Roman Blood

A Mystery of Ancient Rome

By: Steven Saylor

Narrated by: Scott Harrison

Length: 14 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

In Rome, 80 B.C., on a warm spring morning, Gordianus the Finder receives a summons to the house of a then-unknown young advocate and orator, Cicero. Ambitious and brilliant, the 26-year-old Cicero is about to argue his first important case. His client is a wealthy farmer, one Sextus Roscius of the town of Ameria, who stands accused of the most unforgivable act in Ancient Rome: the murder of his father.

Hired by Cicero to investigate the charges, Gordianus sets out to discover the truth in a case - and a society - rife with deceit, betrayal, and conspiracy. As he draws nearer to the truth, the conspiracy looms ever larger until Gordianus begins to perceive the hand of the dictator Sulla himself. Playing for stakes much higher than he bargained for, Gordianus finds that not only is he himself endangered but so are all those around him as well.

©1991 Steven Saylor (P)1996 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Remarkable....a stirring blend of history and mystery, well seasoned with conspiracy, passion and intrigue....A classic historical mystery, in every sense." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Saylor's scholarship is breathtaking and his writing enthralls." ( Sunday Times London)
"Gripping....a combination of Hithccock-style suspense and vivid historical detail." ( Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Whodunits and History DO Mix --

What did you love best about Roman Blood?

Saylor crafts his detective mysteries in the nooks and crannies of Roman history. Learn a bit about Julius Caesar or Cicero and Roman culture while reading a detective novel! I have read them all and enjoyed them immensely.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Roman Blood?

The description of daily life in the Subura.

Which scene was your favorite?

It would be hard to pick just one.

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

Several.

A very enjoyable Roman mystery

This book begins the series of the mature Gordianus the Finder's adventures (there is the trilogy of Gordianus the Finder as a young man, published after this series but taking place earlier in Gordianus's life). What I like in this series is Saylor's storytelling and the way he lays out the historical context of ancient Rome. I think that Saylor does a good job of telling the story through the cultural and social eyes of a Roman. There were a few times where the story dragged a little, but often this was due to Saylor embedding a history lesson into the book. Overall, a very enjoyable read with a number of twists and surprises as Gordianus investigates the case of a man accused of murdering his own father. I had mixed feelings about the narrator. I think that some of the voices he used for the characters did not suit them. He was okay, but I think it would have been better had the voices suited the character's better.

Enjoyable story

Enjoyed the story twists and turns were good some are going off on tangents. Narrating was terrible. There are better voices out there. Overall enjoyed the story

A perfect story

What did you love best about Roman Blood?

Saylor recreates ancient Rome perfectly. The factual story is a wonderful start for the imaginative tale.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Gordianus, he is a well rounded character with typical strengths and weakness. His insight is thoughtful. He isn't a super sleuth, he's a digger who has to work for the clues.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The narrator sounded stiff, he never seemed to enjoy the story. Unlike some audio-books, the narrator always seemed to be reading from a script rather than living through the characters.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Before Cicero made his name in Roman Politics, he made a powerful enemy.

Classic Roman Mystery Novel

Still one of Saylor’s best ancient Roman mystery novels. I’ve enjoyed every one of his Gordianus the Finder books and hope he continues to find stories to fill in the main character’s vast timeline. Even though I had read this book years ago I decided to revisit it by listening to it. I’m glad I did. Don’t listen to the negative reviews based upon how the reader presents the story. I appreciate his willingness to create different voices for the multiple characters and didn’t find him hard to listen to at all. If nothing else, sample the audiobook first and decide for yourself. It’s a great story that will keep you engaged and will either teach or affirm things about historical Roman people, places and events.

good read/listen

the story is good if not a little repetitive as a series. narrator wasn't my favourite but not everybody can be george guidol

Terrible Naration

Would you try another book from Steven Saylor and/or Scott Harrison?

I have read Steven Saylor , and will again. I will avoid anything narrated by Scott Harrison.

How could the performance have been better?

In every way

Was Roman Blood worth the listening time?

almost did not get through it becasue of narration .

Book 3

Poor work by voice actor. Americans don’t do good in these roles. Story good tho. 3-5stars

Vivid Portrayal of Roman Life

What did you like best about Roman Blood? What did you like least?

I thoroughly enjoyed the vivid detail of Roman life but the story I found was a bit wooden and "sequential", much like you'd find in a first person shooter video game.
Each scene fed almost too neatly into the next, with equal time spent on each. A to B, B to C, C to D.
I don't want to say the plot was boring but it was rhythmic and predictable in its transitions to each part of the story. Im going to carry on with more in the series to see if Saylor's style matures.

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

Not really.

What didn’t you like about Scott Harrison’s performance?

Didn't.
His attempts to change his voice between characters was poorly executed and at points was painful to the ear.

Do you think Roman Blood needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

There are more in the series. This question doesn't apply.

Think like a Roman

The interest of the book is not so much on the murder mystery as on the authors capacity to bring to life the urban geography of classical Rome (and the countryside) and the ways of thinking of a Roman citizen.