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Type of bind: Mass Market Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN num: 9780312978327
ISBN number: 0312978324
Label: St. Martin's Minotaur
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Minotaur
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 336
Printing Date: February 15, 2001
Publishing house: St. Martin's Minotaur
Sale Popularity Level: 55309
Studio: St. Martin's Minotaur
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The hideously disfigured body was found in the atrium. The only clues are a blood-soaked cloak, and, carved into the stone at the corpse's feet, the word Sparta . . . The Overseer of Marcus Crassus's estate has been murdered, apparently by two slaves bent on joining Spartacus's revolt. The wealthy, powerful Crassus vows to honor an ancient law and have his ninety-nine remaining slaves slaughtered in three days. Gordianus the Finder is summoned from Rome by a mysterious client to find out the truth about the murder before the three days are up.
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Rated by buyers 
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While a substandard mystery--I honestly couldn't care less who killed the victim--the strength of Arms of Nemesis is in its pervasive dialogue on slavery. After the factotum of a villa owned by Marcus Licinius Crassus is murdered, Gordianus is called in to discover the murderer--presumably two escaped slaves--before the villa's remaining ninety-nine slaves are put to death. Set against the backdrop of the Spartacan slave revolt, the novel sets Gordianus in the fulcrum between the powerful who view the doomed slaves as mere chattel, and the silent desperation of the slaves themselves; witness the scene below-decks on a Roman galley, where the rowers, chained to their benches amid their own filth, are worked like animals. This is a book that will stay with you.
The revelation of the killer at the end seems a mere afterthought; the actual tension comes as Gordianus rushes to the rescue at literally the eleventh hour. Although only two slaves actually emerge as characters--one of whom goes on to appear in later novels as Gordianus's adopted son--I felt deeply for all of them. Particularly moving was the seemingly doomed relationship between Crassus's legate and the beautiful youth he tries to desperately to save. Yes, there is a homosexual subplot, but it's non-explicit and tastefully done, and for those wondering, it's not pederasty in the modern sense; the boy is about 17.
A note to those who have read the other books in the series: beware cute little errand boys who end up being adopted by soft-hearted fictional detectives. They're nothing but trouble. The adult Meto thoroughly annoys me.
Gordianus's relationship with Eco is beautifully done. My only quibble is that Eco, being mute, is so awkward in this book, yet in Catilina's Riddle is confidant, established in his father's business, and married to a girl of good family. I'd like to see Saylour go back at some point and flesh out those years.
By the end of the novel, I wanted to strangle the chillingly single-minded Crassus, who is perfectly willing to sacrifice ninety-nine innocent men, women, and children (and he knows they're innocent) simply to make a political statement, smarmy Metrobius, spineless Gelina (seriously, woman, you could have put your foot down a LOT sooner), and even the victim himself. My only consolation is that Crassus gets his historical just desserts at the hands of the Parthians some years later.
Rated by buyers -
Arms of Nemesis, the second novel in Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series, is even better than the first. Arms of Nemesis presents the case of slaves being accused of killing their master, a crime that citizens of ancient Rome can not tolerate. Gordianus the Finder is hired by Crassus, perhaps the wealthiest man in the Roman Republic. Crassus, however, only wants to placate the wife of the victim. Crassus is convinced that all the slaves of the estate need to be killed as an example to other slaves in the republic. Crassus gives Gordianus a very short time to solve the murder as he plans the execution in a few days.
Saylour presents a string of interesting and very real characters in this novel. His adopted son Eco accompanies him and helps with the investigation. The relationship of Gordianus and Eco is congenial and a phenomenal father-son bond.
The very first character Gordianus encounters is Mummius one of the soldiers of Crassus, who awakens him in the middle of the night and insists he accompany him without knowledge of the mission. Mummius seems like a threat to Gordianus but after some interpersonal conflict becomes a friend.
Arms of Nemesis contains explicit detail of slavery in ancient Rome. During the trip to Baiae (on the modern bay of Naples) they take a ship called fury that is powered by slaves. In addition to the graphic description of the efforts of rowing the ship, one delicate slave is severely tortured, seemingly only for the pleasure of the foreman.
