A Mist of Prophecies

Roma Sub Rosa #9

by Steven Saylor

In the year 48 B.C., Rome is in the midst of civil war. As Pompey the Great and Julius Caesar fight for control of the Republic, Rome itself becomes a hotbed of intrigue, riven by espionage, greedy profiteering, and bitter betrayals...

Against this background a beautiful young seeress staggers across the Roman marketplace and dies in the arms of Gordianus the Finder. Possibly mad and claiming no memory of her past, Cassandra—like her Trojan namesake—was reputed to possess the gift of prophecy. For such a gift there are many in Rome who would pay handsomely—or resort to murder.

Obsessed with Cassandra and her mystery, Gordianus begins to investigate her murder. As he gradually peels away the veils of secrecy that surround Cassandra's life and death, he discovers a web of conspiracy linking many of the city's most ruthless and powerful women. Now Gordianus's pursuit of the truth not only endangers his own life, but could change the future of Rome itself.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Historical, Historical Mystery, Crime, Roman

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2002

About the author

Steven Saylor is the author of the long running Roma Sub Rosa series featuring Gordianus the Finder, as well as the New York Times bestselling novel, Roma and its follow-up, Empire. He has appeared as an on-air expert on Roman history and life on The History Channel.

Saylor was born in Texas and graduated with high honors from The University of Texas at Austin, where he studied history and classics. He divides his time between Berkeley, California, and Austin, Texas.

Reviews

[Ana Cristina Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Otra entrega de la saga de Gordiano el Sabueso, ambientada en la Antigua Roma. Esta vez el detective ha de resolver el asesinato de la adivina Casandra, con el telón de fondo de la guerra civil entre César y Pompeyo.

Como los otros libros de esta serie que he reseñado ( Sangre romana, El brazo de la justicia, El enigma de Catilina y Las siete maravillas), muy entretenida y bien escrita. Muy recomendable para los interesados en saber más de las costumbres y la historia de la época de una manera amena.
3,5

[Inês Beato · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este foi o pior livro da série Roma Sub Rosa. Não porque o livro seja verdadeiramente mau ou porque faltem enigmas e informações históricas curiosas, mas porque o protagonista, Gordiano, não teve propriamente as ações mais corretas e dignas, especialmente tendo em conta que a mulher, Betesda, está gravemente doente. Não me alongarei nesta questão por causa de possíveis spoilers, dizendo apenas que Gordiano, o meu "herói histórico" preferido hoje em dia, me desiludiu bastante.
Outro ponto fraco da história é que esta se desenrola em torno de Cassandra, uma vigarista de profecias que foi assassinada, mas que, tratando-se de uma personagem que não me cativou minimamente, torna-se maçador todo o "trabalho" para descobrir as causas da sua morte. Vale essencialmente pelas interessantes e perspicazes entrevistas que Gordiano fez a várias das matronas Romanas mais importantes do império na sua busca pela verdade.

[Marta Clemente · Rating 4 out of 5]

Desta vez o nosso descobridor investiga a morte de Cassandra, uma misteriosa e bela mulher com quem andava tinha envolvido. Pois é. O nosso honesto Gordiano desta vez traiu a sua amada Betesda... Claro que mais uma vez este autentico Poirot da Roma Antiga consegue deslindar o mistério, e mais uma vez Steven Saylor nos deixa uma lição de história informal, o que é sem dúvida o que mais gosto nestes livros.

[Mary Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bittersweet tale.

Gordianus has gotten old as has his wife Bethesda, in fact this.book begins with the search for asparagus which Bethesda is.convinced will cure her of a mysterious ailment that has plagued her for months. While in the marketplace an unkempt young woman staggers into view. The young woman collapses into the arms of Gordianus and dies, her last words "she poisoned me" Gordianus knows the woman (in fact all of Rome knows her) she turned up a few months earlier and was nicknamed Cassandra due to her propensity for falling into a cute state and uttering prophesies. Gordianus knew Cassandra and takes it upon himself to arrange her funeral, actually having her lie in state in his own house, though nobody comes to pay their respects. When the body is taken outside town to the mausoleum s to be burned he is shocked to see six of the most prominent women from Roman society attend Cassandra's cremation none.if them speak, either to each other or to anyone else, they just watch Cassandra burn then leave. Later when he thinks about it Gordianus cannot resist investigating to see if he can find who was responsible for killing Cassandra. Given the dire state to which Rome has been reduced (civil war rating between Ceasar and Pompey as well as food shortages and civil unrest) there is no chance of justice but Gordianus is as he has always been unable to resist a mystery. Gordianus has more important things to be worrying about Bethesdas illness and his mounting debts, for the first time in his life Gordianus has had to borrow money in order to keep his family fed and with no way of earning any he has.no.way of repaying the debt when it comes due which will leave him and his family destitute........................ But still Cassandra calls to him even in death.....

