The fictional Rome I read about is Falco's - in the Donna Leon books. This is VERY different. Falco is funny, engaging and feels authentically Roman. This is the first book by this author that I have read and it feels more as though he has done a great deal of research and used it in nuggets to add detail and to create the right feel for a story that could be set anywhere at any point in history.
Having said that, this is a well-written, relentless, escapist story. A perfect macho book for the plane or the beach. There is no messing about and no let up - you are straight into the story from the first line and it simply never stops.
It's not Bernard Cornwell, let alone Donna Leon, but nevertheless I'd strongly recommend it.
Having said that, this is a well-written, relentless, escapist story. A perfect macho book for the plane or the beach. There is no messing about and no let up - you are straight into the story from the first line and it simply never stops.
It's not Bernard Cornwell, let alone Donna Leon, but nevertheless I'd strongly recommend it.