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A review by traveller1
The Seven Wonders by Steven Saylor
4.0
If there is one thing I have learnt from reading Saylor's Gordianus adventures it is—stay away from the "Finder", because death alway finds those near him. In this novel the young Gordianus sets off from Rome with his father's blessing, in the company of the noted poet Antipater of Sidon, who is in disguise, to see the Seven Wonders of the (Ancient) World. Cool. Lucky guy.
Needless to say far more is seen that simply each Wonder. Along the way mystery, intrigue, greed, and, resultantly, death is to be found. Gordianus demonstrates that he is his father's son, solving perceptively each murder and mystery. The final puzzle is the most complex and shocking, and solved at great personal anguish. Gordianus discovers that his tutor is an agent of King Mithradates, enemy of Rome, and that he is using the travels to communicate and plan with fellow agents.
Each of the seven Wonders (which at that time included the gates of Babylon, but not the Lighthouse of Alexandria) are visited. Each visit reads as a short story, and stands near independently from its brethren. A brief account of each Wonder is given. There is not much discussion of how one travels from A to B in the ancient world. Our two travellers seem to near magically arrive in Babylon. Then again, long accounts of walking across deserts, or sitting on a ship are not that exciting.
The novel is set in the years 92-91 BCE. The background is the Italian Civil War of Rome against some of its Italian allies, the dissatisfaction of much of the east with Roman rule, and the military expansionism of Mithradates.
Needless to say far more is seen that simply each Wonder. Along the way mystery, intrigue, greed, and, resultantly, death is to be found. Gordianus demonstrates that he is his father's son, solving perceptively each murder and mystery. The final puzzle is the most complex and shocking, and solved at great personal anguish. Gordianus discovers that his tutor is an agent of King Mithradates, enemy of Rome, and that he is using the travels to communicate and plan with fellow agents.
Each of the seven Wonders (which at that time included the gates of Babylon, but not the Lighthouse of Alexandria) are visited. Each visit reads as a short story, and stands near independently from its brethren. A brief account of each Wonder is given. There is not much discussion of how one travels from A to B in the ancient world. Our two travellers seem to near magically arrive in Babylon. Then again, long accounts of walking across deserts, or sitting on a ship are not that exciting.
The novel is set in the years 92-91 BCE. The background is the Italian Civil War of Rome against some of its Italian allies, the dissatisfaction of much of the east with Roman rule, and the military expansionism of Mithradates.