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dashausfrau's review against another edition
4.0
I am unashamedly fond of Medicus Ruso. Loved the history, loved the humor, loved the characters.
rlt12's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
assaphmehr's review against another edition
5.0
I'm a bit of a Roman detective nut (shocking, I know), and have read several such series. I usually jump from one series to the next, interspersing with Urban Fantasy or non-fiction reading. I read this whole series front-to-back without pause, which should give you an indication of how much I loved it.
My reviews tend to focus on setting readers' expectations rather than rehashing blurbs or plot summaries. I hope this is useful to you.
You can see my review for the whole series here.
What to Expect
Ruso is a physician, serving as a medic in Rome's Legio XX stationed in Britannia at the start of Hadrian's reign. Ruso is reluctantly (he's a doctor, dammit, not an investigator!) dragged to solve a murder no one else wants to take a close look at. Things naturally become much more complicated than anyone expects, and Ruso is both aided and frustrated by his native housekeeper Tilla.
What I liked
The absolute charm of the writing. All characters are fully fleshed, believable, with their own motivations. The writing is witty, the setting is rich, the plot thought-out, and the mysteries engaging.
These are the kind of books where you care for the characters. Downie has a knack to depict the world-views of the characters realistically, switching viewpoints from a Roman medical officer to a British peasant woman. It is clear that each character - from main to support cast - is a fully realised person, with their own agendas and biases.
The plot of the stories grips you till can't put the book down. Downie is masterfully weaving the investigations through sub-plots, distractions, daily lives, grand events - till you just have to know what happens next. Ruso may be a reluctant investigator, but he has that nagging voice in his head when things don't quite fit well, and it keeps him following and digging for the truth. Tilla has her own sense of fairness, and views on what makes the world tick.
Downie locates each book in a different town, mostly around Roman Britain - this one set in Deva (Chester), and future volumes in other places. Downie has clearly done her research, and each location comes alive with the latest modern archaeological understanding of life there seeping through her writing.
What to be aware of
These aren't the noir mysteries I normally read and recommend. While there are certainly some gruesome bits (did I mention combat medic?), these aren't your typical first-person hard-boiled detective. Rather, the stories are told in a lighter vein, in third person perspective from either Ruso or Tilla's POV (only a few scenes in the early novels, with more Tilla-time as the series progresses)
Ms Downie has experience with archaeology and Latin history, and it shows in her writing. She has elected to translate most Latin terms into modern English (e.g. calling a master 'my lord' rather then 'domine', or using 'doctor' for physician), which may sound a tad weird to those used to Latin terms from similar series.
Be aware that while it's not strictly necessary to read the books in order, it certainly helps. This is the perfect place to start reading.
Summary
I absolutely love this series. I have no idea why it took me so long to get back to it, but I am glad I did. I devoured most of the books over my holidays. which made for a very enjoyable immersive 'trip' to ancient Roman Britain.
The only 'problem' I have with giving this book its much-deserved five-stars, is that the series gets even better!
--
[a:Assaph Mehr|14422472|Assaph Mehr|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445823325p2/14422472.jpg], author of [b:Murder In Absentia|29500700|Murder In Absentia (Felix the Fox, #1)|Assaph Mehr|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457914061s/29500700.jpg|46845657]: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
My reviews tend to focus on setting readers' expectations rather than rehashing blurbs or plot summaries. I hope this is useful to you.
You can see my review for the whole series here.
What to Expect
Ruso is a physician, serving as a medic in Rome's Legio XX stationed in Britannia at the start of Hadrian's reign. Ruso is reluctantly (he's a doctor, dammit, not an investigator!) dragged to solve a murder no one else wants to take a close look at. Things naturally become much more complicated than anyone expects, and Ruso is both aided and frustrated by his native housekeeper Tilla.
What I liked
The absolute charm of the writing. All characters are fully fleshed, believable, with their own motivations. The writing is witty, the setting is rich, the plot thought-out, and the mysteries engaging.
These are the kind of books where you care for the characters. Downie has a knack to depict the world-views of the characters realistically, switching viewpoints from a Roman medical officer to a British peasant woman. It is clear that each character - from main to support cast - is a fully realised person, with their own agendas and biases.
The plot of the stories grips you till can't put the book down. Downie is masterfully weaving the investigations through sub-plots, distractions, daily lives, grand events - till you just have to know what happens next. Ruso may be a reluctant investigator, but he has that nagging voice in his head when things don't quite fit well, and it keeps him following and digging for the truth. Tilla has her own sense of fairness, and views on what makes the world tick.
Downie locates each book in a different town, mostly around Roman Britain - this one set in Deva (Chester), and future volumes in other places. Downie has clearly done her research, and each location comes alive with the latest modern archaeological understanding of life there seeping through her writing.
What to be aware of
These aren't the noir mysteries I normally read and recommend. While there are certainly some gruesome bits (did I mention combat medic?), these aren't your typical first-person hard-boiled detective. Rather, the stories are told in a lighter vein, in third person perspective from either Ruso or Tilla's POV (only a few scenes in the early novels, with more Tilla-time as the series progresses)
Ms Downie has experience with archaeology and Latin history, and it shows in her writing. She has elected to translate most Latin terms into modern English (e.g. calling a master 'my lord' rather then 'domine', or using 'doctor' for physician), which may sound a tad weird to those used to Latin terms from similar series.