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a solid 3 stars for me. I liked the MC, Gordianus and the way he goes about solving the latest mystery. He is perfectly likable. I also liked Cassandra's role and the way she was described. I also liked the title and how it fit the story line nicely.

This book however, moved a little slow in the middle....there was a lot of interviewing going on. That's not my favorite when it takes up a chunk of the plot.

[Fernando Gonzalo Pellico · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente novela de la saga de Gordiano. En esta ocasión, los personajes femeninos son los protagonistas de una trama política y enredada, mientras Pompeyo y César dirimen sus diferencias lejos de Roma.

Saylor entra en la psicología de estos personajes con una profundidad ejemplar. Si bien está muy bien ambientada, es la menos histórica, por cuanto lo relevante de la trama es todo ficcional. Posiblemente, eso también la hace tan interesante.

Muy recomendable.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Gordianus the Finder mystery centers on the poisoning of Cassandra, an Alexandrian actress-seer who is the new favorite of all the powerful Roman matrons at the time of the Caesar-Pompey conflict in Greece. it's best to do a little Wikipedia research on the Roman Second Civil War before tackling this book because there's a great deal of intrigue involved. Not that Mr. Saylor doesn't give you all the details, but I wish I'd had an overview in mind.

[Tita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Releitura 2024
Classificação: 3 Estrelas
Vejam a minha opinião em vídeo, AQUI.



Leitura 2016
Classificação: 3 Estrelas
Não conseguindo encontrar o volume anterior - Desaparecido em Massília - decidi avançar na saga Roma Sub-Roma pois o autor costuma fazer um breve resumo de acontecimentos passados relevantes para a história.
Uma jovem e bela vidente acaba por morrer nos braços de Gordiano, em pleno mercado e ainda consegue informa-lo que "ela" a assassinou. Gordiano fica muito abatido, até porque cedo percebemos que Gordiano já conhecia Cassandra, assim acaba por investigar, por sua conta, a morte da vidente.
Foi um livro interessante, principalmente por se focar mais na vida das mulheres romanas e no seu papel na sociedade. Gostei também da forma como o autor abordou a história, intercalando a narrativa presente com recordações do Gordianp.
No entanto houve algo que não me agradou. O comportamento de Gordiano, que acaba por ir contra ao seus princípios, principalmente quando a sua mulher, Betesda, está doente.

[Kyo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The start was a bit repetitive (the first/last/second time I saw Cassandra), but except for this it was once again a really great read for everyone who likes the Antiquity!

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighth * in the Roma Sub Rosa ancient Roman historical mystery series and revolving around Gordianus the Finder and his family in the Rome of 48BC. If you're interested, there is a chronological listing of the Roma Sub Rosa (and the Ancient World prequel) books on my website.

Chronologically, it's MY eighth and Saylor's ninth or twelfth if you include the Ancient World books. The reason it's my eighth is because the technical sixth, The House of the Vestals , is a collection of short stories that I've slotted in chronologically.

My Take
I continue to love how real Saylor makes his stories. I feel as though I'm there in Rome, feeling the heat and tasting the food, interacting with real people. The research Saylor has done has that ring of authenticity as well; you can see how very much he's done to bring life to A Mist of Prophecies.

That said, Saylor employed an odd sort of foreshadowing as he flips back and forth between the past and the present. It's not particularly confusing, but it did throw me off. I don't feel it was well done. For the rest, A Mist of Prophecies is more of a catch-up on what is happening in Rome as Gordianus makes the rounds of seven Roman matrons and interacts with Cassandra.

Hmmm, Diana is asserting her abilities to take up her father's previous occupation as a Finder, and this papa is not happy. It could be interesting in future stories to see if she does start detecting.

Cytheris has the scoop on Cassandra's true identity, and it's so much more interesting than what Rome knows. And yes, there is a spattering of licentious behavior in a number of the characters' backgrounds. I do love how well Saylor fleshes out the women, especially when there is so little, historically, to go on other than asides in the men's biographies and letters.

