The Judgment of Caesar, Steven Saylor
The Judgment of Caesar, Steven Saylor
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The Judgment of Caesar
A Novel of Ancient Rome

Author: Steven Saylor

Narrator: Geoffrey Howard

Unabridged: 11 hr 23 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 12/01/2013

Synopsis

In 48 BC the Roman generals Caesar and Pompey are engaged in a battle to rule the world. As Pompey plots a reckless stand on the banks of the Nile, Gordianus the Finder—who has brought his dying wife, Bethesda, to the Nile seeking a cure from its sacred waters—finds himself suddenly at the heart of a series of treacherous and history-altering events.While Caesar and Cleopatra embark on a legendary romance, Egypt remains ravaged by the brutal contest between the queen and her brother, King Ptolemy. Worst of all for Gordianus, Meto, his once-disowned son and Caesar's right-hand man, stands falsely accused of murder. Caesar's judgment will decide his son's fate, and it is up to Gordianus to somehow overcome malevolent forces to reveal the carefully obscured truth in order to save his son's life.

About Steven Saylor

Steven Saylor is a freelance writer, editor, and the author of novels set in ancient Rome. He studied history at the University of Texas at Austin. Saylor’s writing has appeared in the Threepenny Review, San Francisco Bay Guardian, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, and the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. He lives in Berkeley, California, and Austin, Texas.

About Geoffrey Howard

Geoffrey Howard (a.k.a. Ralph Cosham) (1936–2014) was a British journalist who changed careers to become a narrator and screen and stage actor. He performed in more than one hundred professional theatrical roles. His audiobook narrations were named “Audio Best of the Year” by Publishers Weekly, and he won seven AudioFile Earphones Awards, and in 2013 he won the coveted Audie Award for Best Mystery Narration for his reading of Louise Penny’s The Beautiful Mystery.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Glen on December 01, 2020

Now in late middle age, Gordianus's wife is ill, so he takes her to her native Egypt so she can bathe in the holy waters of the Nile. She disappears under the waters. Meanwhile, Gordianus is being put up in the royal palace by Ptolemy, and Julius Caesar arrives...along with Gordianus's estranged son......more

Goodreads review by Marta on February 04, 2024

Mais um excelente livrinho de Steven Saylor, o 14º da história de Gordiano, o descobridor, quando lida por ordem cronológica. Neste "A sentença de César" Gordiano viaja até Alexandria e assiste em primeira mão ao travar de conhecimento de César e Cleópatra e à sua posterior aliança. Já estou com pena......more

Goodreads review by Liviu on May 09, 2018

Reread in 2018 on the release of the long awaited Ides Gordianus book Throne of Caesar - as there is no original read review from publication date (I have read all Gordianus books pretty much on publication and even earlier when i was lucky to get an arc), I will add only a few things - I remember bei......more

Goodreads review by Timons on September 28, 2023

So, yeah, I'm running 19 years behind on reading this series; and yeah, I've got four more on my unread shelf, and two more on my list to buy... Mysteries are my pleasure-reading, and I've passed through the cozy mystery and police procedural phases of life, and now I read series that take me to a di......more

Goodreads review by Ivana on September 03, 2023

Should be 2.5, but rounded it down for a few reasons. I first started reading these because they were mysteries set in ancient Rome. This one has virtually no mystery element at all - you have to wait until well over halfway through the book for it, and then it's dealt with completely within 70 or s......more

Quotes

“[A] confident re-creation of Alexandria at this crucial moment in both Egyptian and Roman history. As always in Saylor’s historical fiction, the interaction between powerful and ordinary people is a great strength…His Caesar is completely believable, as are his circuitous dealings with the Egyptian queen. Gordianus is as fascinating as he was as a young man, and the novel provides all the customary pleasures of serial fiction. But it also stands in its own right. Saylor evokes the ancient world more convincingly than any other writer of his generation.” Sunday Times (London)

“Superb. From the exceptional attention to historical detail to the development of character and plot, which is based on real history, it’s a treat to read. All the action takes place in a time of great upheaval both in Rome and Egypt, and Saylor, an excellent scholar, makes the most of it. This is a great getaway novel.” Globe & Mail (Toronto)

“[A] superb historical novel…The reader is engaged throughout…This is a compelling testament to Saylor’s growth as a writer and to his seemingly effortless ability to imagine characters who feel real. Longtime fans will find the evolution of Gordianus’ personal relationships fascinating, but the backstory is not so complex as to bar new readers from entering Saylor’s world.” Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Saylor is certainly among the best history-mystery writers going…He not only draws the reader into the fully realized, intrigue-filled era of Caesar and Pompey, he does so with grace, wit, and full-throttle suspense…The tenth Sub Rosa is a political thriller of the first order…Wonderful reading.” Booklist (starred review)

“Expert mystery-mongering closely woven into a pageant featuring the most star-studded cast imaginable. Fans of the historical mystery couldn’t do better.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“A solid series addition.” Library Journal

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