Two for the Lions (Marcus Didius Falco Mysteries (Paperback))

Rating:
Summary: Another good one
Review: Davis has found more fascinating facets of ancient Rome for the informer Falco to explore: the emperor Vespasian's tax census, gladiatorial games, and a family adventure to the wild North African provinces. Her very well written stories feature character as much as mystery (see especially her exceptional The Course of Honour, a Roman love story). An odd twist is that for a long time here the only murder victim is a lion--quite beneath a Roman's notice--as Falco takes the thankless, and dangerous, job of screwing money out of rich animal suppliers. (See Editorial Reviews, above, for the plot.)

Davis' deep knowledge of ancient Rome in the first century of the Empire is expressed off-handedly; the Roman customs are so well painted, pertinent, and integrated to the plot they are almost throw aways. This quality of immersion may account for readers having difficulty on first acquaintance if they know nothing of Roman mores (Davis supplies no historical notes a la Steven Saylor). For example, types of gladiators are mentioned early, but the critical differences only become clear (or important) when you see them in the arena later. Some of the confusion, suspense, and mysterious clues in fact depend on the reader's ignorance, but the depth of the characters is greatly enhanced if you already know their backgrounds from previous books. I strongly recommend starting from the first volume, Silver Pigs, also because there is a strong biographical (and cross-referential) element to the ever-changing relationship of plebian Falco and his spirited patrician love Helena, their family members, and continuing minor characters, each book spanning about a half a year in their collective lives. Readers new to Davis may gain from reading the amazing new novel, Household Gods, by Tarr and Turtledove, because it makes gut-wrenchingly understandable (right down to the absence of toilet paper) the life of ordinary Romans through the eyes of a 20th century woman (although it is not a mystery).

Few of the incidents in Davis' story are extraneous, all digressions ingeniously contributing to the plot and eventually resolving through action. Davis' ability to explain plot elements through actions rather than prattle is one of her outstanding accomplishments and keeps an intricate book moving along. Her language is more ribald than usual and the climax is quite bloody. I find her stories are best when tightly focused in the city of Rome, becoming diffuse whenever Falco goes overseas as here to North Africa (or Last Act in Palmyra), due perhaps to limited development of wide-open foreign atmospheres. Her jocular tone and cynicism about bureaucracy (herself a former British government servant) may diminish the sense of environment, but impart wry elements of lightness to the stories that are missing from serious Saylor's equally superb Roma Sub Rosa series. Surely it is curious that all the most popular Roman historical mystery novels feature private spys (rather than lawyers, police, or Imperial spys).

Rating:
Summary: The Real Story of Roman Gladiators
Review: I am sure that I have never read a book that so accurately describes the life of the Roman Gladiators, and the bloodiness of the ring. This book is certainly the most graphic of all the books I've read in this series. We see the life of the gladiators and the sport in the ring right from the "front row seats". This story tells about Falco's work for the emporer in the census. He has partnered up with an old enemy of his -Anacrites. We get to know Anacrites quite well, and he is an appealing character. While Falco and his partner are doing the census work a lion of one of the men that they are auditing gets killed. This sets Falco out to disover the netherworld of the animal owners, and he and Helena end up making a trip to Africa while pursuing the mystery. The final pages in the book are "edge of your seat" type pages, and this is where things get really bloody. (Two people close to Falco end up in the ring in two different parts of the program). You will have to read to find out what happnes. Good Stuff!

Rating:
Summary: The Real Story of Roman Gladiators
Review: I am sure that I have never read a book that so accurately describes the life of the Roman Gladiators, and the bloodiness of the ring. This book is certainly the most graphic of all the books I've read in this series. We see the life of the gladiators and the sport in the ring right from the "front row seats". This story tells about Falco's work for the emporer in the census. He has partnered up with an old enemy of his -Anacrites. We get to know Anacrites quite well, and he is an appealing character. While Falco and his partner are doing the census work a lion of one of the men that they are auditing gets killed. This sets Falco out to disover the netherworld of the animal owners, and he and Helena end up making a trip to Africa while pursuing the mystery. The final pages in the book are "edge of your seat" type pages, and this is where things get really bloody. (Two people close to Falco end up in the ring in two different parts of the program). You will have to read to find out what happnes. Good Stuff!

Rating:
Summary: Another fabulous Falco
Review: I gobble up each Falco book when it comes out. Not only is he a clever Roman sleuth; but I like to read each installment of his domestic life. How your average every-day private Roman eye has to cope with death, taxes, thugs, murderers, bureaucracy, a conniving rival, a cheat of a father, a domineering mother, a high-born love and a baby daughter and still earn the daily sesterces make interesting reading. I wish however that Falco and his friend Petro can be friends again; because they are such a team.

Rating:
Summary: A good read
Review: In 73 AD Rome, though he prefers otherwise, private investigator Marcus Didius Falco accepts a government job with the census crowd. Marcus and his assigned partner, archenemy Anacrites, Rome's chief spy, collect tax revenue.