The economy in Rome is suffering with all the strife between Caesar and Pompey. Prices are sky-high for everything, and it's wiping out everyone from high to low, adding another level of conflict.

The Story
It's a fluke that Cassandra dies in Gordianus' arms, and as he mourns her loss, he organizes her funeral only to have seven surprise mourners. It's those mourners who will provide the clues to her murderer.

Yet, it's not Cassandra's death that is riling up Rome, but Caelius with his diatribes against bankers and landlords. With so many of Rome's citizens in debt and losing everything they own, his words are welcome and make Caelius a man to watch.

Meanwhile, Caesar's actions trouble Gordianus: Romans were never meant to be ruled by a king.

The Characters
Gordianus the Finder retired a year before events in Rubicon , 6. Bethesda is his ill wife. Diana, his daughter, is married to Davus, a former slave who now serves as Gordianus' bodyguard. Eco, his son, is married to Menenia, and they have twin daughters. Hieronymus the Massilian from Last Seen in Massilia , 7, is now living with Gordianus in Rome. Mopsus and Androcles are brothers and slaves in his household. Meto, Gordianus' former son (see Last Seen in Massilia ), is with Caesar again.

The epileptic Cassandra is named for the prophetess who saw the future but no one ever believed her. Rupa is her mute bodyguard.

Terentia is Cicero's wife; he is in Greece with Pompey. Tullia is their daughter and married to Dolabella, her third marriage and a huge mistake. Dolabella is in charge of Caesar's fleet in the Adriatic. Fabia is Terentia's sister and a Vestal Virgin.

Antonia is the wife of Marc Antony, Caeser's right-hand man who has been left in charge of Rome. And there's no love lost between them! Cytheris is a mime actress and Antony's mistress given to him by Volumnius, a rapacious banker who has loaned money to Gordianus. Chrysippus is one of Cytheris' slaves.

Fulvia is a widow twice over. Her first husband was Clodius ( A Murder on the Appian Way , 5) while the second was Gaius Curio whose head now adorns King Juba's court. Sepronia is Fulvia's singleminded mother. Thraso is one of Fulvia's slaves.

Fausta is the very promiscuous daughter of the dictator Sulla; she's technically married to the exiled gang leader, Titus Annius Milo ( A Murder on the Appian Way and Last Seen in Massilia ). Birria was one of Milo's gladiators and is now Fausta's bodyguard.

Calpurnia is Caeser's wife, and she's running Caesar's spy network in Rome. Clodia was once the most notorious woman in Rome until events in The Venus Throw , 4.

Marcus Caelius ( The Venus Throw ) is back in town as one of Rome's magistrates, but he's speaking against Caesar these days.

Publius Servilius Isauricus is Caesar's fellow consul. Gaius Trebonius is the city praetor (we first met him in Last Seen in Massilia ) charged by Caesar to manage his economic plans.

Didius is an old friend of Gordianus'; his shop sells writing materials and specializes in copying documents.

The chin-waggers at the Forum
Volcatius, a Pompeian, is the most vocal; Canininus; and, the mild-mannered Manlius.

Pompey and Caesar are mentioned throughout but do not appear.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a blend of Roman fresco and a maid helping her mistress. It's a mix as the bottom of the image is three dimensional with a purple-bordered orange cloth covering a bench on which a white-clad and be-turbanned woman sits with her back to us, one hand pulling on a purple cloth as her maid bends at the waist holding a shallow dish on which the cloth lies. The background is a damaged red panel bordered by black. The damage also appears on the women's faces making them seem a part of the wall. It's an odd effect.

The title refers to Cassandra and A Mist of Prophecies that she spreads throughout Rome.

[caffeinated reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rome, 48 BCE. Gordianus the Finder is getting on in years, his wife is ailing, his favourite daughter has now her own family, he is mired in debt, and he finds his household dispiriting. Then out of the blue, he finds himself involved with the beautiful young Cassandra. There is no agreement on what the young woman is up to - is she a seeress like her Trojan namesake? A charlatan? A streetwalker? A spy? A witch? Or just another insane person who has lucid intervals? One day, while Gordianus was at the market, Cassandra staggers towards him and dies in his arms. Cassandra obviously has been murdered - but by who?

