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munchkindad's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
katheady2009's review against another edition
4.0
This is the first one of the series that I have read. It is a great historical mystery in a time and place not often written about. Set in Massilia (now Marseilles) during the Roman Empire, it is a fascinating look into an ancient culture. Wonderful combination of mystery and history.
dennisfischman's review against another edition
4.0
A new setting (ancient Roman Marseilles), a new political system (rule by the rich, proclaimed not hidden), but a return to some of the grim humor that characterized earlier books.
I wasn't sure I believed some of the character development: Gordianus is much more decisive in his 60's than he was in his 30's, and his son-in-law Davus, who was a bit of a doofus in earlier books, spins theories as if he were son Eco in disguise. And the book suffers from Bethesda's not being on the scene.
If you're at all interested in the power struggle that brought Julius Caesar to power, this series is an engaging way of learning the history. It's nothing like academic. It's more like living through it--from a safe distance.
I wasn't sure I believed some of the character development: Gordianus is much more decisive in his 60's than he was in his 30's, and his son-in-law Davus, who was a bit of a doofus in earlier books, spins theories as if he were son Eco in disguise. And the book suffers from Bethesda's not being on the scene.
If you're at all interested in the power struggle that brought Julius Caesar to power, this series is an engaging way of learning the history. It's nothing like academic. It's more like living through it--from a safe distance.
starblaze's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
kathydavie's review against another edition
4.0
Seventh in the Roma Sub Rosa historical mystery series and revolving around Gordianus the Finder and his family in the Rome of 49 BC.
Chronologically, it's MY seventh and Saylor's eighth because the technical sixth, The House of the Vestals, is a collection of short stories that I've slotted in chronologically on my website.
My Take
Last Seen in Massilia is not as tense or dramatic as it could have been. It's definitely an easy read that won't make your heart race. I'm not really sure why Saylor wrote this one, unless it's to create the situation that culminates in that scene at the end. It doesn't feel as if Gordianus is doing much in the way of detecting in Last Seen in Massilia but flopping about, providing Saylor the opportunity to show us another style of government, another city in ancient times, a different approach to religion.
That is one of the pluses of Saylor's writing. He shows what is happening. It's not as intense a show as say, Bernard Cornwell, but he is not telling the story. I feel as though I am also walking those streets, wending my way through canyons, swimming my way through a flooded tunnel. I can see the view from Hieronymus' rooftop, the piles of treasures in Verres' vault, the décor within the homes. I can taste those figs — and want some of my own for real! Nor does he indulge in the hated info dumps! Yeah!! Saylor does a great job of informing us without sounding like an encyclopedia or a news article.
Saylor also pays attention to the dress, culture, mores, and more of the time. Thank you, god! I do get tired of dimes in Regency novels. It's this attention to detail that helps pull you into 49 BC. And he makes it so seamless.
As for the story itself, Caesar is definitely a politician. He promises one thing and does another. The Council of Fifteen is no better. They never bothered to rotate the emergency stores, deeming it too costly. Now half of it is moldy and rations are reduced within the city. Businessmen and lovers lie and cheat as well, still.
Gordianus takes some tremendous risks to find Meto, and along the way, he discovers some good people. Not many, but some. I'm not sure how to categorize Publicius and Minucius. They do mean well, but if they are an example of Catilina's followers, it's not surprising that he lost his battle. Talk about a couple of idiotic syncophants!
Worshipping gods and goddesses is one thing, heaping all your sins on one person and then sacrificing that person, well, that's another. Oh, wait. That's what the Christians did back in AD 33. Luckily for this story's Scapegoat, he's at least treated well.
It's fascinating how similar our societies are. Oh, sure, we have television, cars, the Internet, and in many ways I think the Romans and Greeks were more advanced than us. We may have microwaves and refrigerators, but they enjoyed their food. They took the time to enjoy it. They talked, discussed, debated, argued. Person to person. Yes, they also gossiped, but they also had philosophical discussions. On the negative side, people on either end of the timeline are greedy, selfish, cruel, loving, loyal, and more. Politicians and military men have not changed over the centuries. Nor have families.
The Story
Gordianus and Davus have been traveling for the past twenty days, heading to Massilia. That note left Gordianus confused and worried, and he needs to see for himself. They've already heard that the city refused to open its gates to Caesar, and Gordianus is thinking up ways to get in.
No one would ever have suspected the ruse that works, and thankfully, Gordianus and Davus are rescued by the Scapegoat, a sacrifice who can do no wrong.
The Characters
Gordianus is a Finder, a private investigator who has retired. Davus is a former slave and bodyguard to Pompey, but now a freedman married to Diana, Gordianus and Bethesda's daughter.
Meto is Gordianus' adopted son who edits Caesar's work. Well, he used to be until he plotted to kill Caesar. He ran from Rome to Massilia in Rubicon. Eco is his other adopted son who has taken over the Finder business.
