Rating: 
Summary: Not his best but still one of the best available in genre
Review: Steven Saylor's "A Mist of Prophecies" gives us a glimspe into the political and social power of Roman women as the Republic was dying. Gordianus' prefered methods of discovering the truth, conversation and observation, are tested as he talks to seven very important women who showed up at the funeral of a young woman who seems to have been gifted with prophecies. While Saylor does a good job with the conversations and giving us a view of Roman life there are multiple threads here that aren't as well interwoven as I would have liked. For example, I have nothing against jumping around in time but since there was a consistant pattern of when this was going to happen, I got a bit lost every now and then. Also there are many things going on in Gordianus' house that we see briefly or which are mentioned briefly but that do not really seem to make the Finder as concerned or as thoughtful as a father or husband as we might expect given his character in earlier books. Are we to assume that this is a comment on all men, that even the best and most observant will stray?
Rating: 
Summary: Another fine addition to a great historical mystery series
Review: Steven Saylor's "Roma Sub Rosa" stories, the adventures of Gordianus the Finder, continues to be one of the very best historical mystery series ever written. Not only is the history accurate (the First Century BCE as the Roman Republic shatters), the characters are three-dimensional and convincing, and the reader cares what happens to them. Often a mystery series will grow tired after several books, the plots becoming predictable and the relationships among the characters increasingly trivial. Not so with the "Roma Sub Rosa" tales. We continue to care about Gordianus the Finder and his family, even as new tensions tear them apart."A Mist of Prophecies" takes place against a backdrop of the war between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. Although these two rivals are off stage in this novel, their agents are active in Rome, creating a dangerous urban jungle. And perhaps even more perilous for Gordianus the Finder, the chaos unleashed by the war has prompted others to also grab for power, whatever Caesar and Pompey might do. Into this turmoil steps the beautiful, mad seer Cassandra who proves irresistable to Gordianus, beset by financial ruin, family discord, and the mysterious illness of his wife. As much as I like this novel, I must discourage readers unfamiliar with Saylor's books from beginning with "A Mist of Prophecies." This is a series where the characters grow and their relationships evolve. So, start with "Roman Blood" and go through the rest in chronological order. And when you finish "A Mist of Prophecies," then you can wait with me for the next!
Rating:
Summary: Another fine addition to a great historical mystery series
Review: Steven Saylor's "Roma Sub Rosa" stories, the adventures of Gordianus the Finder, continues to be one of the very best historical mystery series ever written. Not only is the history accurate (the First Century BCE as the Roman Republic shatters), the characters are three-dimensional and convincing, and the reader cares what happens to them. Often a mystery series will grow tired after several books, the plots becoming predictable and the relationships among the characters increasingly trivial. Not so with the "Roma Sub Rosa" tales. We continue to care about Gordianus the Finder and his family, even as new tensions tear them apart. "A Mist of Prophecies" takes place against a backdrop of the war between Julius Caesar and Pompey the Great. Although these two rivals are off stage in this novel, their agents are active in Rome, creating a dangerous urban jungle. And perhaps even more perilous for Gordianus the Finder, the chaos unleashed by the war has prompted others to also grab for power, whatever Caesar and Pompey might do. Into this turmoil steps the beautiful, mad seer Cassandra who proves irresistable to Gordianus, beset by financial ruin, family discord, and the mysterious illness of his wife. As much as I like this novel, I must discourage readers unfamiliar with Saylor's books from beginning with "A Mist of Prophecies." This is a series where the characters grow and their relationships evolve. So, start with "Roman Blood" and go through the rest in chronological order. And when you finish "A Mist of Prophecies," then you can wait with me for the next!