Gordianius zeroes in on his suspects, the most powerful women of the day: Calpurnia, Terentia, Antonia, Cytheris, Fulvia, Clodia, and Fausta. Gordianus visits each one of them and discovers not only the murderer and her motives but heartbreakingly, finds out who the real Cassandra was.

This book has reminded me again of why I enjoy Steven Saylor's books. He has the capacity to weave a spellbinding tale and at the same time lead the reader to explore with him the nooks and crannies of ancient Rome and the eccentricities and foibles of the empire's lead characters.

"A Mist of Prophesies" is a little more special. This one shows the vulnerabilities of Gordianus and the the agony of his realisation that when it comes to matters of the heart, he could be as witless as the next person.

[Ivana Richards · Rating 3 out of 5]

To be honest, I never know why authors choose to have a narrative that jumps back and forth bewteen timelines - it just annoys me more than adding anything to the book. I tend to read all the 'then' chapters first lately, as I did with this one (I deliberately don't pick up many with this kind of narrative style).
As for the actual book, the historical detail is as wonderful as ever. There's not much to the mystery, however and it would have been really nice to have had at least one of Cassandra's visions not explained at the end. Gordianus's actions don't quite ring true to his established character in the preceding books, either. Certainly not my favourite of the series, but I'd recommend it to any Roman historical addicts.

[Moshe Mikanovsky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favourite book in the series but still well written. Lots of characters to deal with. I hope the next one will be better as Gordianos the Finder goes to Egypt and might meet Cleopatra

[Ashling · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yo creo que con cada nuevo libro, Saylor se supera. Gordiano es extraordinario.

[Rui · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vida continua. A maravilhosa saga prossegue. Mais um épico na preenchida vida do nosso personagem preferido. Obrigado, Steven.

[Georgina Ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, the OC in me: the Kindle version had some typos, which distracted me at times. Very minor issue, though.

Among Saylor's books (in the Roma Sub-Rosa series) that I have read so far, A Mist of Prophecies can be described as the most "chic." Unlike the previous two novels, Gordianus stayed in Rome to interview, not soldiers and generals for a change, but a bunch of women (most of them powerful).

I liked the way Saylor decided to focus on the way Roman women held influence on their men and Roman politics, albeit in a hush-hush way. As Saylor said at the end of the book: "As remarkable as these women must have been, no ancient historians saw fit to leave us a biography of any of them; to write the life story of a woman was beyond Plutarch's imagination. The reader who wishes to know more about them will find only scattered crumbs, not the rich banquet afforded to anyone with an appetite for Pompey, Caesar, or any number of other men of antiquity."

Liked the book. However, I must say that I was not as eager to find out about Cassandra's killer as I was about Numerius's (in Rubicon). The ending--well, I expected more (again, pure sentimentality on my part heehee).

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mist of Prophecies is a return to Rome, after Gordianus the Finder's (Saylor's superb ancient Roman detective) last ventures in various other parts of the empire. Most (but not all!) of the menfolk are off fighting in the war between Caesar and Pompey, but the women all are left behind - and thank the gods! Every well known woman from Roman history at the time of the fall of the Republic makes some sort of appearance in this book, with all their usual conniving and/or sexy ways. Gordianus has his hands full with the most famous matrons of Rome, who each have a mysterious connection to a murdered seeress. Saylor's portrayal of these women (particularly the delightful villainous Clodia) makes this entry in the series particularly wonderful. If you are new to Gordianus the Finder, start at the beginning; if you are just coming to this book in the series, you'll find the Roman detective to be older, sadder, but not necessarily wiser. But he's definitely a pleasure to read about.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series. The thing I found especially interesting in this book was its depiction of Rome's people during the war between Pompey and Caesar. Ordinary people as well as those more directly involved with the contenders had to have been negatively affected by the war and the uncertainty of which man would prevail.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I will never love Saylor's books the way I do those by Lindsey Davis, I do think that his books become much more enjoyable as his cast grows and develops. Gordianus is a Zelig like character, always somehow being on the scene for the most historic moments, but it makes for a good drama, and I especially like the look we get at the Roman women behind the men.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another entry from my favorite historical mystery series. In this book, Gordianus the Finder takes on a personal mission of detection which takes him into the homes of the most powerful women in Rome.

[Susanna - Censored by GoodReads · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun series. I am rarely surprised by it, but usually satisfied.