This is a very intriguing novel and the best historical novel I have read (but only my second Saylor). This is a mystery where the solution is less important than the investigation. A crucial book for history lovers.
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Steven Saylor's fascination with Ancient Rome began in his childhood. A history graduate and former newspaper and magazine editor, he lives in Berkeley, California. His series of books about Ancient Rome and featuring Gordianus the Finder are extremely popular both here in England and also in America. Anyone who is a fan of Lindsey Davis will love these books too.
Gordianus the Finder, the investigator of crimes, a man whose skill and integrity have made him much sought after by some of the most important men in Rome. Men who may need a secret to be kept, men who need to know that when Gordianus is working for them he will be discreet and not susceptible to bribery.
Marcus Crassus is the wealthiest man in Rome. Apart from all his property and businesses in Rome he has a fine villa in the Gulf of Puteoli. When his estate manager is found murdered it seems pretty obvious to the great man that the deed was done by two of his missing slaves. A renegade gladiator called Spartacus is mounting a rebellion and two of Crassus's slaves are missing, probably run off to join the Slave Revolt.
Crassus vows that unless the missing slaves are found within 5 days he will massacre his remaining slave. It falls to Gordianus to find out the truth of the matter and in a place riddled with intrigue and secrets Gordianus realises that all is not as it seems and the deeper he delves the more danger he is bringing upon himself.
Rated by buyers -
This second entry in the Gordianus the Finder series is another strong one, although not quite as excellent as Roman Blood was. In this book, Grodianus and his adopted son Eco are summoned in the middle of the night to help a citizen who lived on the seashore, so they take a fast boat to Baiae where a hideous slaughter of slaves is going to occur in three days unless Gordianus can unmask the real killer of the Baiae prominent citizen. The book is definitely graphic, and depicts life as it was in Italy in 72 B.C. The setting is actually ten years later than when we last saw Gordianus in Roman Blood, but he is still as wonderful as ever. He still stops at nothing to get at the truth of things, no matter who it hurts or affects. This is truly fascinating storytelling, and Saylour makes Ancient Rome come alive.
Rated by buyers -
I have enjoyed several of Saylor's previous novels centered around Gordianus the Finder. Each of the novels is essentially a criminal procedural set in Rome in the century before the birth of Christ. The protagonist is a detective for hire, Gordianus the Finder (delicious name). Usually employed by a Roman personality whose name has carried through the ages to our day, Gordianus steadily unravels the facts as each of the novels builds towards a relatively satisfying conclusion. The challenges faced and facts to be uncovered are set up competently, but the true pleasure in the reading is the skill with which the author places them in a historical universe that rings true, and in the manner in which that universe impacts the situation.
In this novel, Gordianus is roused in the middle of the night by a mysterious stranger with a military air who bids him to come perform a service outside of Rome for a monumental sum. Our protagonist, ever stuck in a middle class purgatory when it comes to his expenses versus his income, and piqued by curiosity, accepts, and from there the story moves forward steadily.
Part of the pleasure of the novel is the multi-layered mystery - who hired him, what happened, why what happened is of such consequence, and so on. The actual doer of the deed is much less important than the impact and consequences of that deed, and Saylour sets up his storyline with aplomb along these lines. Thus, much as I'd like to further reveal the plot, it would be cheating the reader of the review to do so, and so I'll refrain.
Further pleasure is derived from the verisimilitude of the lives of the Romans in those days - the food, the behavior, the social hierarchies, etc.. The story moves along steadily but without undo haste, and will appeal more to those who enjoy description and implication rather than speed of plot. If I have any real criticism, it is that, given that the identity of the evil doer is so secondary to the impact of his deeds, the author makes short shrift of the ultimate revelation, and in fact (as far as I could tell) there isn't much out there for the reader to proactively discern the antagonist, nor, frankly, to care much about the fact that it was the particular person named. While this is a valid criticism, it is clear that this was exactly the author's intent, which somewhat mitigates things.
An enjoyable period piece, rife with interesting insights on Roman society, and one of the author's better efforts.
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