SPQR (1) - The King's Gambit by John Maddox Roberts
The first book of the SPQR series (13 in total): The King's Gambit by John Maddox Roberts (in German SPQR Ein Krimi aus dem alten Rom, in French La République en péril), originally published 1990. I read it in German where it contained 265 pages. Girls and boys, 12-death.
Murder isn't unusual in the district of Decius Caecilius Metellus the younger. As the equivalent of a policeman in the ancient Rome, he's used to many deaths and violence. But no one knows what happened. Not even the people who own most of the criminals. When more powerful and rich people die before their time, Decius gets suspicious: Everything leads to the two consuls and the guest in Rome, the Persian Prince... But a conspiracy is as unhealthy for the victim as for the one who tries to reveal it.
What I really liked about this book were all the tiny every-day details. How the calenders were used, how each day begins and ends, the lectors, the tiny gestures between friends – everything, basically. The every day life of the ancient Romans is incomprehensible to us, but the way it's explained in here you feel like you're there. You feel the heat of the sun reflected by the buildings and the street. You basically see all the characters that are described.
By the way, I love the way the characters are drawn in here! Especially because they actually existed!
The tone of this book is very léger, very easy and funny. Especially the description of Cesar. The main character is also the narrator – just in a few year's time – so he comments a lot, especially about the real existing persons. I do not know much about ancient Rome, but even I heard lots of the names in this book – and I can relate stories to that, but even if I didn't, the way the history of the characters is briefed makes it easy to follow.
The crime itself is very tense – and I didn't guess who it was until the end. Just one or two pages before the solution. This is definitely a sign that this is a good book.
Okay, now to the main character. This is actually the only person who didn't exist in real life. This is why he is calles “Decius” and not Quintus, but the family really existed. So, Decius Caecilius the younger is a very bright person who questions everything – himself included. Additionally, he's brave enough to go on and do his job even when it will cost him his life (The conspiracy was really well done, by the way. And it actually happened!). He is ironical and doesn't take himself too seriously – but he tries very hard to do a good job. I rather like him.
The other characters are fascinating as well. Okay, I don't like Claudia, I really don't, but I think that the author intends this. She's slimy, fixed on her social career and doesn't do scruples. I don't even think she knows how to spell the word.
The other characters are, as I said, actual historical persons. I like Cesar, how his charisma is described – and various other parts of his personality. He's fascinating – I can imagine him as an enigmatic and adored leader (which he will become!).
But the other historical figures are well done, too. Unfortunately I don't know enough about Roman history to really say whether they are “correct” but I can say this: They definitely build an emotional relationship with the reader. Usually the emotion is antipathy or all-out hate. But they are colourful enough to have that effect on you.
In brief:
Okay, so far, so good. I give stars for the style (since it was written well), the ideas (the crime and the every-day life are so fascinating!), the content (it was tense, without any mistakes I could find) and the characters (they did exist, but they don't seem like figures in a history book for the 6th grade – and here we see the mighty Cesar – but like real humans with many sides, positive and negative, people whom you can love and hate). So, four stars it is!