Rating:
Summary: Gordianus and the seeress
Review: The "Roma Sub Rosa" series, of which this book is the latest addition, just goes from strength to strength. As far as I am concerned, this is the best of the entire bunch, and I read it avidly, finishing it in record time! Gordianus may be getting older, but his wits are still sharp, and his nose for murder is as strong as ever. In this book we see our hero prone to a very human weakness, but it makes him all the more interesting for his failing. As usual, the Roman background is impeccably drawn, and the characters are excellent! We are in the midst of the war between Caesar and Pompey, and all Rome trembles with the fight. Once the mystery is solved, we see Gordianus packing for a trip to Egypt, and we just know that he's going to run into Cleopatra in the next installment. I can hardly wait!!
Rating:
Summary: Good Entry in the Series!
Review: The reader should be aware that this novel is a change of pace from Rubicon and Last Seen in Massilia: there's far less action. Gordianus investigates a young woman's murder by questioning the handful of people who attended her funeral; there is danger, but most of it is associated with rioting crowds in the Forum. The structure of the novel is inspired. Chapters recounting the investigation alternate with chapters in which Gordianus recalls successive encounters he had with the young woman--all memorable because newsworthy events were taking place at the same time. Bit by bit, we see a political crisis play out, even as we learn more about the enigmatic victim...and our old friend Gordianus. It's all tied together in a highly satisfying conclusion, with a surprise development that left this reader panting for the next book. I do have some quibbles with Saylor's portrayal of Gordianus's family. He describes their home life in some detail, yet never mentions daughter Diana's little son. Two novels ago, son-in-law Davus couldn't swim; in the last novel he had to and did--which might have been believable. But now he's an apparently strong swimmer, taking a dip in the Tiber for pleasure. Gordianus muses about his son Eco, and Eco's wife Menenia, having said things that seem out of character. That might be explainable. But he also reflects that Menenia and his own wife Bethesda have never gotten along; that's totally inconsistent with what we've read before.
Rating: 
Summary: A review of the reviewer, Uninformed and Uninspired
Review: This has to be the work of some kids trying to be funny. Citing yourself as a PhD candidate and then referring to Saylor as a "humble B.A." either marks you as a trying to fool people or being a fool. I think it may be both. As a review, you provided nothing more than I have here, that is, an attack without much in the way of specifics. Grow up.
Rating:
Summary: a fantastic read
Review: This latest Gordianus the Finder murder mystery novel is far more somber in tone, slighty slower in pace, and is a little convoluted in the telling than previous ones. So if you're looking for a Gordianus installment that is in keeping with "Roman Blood" and "Murder on the Appian Way," you might be in for a disappointment. I'm a staunch fan and am a real addict for the series, so that my lauding of this latest Gordianus novel can be seen as a personal bias. I liked this book quite a bit. The mood and the tone reflects Gordianus's state of mind completely -- his fears for what the current political upheaval could mean for Rome and her people; his anxiousness over his wife's ill health and their financial woes, and his apprehension over his estrangement with his son, Meto. Tying all these emotions together is his fascination for the mysterious young seeress, Cassandra, and his guilt over his feelings for her. The backdrop to all this emotional angst is the power struggle that is going on between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and the anxiety that everyone feel as they anxiously await the results of this conflict. "A Mist of Prophecies" opens with the funeral of the mysterious, Cassandra, a young woman who had the uncanny ability to foresee the future. But who exactly Cassandra is and where she hails from is a mystery, for Cassandra seems to have suffered from a form of amnesia. And one day, while Gordianus is shopping at the market with Bathsheba (his wife) and Diana (his daughter), Cassandra bursts upon them much agitated. She collapses in Gordianus's arms and dies after claiming that she has been poisoned by a woman. Because Cassandra has no family (and because, it is hinted here, of his relationship with her) Gordianus decides to foot the bill for her funeral. He also privately resolves to investigate her death. And at her funeral, Gordianus gets his first intimation of just how high Cassandra flew, for seven of Rome's most prominent