Be aware that while it's not strictly necessary to read the books in order, it certainly helps. This is the perfect place to start reading.
Summary
I absolutely love this series. I have no idea why it took me so long to get back to it, but I am glad I did. I devoured most of the books over my holidays. which made for a very enjoyable immersive 'trip' to ancient Roman Britain.
The only 'problem' I have with giving this book its much-deserved five-stars, is that the series gets even better!
--
[a:Assaph Mehr|14422472|Assaph Mehr|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1445823325p2/14422472.jpg], author of [b:Murder In Absentia|29500700|Murder In Absentia (Felix the Fox, #1)|Assaph Mehr|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1457914061s/29500700.jpg|46845657]: A story of Togas, Daggers, and Magic - for lovers of Ancient Rome, Murder Mysteries, and Urban Fantasy.
julieputty's review against another edition
3.0
Entertaining book, set in a cross between the ancient world and M*A*S*H.
tawallah's review against another edition
3.0
This first installment of a historical mystery series is touted as one of the best books on Ancient Rome. It is set in Deva(Chester), Britannia we follow a medicus, doctor who on his recent arrival to this city is confronted with numerous dead females.
This should tick all my boxes, debut novel, way to learn about Ancient Rome in an entertaining way and mystery guaranteed to be light enough reading. Well, it is light reading, but the tone and content is best described as a modern sensibility squeezed onto well-researched history on Roman occupation. And the modern colloquiums kept pulling me out of the narrative. I will be a bit more forgiving about the mystery development because it is a debut. But it was frustrating to have clues continuously mentioned and dropped by events that didn’t advance the plot.
Despite these glaring faults, the author did set up characters that I could revisit from time to time.
So overall, a potential gem of a series which could be great once author improves her craft.
A generous 3 star rating, it’s more 2.5. And I suggest getting from the library or used book before committing to buying the entire series.
This should tick all my boxes, debut novel, way to learn about Ancient Rome in an entertaining way and mystery guaranteed to be light enough reading. Well, it is light reading, but the tone and content is best described as a modern sensibility squeezed onto well-researched history on Roman occupation. And the modern colloquiums kept pulling me out of the narrative. I will be a bit more forgiving about the mystery development because it is a debut. But it was frustrating to have clues continuously mentioned and dropped by events that didn’t advance the plot.
Despite these glaring faults, the author did set up characters that I could revisit from time to time.
So overall, a potential gem of a series which could be great once author improves her craft.
A generous 3 star rating, it’s more 2.5. And I suggest getting from the library or used book before committing to buying the entire series.
greymalkin's review against another edition
4.0
A male version of the [b:Mistress of the Art of Death|86643|Mistress of the Art of Death (Mistress of the Art of Death, #1)|Ariana Franklin|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171074785s/86643.jpg|2443651] books, it was entertaining. It felt a bit more full of anachronisms and inaccuracies than the Franklin books, but that may just be my unfamiliarity with Roman technology and culture.
thefictionaddictionblog's review against another edition
4.0
In Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire Ruth Downie uses the tensions between Roman army and British locals to create a believable historical setting and a page-turning mystery
Roman army medic Gaius Petrius Ruso is just trying to keep up appearances for his impoverished family without letting anyone know just how deeply in debt his father was. When an old army buddy, Valens, suggests that Ruso join him in a forsaken outpost of the Roman empire, Ruso jumps at the chance to make some money and maybe also to get away from his ex-wife. Of course, Valens hadn’t quite mentioned all the miserable weather, surly natives and hospital bureaucracy that Ruso would encounter in Britannia.
It’s hard not to like Ruso, whether he’s having it out with an officious and penny-pinching hospital administrator or trying to work on his Concise Guide To Field Medicine. The poor guy just wants to be left alone to get on with his work and pay off his debts, and he keeps getting dragged into unpleasant situations with unpleasant natives.
Read my full review here
Roman army medic Gaius Petrius Ruso is just trying to keep up appearances for his impoverished family without letting anyone know just how deeply in debt his father was. When an old army buddy, Valens, suggests that Ruso join him in a forsaken outpost of the Roman empire, Ruso jumps at the chance to make some money and maybe also to get away from his ex-wife. Of course, Valens hadn’t quite mentioned all the miserable weather, surly natives and hospital bureaucracy that Ruso would encounter in Britannia.
It’s hard not to like Ruso, whether he’s having it out with an officious and penny-pinching hospital administrator or trying to work on his Concise Guide To Field Medicine. The poor guy just wants to be left alone to get on with his work and pay off his debts, and he keeps getting dragged into unpleasant situations with unpleasant natives.
Read my full review here
bookishuniverse's review against another edition
3.0
Easy reading, kept picturing Ray Winstone as the medicus which worked out just fine. The conceit of the "murder mystery" that ran through the characters' lives was kind of lame, but useful for finally ending the novel I guess. A good beach read for historical fiction fans.
singinglight's review against another edition
3.0
Enjoyable, but I don’t feel any huge need to search out the rest of the books at the moment. [Oct. 2010]