good

Good book found it hard to follow who all the different characters were but still a good story well read

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Intriguing!

I’ve read a lot of his books and found this one confusing at times so replayed different pieces so as to enjoy it fully…which I did..eventually!
I also found the end section regarding a period of time in Italian government very interesting …thank you David Henson.

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When in Rome ...

A decent and fairly enjoyable storyline even if it stretches credulity a bit far. Good characterisation and the plot moved along well, but I found the narrator's delivery rather wooden and plodding.

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Enjoyable enough

I did enjoy this book , it does pick up a pace but I still felt it was a bit laborious at parts. I always find this a bit with David Hewson's books but I keep coming back for more so he must be doing something right!

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Remarkable

A remarkable plot from my favourite writer and a wonderful performance from Saul, truly the Master.

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Complicated story of political intrigue

I have enjoyed David Hewson's previous books in his Rome Series, of which this is the eighth. His hall-mark style is to link a modern police investigation to some historical event, old document or work of art. In this story it's a mythological being, the Blue Demon, from the time of the Etruscans. All the familiar characters are in on the investigation: Nick Costa, Peroni, Theresa Lupo, Falconi, et al. I found this a complicated tale to keep track of as it involved so many threads: political intrigue and corruption, terrorist cells, sleeper operatives from the cold war era, the various mafia-type organizations and clues from the Estruscan era and Shakespeare's Julius Caesar. There was more similarity to Frederick Forsyth's style of thriller than other books in the Rome series. By the end of the book I was beginning to think that the author had stretched credibility even further from reality than usual, however, he tacked on a short history of the shenanigans and corruption in the recent Italian political arena which reminded me that it wasn't so preposterous after all.
As usual Saul Reichlin does a magnificent job in bringing the characters to life.

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11 people found this helpful

High-level conspiracy

Less Nic Costa and more the good guys against the spooks. Not my favourite - but a good fast-paced story.

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Brilliant thriller!

The action takes place in Rome and involves an ageing president's wish to uncover the truth behind a so-called terrorist group known as the Blue Demon. The Political world is corrupt and the enemy of the State is the enemy within but not clearly identifiable as there are factions and complications. Darius is near death and no longer has much to fear so he can repair years of political compromise by engaging a police inspector in whose integrity he has complete confidence. The author draws on the ancient authors as well as Robert Graves 'I, Claudius' to show how the lessons of history are there and that if history tends to repeat itself, it is because the nature of man does not change. Despite overwhelming odds morality does win a somewhat muted victory. The author's explanatory notes of Italian politics at the end is excellent and the true story of various assassinations and conspiracies that happened in real life are even more extravagant than the fictitious account of the Blue Demon. I found the narration to be compelling and very convincing as well as nail-biting in its intensity. It is also very complex so sometimes I felt it necessary to reread various passages. The atmosphere of Rome is wonderfully captured. The narrator does a splendid job.

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Worth persevering

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Not sure. I found it hard to get into it as the opening makes it seem as though it is going to a bit mystical. It does take a long time to settle down into what it is, which is a crime novel with a bit of terrorism and a lot of Italian politics. The unfamiliar political background makes it hard going at times but it is worth persevering.

My main criticism is that the main policeman, the Nic Costa of the headline, is a bit lacklustre and the others in the team are not very vivid either. This may be because this is one of a series and the character development has been done in earlier books but it is a fault as the book should probably be able to stand in its own.

I do not feel drawn enough to the characters or the setting to rush to buy others in the series.

Have you listened to any of Saul Reichlin’s other performances? How does this one compare?

I haven't heard him before but would be happy to listen to him again.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Not a moment so much as a character. The man the police are after is very vividly drawn and I found his story moving despite the horrific nature of his actions.

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The dark side of Rome

A gathering of Heads of State for an international conference was always going to be a terrorist target but this had you guessing to the end. The additional post script by Hewson further fleshed out the basis for the plot and left you with even more to think about, especially given the current state of Italian politics.

The plot however was much darker than previous books, which have not flinched from strong subjects. I haven't read around the publication of this book so don't know what further plans Hewson has for this series. His books never follow a fixed formula although each character has developed along the line as they work through their strengths and try to avoid their weaknesses.

If you haven't read any of the Rome series, although each book stands on its own, they are best read in sequence especially ahead of this one. Narration was good and thoughtful, juggling the many characters clearly, including the women, so often the downfall of a male reader.

The text is nicely broken up so that you can easily find your place if like me, your MP3 player seems to lack a bookmark. I occasionally needed to go back as Hewson's spare writing style doesn't spell out every single thing, leaving facts to come together at the end. This series has been a class act. I just hope that this is not the end.

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3 people found this helpful