do, and J.M. Roberts has created a most likable character in his Decius Caecilius. The extensive use of Roman titles and terminology is offset by the short glossary explaining key Latin terms as they were used in this era. A smart and fascinating novel with not so much mystery as history. Highly Recommended.
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Title: The Temple of the Muses (SPQR #4) by John Maddox Roberts ISBN: 0312246986 Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur Pub. Date: 01 October, 1999 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Spqr V: Saturnalia (Decius Metellus, 5) by John Maddox Roberts ISBN: 0312320183 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: Spqr VI: Nobody Loves a Centurion (Decius Metellus, 6) by John Maddox Roberts ISBN: 0312320191 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 2003 List Price(USD): $13.95 |
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Title: The River God's Vengeance (Decius Metellus, 8) by John Maddox Roberts ISBN: 0312323190 Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 2004 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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Title: The Tribune's Curse: SPQR VII by John Maddox Roberts ISBN: 0312304889 Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur Pub. Date: 01 April, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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