The Seven Wonders: A Novel of the Ancient World

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The Seven Wonders: A Novel of the Ancient World (Roma Sub Rosa 0.5)

3.72 of 5 stars 3.72 · rating details · 394 ratings · 102 reviews

The year is 92 B.C. Gordianus has just turned eighteen and is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime: a far-flung journey to see the Seven Wonders of the World. Gordianus is not yet called “the Finder”—but at each of the Seven Wonders, the wide-eyed young Roman encounters a mystery to challenge the powers of deduction.

Accompanying Gordianus on his travels is his tu...more

ebook, 336 pages

Published June 5th 2012 by Minotaur Books (first published January 1st 2012)

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Feb 10, 2013 J.S. Dunn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

rating 3.5, agree with others' comments that this work uses the artifice or device of having the protag travel to see the ancient world's Seven Wonders fairly well but lacks the continuity and theme of a novel rather than a short story collection. Also that it lacks depth or is fluffy.

This novel is rather dismissive of women characters other than for sex scenes of dubious value. [ Too many conference lectures on "How To Write Great Sex Scenes?" or , A 20s or 30s NYC editor who thinks that sex pe...more

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Nov 20, 2012 Helen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Seven Wonders is the latest in Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series, set in ancient Rome. There are now 13 books in the series. This one, though, instead of being a sequel, is a prequel. It takes readers back to the beginning, or actually, before the beginning of the series.

In The Seven Wonders, the protagonist, Gordianus, is 18 years old and he sets off with Antipater of Sidon as his guide. Their journey takes them on a tour of the Seven Wonders of the World. Of course, as readers, we go al...more

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Oct 05, 2012 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Never having known of the Roma Sub Rosa series, this was a pleasant surprise and author to find. Very well done if one wants to feel immersed in what it could be like to travel around the known world in 90 BC! Each chapter is a travel story to one of the then "7 wonders of the world" with a mystery story woven in to keep the excitement of the travel. It was surprising to see how several of the "wonders" had already at that time been falling apart forcing Godianus and Antipeter to checkout remain...more

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Aug 25, 2012 Amy Corwin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime, historical-mystery, historical

I gave 4 stars when it really should have been 5, simply because I misunderstood what I was getting when I got the book. I thought it would be more of a novel, but the reality is that it is a series of loosely connected short stories. Which is fine, I love short stories, I just didn't realize it until I got to chapter two.

The premise is that each short story is about Gordianus and his tutor on a trip to each of the 7 wonders of the world. I loved that concept and it was a lot of fun to read. Say...more I gave 4 stars when it really should have been 5, simply because I misunderstood what I was getting when I got the book. I thought it would be more of a novel, but the reality is that it is a series of loosely connected short stories. Which is fine, I love short stories, I just didn't realize it until I got to chapter two.

The premise is that each short story is about Gordianus and his tutor on a trip to each of the 7 wonders of the world. I loved that concept and it was a lot of fun to read. Saylor definitely did his research and made each locale come alive, which is what I like best. Each chapter is one of the seven wonders and Gordianus is given a mystery (not always a murder) to solve. It was really rather addicting.

If anyone has read The Decameron by Boccaccio and Billy Budd by Herman Melville, they are familiar with the concept of an innocent young many first going out into the world and having sexual encounters and "broadening his horizons" along the way. There was also a touch of that, although not nearly as bawdy as The Decameron. There was a definitely "Billy Budd" feel to Gordianus, though. I was really struck by that.

My favorite stories were the first two and the last one. They were all gems though. Another thing I should point out, I like Saylor, but some of his books were a little too rough (too real?) for me and I sort of gave up reading him. But I love stories about ancient Rome, particularly when combined with a mystery, and these stories were right up my alley. They were not at all rough, in fact they were rather light-hearted, perhaps even witty, which was a huge and very enjoyable relief for me. I wish he'd write more books along this line--not the short story aspect--but the lighter touch, leaving out some of the heavier/gritty stuff.

This is a TERRIFIC book for bedtime reading--I read one story a night and it worked out perfectly for me. The more I write this, the more I think I should have given it five stars, because I really did enjoy the history and travelogue aspects and Gordianus' journey to adulthood.

Try it, you'll like it!
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Jul 25, 2012 Hermine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a huge fan of the Roma Sub Rosa series and had been waiting for this book for a while knowing it would well be worth it. Steven Saylor knows how to tell a great story and he did just that with Seven Wonders.

