this was a interesting start to a series, it was a interesting concept and I think it was executed well. The characters were well done and I can't wait to see more from this author and series.

To start, the history here is, of course, excellent. The fact that the author studies this period shines through. It also shows that he finds the period so fascinating that an everyday slice-of-life story works to showcase the places and people he adores. If you like Pillars of the Earth, etc for the period ambiance, this does that for the Roman empire's eastern colonies. With special focus on Jews in the Roman community.

All that said, for me it was a slog. It is a very slooooooow read. There is not much of a climax. The narrator, Marcus, seems to change unnaturally and without explanation in parts of the book. I understand that these issues may improve in the second book, but I personally wont be going there. I could see assigning an excerpt in a very specific context as readable and engaging. I do study ancient plagues after all. Otherwise the investment to payoff ratio just wasnt here for me.

Thank you Netgalley and Christopher Stanley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

I think the main problem here is genre. Christopher D. Stanley has done meticulous research on the topic of Asia Minor in first century A.D. and this attention to detail comes across very clearly. The problem is that this book is intended to be read as a piece of fiction, and here things get a little more complicated.

This is the story of Marcus, slave to Lucius Coelius Felix, a minor aristocrat from Antioch. The story begins with Marcus rising after a night of sex with the slave Selena to attend to the household duties he is entrusted with: prepare the family shrine for the early morning ritual and later be present at his master's dealings with his business client, keep notes and do the accounts. Marcus is an unusual slave as Lucius is an unusual master; he not only knows his "letters and numbers" but is reliable and intelligent and knows how to cater for his master's every need. Similarly, Lucius recognises Marcus' worth and treats him better than a slave might expect.

Lucius himself has a mysterious illness in the abdominal area which neither physicians nor the gods of healing can cure. The illness causes Lucius enormous embarrassment as it leads to frequent bouts of diarrhoea and incontinence. When the local physician who has tried every single cure in the book raises his hands up, Lucius decides to go to Asklepios' temple in Pergamon to request the god's help. The trip itself is long and risky; although Roman rule is firmly established in the area and there are no bandits roaming the countryside, it is still extremely tiring as it is undertaken in carriages drawn by mules over sometimes mountainous terrain. And of course the travellers have to find accommodation along the way, which is sometimes arranged with local aristocrats as per the Roman habit, sometimes at local inns and sometimes in tents in the open air.

I learnt A LOT readng this book. One thing that struck me was how similar Roman religious customs were to early Christian customs. The early morning ritual, for example, is described as a series of prayers and incantations spoken in a droning voice, not unlike how even contemporary Christian prayers, at least of the Orthodox tradition, are performed. Even the content of the prayers struck me as similar to Christian prayers, such as for example, "Our Father in Heaven". Early Christians are indeed mentioned in the book, as are Jews (both as persecuted minorities), although they are not centre-stage in the story. The structure of the local civil administration and the connections between politics and trade are laid out very clearly and informatively.

But of course, the main focus is on the lives of slaves. Through Marcus who is, as we saw, somewhat privileged, we get to know about other kinds of slaves, farm slaves, market slaves, women slaves and maids, people less fortunate than Marcus, who still had to put up with sometimes inhumane owners. The only consolation for them was their firm belief that slavery is their allotted station in life, that this is the will of the gods, and therefore it makes no sense complaining because that's how goddess Fortuna arranged things.

The downiside of the book, and the reason for my three-star rating, is that as a novel it lacks drama. There are too many details about everyday life and about Marcus' actions that do not carry the plot forward. As readers, we don't need to know that Marcus fell asleep and neglected to attend his master's son's races UNLESS it has a dramatic implication. The inclusion of too many side stories like this makes this book quite frustrating. In fact, I think the services of a good editor with a sharp razor-knife would have helped here. Cutting down the word count from over 500 pages to about half might have produced a winning story. All the elements are there: some very strong and likeable characters (although the female characters are less well-developed than the male ones), an attractive setting; thorough knowledge of the relevant period. What this book really need was sharpening of its dramatic elements.

People with an interest in the Roman era and/or the ancient world will enjoy it as it is. It's a bit of a sham, though, that the book is unlikely to have much success beyond a limited audience.

Thank you to netgalley and NFB publishing for an advance copy.

I am a History buff and fascinated with the ancient cultures that preceeded us. When I saw a book about a common person in the time of Rome and Ancient Greece I was excited to read it. Dealing with a how a man found healing in a time when medicine was sort of in its infancy sounded interesting. As I read this book I felt like I was Lucius and on his travels in a less complicated time. The author made me feel like I was there and understood what Lucius and Marcus and the other characters were doing and why it was important. Their lives are complicated . As all lives are there are choices and experiences that are dangerous and also a chance to learn more about others and their ways. As Antioch approaches and the story continues I want to know what will happen when its achieved . This book has drawn me in to a world long gone but strangely familiar.