The Seven Wonders (Ancient World, #1) in Senatus Populus Que Romanus

Dec 02, 2014 Emily rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller, historical-fiction, detective-series, short-stories, rome, antiquity

I love Steven Saylor's Roman Sub Rosa series, which features full-length detective stories starring Gordianus the Finder. At the start of the series, the middle-aged Gordianus is already established in Rome in the last days of the republic. The Seven Wonders is the chronological first prequel to that series, which takes you back to Gordianus's early days as a nineteen-year-old visiting the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. It's a fun conceit that takes the form of short stories loosely tied to I love Steven Saylor's Roman Sub Rosa series, which features full-length detective stories starring Gordianus the Finder. At the start of the series, the middle-aged Gordianus is already established in Rome in the last days of the republic. The Seven Wonders is the chronological first prequel to that series, which takes you back to Gordianus's early days as a nineteen-year-old visiting the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. It's a fun conceit that takes the form of short stories loosely tied together, though it's more of a history lesson than a novel.

Each story - at each of the Seven Wonders, plus a trip to the Lighthouse of Alexandria - involves the same thing. Gordianus and his traveling companion get a tour, the wonder is described in detail, and then - WHAT'S THIS! A crime is committed, and Gordianus is the only person who can solve the case! The "mysteries" get silly very quickly, as each has to be wrapped up in about 20 pages and all rely heavily on chance and Gordianus's detective skills (which are quite overdeveloped for a nineteen-year-old Roman on his first world tour). The real fun of this book is reading about the wonders. If you're looking for a history information dump with vibrant, descriptive passages about the ancient world, then this is the book for you.

You could also subtitle this book "banging through the seven wonders," because Gordianus manages to have intimate romantic relations at the close of every story, (view spoiler). These are all fairly tasteful and fade-to-black, but get increasingly funny as the book progresses. At one point an enormous visiting Gaul shaves his moustache in order to entice Gordianus, and that's not even the best one (see spoiler).

If you're interested in reading Saylor or want to get in to the Gordianus series, this is definitely not the place to start: Saylor's writing is much better in the full-length novels, and the mysteries are more compelling. But this is a fun book to pick up if you simply want to know more about the ancient wonders of the world. I got quite the reading list out of the notes in the back:

The Histories (to throw some shade)
The Naked Olympics: The True Story of the Ancient Games
The Seven Wonders Of The World
The Philosopher and the Druids: A Journey Among the Ancient Celts ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Oct 23, 2012 happy rated it liked it

Shelves: fiction-historical-mystery

As others have said this is not a novel - it is a short story collection loosely connected. As most short story collections it is a little uneven. Gordanius solves a mystery at each of the seven wonders and then in the last short story some details are all woven together.

As far as I can tell - it is well researched and Mr. Saylor includes some good author's notes at the end detailing his sources.

I enjoyed it, but I don't think this is the best of the Sub Rosa series. ...more

Like · see review

Feb 20, 2013 Vicki Cline rated it really liked it

Shelves: chat-2018, 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

Like · see review

Mar 13, 2013 Kathy rated it really liked it

Shelves: read-non-mystery-fiction, x-feb-13-thru-jan14

Richard Halliburton in his Book of Marvels took me to see the Seven Wonders when I was a kid. Now Saylor and his Gordianus repeat the trip. Although I've never quite gotten over my one-sided love affair with Hallibruton, I thoroughly enjoyed both books.

Saylor's prose is quite decent, but the selections from the works of the "greatest living Roman poet" are merely doggerel. A mild but sincere quibble. ...more

Like · see review