Medicus

A Novel of the Roman Empire

By: Ruth Downie

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

Gaius Petrius Ruso is a divorced and down-on-his-luck army doctor who has made the rash decision to seek his fortune in an inclement outpost of the Roman Empire, namely Britannia. His arrival in Deva (more commonly known today as Chester, England) does little to improve his mood, and after a 36-hour shift at the army hospital, he succumbs to a moment of weakness and rescues an injured slave girl, Tilla, from the hands of her abusive owner.

Now he has a new problem: a slave who won't talk and can't cook, and drags trouble in her wake. Before he knows it, Ruso is caught in the middle of an investigation into the deaths of prostitutes working out of the local bar.

A few years earlier, after he rescued Emperor Trajan from an earthquake in Antioch, Ruso seemed headed for glory: now he's living among heathens in a vermin-infested bachelor pad and must summon all his forensic knowledge to find a killer who may be after him next.

Who are the true barbarians, the conquered or the conquerors? It's up to Ruso (certainly the most likeable sleuth to come out of the Roman Empire) to discover the truth. With a gift for comic timing and historic detail, Ruth Downie has conjured an ancient world as raucous and real as our own.

©2007 Ruth Downie (P)2007 Tantor Media Inc.

Critic reviews

"Downie's auspicious debut sparkles with beguiling characters and a vividly imagined evocation of a hazy frontier." (Publishers Weekly)
"Fans of Alexander McCall Smith will delight in this series debut set in Roman-occupied Britain and featuring wry army doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso." (Booklist)

Exactly as titled.

Would you listen to Medicus again? Why?

I will, because now that I know "who dun it" I want to appreciate the clues along the way.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I didn't really have a favorite, though if I were being forced to choose one, I would say, Ruso, the star of the story. I really didn't like him at first, and he comes (in my opinion) dangerously close to being an anti-hero at times. But as his tale continued to unfold and he persisted in doing the right thing in the big moments that it mattered, he really grew on me.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Ruso was trying to describe Tilla to the natives after riding there on the broken down horse. I listened to it three times in a row.

Slavery, Freedom, Empire, Ethics, Bosses, Love

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Downie manages to slip in quite a bit of meditation here as her protagonist, a sort of Roman military doctor in occupied Britania, struggles like Huckleberry Finn with his acceptance of slavery as contrasted with its inhuman results. Well, and prostitution. Ruso's internal dialogue about medical conditions and treatments shows a sophistication I didn't expect from the ancient world.I will read or listen to more of this series.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

As many likable characters slide closer and closer to the worst fates, you certainly want them to see a better future.

Any additional comments?

The standard accent code worked fine: posher accents for the high class Romans, more Cockney for the common soldiers, and a sort of Germanic accent for the slave woman. A good job.

Enjoyable

This book was right up my alley! I enjoyed the clever humor, banter and confusing twists. I figured out who was behind the deaths but did not know why until the author revealed. Great job.

Pretty good historical fiction.

This was a good listen. More of a murder mystery than a historical drama, but I guess that is as advertised. The characters were like stick figures from an English comedy, Fleshed out where they needed it For the story. Not much depth, and worse not much education.

Still, I am hooked and will be back For the other books in this series.

An example of the consequences of sexual slavery.

A sympathetic doctor is entangled by the desperation within a house of ill repute. Has a chilling connection with modem times.

Thank you to Ms . Downie and Mr. Vance

This book, Medicus, is the second title I've listened to. I am so glad there several more books in the series to go. When engaged with the book, I am that fly on the wall or eye in the sky participating in an exotic and familiar world. The performance is spot on. The delivery provides an audio music that reading the book can not be duplicated by my mind.

Interesting Story

This was my first encounter with a Ruth Downie novel. I found it very interesting. I must read more of her collection.

LIGHT BUT FUN AND HELD MY ATTENTION

Fun, imaginative, unrealistic with many modern day terminologies thrown in but so what? I enjoyed it and thought the narrator did an excellent job.

You are there in ancient Britain

This is a thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery and imaginative recreation of ancient Britain in the early days of Roman occupation. Humorous and colorful.

Great listen

Great story, good pacing. I thought it brought ancient Rome to life. Highly recommend.