lindsey davis vs. steven saylor

[archersangel]

this post inspired by me reading the first book in steven saylor's roma sub rosa series, roman blood.

they've written similar stuff; mysteries set in ancient rome with the main character being a private eye of sorts.

i've only read one of lindsey davis's roman mysteries; time to depart & while ti wasn't a terrible book, it wasn't a good one. it seemed like it was trying to be, i don't know, hard-boiled? like: there are eight million stories in the nudus civitatem (naked city).

i like saylor's roman mystery series better (i've read one before, the short-story collection the house of the vestals) than davis' because they're more like: here's a mystery that happens to take place during this time period. also i like that actual people and events from that era are worked in to the stories.

also i recommend saylor's roma: the novel of ancient rome & empire: the novel of imperial rome. the first covers rise of ancient rome from its first settlement to the assassination of julius caesar. the second covers the end of the reign of augustus in through the reign of hadrian.

Comments

[twistedchick]

Time to Depart is the last in a series; it's not the strongest. Suggest you might want to read the first or second in the series instead.