Challenges While Entertaining

Last Seen in Massilia by Stephen Saylor

Steven Saylor changes his tone in Last Seen in Massilia. In the first seven books of the series, we follow Gordianus, a man who loves Rome and is committed to truth, as he solves mysteries soaked in the political intrigue of the time. He is a man committed to principle and who believes in Rome and its ideals. In this eight book, Gordianus is the same, but the novel ends on a much darker note than any of his previous ones.

Last Seen in Massilia opens with Gordianus and his son-in-law Davus heading to Massilia in search of Meto. Gordianus received news that Meto, his adopted son, is dead. However, the message was delivered under mysterious circumstances so Gordianus decides to seek out the truth for himself in the city where Meto was last seen, Massilia.

The town is under siege for refusing to open its gates to Julius Caesar, the rebel general who is currently battling with Pompey. Gordianus and Davus manage to sneak in to the fortified city in a miraculous series of events that strain credibility. They then meet the town's scapegoat, Hieronymus, who is due to throw himself off Sacrifice Rock once the town priests say the omens are right. They witness a death and Gordianus begins investigating whether it was a murder or a suicide while he searches for his son.

The Roma Sub Rosa series, of which this book is the eighth, continues to make Roman history highly accessible by introducing us to the historical characters that we merely touch upon in historical survey courses. He puts a face and voice to these famous personalities and gives us glimpses into the incredible charisma of people such as Caesar and Cicero. After reading this book, we start to understand why Rome was willing to set aside its republic for a dictator such as Caesar-even though we may walk away liking Caesar less than ever.

Davus, Gordianus' former slave and now son-in-law, is fulfilling the role that Eco played when he was a child in the earlier novels. Davus is slow of thought and Gordianus must explain everything to him, which also allows the reader to eavesdrop and learn more of this ancient culture. Yet, Davus serves more than just a narrative function. He also acts as a sharp contrast to many of the other characters in the novel. Saylor forces us to compare Davus with Meto, Gordianus' other son, and with Zeno, the son-in-law of the First Timouchoi in Massilia. Long before Gordianus notices, we begin to question which values are the most important and how much weight ought to be placed on intelligence when factors such as loyalty and honesty may be more valuable.

There are a few scenes in this book that are too predictable, but Saylor more than compensates for that by throwing several major surprises at his readers. There were several scenes that caused me to gasp aloud or giggle in delight at being hoodwinked.

Saylor entertains us with some fantastic action scenes. He describes them so well that you feel your lungs bursting along with the protagonists and the sting of dirt in your eyes. He also manages to imbue the book with a sense of foreboding. Saylor never lets you escape the awful premonitions that the individual lives are heading for the same mixed-up tragedies as the Republic of Rome itself. I found myself filled with horror at the actions of many of the individuals and was forced to question what strength I would have to respond to the situations that Gordianus finds himself in.

This novel is shorter than many of his others, but the length is just right. It tells a clever story that is complete, while furthering the biography of the fictional Gordianus' family and the politics of Rome.

Ultimately, the plot is a story of integrity, not of politics. Last Seen in Massilia explores the theme that expediency does not excuse dishonesty. The cliché tells us that we must be honest so that we can sleep with a clear conscience at night. Saylor instead shows us acting with integrity will rob our sleep with mourning over the consequences. Yet, for all the grief that Gordianus experiences over his honesty, we set the book down assured that he would choose no other path and accepts the regrets as the cost of fulfilling his duty and living up to his principles --B. Redman