Terra Incognita

A Novel of the Roman Empire

By: Ruth Downie

Narrated by: Simon Vance

Length: 11 hrs and 33 mins

Publisher's summary

It is spring in the year 118, and Hadrian has been emperor of Rome for less than a year. After his long and reluctant investigation of the murders of a handful of local prostitutes, Gaius Petreius Ruso needs to get out of town. With that in mind, he has volunteered for a posting with the army in the far reaches of Britannia - a calmer place for a tired man.

But the edge of the Roman Empire is a volatile place; the independent tribes of the North dwell near its borders. These hinterlands are the homeland of Ruso's slave, Tilla, who has scores of her own to settle there: Her tribespeople, under the leadership of the mysterious Stag Man, are fomenting a rebellion against Roman control, and her former lover is implicated in the grisly murder of a soldier. Ruso, once again unwillingly pulled into a murder investigation, is appalled to find that Tilla is still spending time with the prime suspect. Worse, he is honor-bound to try to prove the man innocent - and the army wrong - by finding another culprit. Soon both Ruso's and Tilla's lives are in jeopardy, as is the future of their burgeoning romance.

Terra Incognita shines light on a remote corner of the ancient world, where Ruso's luck is running short - again.

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend us your ears: listen to the first book, Medicus.

©2008 Ruth Downie (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A lively sequel to English author Downie's historical mystery Medicus....Immensely satisfying." ( Kirkus Reviews)
"Who would guess that life and death in the far reaches of the Roman Empire could be so darn funny?" ( Library Journal)

Great book, fabulous reader

I listen to books at night after I turn off the light, and I try to find verbose tales with loose plots that will put me to sleep after about 30 minutes. The next night I rewind the iPod to find the spot where I fell asleep. Unfortunately, Terra Incognita didn't meet my needs because I couldn't fall asleep while listening to it and I kept restarting the timer on the iPod to the point that I was listening two hours at a time. Don't buy this book if you want to lull yourself to sleep. Also, the reader is so terrific that for the first time ever I searched for books read by him just to hear his voice again. He's one of the elite few whose women's voices are distinct without being fake. The man should be given a Oscar!

Textured, absorbing, scary, funny

This adventure was even better than the last. Downie offers multiple points of view and all are interesting. Tilla continues to be one of the funniest characters going, and their relationship is priceless. Wonderful in every way.

More Murder in Northern Reaches of Roman Empire

I really enjoy historic fiction and this story, like Medicus before it, brought history to life. I enjoyed learning more about the northern reaches of Rome and how the native population responded. The characters were fun and their relationships sometimes humorous, sometimes touching. Narration was excellent.

Hooked

I tend to be pretty choosy about how I spend my credits. I got the first of the series on sale. I looked through my local library to see if I could download any of the books but could not. And I couldn’t forget the story so now I believe I have the first five.

The same Doc

What did you like best about Terra Incognita? What did you like least?

It might be okay if I hadn't read the previous one in the series. Starts off the same, too boring.

Would you be willing to try another book from Ruth Downie? Why or why not?

I like the historical part.

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

Fine

Was Terra Incognita worth the listening time?

not for me

Makes it come alive

Author Ruth Downie, who enjoys doing archaeology in Roman-British digs brings life to this complicated interaction of cultures 2000 years ago in her Medicus series. Her careful scholarship, excellent descriptions, mastery of dramatic pace and sense of humor make each book a delight to read. The characters become like family to the reader!

Roman Britain discovered

I am a great fan of the mystery novels of Lindsey Davis, Steven Saylor and John Maddox Roberts, all set in pre 453 AD Rome. It was happenstance to discover the first volume, Medicus, in Ruth Downie's new series about a military physician in Roman Britain at the beginning of Hadrian's rule. Our hero is a provincial, not a "city of Rome" plebeian or patrician. He comes with a set of personal problems, family and financial, that form a back drop to his motives and actions and shape his character as a reluctant hero. Terra Incognita is the second volume. Not quite as interesting as the first, it, nevertheless, develops the story line in a happy, somewhat predictable, and amusing fashion. There is intriguing detail about the customs of the British tribes and the Roman occupiers of this misty isle. It is increasingly easy to imagine our physician staying in Britain after the legions withdraw, a distant ancestor of, perhaps, a noble Saxon family. I look forward to future adventures of the medicus and his housekeeper. Good work Ms Downie.

Frustrating Lead Character. A Good Thing?

Warning… listen first to "Medicus" the lead off book in this tale of legion doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso's tale of Roman times. Ruso's a frustratingly dumb guy while his slave and love interest Tilla is a smart blonde. And each of them are kind of encased in the frustrations of their culture which create frustrations which we can see from our perspective as outsiders looking in.

Ruth Downie is VERY clever in making her setting a part of the ensemble cast of her books and its mysteries. My own frustrations with Dr. Ruso's ineptness of course is planned to increase the tensions in Terra Incognita. And after all, without tension, there's really no plot, right?

For some reason we are more likely to believe that characters are really ancient Romans if the reader is British, and Simon Vance provides that filter well. In all, this is a believable trip to another place/time peopled with intriguing characters. I'll probably listen to another in the series. But, remember my warning…. Read "Medicus" first, I liked it more.

Huge Fun

A fun listen. Good plot, good characters and an excellent narrator, Simon Vance. The historical aspects are quite interesting. Ruso gives a "Roman" perspective on the occupation of Britain in ancient times. I look forward to more books about Ruso and Tilla.

Really enjoying this series

Narrator is very good even though I am skeptical of the Romans with English accents. But reading is about suspension of disbelief at times. Who doesn't like a entertaining accent. Story is very good also. And lastly, they are free to borrow which I am trying to do more of since my Audio book owner queue is gigantic. I always think of how reading recommendations are so relative. One man's trash is another man's treasure etc etc. But, give it a listen.