[Mieczyslaw Kasprzyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel this is the finest of the "sub rosa" series. Yes, it does feel like it's been written as a screenplay but I'd love to see the film.

[Timons Esaias · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the ninth Gordianus the Finder volume I've read (8 novels, 1 collection), and yeah, I'm 22 years behind on this series -- which is par for the course. Alas.

For those who follow my Writing Instructor Grumpitudisms, this is one-grimace novel, like its predecessor. Saylor is addicted to POV nods, smiles and facial expressions. He has episodes of up-and-wentism. But while I notice some of them, it isn't really disruptive in this volume.

This is set during the months when Caesar and Antony have taken armies across the sea to Greece, and eventually to Thessaly, there to fight Pompey, and the volume ends soon after news of Pharsalus reaches Rome. Gordianus has been retired for a bit, but hard economic times have eaten his nest-egg. The book begins with a funeral for Cassandra (a character we don't know), provided by Gordianus, to which nobody goes -- at least not in the procession. Indeed, we learn that nobody paid respects to the body as it lay in his atrium for days. But when the fire is consuming this person, we discover that seven important women are in attendance, keeping their distance. Gordianus notes them all, and since Cassandra was poisoned, you can see what's coming next.

The structure of the next several chapters gets to be too predictable. We have one chapter of Cassandra backstory (slowly revealing G's relationship with C) followed by one interview with one of the seven women. That goes on for a while, and then Saylor disrupts it somewhat, which is a good thing.

Having been in Rome just before the pandemic, I was more attuned to details of location than I might have been in the past. Lydia Davis frequently gives precise locations for actions, and I realized that Saylor is more likely to be vague. Things happen in the Forum, but not in a particular known spot. He does specify seeing certain hills and gardens (usually looking out from the Palatine, where he lives), and nothing seemed out of place, but I can make the observation that Saylor is more likely to be specific about persons and politics than he is about locations.

I did catch one anachronism, but it's one that might have been deliberate. I can see having long discussions with editors about naming strategy. These books are set in the first century B.C.. The names of the seven hills of Rome were long set by then, as was the Vatican Hill. But the "hill of gardens" outside the City walls is now known at the Pincian Hill, and Gordianus calls it that, even though the family who will move there and from whom that name derives won't get there until half a millennium later.

That aside, this novel does an excellent job of exposing what it must have been like to be one of those tiny figures avoiding the colossi of Pompey and Caesar, during the Civil War. It focuses on what the women were like, mostly left behind in Rome, and what the Roman citizens had to deal with, with the Republic run off the rails. It has a mystery to pull you through the pages, and it's a good example of what I read this series for. A solid entry in a worthwhile series.

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, this one was more of a 3.5 star read for me.

It was an interesting change of pace from the intense, military-based Rubicon and Last Seen in Massilia - A Mist of Prophecies is a little more relaxed, maybe because the murder to be solved has no deadline. Gordianus is seeking Cassandra's killer largely for his own purposes, and working to his own schedule.

There were more things I disliked about this book than any other Roma Sub Rosa book so far: I felt that Gordianus' affair with Cassandra was out of character, unnecessary, and frankly kinda gross, I'm honestly a little bit confused as to why Steven Saylor has barely given Eco more than a passing mention since A Murder on the Appian Way, and I could never quite decide if I enjoyed the slow, largely memory and interview based pace of the book.

That being said, there was also plenty to love. I really appreciated the insight into what might have been going on among the "wives and mothers and daughters and sisters who had been left behind by both allies and enemies" while men like Pompey and Caesar were off fighting their battles in the East. I felt the narrative structure was interesting - the way Gordianus' memories of Cassandra went from the last time he saw her, to the first, and all the way back round to the last again (with the use of the same passage to describe her death both times) was cool, even if I did internally sigh a little every time the political scene Gordianus had been describing was interrupted by the appearance of Cassandra.

One thing I feel Saylor has been particularly strong at through the whole series is complex characterisation, with plenty of characters - mostly historical figures - who I love despite everything about their personality, or who I just love to hate, or who I change my mind about every other page. Perhaps the preeminent example of this for me is vain, ambitious, restless, quicksilver Caelius, whom I couldn't help but love, and whom I'm sure I'll miss over the rest of the series.

