Gordianus's relationship with Eco is beautifully done. Yes, there is a homosexual subplot, but it's non-explicit and tastefully done, and for those wondering, it's not pederasty in the modern sense the boy is about 17.Ī note to those who have read the other books in the series: beware cute little errand boys who end up being adopted by soft-hearted fictional detectives. Particularly moving was the seemingly doomed relationship between Crassus's legate and the beautiful youth he tries to desperately to save. Although only two slaves actually emerge as characters-one of whom goes on to appear in later novels as Gordianus's adopted son-I felt deeply for all of them.
The revelation of the killer at the end seems a mere afterthought the actual tension comes as Gordianus rushes to the rescue at literally the eleventh hour.
Set against the backdrop of the Spartacan slave revolt, the novel sets Gordianus in the fulcrum between the powerful who view the doomed slaves as mere chattel, and the silent desperation of the slaves themselves witness the scene below-decks on a Roman galley, where the rowers, chained to their benches amid their own filth, are worked like animals. After the factotum of a villa owned by Marcus Licinius Crassus is murdered, Gordianus is called in to discover the murderer-presumably two escaped slaves-before the villa's remaining ninety-nine slaves are put to death. While a substandard mystery-I honestly couldn't care less who killed the victim-the strength of Arms of Nemesis is in its pervasive dialogue on slavery. A great read and the beginning to a very good mystery series. And the story line is based on an actual occurrence documented in ancient texts. Here the author has found just the right balance to keep the story moving but his real talent is portraying the streets, the life, the customs of ancient Roman in a fascinating and realistic manner. The author avoids the problem encountered in some Roman-times fiction wherein the story becomes lost or frustrating because the reader is trying to keep track of complicated family trees or political complexities. This excellent historical fiction mystery has 1) an interesting story and 2) a believable, detailed sense of time and place that drops the reader right into the historical scene.
After reading Roman Blood you will want to continue with this book Arms of Nemesis, which shares the same great traits as the first book in the series. This is number 2 in the "Gordinius the Finder" series: Start with number 1, Roman Blood, to get a sense of flow and development of the characters. An excellent combination of history and mystery
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