The story follows Gordianus on his first real adventure (adventures, perhaps?). Despite reviewer criticism that perhaps the characters in this book aren't as fully developed as they are in the series itself, I don't feel the same way. Gordianus is a developed character for those who have...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Rachael rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fic, short-stories, mystery-thriller

This addition to the Roma Sub Rosa series is a deviation from the norm in many ways. First, it is a prequel, going back in time to when Gordianus was eighteen and showing the process of the boy becoming the man and Finder returning readers know so well. Second, it purports to be a novel but is much closer to a short story collection. Third, it is a bit of a travelogue, focusing on places over anything else. The execution of each of these three things is largely responsible for how well the book...more This addition to the Roma Sub Rosa series is a deviation from the norm in many ways. First, it is a prequel, going back in time to when Gordianus was eighteen and showing the process of the boy becoming the man and Finder returning readers know so well. Second, it purports to be a novel but is much closer to a short story collection. Third, it is a bit of a travelogue, focusing on places over anything else. The execution of each of these three things is largely responsible for how well the book succeeds or fails.

As a prequel, this left me rather underwhelmed. Gordianus is, in many ways, far too advanced in his trade already. We are told at the start that his father, the man currently known in Rome as the Finder, has taught young Gordianus all the tricks of the trade and that is really all the development of his skills we are given. The father disappears from the book entirely after a few short pages. While Gordianus occasionally thinks of his father's lessons as he uses his detective skills, there is no real sense of him being anything other than the professional readers of the series already know. We are told in the end that while he had the skills, he lacked one critical aspect of his adult personality and really of maturity and he has now developed that, but we are told that rather abruptly without it really having been demonstrated previously. The only area in which Gordianus grows and matures throughout these tales is in his sexual awakening and those were fun little moments that amused me but have no heft to them.

As a blend of novel and short story collection, this almost succeeds, but ultimately I was again disappointed. Most of the tales here, seven of ten chapters if my count is correct, were published in various magazines and anthologies as individual short stories before being collected here. As such, each chapter is a contained story with characters, stand alone plot, and completed mystery. The mysteries are necessarily much less complex than those of the full novels in this series, but roughly on par with the previous short story collections. I of course enjoyed some stories more than others and personally prefer the previous collections over this one, but as short stories I have no real complaints with them. The attempt to unite the stories into one novel, however, was much more problematic. There is an overarching plot lingering in the background of the stories, articulated most clearly in the first and last proper chapters (ignoring the epilogue for the moment) which were not previously published as stand alone tales. The problem is that this overarching plot is rather weak and the twist or mystery reveal that comes in the last chapter was obvious to me at most one-third of the way through the book.

The one thing that does successfully unite these stories is the travelogue theme of the collection. Gordianus is traveling the known world, visiting each of the Seven Wonders in turn and encountering a mystery at each place. The physical descriptions of the wonders themselves were a bit flat, but the overall sense of place and time with all the little details that I consider to be one of the hallmarks of Saylor's series are here and as fantastically done as ever. Gordianus's journey gives him and the readers a sense of the culture and history of multiple places around the Mediterranean and the background is as vibrant, entertaining, and educational as Saylor at his best. My personal favorite of the historical backgrounds focused on Gordianus's visit to the Statue of Zeus at Olympia, a visit which just happens to coincide with an Olympic Games, but perhaps my enjoyment of that was due solely to the fact that I read this the week of the opening ceremonies of the 2012 London games.(less)

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Jul 20, 2012 Scott rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ancient-rome-historical-fiction, travel

Steven Saylor's "Gordianus the Finder" series has entertained thousands of readers as Gordianus, nicknamed "the Finder" for his ability to discover hidden truths, solves mysteries while rubbing shoulders with the titans of the late Roman Republic. Saylor's latest novel, "The Seven Wonders," treats the reader to a young Gordianus just stepping into manhood and discovering his own talents.

A young man of 18, Gordianus heads out for the trip of a lifetime - to travel the ancient world and visit each...more Steven Saylor's "Gordianus the Finder" series has entertained thousands of readers as Gordianus, nicknamed "the Finder" for his ability to discover hidden truths, solves mysteries while rubbing shoulders with the titans of the late Roman Republic. Saylor's latest novel, "The Seven Wonders," treats the reader to a young Gordianus just stepping into manhood and discovering his own talents.