[Socrate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ultima oară când am văzut-o pe Casandra…

Eram pe punctul de a rosti: ultima oară când am văzut-o pe Casandra a fost în ziua morţii sale. Însă ar fi neadevărat. Ultima oară când am văzut-o – cu privirea pierdută pe chipul ei, degetele-mi alergându-i peste părul său de aur, cutezând să-i ating obrazul rece – a fost în ziua funeraliilor sale.

Eu am fost cel care am făcut toate pregătirile. Nu exista nimeni care să se ocupe de asta. Nimeni nu venise să-i revendice trupul.

Eu îi spun Casandra, însă acesta nu era numele ei, bineînţeles. Niciun părinte nu i-ar fi dat vreodată copilului său un asemenea nume blestemat, nu mai mult decât Medeea sau Meduza ori Ciclop. Şi niciun stăpân nu i-ar fi dat un asemenea nume nenorocos sclavului său. Ceilalţi o strigau Casandra datorită darului deosebit cu care ei credeau că-i înzestrată. Precum originala Casandra, prinţesa condamnată din Troia antică, se părea că şi Casandra noastră era capabilă de a prezice viitorul. Prea puţin bine a făcut acest dar blestemat oricărora dintre femeile care au purtat acest nume.

Ea îşi spunea cum o botezaseră alţii, Casandra, zicând că nu mai era în stare să-şi amintească numele ei adevărat ori cine erau părinţii săi sau de unde venea. Unii considerau că zeii îi oferiseră scăpărări ale viitorului drept recompensă pentru că-i prădaseră trecutul.

Cineva îi jefuise darul. Cineva suflase în flacăra care ardea înăuntrul ei şi o făcea să emane o strălucire lăuntrică aşa cum n-am mai văzut la niciun alt muritor. Cineva a ucis-o pe Casandra.

După cum am spus, mie îmi revenise sarcina de a face pregătirile de înmormântare. Niciun prieten sau iubit scandalizat, niciun părinte ori frate sau soră mâhnită nu s-a oferit ca să-i pretindă trupul. Tânărul care fusese unicul ei tovarăş, mutul pe care ea îl botezase Rupa – păzitor, servitor, rudă, amant? — dispăruse când ea a fost ucisă.

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was initially enthralled by Seven Saylor's A MIST OF PROPHECIES. The protagonist, Gordianus the Finder, is an old guy. He has had a long, and interesting career, but now, during the crisis of 48 BC when Caesar and Pompey struggle for rule over the Roman Empire, Gordianus seeks to find the person who murdered his beloved. Even more interesting, the woman who was murdered seems to be afflicted by a divine influence that causes her to prophesy. Ancient history and the spiritual experience of the ancients are my current driving interests.

Alas! (spoiler alert) Sayler has a perfectly mundane explanation for the events under consideration. Even more irritating, the interaction between Gordianus and the victim, Cassandra, has all the hallmarks of an old guy's sexual fantasy. Wish fulfillment. Not satisfying for anyone who has any critical thought.

Moreover, Saylor presents many anachronistic ideas. “Economy” and the influence of the war crisis on the experience of the characters. If he had just portrayed the situation, it would have been fine, but to explain it in the concepts of 18th century economists breaks the contract between the author and the reader. As a reader, I was appalled. Of course, as an economist, I was thrilled. This was not so successful as fiction, but wonderful for a student of economic history.

I've read several works set in this period, and I've studied the period. Saylor provides a compelling interpretation of the very real persons that populat his book. I would have preferred more agency on the part of his protagonist. Still, this was a good read, and I think I will keep this book in my collection.

[Clemens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This historical Roman mystery is, chronologically speaking, the 13th volume of the wonderful "Gordianus the Finder" series.

Storytelling is excellent, the historical details, so far as possible, are superbly interwoven within this mystery, all figures, men and women, are very believable and lifelike, and the atmosphere of Rome in turmoil comes brilliantly off the pages.

At the beginning of the book you'll find a List of Roman Months and a Chronology, while at the back you'll notice a very well documented Author's Note.

This book is situated in 48 BC, with Gordianus and his family in Rome, while around the same time, Caesar and Pompey are fighting out their decisive Battle of Pharsalus in Greece.

The mystery is about the death of a certain seeress called, Cassandra, who while crossing the marketplace one day will stumble into, the unfaithful towards Bethesda, Gordianus's arms and die there due to poison.

Obsession will plague Gordianus, for he has known Cassandra intimately, and so he will start his investigations into her death, and while doing so he will meet quite a few powerful women in Rome, who are familiar with espionage, profiteering and betrayal.

