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A Gladiator Dies Only Once: The Further Investigations of Gordianus the Finder (Novels of Ancient Rome) | 
 enlarge | Author: Steven Saylor
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  22 reviews
Sales Rank: 26795
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.3 x 0.8
ISBN: 0312357443
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780312357443
ASIN: 0312357443
Publication Date: May 30, 2006
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Pre-Order (0-0 Business Days)
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Product Description
Steven Saylor's Roma Sub Rosa series of novels, set in the later Roman Republic and featuring Gordianus the Finder, has garnered unusual acclaim from readers and reviewers alike, establishing him as one of the pre-eminent historical mystery writers. In A Gladiator Dies Only Once, the second collection of his award-winning stories featuring Gordianus, Saylor more than meets his own high standards. Set between the events of his novels Roman Blood and Catilina's Riddle, these previously untold adventures from the early career of Gordianus - when his adopted son, Eco, was still a mute boy and his wife, Bethesda, was but his slave - will delight Saylor's many fans while illuminating details of the ancient world like no other writer can.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 17 more reviews...
 Wonderful stories November 15, 2007
I have read every book so far on Gordianus the Finder and I love everyone. I am not usually a fan of short stories, but I had to read both short story volumes about Gordianus because I love the series so much. These stories are written from the time between when Gordianus adopted Eco until around about the time his daughter was born. They are all set around actual historical happenings, and even the fictional characters seem so real that I had to keep reminding myself that they were fictional. Gordianus is my absolutely favourite sleuth, regardless of era, and I do hope that there will be more books about him. This volume was written in 2005, so I am waiting with baited breath for more of Gordianus. I highly recommend this series, and they should be read in order. Each book is chock-full of true historical detail written into stories that will keep you turning pages.
Saylor Scores Again With These Short Tales of Gordianus November 10, 2007
Being a great fan of Saylor's Roma Sub Roma mystery series, this book is a fun and engaging collection of short stories interspersed between the novels. Saylor has time and again incorporated historically accurate settings and context in his works (as many critics have noted) to make the reader feel as if they're actually walking and breathing in the smells of ancient Rome. It's always a pleasure to embark a mystery with Gordianus the Finder.
 A light, entertaining read February 21, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
What is so refreshing about Saylor's writing is that it is so accessible. Instead of having to wade through convoluted politics and the dense historical matter of Rome, he has simply portrayed the daily life of it's citizens in a refreshing and interesting way. Reading his books is relaxing rather than challenging, and a nice way to learn more about a fascinating period of history.
Scrupulously Accurate Historical Details and Fun Stories January 8, 2007
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
In 'A Gladiator Only Dies Once', Steven Saylor collects nine Gordianus the Finder tales he has written over the years. These stories are nice straightforward detective investigations with Gordianus as the upstanding honest gumshoe (gum-sandal?). His clients tend to be drawn from the patrician class of late Republican Rome - the supposed cream of society, but some of this cream has definitely spoiled.
Saylor is scrupulously accurate with historical details as he takes the reader to Sicily where he encounters Cicero and the secret of Archimedes' Tomb or to the luxuriant gardens and cherry orchards of the epicurean Lucullus. These are just two of the many historical characters in Saylor's stories. The resolution to Saylor's puzzles often lies not so much in the 'who did it', which is sometimes fairly obvious, as in 'why did they do it', generally a more interesting inquiry.
An appendix explains the provenance of each story and its connection to Roman history. A timeline of Gordianus' life will be a handy reference for fans of the Roma Sub Rosa series.
Highly recommended.
9 Stories about the Finder October 3, 2006
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Saylor has pleased me again with a fairly good portrayal of the Roman world and the limits of investigations into mysteries and crimes. I was slightly disappointed to not see Tiro mentioned more often given the number of guest appearances Cicero made -- the letters of Cicero to his secretary slave and freedman suggest they were rarely apart save when the orator and politican was in political disfavor or danger and none of these stories take place then. But these are short stories and need to be more focused on the immediate mystery at hand unlike a novel which can dive into the personal relationships and culture in greater degree.
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