A young man of 18, Gordianus heads out for the trip of a lifetime - to travel the ancient world and visit each of the seven Wonders of the World. His father, also Gordianus, believes that Rome is none too safe now that the wars against Rome's Italian allies has broken out. So Gordianus is accompadnied by his tutor, the poet Antipater. The first mystery is why Antipater has faked his own death before hitting the road with Gordianus, but this seems to be fairly minor as Antipater seems to just want some anonymity on what is sure to be his last great adventure.

As Gordianus visits each of the seven Wonders - the Pyramids, the Colossus of Rhodes, the Mausoleum, etc., Gordianus finds himself confronted with a minor mystery. I say "minor" because each destination has its own mystery that must be solved, so Saylor does not have as much time to invest in each mystery as he does in the normal novels. Unfortunately, as a result the mysteries really aren't all that riveting and Gordianus is able to solve them without too much difficulty.

That being said, as the novel closes in Alexandria and its famous Lighthouse (Pharos), another, deeper mystery emerges. No spoilers here, but this mystery has actually been before Gordianus for the entire novel, and this breathes some fresh life into the novel.

But the novel's best features remain the fascinating Wonders themselves. Saylor writes like a great travel writer as Antipater and Gordianus explore the remains of the Hanging Gardens or explore the Pyramids. Saylor has done his share of research to recreate the Wonders for Gordianus' times, and the book's best pages come from the sense of awe and, yes, wonder these structures evoke.

All in all, "The Seven Wonders" is not a great book but it is enjoyable. I haven't read much of the Gordianus series, so I may have missed some allusions as this novel seems to be a prequel of sorts - we meet characters whom I suspect will emerge in later books. Recommended. (less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Elaine rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Story takes place in 92BC

Antipater of Sidon was a poet at that time

290BC-The letter Z in the Latin alphaet had been eradicated because it sounded bad!

Artemis- bugles, gord shped protrusions on the statue were bull's testicles not breasts.

Artemis and Apollo were twins

Hetaerae-courtesans of very high calber

Hermaphroditus-child of Hermes and Aphrodite. Salmacis joined her body with his becoming a creature of both sexes.

Phidias sculptor of Zeus.Made of ivory, called chryselephantine. He also did the...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Drianne rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: m-m, mystery, historical

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A prequel to the other Gordianus books. Baby!Gordianus, accompanied by the poet Antipater of Sidon, goes on a Grand Tour of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. At each Wonder, he solves a mystery and has sex with someone.

I liked this book, but it is fluffy and offers little in the way of character development or insight into Baby!Gordianus. He appears to have been pretty much the same as ever, already holding a lot of weirdly non-Roman beliefs (apparently, so does his father, whom I would'v...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Dana Stabenow rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Classic Age's equivalent of the Grand Tour with a young Gordianus the Finder, in company with his teacher, Antipater, the dead epic poet. Yes, really. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, the statue of Zeus at Olympia (and we get to attend an Olympic Games, too), the Colossus of Rhodes, alas fallen and in pieces but nevertheless awe-inspiring, the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (a Greek Taj Mahal), what's left of the Hanging Gardens and Wall of Babylon (not much), the Great Pyramid at Memphis (wher...more

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May 19, 2013 Otherwyrld rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-thriller, historical

It must be tricky trying to write a prequel to a long-running series. The author must take everything that we have learned about our protagonist and gradually cut it all away until what you have left is the essence of the character with none of the life experiences. To my mind, the only successful prequel I have read is Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe stories set in his early days in India.

Which brings us to this story - I have always enjoyed historical crime stories, and the Roma Sub Rosa series feat...more

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Jun 12, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gordianus is back! I just finished the Roma Sub Rosa series a month or so ago, and it's great to meet a young Gordianus just becoming aware of his talents in this prequel. Saylor's gift of making the ancient settings seem alive and natural is still present in this book, and we get a more light-hearted, less cynical protagonist than in the later installments of the series, and we see some of the early experiences that shape Gordianus's character. He's still recognizable as the Finder we've come t...more

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Jun 09, 2012 Liviu rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012_release_read, mainstream, read_2012, shorts, t1_recommended_2012, review_fbc

FBC Review:

INTRODUCTION: Outside speculative fiction, no contemporary writer is more appreciated by me than Steven Saylor for his wonderful Roma sub Rosa series with its main character Gordianus "the Finder" who is my current #1 fiction hero.

I summarized my impressions to the Gordianus novels HERE and I reviewed Empire, the second installment in the author's take on Roman history by following about 11 centuries of the fortunes of a patrician family entrusted with a special religious symbol.