Gaius Juluis Caesar is continuing his hunt for Pompey and is currently waging war in Spain while Gaius Trebonius is in charge at the siege of Massilia. Marc Antony is holding Rome for Caesar. Engineer Vitruvius (Rubicon) is a military engineer and designs siegeworks and tunnel operations.
Massilia is…
…what we know as Marseille, and it's a Greek city, an ally of Rome's for the past 500 years. It's also the end of the road for Roman exiles, and the city is full of them. They worship Artemis in Massilia in the form of a misshapen hunk of meteor rock.
The Scapegoat was chosen to bear the sins of the city, and hopefully, gain the city safety from the besieging Romans when he jumps off Sacrifice Rock. It's Hieronymus' last chance for revenge against the people who destroyed his family.
Apollonides is the First Timouchos, the leader of the rotating Timouchoi Council of Fifteen which rules Massilia as a timocracy — government by the wealthy. Hmmm, sounds like us, doesn't it? The entire Timouchoi body is 600 members. Cydimache is Apollonides' hideously ugly and deformed daughter. Normally, she would have been exposed at birth, but the requirements of Massilia encourage her father to keep her. Zeno is the man who married her, abandoning the woman he loved.
Arausio is a Gaulish merchant whose beautiful daughter, Rindel, has disappeared. Rindel is also the name of his wife. Calamitos was and is one of Hieronymus' torturers.
Famous exiles include…
…Gaius Verres, a Sicilian governor who was successfully (surprisingly) convicted of malfeasance; Milo was a gang-leader who was found guilty of murdering Clodius in A Murder on the Appian Way, 5 (Milo's wife, Fausta, declined to go into exile with him); Publicius and Minucius are two of the followers of Catilina in the city ( Catilina's Riddle, 3); and those Romans who were persecuted simply because they disagreed with Pompey.
Rabidus is a cloaked and hooded soothsayer who ghosts through the countryside and Massilia. Marcus and a fellow soldier guard the Temple of Artemis just outside the Roman camp.
Gnaeus Pompey has sailed toward Greece. Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, a.k.a., Redbeard, represents Pompey's interests in Massilia; he's the one who convinced the city to side with Pompey. Suckers.
The Cover and Title
The cover is similar to that of Rubicon with its huge painting of a battle scene outside city walls framed with gold moldings against a black wall and a deep red carved empaneled wainscoting.
The title is both real and metaphorical, both joyful and grieved when Last Seen in Massilia.
Chronologically, it's MY seventh and Saylor's eighth because the technical sixth, The House of the Vestals, is a collection of short stories that I've slotted in chronologically on my website.
My Take
Last Seen in Massilia is not as tense or dramatic as it could have been. It's definitely an easy read that won't make your heart race. I'm not really sure why Saylor wrote this one, unless it's to create the situation that culminates in that scene at the end. It doesn't feel as if Gordianus is doing much in the way of detecting in Last Seen in Massilia but flopping about, providing Saylor the opportunity to show us another style of government, another city in ancient times, a different approach to religion.
That is one of the pluses of Saylor's writing. He shows what is happening. It's not as intense a show as say, Bernard Cornwell, but he is not telling the story. I feel as though I am also walking those streets, wending my way through canyons, swimming my way through a flooded tunnel. I can see the view from Hieronymus' rooftop, the piles of treasures in Verres' vault, the décor within the homes. I can taste those figs — and want some of my own for real! Nor does he indulge in the hated info dumps! Yeah!! Saylor does a great job of informing us without sounding like an encyclopedia or a news article.
Saylor also pays attention to the dress, culture, mores, and more of the time. Thank you, god! I do get tired of dimes in Regency novels. It's this attention to detail that helps pull you into 49 BC. And he makes it so seamless.
As for the story itself, Caesar is definitely a politician. He promises one thing and does another. The Council of Fifteen is no better. They never bothered to rotate the emergency stores, deeming it too costly. Now half of it is moldy and rations are reduced within the city. Businessmen and lovers lie and cheat as well, still.
Gordianus takes some tremendous risks to find Meto, and along the way, he discovers some good people. Not many, but some. I'm not sure how to categorize Publicius and Minucius. They do mean well, but if they are an example of Catilina's followers, it's not surprising that he lost his battle. Talk about a couple of idiotic syncophants!
Worshipping gods and goddesses is one thing, heaping all your sins on one person and then sacrificing that person, well, that's another. Oh, wait. That's what the Christians did back in AD 33. Luckily for this story's Scapegoat, he's at least treated well.
It's fascinating how similar our societies are. Oh, sure, we have television, cars, the Internet, and in many ways I think the Romans and Greeks were more advanced than us. We may have microwaves and refrigerators, but they enjoyed their food. They took the time to enjoy it. They talked, discussed, debated, argued. Person to person. Yes, they also gossiped, but they also had philosophical discussions. On the negative side, people on either end of the timeline are greedy, selfish, cruel, loving, loyal, and more. Politicians and military men have not changed over the centuries. Nor have families.