What is to follow is an exciting and intriguing Roman mystery, in which Gordianus must use his wits very shrewdly to be able to identify and confront the ultimate culprit when that time is due, and so in the end he will have his revenge for the death of his secretly beloved Cassandra.

Highly recommended, for this is another, although not his best, but still a very fine addition to this great series, and that's why I like to call this thrilling poisonous episode: "A Captivating Conspiring Prophecy"!

[Waldir F. Reccanello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sem deixar de lado todos os meandros de uma Roma em profunda crise, através dos olhos de um Gordiano mais velho, cansado e desiludido com a vida, somos imersos em uma trama de mistério, intrigas políticas e reflexões filosóficas sobre a natureza humana, o poder, a corrupção e a própria finitude da existência.
===
Diferentemente dos livros anteriores da série "Roma sub rosa", nos quais Gordiano se destaca por sua perspicácia e vigor, neste nós encontramos um homem marcado pela idade, cansado da vida e decepcionado pela guerra civil entre Pompeu e César, que somente intensificou a corrupção e a decadência que tomaram conta da República já desde a época de Sula. Esta visão pessimista de nosso herói permeia toda a narrativa, conferindo à obra um marcante tom melancólico e muito mais reflexivo.
===
Focando o desenvolvimento da trama na história das sete mulheres mais poderosas de Roma, a morte da profetisa Cassandra funciona como catalisador para a investigação de Gordiano, levando-o a desvendar suas extremamente complexas e multifacetadas figuras, cada uma com seus próprios desejos, ambições e segredos obscuros. Todo o jogo de traições, intrigas políticas e atos de (às vezes) pura crueldade, apenas reforçam a visão pessimista de Gordiano sobre a sociedade romana, servindo como uma crítica social implícita acerca dos papéis tradicionais de gênero, da hipocrisia da sociedade patriarcal e da decadência moral que acompanha a guerra civil. Intensificando seu cansaço com a vida, o "envolvimento" de Gordiano com Cassandra o atormenta e o sentimento de culpa o consome e aprofunda ainda mais sua visão pessimista do mundo, servindo a consciência da proximidade da morte como intensificador de suas angústias existenciais. Mais que um mero livro de entretenimento, e por mais que nem todos os leitores o achem agradável, a atmosfera soturna, a visão pessimista de Gordiano, o cansaço que ele sente com a vida e a angústia existencial que o acompanha fazem de "Névoa de profecias" uma obra reflexiva sobre poder, corrupção, decadência das civilizações, dilemas morais, finitude da vida e significado da existência, o que, no fim, torna a história - e nosso herói - ainda mais instigante, reflexiva, humana e profundamente tocante.

[Jacob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rome has been in political tension this entire series, but in this volume Saylor really amplifies the sense of unrest and disturbance by locating us exclusively in Rome, which stews in uncertainty and economic squeeze, while the grand action takes place elsewhere. He also mirrors that state in micro with Gordianus and his family, which is strained and fractured.

I find myself unsettled by this Gordianus. His accumulation of secrets and trespasses has been gradual, but it truly feels that we find ourselves with a diminished man - weakened by age and life not only physically, but psychically. While some part of me does find this uncomfortable, it is compelling, and perhaps also exciting. I know some of how things end for Rome, for Cicero and Caesar. But, more than ever, I'm not quite confident how things will play out for The Finder.

Oh, I often don't really discuss the plot in favor of just noting thoughts on character progression, etc (maybe not really "reviews"), but I did like the focus here on the grand tour of important women. Saylor's attention to both what history tells us about generously, and that which was neglected, is appreciated.

[Kim P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a sucker for historical detective stories so the Steven Saylor books about Gordianus the Finder should be right up my street. This is the second one I
have read (strangely the first was the next in the series), and it was OK. Maybe I should start at the beginning to get more attached to the character, but I found that the story was very plot driven with limited character development. The history of the end of the republic in Rome is fascinating, so it is a great bit of history to use as a backdrop. However, it would have been useful to have a cast list, particularly as many of the characters are historical figures.

I would recommend the Lindsey Davis Falco novels over these - in my opinion, there is a bit more humour in them and more chemistry between the main characters.

I would probably read another in the series if I found it in a 2nd hand store, or was given it as a present, but I don't think I will be rushing to read more.