What...more

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Jun 16, 2012 Alison Dellit rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, crime, historical-fiction

Like Saylor's other short story collections, this falls short for sheer entertainment of his novels, but it is easily the most enjoyable of the short story collections. Having a strong theme to pull it together - the seven wonders - allows Saylor to showcase his understanding of how the Ancient World fits together, and his meticulous research about the marvels pays off. The book is worth reading simly for the description of these constructions, and Saylor gives us what we need to understand how...more

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Jun 17, 2012 Shirley Schwartz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have always wondered about the early life of Gordianus the Finder and I love Steven Saylor's series about this wonderful character from Ancient Rome. Saylor is a true storyteller, and his books enthrall me. This book is a series of stories about Gordianus' travels to each of the Seven Wonders of the World. Accompanied by his tutor, Antipater of Sidon, they embark on a two-year journey that takes them all over the ancient world. Gordianus and Antipater encounter many interesting people, and Gor...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Ian rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. If there is one thing I have learnt from reading Saylor's Gordianus adventures it is—stay away from the "Finder", because death alway finds those near him. In this novel the young Gordianus sets off from Rome with his father's blessing, in the company of the noted poet Antipater of Sidon, who is in disguise, to see the Seven Wonders of the (Ancient) World. Cool. Lucky guy.

Needless to say far more is seen that simply each Wonder. Along the way mystery, intrigue, greed, and, resultantly, death is...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Steven Harbin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: gordianus-the-finder, steven-saylor, roman-republic, historical-fiction, historical-mystery, steve-s-around-the-world-5-challe

The last 2 entries in this series left me a little underwhelmed but with this "prequel" set in Gordianus the Finder's youth, I fell back in love with author Saylor's "Roma Sub Rosa" series. So much so that I'm going to go back and give the last 2 books another try. Briefly, this latest book is a group of short stories regarding the 18 year old Gordianus and his tutor, the Greek poet Antipater of Sidon ( a real historical figure ) and their grand tour of the ancient Hellenistic world, with an iti...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Brittany rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historicalfiction

Meh. This was a cool book in that it was a tour of the seven ancient wonders of the world, back when most of them still sort of existed. The travel writing aspect was wonderful. The writing, characters, and plot aspect weren't so much. This might be a factor of the book being a prequel and also essentially an amalgam of a handful of short stories the author plastered together to make a full novel. In each stop (or nearly) Gordianus solves a mystery that's been perplexing the locals and makes a s...more

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Jul 20, 2012 Helen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, historical-mystery

This is the perfect prequel to the Roma Sub Rosa series. Gordianus and his tutor Antipater set off to visit the 7 wonders of the world just as Italy is beginning to be extremely unsafe with rebellion and Mithridates is preparing to attack in Asia. As usual, Saylor can pinpoint the action not just to years but to months and days within those months so that the real and the fictional blur in overlap. The book is actually a series of short stories within the framework of the journey, an adventure a...more

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Jul 07, 2012 Faith Justice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gordianus the Finder is back in this prequel to Steven Saylor’s popular series of mysteries set in the Roman Republic of Cicero and Caesar. Gordianus is eighteen and embarks on the First Century BCE equivalent of a “Grand Tour” with his old tutor and famous poet Antipater of Sidon. As the Italian peninsula simmers with rebellion, the pair head east to visit the Seven Wonders of the World encountering murder, mysteries and political intrigues. Over the course of their year+ journey, Gordianus evo...more Gordianus the Finder is back in this prequel to Steven Saylor’s popular series of mysteries set in the Roman Republic of Cicero and Caesar. Gordianus is eighteen and embarks on the First Century BCE equivalent of a “Grand Tour” with his old tutor and famous poet Antipater of Sidon. As the Italian peninsula simmers with rebellion, the pair head east to visit the Seven Wonders of the World encountering murder, mysteries and political intrigues. Over the course of their year+ journey, Gordianus evolves into “the Finder” series readers have come to know and love.

For the record, I am not a Gordianus fan. I very much enjoyed Saylor’s multi-generational epics Roma and Empire, which I reviewed on my blog, but didn’t take to the couple of Finder novels I sampled. Not because they were bad books, but because I’m not that into historical mysteries. Every reader has her quirks. This book has a distinctly different structure from the others. Saylor uses the journey to visit the Seven Wonders as a framework for several short stories (many of which were previously published in mystery and fantasy magazines.) Each Wonder gets a story with a few interludes, such as attending the Olympic Games and visiting the ruins of Corinth, resulting in ten chapters dealing with murder, witchcraft, ghosts and gods. As their journey continues, a larger mystery entangles Gordianus and Antipater with spies and other enemies of Rome.

