AUDIO

Semper Fidelis: A Novel of the Roman Empire

by Ruth Downie
(Gaius Petreius Ruso, Bk. 5). 8 CDs. library ed. unabridged. 9½ hrs. Tantor Audio. 2013. ISBN 9781452611808. $39.99; 1 MP3-CD. library ed.; Playaway digital; digital download. F
COPY ISBN
Gaius Petreius Ruso, physician to the Twentieth Legion, and his British wife, Tilla, travel north to Eboracum in advance of Hadrian's first visit to Britain in Downie's (Caveat Emptor) latest. As usual, Ruso's honesty and sense of honor have him up to his neck in trouble as he uncovers crimes and shenanigans and the subsequent official cover-ups. Simon Vance's performance improves an already terrific work, his Latin and Celtic pronunciations adding to the rich historical detail of a book that features the lives of ordinary soldiers and culture conflict with the tribes of occupied Britain.
VERDICT This gripping story will delight fans of Rosemary Sutcliff, Lindsay Davis, Stephen Saylor, and John Maddox Roberts—and anyone else who enjoys historical mysteries. The title stands well alone, but first-time listeners will want the earlier books. ["In Ruso, an ancient character modern readers will easily relate to, Downie creates a likable protagonist who navigates the terrain and politics of Roman Britannia with humor and good intentions," read the review of the Bloomsbury hc, LJ Xpress Reviews, 12/21/12.—Ed.]
Reviewed by Janet Martin, Southern Pines P.L., NC , Jun 15, 2013
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