Rating: 
Summary: Roman history made easy by Saylor..
Review: Perhaps more so than in his previous novels, A Murder on the Appian Way by Steven Saylor is really the telling of an historical (and epoch-making) event in ancient Rome with just a bit of fiction to sew it all together. Our fictional sleuth Gordianus does very little here, which is sort of a shame (..in previous Saylor novels we've grown to love him and his family). But the reader does gain a lot of insight to what made ancient Rome the way it was, for better or worse.The actual murder (of Clodius) on Applian way is not terribly interesting ... it's more of a reckless accident. But the political turmoil it creates is most interesting, and ultimately very upsetting to the Roman citizenry. Many readers might find all this political in-fighting to rather dull, which is understandable. However Saylor fans who have already read through his previous works should find it to be interesting enough. Bottom line: historical fiction that is heavy on history, light on fiction. Not Saylor's best, but the events told were truly historical. Recommended.
Rating: 
Summary: Murder is the Roman way.
Review: So one would be led to believe after reading this book. Though the "mystery" in this mystery novel isn't quite as strong as I would have hoped, A Murder on the Appian Way" still counts in my eyes as one of Steven Saylor's better works. The story takes place in the year 52 BC, at a time when Rome was just beginning its slide into civil war and was inching towards the eventual fall of the Republic. Publius Clodius, a patrician turned plebeian demagogue, was brutally murdered on the road linking the capital to southern Italia: the great Via Appia (which, curiously enough, was built by one of his own ancestors, Appius Claudius Caecus). Called upon to look into the matter by Clodius' wife Fulvia and by no less a personage than Pompey the Great, an ageing Gordianus the Finder and his son Eco ride into the shadows beneath Mount Alba to discover the truth about the death of Rome's most controversial political luminary in years. The problem with using historical events as themes for mystery novels is that one looks at things with the benefit of hindsight. (A little research of your own will tell you just about everything that happens in the book.) Saylor's skill lies in his ability to make even foregone conclusions seem uncertain, especially with the introduction of possible alternatives and suspects one would not have even considered after reading the ancient sources. Hence, even though the mystery element tends to get swallowed up by the vastnesss of the novel's rich historical backdrop, one could always expect something interesting to happen towards the end. Although Saylor explains characters and concepts fairly well, knowing a tidy bit about such things as daily life, architecture and the politics of late Republican Rome will help a lot (when, for example, one tries to visualise such places as the Clodius house on the Palatine and the grand, rather cramped space that is the Forum Romanum). Having some prior knowledge about the political factions that existed at the time should also assist the serious reader when it comes to understanding the circumstances surrounding Clodius' death . . . but in the end, don't let the nitty-gritty details spoil your reading experience. Historical the basis may be, but the novel is a work of fiction nonetheless and is meant for entertainment above all else. And of course, you'd pick up a lot of things about Roman history at the same time. All told, "A Murder on the Appian Way" may seem more like a Colleen McCullough than an Agatha Christie: more history, less mystery. But that does little to dent the excitement and anticipation that builds up as one courses through this book, for one would feel as though he were right there on the Appian Way with Gordianus himself, riding into the face of danger and bearing witness to a murder that is not quite what it seems to be.
Rating:
Summary: Almost Seamless
Review: As always in the Roma Subrosa series, the difficult for the author was to handle the historical material - avaliable mainly in Cicero's speeches - in order to create a "mystery" where historically there was none, the thug-warfare of Late Republican Rome being carried enoughly in the open to preclude the necessity of anyone hiring a sleuth to find out what really had happened. That said, Saylor has made the conversion of History into entretainmant in an almost seamless - and always pleasurable - way.
Rating: 
Summary: The book reminded me of an epic historical fiction.
Review: A Murder on the Appian Way reminded me of an epic historical fiction novel. Gordianus takes on a role such as Pug in War and Remembrance. He is able to meet almost all of the famous figures in Ancient Rome while still remaining a commoner. Steven Saylor is able to add personalities to the people usually only read about in history texts. The book presents a good mystery which posts many questions for the reader. The plot is believable and in the end all the confusing parts are resolved. Deeper themes are also touched upon. The beginning of the book addresses the power of a mob. The distress of a rioting Rome is portrayed, and destruction, anarchy, and rhetoric reign. Towards the middle, the book brings truth into view. Who knows the truth, who wants to know the truth, who has to benefit from the truth, and why? By the end, Gordianus is met with a difficult decision regarding his personal and family life. He has to weigh compassion with discipline and make one of the hardest choices of his life. The book was captivating and intriguing. I would definitely recommend it to anyone, and especially those interested in Ancient Rome.
Rating: 
Summary: Disappointing
Review: This could have been a blockbuster novel. The characters are far more lively than the cardboard cutouts found in most works. Yet something is missing. That something is plausibility. Problem is that the detective, Gordianus the Finder, is able to get folks to more than fully answer just about every question put to them. This is not realistic and so a most promising novel falls short of making the grade.
Rating:
Summary: Almost Seamless
Review: As always in the Roma Subrosa series, the difficult for the author was to handle the historical material - avaliable mainly in Cicero's speeches - in order to create a "mystery" where historically there was none, the thug-warfare of Late Republican Rome being carried enoughly in the open to preclude the necessity of anyone hiring a sleuth to find out what really had happened. That said, Saylor has made the conversion of History into entretainmant in an almost seamless - and always pleasurable - way.
Rating:
Summary: Mysteries aside for a moment
Review: "A Murder on the Appian Way" is less of a mystery novel than Saylor's previous books in this series. There is still a mystery but the resolution is based on accidental encounters more than investigation. However, we get to see Rome as a confused, dangerous, and determined to remain civilized city as the clock counts down on the Republic. We briefly meet some of the big names you've heard of in Roman history courses but only briefly as would make sense for a mere "finder". No, this book is best read as an exploration of Roman society and of Gordianus' family as it grows up and increases in number, complications, and love. Gordianus would be considered a poor Roman father and husband in his day but for us, he is understandable and expressive. This novel made me more interested in him than any of the previous novels.
Rating:
Summary: Another Triumph
Review: This series gets better with each novel. Unfortunately, I only have three more to go. What will I do then? Gordianus is also getting a bit old at this point, so I hope that, when the time comes, Mr. Saylor will continue his Roman Sub Rosa series with Gordianus' son Eco taking his place as the Finder. My only question is as to why the author seems to ignore the development of Eco's wife as a character - she is never given much attention. These stories are totally involving and a great pleasure to read. Start with the first one (Roman Blood) and keep going!
Rating:
Summary: Roman Murder Mystery
Review: Fans of historical fiction, who enjoy those set in Greece and Egypt put typically bypass Rome should try this.
Rating:
Summary: A good historical fiction
Review: As a student of Roman history, I found this book to be captivating. It was hard to put it down also. I look forward to reading more of the author's books on ancient rome.
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