But the real story is the evolution of the Gordianus character. He comes of age during these stories. His powers of observation and deduction sharpen as his naiveté concerning the greater world lessen. Saylor does a good job of portraying this young man in a strange land, struggling with another language and gradually coming to understand that the might of Rome is not always a protection among conquered peoples. But also like any young man abroad, he experiences a sexual awakening. He sleeps with his first woman, his first man, a priestess and (possibly) a goddess. By the end, he has grown into a capable man who earns the name “Finder.”

One of the things I admire most about this book is the incredible research and description of the Wonders and the cities Gordianus and Antipater visit. As Saylor says in his Author’s Note: “To explore the Seven Wonders, one enters a labyrinth of history, legend, hard facts and half-facts, cutting-edge archaeology and the very latest innovation in virtual reality.” He does a great job of bringing the locations alive and seamlessly incorporating history into the narrative without bringing the stories to a screeching halt. Each Wonder is given its due with historical accuracy and vivid description. For this alone, I’d recommend the book. For Gordianus fans, it’s a must read.

This review also appears on my blog where I'm giving away two copies of the book.
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Sep 30, 2012 Matthew Hoover rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Among Saylor's best work, which is saying something. For two decades, Gordianus the Finder has guided readers through the msyteries and politics of the last generation of the dying Republic, and Saylor has brought life to this period for millions of readers. He provides enough detail for the world to come alive, but not so much that the storytelling or pacing becomes bogged down. Here, he has the youthful version of an old friend take readers on travels to the most magnificent locations in the a...more

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Mar 24, 2013 Robert J. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The loose collection of short stories written around the seven, or is it eight, wonders of the ancient world almost works but doesn't, quite. Most of the stories are not particularly well done, with superficial characters and plot. The last couple of stories almost redeems the book, and you can see the outlines of the novel this could have been but wasn't. Still, it's good to have the story of the youth of Gordianus, and I hope there is a novel 0.5 that takes place in Alexandria. I don't want to...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Ron Ratchford rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a wonderful journey. To find a good friend Gordi traveling with his tutor and visiting the structures of the ancient world, the temples, the tall lighthouse, the tombs and the gigantic statues is such a delight.

The beginning is intriguing, the first adventures are true to the nature of the finder. The ending is moving.
It is like finding a movie of the time when we were young and we see how we began. The journey happens at all levels of adventure. I followed this book with Swerve, a history...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Vicki Cline rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: roman-mysteries

18-year-old Gordianus goes on a tour of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world with his tutor Antipater (a historical character) and encounters a mystery in each place, many of them murders. His father is also known as The Finder, so that's where he learned the skills he uses in all the adventures he gets involved in down through the years. This is a collection of short stories, and while they're sort of connected, they aren't as satisfying as the novels. I hope Saylor can go back and fill in so...more

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Sep 14, 2012 Becky Galambos rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This novel goes back to before the beginning of the series. Although at the beginning we see more of Gordianus sewing his wild oats than honing his finding skills, it evens out into an enjoyable read where we meet the main characters for the first time, ending when he buys Bethesda at the slave market. I'm hoping that there might be a second book of this type as the main plot, with his tutor, seems kind of unfinished as he just disappears and there is obviously more to tell about Gordianus' time...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

The Seven Wonders: A Novel of the Ancient World by Steven Saylor is a collection of short stories starring the youthful, wise cracking Gordianus. Currently there is a popular series of mysteries written by Mr. Saylor and starring an older Gordianus.

As the name of the book might suggests, the reader follows Gordianus along with his companion and teacher, the world famous Antipater. This famous Greek poet faked his own death to travel in privacy with his student to see the...more The Seven Wonders: A Novel of the Ancient World by Steven Saylor is a collection of short stories starring the youthful, wise cracking Gordianus. Currently there is a popular series of mysteries written by Mr. Saylor and starring an older Gordianus.

As the name of the book might suggests, the reader follows Gordianus along with his companion and teacher, the world famous Antipater. This famous Greek poet faked his own death to travel in privacy with his student to see the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. The couple solves a mystery at each site, which at the end, everything ties in together to lay out before the reader a grander story.

I enjoyed Saylor’s previous books (although admittedly I didn’t read many) and was thrilled to be offered to read The Seven Wonders. The short stories are a great introduction to Gordianus and actually have a running theme throughout them besides a travelogue.