The Story
Gordianus and Davus have been traveling for the past twenty days, heading to Massilia. That note left Gordianus confused and worried, and he needs to see for himself. They've already heard that the city refused to open its gates to Caesar, and Gordianus is thinking up ways to get in.
No one would ever have suspected the ruse that works, and thankfully, Gordianus and Davus are rescued by the Scapegoat, a sacrifice who can do no wrong.
The Characters
Gordianus is a Finder, a private investigator who has retired. Davus is a former slave and bodyguard to Pompey, but now a freedman married to Diana, Gordianus and Bethesda's daughter.
Meto is Gordianus' adopted son who edits Caesar's work. Well, he used to be until he plotted to kill Caesar. He ran from Rome to Massilia in Rubicon. Eco is his other adopted son who has taken over the Finder business.
Gaius Juluis Caesar is continuing his hunt for Pompey and is currently waging war in Spain while Gaius Trebonius is in charge at the siege of Massilia. Marc Antony is holding Rome for Caesar. Engineer Vitruvius (Rubicon) is a military engineer and designs siegeworks and tunnel operations.
Massilia is…
…what we know as Marseille, and it's a Greek city, an ally of Rome's for the past 500 years. It's also the end of the road for Roman exiles, and the city is full of them. They worship Artemis in Massilia in the form of a misshapen hunk of meteor rock.
The Scapegoat was chosen to bear the sins of the city, and hopefully, gain the city safety from the besieging Romans when he jumps off Sacrifice Rock. It's Hieronymus' last chance for revenge against the people who destroyed his family.
Apollonides is the First Timouchos, the leader of the rotating Timouchoi Council of Fifteen which rules Massilia as a timocracy — government by the wealthy. Hmmm, sounds like us, doesn't it? The entire Timouchoi body is 600 members. Cydimache is Apollonides' hideously ugly and deformed daughter. Normally, she would have been exposed at birth, but the requirements of Massilia encourage her father to keep her. Zeno is the man who married her, abandoning the woman he loved.
Arausio is a Gaulish merchant whose beautiful daughter, Rindel, has disappeared. Rindel is also the name of his wife. Calamitos was and is one of Hieronymus' torturers.
Famous exiles include…
…Gaius Verres, a Sicilian governor who was successfully (surprisingly) convicted of malfeasance; Milo was a gang-leader who was found guilty of murdering Clodius in A Murder on the Appian Way, 5 (Milo's wife, Fausta, declined to go into exile with him); Publicius and Minucius are two of the followers of Catilina in the city ( Catilina's Riddle, 3); and those Romans who were persecuted simply because they disagreed with Pompey.
Rabidus is a cloaked and hooded soothsayer who ghosts through the countryside and Massilia. Marcus and a fellow soldier guard the Temple of Artemis just outside the Roman camp.
Gnaeus Pompey has sailed toward Greece. Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, a.k.a., Redbeard, represents Pompey's interests in Massilia; he's the one who convinced the city to side with Pompey. Suckers.
The Cover and Title
The cover is similar to that of Rubicon with its huge painting of a battle scene outside city walls framed with gold moldings against a black wall and a deep red carved empaneled wainscoting.
The title is both real and metaphorical, both joyful and grieved when Last Seen in Massilia.
tikitoka's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
danielshelsel's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
sandin954's review against another edition
4.0
One of my all time favorite historical series. Every book has been great. In this one Gordianus travels to Massilia, which the Romans have under siege, and looks for answers about his son.
escan's review against another edition
4.0
I started Last Seen in Massilia... tentatively. I'd felt that the previous book in the series, [b:Rubicon|102711|Rubicon (Roma Sub Rosa, #7)|Steven Saylor|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171486247l/102711._SY75_.jpg|2804176], had set the scene for a darker and edgier second half to the series, and goodness me, I was right! I've never come across a series so capable of leaving me achingly nostalgic for the good old days, when Gordianus was a young man solving individual mysteries for anyone who'd pay and slowly building a family of his own. It's probably something to do with the sheer number of books and the length of the timeskips!
Family lies at the heart of Last Seen in Massilia - Gordianus comes to the city to find news of his younger son, Meto, revealed in Rubicon to be An anonymous note sent to his house in Rome has informed Gordianus that Meto is dead, but he's not going to give up on his son that easily, and so he travels to Massilia with his son-in-law to do what he does best and find the truth about Meto's fate. Gordianus' anxiety, grief, and - eventually - anger permeate the entire novel, and for me this made it absolutely impossible to put down: I read the last 85% of it in one sitting between 11:30 pm and 2:30 am.
The at the end of the novel was extremely painful, and I really hope that it's resolved within a couple of books!
Family lies at the heart of Last Seen in Massilia - Gordianus comes to the city to find news of his younger son, Meto, revealed in Rubicon to be
Spoiler
a spy for Caesar.The
Spoiler
break between Gordianus and Metoawwhh's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75