As Marcus vows he never again will join the inane bureaucracy, someone murders Rome's chief executioner, Leonidas the Lion. He had lunched on all those convicted of a capital punishment offense. Unable to resist a juicy murder investigation, Falco begins to make inquiries. As he digs deeper, Falco finds no one seems to have a motive to stab the lion to death. As Falco follows leads across the Mediterranean, an unknown assailant watches his every move in case he gets close to uncovering the truth.

TWO FOR THE LIONS is the latest historical mystery starring the Don Rickles of Ancient Rome, Falco. As in the previous novels in this award winning series, the historical details make the city-state seem vividly alive. The characters feel genuine and add to the feeling that the reader has traveled back in time. Though Falco's humorous but ugly soliloquies on just about everyone occasionally slows down the intriguing story line, sub-genre fans will fully relish this winning tale.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: always a "buy and read immediately!"
Review: Lindsey Davis' Marcus Didius Falco mysteries offer so many things I enjoy: a convincing street-level view of history, charming characters (and a few who aren't at all charming, but are always fascinating), intriguing mysteries mixed with a tempting ongoing story, and a style that's breezy and irreverent but not at all cynical (rather like M. Didius himself). And underneath it all, a respect for the homely virtues that make it all worth doing, for the writer and her hero. I've been gobbling up the books since discovering the first one.

Rating:
Summary: Witty, interesting series
Review: Marcus Didius Falco's mystery series takes place in Ancient Rome. Lindsey Davis is a highly intelligent writer, so when you pick up TWO FOR THE LIONS expect to be entertained to the fullest. I found the mystery remarkable and matchless. The characters are distinctive, their personalities are well formed, and their appearances are successfully painted by the author's pen. I found the written atmosphere of Rome dramatic and complete. As usual, I found Falco's good nature and wit amusing, and Helena to be an impressive mate and saint. Falco is assigned to investigate tax fraud (hmmm, the world's first IRS man?). This leads him to a man who provides lions for executions and entertainment. When an unusual death occurs, Falco becomes sidetracked and finds assistance in his dearest, Helena, who helps him resolve the mystery. Helena finds her brother in trouble and takes care of Falco when he comes down sick (Does he take it like a man?). As usual, people, situations, and the political subterfuge of Rome will be Falco's obstacles in solving this one.

I found it to be a substantial read that took a lot of concentration. Ms. Lindsey's knowledge of Rome and its citizens is so comprehensive that at points I felt overwhelmed and needed a break. To her fans, I'm sure, the greater size and more detailed the book, the better. They soak up the atmosphere and dialect with no complaints, and I have none either, but it may be a while before I'm ready to pick up another. It's series I recommend for historical mystery lovers.

Rating:
Summary: Falco in the lions' den!
Review: There's no place like Rome, where all roads lead to, and Marcus Didius Falco, ace Roman Sleuth, finds himself in another dilemma in author Lindsey Davis' "Two for the Lions." And Davis has no trouble maintaining her momentum in this latest of the Falco series. This time Falco is working as a tax investigator, appointed by the Emperor Vaspacian himself--but it's no ordinary tax investigation! He's on the trail of fraud committed by the "bestiarii" (the slaugherers) and the "lanistae" (the suppliers for the gladiator games). This "game" is deadly and the affable (but quite competent) Falco finds that dinner for the lions may include himself!

His pursuits lead him and his friend Helena to Tripoli--seems simple enough but first Falco has to render aid to Helena's youngers brother, who seems caught in the middle! Riddled with bits of humor as well as first-form suspense, "Two for the Lions" also offers history-with-an-exciting-twist. In addition, Davis doesn't hesitate to take pot shots at the local bureaucracy, and politics, society (a real "Roman a clef"!). And she is sure not to disappoint her "legions" of fans!([e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: Falco in the lions' den!
Review: There's no place like Rome, where all roads lead to, and Marcus Didius Falco, ace Roman Sleuth, finds himself in another dilemma in author Lindsey Davis' "Two for the Lions." And Davis has no trouble maintaining her momentum in this latest of the Falco series. This time Falco is working as a tax investigator, appointed by the Emperor Vaspacian himself--but it's no ordinary tax investigation! He's on the trail of fraud committed by the "bestiarii" (the slaugherers) and the "lanistae" (the suppliers for the gladiator games). This "game" is deadly and the affable (but quite competent) Falco finds that dinner for the lions may include himself!

His pursuits lead him and his friend Helena to Tripoli--seems simple enough but first Falco has to render aid to Helena's youngers brother, who seems caught in the middle! Riddled with bits of humor as well as first-form suspense, "Two for the Lions" also offers history-with-an-exciting-twist. In addition, Davis doesn't hesitate to take pot shots at the local bureaucracy, and politics, society (a real "Roman a clef"!). And she is sure not to disappoint her "legions" of fans!([e-mail])

Rating:
Summary: Falco in Africa
Review: This series, about the Roman investigator Marcus Didius Falco, gets better with every book! The author wears her research very lightly, and you learn a tremendous amount about life in the first century A.D. without even realizing it. Falco's adventures have taken him to various parts of Vespasian's empire, and everywhere he goes the scenes are written so realistically that it's hard to believe these places no longer exist. You consistently wonder how the author can make these long vanished cities and sites appear so realistic and, almost, contemporary. This is a great book to read on the beach, or any other place, for that matter.