Rating: 
Summary: Not as good as the first 2
Review: I thought this book was OK, not too great, but not too bad either. I enjoyed reading about the politics in Rome, since I have read all of Colleen McCullough's Roman books and they are very heavy on politics. This book just got bogged down several times and did not always keep my interest. I'm reading the books in order, and I was put off at first to find that Gordianus had aged very much in this book and was living on a farm instead of Rome, but after a while I got used to the idea of a middle aged Gordianus. I'm looking forward to the next books in the series that fill in the missing years between the 2nd and 3rd books in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: Another Great Novel of Ancient Rome by Saylor
Review: I was lucky enough to find Saylor's works through Amazon.com and I have to say that I have never read a series of novels so entertaining and literate. I am more of a fan of ancient Rome than of mysteries, but the characters in this series are so remarkably well-depicted and the overall experience of reading these books is so pleasurable I would recommend them to anyone. Saylor does a superb job of bringing this time period to life while using his own imagination to create the fictional characters who live in it. I look forward to reading the next in the series, but I don't know how I will react once I have finished the latest novel. The solution: keep writing, Mr. Saylor!
Rating:
Summary: well-written, intriguing historical elements, but ...
Review: Firstly, if you haven't read any of Steven Saylor's mystery series set in ancient Rome then go directly to the customer reviews for 'Roman Blood'. You must read his series in sequence or you'll regret it (much of the fine characterisations of Gordianus 'the Finder' and his family/friends/foes will be not fully appreciated). So for those who have read Saylor's previous works ... read on.Catilina's Riddle is textbook Saylor material, which means it is very well researched, well-written, and generally interesting. In this installment we have a mystery surrounding a very intriguing *real* person from ancient Rome, Catilina. He a lover of both women and men, is feared by the Roman elite, and in this novel he meets our favorite fictious sleuth - Gordianus. However compared to other Saylor novels this book is somewhat overkill on the history lesson and too light on the mystery element. Yes, it has its moments ... and it is a worthy read on balance. But it is not as good as his previous works, and some of his later works. Bottom line: a so-so effort by Saylor. Nonetheless it should be considered as mandatory reading by his fans.
Rating:
Summary: Steven Saylor's Gordianus gets better and better!
Review: I am reading Saylor's Sub Rosa series in sequence, and this third novel is so far the most ambitious. This time Gordianus is faced with the Catilina conspiracy in the year of Cicero's consulship. Saylor has the infinite cleverness not to take historical sides, and to show us that every story can be told in different ways. Cicero's foibles and Catilina's appetites are superbly shown, as well as the passage of seasons in the Etruscan countryside, a day of elections in Rome, the taking of the auguries on a young man's sixteenth birthday, every detail of Roman life and more that we have learned to expect from the author. The book is a great success, not least because we believe in the characters and we see them grow and change, from Cicero to Gordianus's teen-aged son. Saylor also manages to convey Catilina's homoerotic attraction to any reader with economy and talent (if you read well, it seems obvious from the clues that he seduces Gordianus - as a straight reader I was impressed with the elegance and efficacy of the writing of what could have been a very dicey passage.) We have come to expect, in more ways than one, that a Steven Saylor book will transport us into a different universe, and "Catilina's Riddle" doesn't disappoint. I am eagerly waiting for the next volumes and a larger part given to Caesar.
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best in a Stellar Series
Review: O.k., I admit it. Ever since I read ROMAN BLOOD, I've been a confirmed Gordianus-aholic. But I gotta tell you, this is one of the best yet. Saylor takes a notorious character from history, and not only brings him vividly to life, but makes you like the guy, and feel sorry that he's gotten such bad press for the last two thousand years. While less strictly a "mystery" than some of the other Roma Sub Rosa series with the ever fascinating Gordianus the Finder, CATILINA'S RIDDLE is no less compelling for its lucid tale of Roman politics gone horribly awry, and one of the most moving battle scenes ever written (or filmed). READ THIS!