women from rather important and powerful families attend her funeral. And they include Terentia (Cicero's wife) and her sister, Fabia (a Vestal Virgin); Antonia (Mark Anthony's wife); Fausta (the tyrant Sulla's daughter, who is also the wife of Milo, leader of the rabble); Calpurnia (Caesar's wife); and Clodia (the disgraced sister of Publius Clodius). Perhaps the mysterious 'she' that Cassandra referred to is one of these seven women? Grappling with his grief and anxiety, Gordianus begins his determined search for Cassandra's murderess, an investigation that is steeped in a danger all of its own as Gordianus begins poking and prying into the affairs of these rich and powerful women... As I noted this mystery unfolds at a more sedate pace than previous Gordianus mysteries and in a more circular manner as well, as chapters dealing with the investigation are juxtaposed with Gordianus's memories of when he first saw Cassandra and how they met. I suppose that one could describe this novel as a tender elegiac to Cassandra -- an old man's tender memories of the young woman he cared for. I liked the book for it's poignancy and it's tenderness. I also liked this novel because I thought that it belonged to the female characters of this mystery -- to Cassandra and Diana (who seems to understand what it is her father is going through even if she does not approve), and to the seven patrician women who may hold the key to the mystery of who murdered Cassandra and why. Of course we're only really treated to a thumbnail sketch of these women, but it did make for fascinating reading to read of the wives and daughters of the men who made Rome tremble and shake. I loved "A Mist of Prophecies" and fairly devoured it in one go. Steven Saylor did a fantastic job of getting the feel and mood of Rome (at that particualr time) right, as well as informing and relating to us the political realities of the period. "A Mist of Prophecies" is a wonderful read, and one that (in my opinion) should not be missed.
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but not as meaty as earlier Saylor titles
Review: This novel continues the marvelous and vivid life of Gordianus and his family. There is, of course, a murder to solve, and the characters and suspects are entertaining, particularly with the focus on women of Rome in this book. However, if you are expecting the depth or heft of "Roman Blood", "Arms of Nemesis", "Murder on the Appian Way" or "Catilina's Riddle", you will be disappointed. Like "Rubicon" and "Last Seen in Massilia", this book focuses on the Gordianus family, putting politics and intrigue on a back burner. At only 270 pages (as opposed to earlier works in the 450 page range) this is "Gordianus Lite".
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful mix of history and mystery. Don't miss it.
Review: With Caesar and Pompey facing one another in Greece, Rome itself is left to be governed by Caesar's lieutenants. Poverty, debt, decades of civil war, and decades of swiftly changing alliances have unsettled Rome, but also made it seem to be a perfect target for men unscrupulous enough to seize a time when the armies are largely away from Italy, and when the mob can become king. Gordianus, the Finder, has fallen on hard times. Like many others, he has had to borrow and now finds himself deep in debt. Yet, his new friendship and passion with the strange seeress, Cassandra, sustains him while the rest of his life, and his city, fail around him. When Cassandra is poisoned and dies in his arms, Gordianus sets out to find the killer even though he knows that the murderer is likely to be one of the seven powerful women who attend Cassandra's funeral--women far beyond his power to damage. Gordianus's investigation, interspersed with flashbacks of his growing relationship with Cassandra, takes him into the heart of conspiracy and the soul of the ancient Roman Republic which was then failing around him. His trips to the forum to meet with the 'chin-waggers,' the sight of lictors, axes bared in the City itself, and into the slave-ridden households of ambitious women, scheming while their husbands and lovers battle for control ring true. Author Steven Saylor powerfully conveys both the strange days of the Roman Republic's death, and the more humble striving of one man to seek the truth about the brutal murder of a woman who acted as a beggar, but perhaps was also a blackmailer, a spy, or a madwoman. In Saylor's work, and in the small doings of a common citizen, Rome becomes far more real than in many of the histories of battles and great men. A MIST OF PROPHECIES continues Saylor's excellent ROMA SUB ROSA series and left me looking forward to the next novel--of Cleopatra and Egypt in the last days of the Ptolemies.
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