Gloria H. (bookworm65) - , reviewed on 2/20/2012 + 17 more book reviews

I am hooked! I've read both negative and positive reviews of this series on Amazon. Some compared Falco to Sam Spade. Since I didn't know who Sam Spade was, I had no idea of what that meant. Well, I read Silver Pigs straight through in two hours (yes, I am a fast reader!) Then the next two days, I re-read it slowly, savoring more of some of the humor I had missed first time around. The anachronisms do not bother me, as they are not glaring. For example, the hero is not named Constantius, which is a name that would not have yet been common in those times. I enjoyed getting the vivid feeling for Ancient Rome, without getting the feeling that I was reading a travelogue, or being treated to the author's 'see how much I've researched!" I am from Southern Europe, and in my 60s, and I've been in cities that still have that "Roman" atmosphere. The twisty turning streets, the laundry hanging overhead, the dog poop in the streets... a young girl of good family not being allowed out on her own (this was in the 1950s!).I love the sharp repartees, the subtle and not so subtle British humor, and the tender love story which does not go into graphic clinical detail (at 64, I know the facts of life, thank you very much!) but yet expresses the depth of love, both spiritual and physical. I also like Falco's character. I felt I was reading about a MAN, written by a male author (hey, in America, anything goes for a first name! I didn't realize Lindsey Davis was a female author until I received the book). I promptly ordered other books in the series. I recommend starting with Silver Pigs, as the next book in the series is a sequel to S. Pigs. If you like Gordianus from the Steven Saylor books, I think you will like Falco. Another comparison that will seem odd to some readers. Falco's mix of wit, anti-hero, and recklessness reminded me of Francis Crawford of Lymond, created by Dorothy Dunnett.

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