Rating:
Summary: Politics in Ancient Rome
Review: This new novel by Steven Saylor should really not be fitted under the umbrella of "mystery". It is, specifically, an extensively rich treatise about the politics of the late Roman Republic. There is no real mystery per se within the story, and the discourses of the diverse characters in it, though long, reel us into the vivid truth of roman politics. There's a lot of rhetoric, that science that roman politicians were so famous for, and lots of family life. Gordianus is getting on in years and, with the natural worries and sluggishness that come with being the head of a household, he takes a new dimension in the eyes of the reader. He is, after all, human and vulnerable. Throughout the novel there is a lot of traveling - it bears mentioning that Gordianus is now a farmer and has retired, as such, to the Etruscan countryside. But just as he starts to settle in, quite a few headless bodies keep turning up in all sorts of places. Gordianus is also challenged when asked a favor from his old employer Cicero, now the Roman Consul. He has to play host to Lucius Sergius Catilina, a patrician of dubious reputation accused of conspiring against the Republic in order to establish himself as dictator absolute. But Gordianus cannot really quite convince himself that Catilina is such an impious character, being so charming, so full of life and, in some cases, of truth. But Catilina is also full of riddles. If only Gordianus could find out the truth... Once again, the charming character of this ancient detective brings us into a world long gone but at the same time so full of the ideas that shaped our future as mankind. Delight yourself, once more, with a true, colorful story about Ancient Rome.
Rating:
Summary: Mystery disappointing, the mystery was the excuse...
Review: The mystery of Mr. Saylor's book was so disappointing. The solution came at the end out of nowhere in the plot... it seemed just gratuitous to be written as a mystery at all. And it had such potential! The relationship between the protagonist and his sons Eco and Meto was fabulous and engaging. The existence of a mysterious mine and thousands of bones and skulls could have really gone somewhere.... but in the end the last 8th of the book just bored me to tears and I found myself skipping speech after speech about the politics of the time rather than the plot just to find out how the book ends.
Rating:
Summary: Superb in every way
Review: Saylor's third mystery set in ancient Rome is more about Gordianus the Father than Gordianus the finder. Yes, there are some headless bodies that show up on Gordianus' property, and a significant portion of the story centers around this mystery, but this novel is more about the intrigues of ancient Roman politics and family life. The novel is superb in every way: there are memorable characters, especially Catalina; the plot is suspenseful; it is well written; and you get an entertaining and informative look at ancient Rome at a crucial time in its history. I highly recommend this for fans of mystery and/or historical fiction.
Rating:
Summary: History- Not Mystery!
Review: I read Catalina's Riddle because I enjoy historical fiction and historical mysteries in particular. It is the first book of Steven Saylor's that I read and I must say I am not really interested in reading any others. While I enjoyed the depth of character of Gordianus the Finder, I found that Gordianus mostly fretted over the mystery for the entire book, instead of working to find clues, etc. The mystery is revealed at the end with information we would not have gleaned from the story, so this is not for readers who like to figure out the clues for themselves as they go along. And while the history of early Rome is interesting, the book was overly concerned with detailed political information best suited for textbooks rather than a novel. I ususally like to read all of a series once I get started, but this time I am not going to.
Rating: 
Summary: historically accurate and a wonderful read
Review: My Latin class is currently reading this book. It coincides well with what we are studying and the historical detail is wonderful. It is still historical fiction, however. Our teacher gave us a choice of this or one of the others in the series, and we choose this one. She hadn't finished reading it yet, which explains why we were allowed to read it in school. I don't recommend it for anyone who can not handle sexual content and the topic of homosexuality(which the Romans didn't really think twice about). Even if you are not a Latin scholar, or any other type of scholar for that matter, you can still enjoy this book. It's a true murder mystery, with the death(s) and intrigue and multiple suspects that has my entire class guessing who is the one responsible. We aren't even done yet, but I have enjoyed it enough to be placing the other books of the series, Roman Blood for example, in my shopping cart. Oh, and be prepared to root for someone you wouldn't think you would root for: Catiline(or Catilina, whichever you prefer).
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