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A review by mgcco
Spqr I: The Kings Gambit by John Roberts
4.0
I read this book while taking a break from Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series. Because I only had two Roma Sub Rosa books left to read, I was scouting for another series set in Ancient Rome (can't get enough of this genre). I saw Roberts' SPQR while surfing the Net, bought the first book in the series, and read it after finishing Saylor's A Mist of Prophecies.
I wasn't disappointed.
While the Roma Sub Rosa series can be described as fast-paced (I practically gobbled up every exhilarating book in the series), SPQR allowed you to savor every page--morsel by interesting, well-written morsel. I want to compare Roma Sub Rosa's Gordianus with SPQR's Decius, but this is supposed to be a "review" of The King's Gambit. Besides, that would be unfair because they are both wonderful protagonists.
I loved the book; it painted Ancient Rome vividly and wonderfully. Many of the characters that I encountered in Saylor's books, such as Caesar, Pompey, and the Clodians, I also encountered here (Roma Sub Rosa and SPQR were both set in the late Roman Republic). It was interesting to take a look at them from another author's perspective (e.g. Titus Annius Milo here was far more likable than in Roma Sub Rosa).
I kinda panicked while reading the last few pages of the book because I thought it was going to wrap up "flatly," but there was a touching surprise at the end. All I can say is, SPQR lessens the pain of having to end Roma Sub Rosa :)
I wasn't disappointed.
While the Roma Sub Rosa series can be described as fast-paced (I practically gobbled up every exhilarating book in the series), SPQR allowed you to savor every page--morsel by interesting, well-written morsel. I want to compare Roma Sub Rosa's Gordianus with SPQR's Decius, but this is supposed to be a "review" of The King's Gambit. Besides, that would be unfair because they are both wonderful protagonists.
I loved the book; it painted Ancient Rome vividly and wonderfully. Many of the characters that I encountered in Saylor's books, such as Caesar, Pompey, and the Clodians, I also encountered here (Roma Sub Rosa and SPQR were both set in the late Roman Republic). It was interesting to take a look at them from another author's perspective (e.g. Titus Annius Milo here was far more likable than in Roma Sub Rosa).
I kinda panicked while reading the last few pages of the book because I thought it was going to wrap up "flatly," but there was a touching surprise at the end. All I can say is, SPQR lessens the pain of having to end Roma Sub Rosa :)