I am a true believer that travel opens the mind, it lets you see for yourself that there are other ways to live your life besides what you believe is the right way. Actually, traveling shows you that there is no right way, a dirt farmer in middle America might just be as happy and content with his life as a merchant in Venice. Experiencing other cultures also, I believe, defuses racism and forms tolerance and acceptance into one’s mind. In many countries, traveling after high school or college or military service is a rite of passage and I think those people are all the better for it.

Current fans of Gordanius will enjoy this book because the real story is the evolution of a loved character. Part mystery, a travel journal, a sexual awaking tale (as a healthy 18 year old, Gordanius discovers the pleasures of the body at each Wonder, if memory serves me correctly) and part a coming of age story. Gordanius becomes the detective that he is in the later novels, party by sharpening his powers of deduction while being a stranger in a strange land, grappling with unknown cultures and languages. A nice touch, in my opinion, was Gordanius’ realization that Rome just might not be the center of the world and/or universe. A truth he has heard and believed since birth.

The research in this book, as in other books by Mr. Saylor is incredible. The descriptions of the Wonders, cities and alleyways are descriptive and vivid. The locations come alive as if they were another character in the book and, even more impressive, without stopping the story in its tracks.

The book is actually a prequel to the author’s mystery series starring the protagonist. However, it is not necessary to read the previous, or any, books in the series to enjoy this one. Gordianus himself is the narrator of all the short stories in the book, he is reflecting on his youth in a way which many of us do. Sometimes you look at what you done, slap your head and proclaim: “what the hell was I thinking”; yet sometimes you look back and enjoy the ride.

When I first got this book I was fairly excited, reading some Mr. Saylor’s previous books I knew what I was in for, however my excitement deteriorated when I discovered that this was a collection of short stories. To my delight, I truly enjoyed The Seven Wonders and believe that it is a wonderful introduction to Gordianus for new, as well as current, fans.

For more review and bookish posts please visit: http://www.ManOfLaBook.com (less)

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Mar 06, 2013 Alan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ancient-rome, mystery

Steven Saylor gives us the formative adventure of Gordianus the Finder, as the 18 year old sets out with his tutor to visit the seven wonders. As with all Saylor's works, the attention to historical reconstruction of the Roman era intrigues me and keeps me reading. I felt like a tourist accompanying the main character on his visits to the great sights. Narrated in first person by young Gordianus, it presents a series of episodes that prompt his inquisitive problem solving skills and lead to the...more

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Jun 20, 2012 David rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Very good. The last book in the series has Gordanius late in his life around 60. This book goes back to his 18th year. He tutor takes him on a tour of the world to see the seven wonders. Each chapter is a travel guide of a wonder and a mystery and there is a theme that pulls them all together.

I don't know how he can do it but Saylor is able to write in his characters voice but reverse his wisdom and personality back in time so he observes and acts like a young man in the dawn of his life rather...more

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Oct 10, 2012 John S. Garavelli rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery

I have been a Steven Saylor fan for years. This collection of connected short stories forms a prequel to his Roma sub Rosa series. I usually managed to read each of the ten chapters in one setting.

They are well wrought and engaging. The action is spread over a two year period before 90 BC. The young Gordianus accompanied by his former tutor, the Greek poet Antipater of Sidon (an historical figure whose tragicomic death is fictionally recast as a ruse to allow him to leave Rome in disguise and tr...more

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Jun 17, 2012 David rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: art, coming_out, doomed_lovers, egypt, frisky, greece, growing_up, historical, italy, life_as_a_journey, lost_innocence, murder, mystery, spy

Saylor is a great historical novelist - what is lost by his being forced to make things up is made up for in the verisimilitude of the context in which he places his characters. _The Seven Wonders_ acts as the first [in a proposed trilogy] part of a prequel to the Roma Sub Rosa series. In this book Steven not only brings us Gordianus at eighteen, but takes us on a whirlwind tour of the wonders. Accompanied by his tutor Antipater, we find Gordianus solving mysteries and having lots of sex along t...more

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Historical Fiction

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Roman

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About Steven Saylor

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 classi...more

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Books by Steven Saylor

Roma: The Novel of Ancient Rome (Roma #1)

A Murder on the Appian Way (Roma Sub Rosa, #5)

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13166911-the-seven-wonders?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344313916l/13166911.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13166911-the-seven-wonders?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Seven Wonders: A Novel of the Ancient World by Steven Saylor[/url]

The Seven Wonders: A Novel of the Ancient World (Roma Sub Rosa 0.5)

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