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Title: Master and God

Subtitle: A Novel of the Roman Empire

Author: Lindsey Davis

Narrator: Robin Sachs

Format: Unabridged

Length: 15 hrs and 44 mins

Language: English

Release date: 06-15-12

Publisher: Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Ratings: 4 of 5 out of 53 votes

Genres: Fiction, Historical

Publisher's Summary:

Lindsey Davis Master and God is a vastly entertaining historical novel set in the reign of the Emperor Domitian in first-century Rome. It is on the one hand a love story between Gaius Vinius Clodianus, a valiant but reluctant member of the Praetorian Guard, whose military career is as successful as his marital history is disastrous, and Flavia Lucilla, daughter of a freed slave and hairdresser to the ladies of the imperial household. A devastating fire in Rome brings them together as apartment-mates whose relationship survives separation and the apparent death of Gaius, evolving into a bond of real passion and understanding.

It is also the story of the seizure of power by the Emperor Domitian, his increasing paranoia and madness as he styles himself Master and God. As Domitians cruelties to his enemies and those he only thinks are enemies grows, the future of Rome demands desperate measures, measures that demand Gaius choose between his sworn duty to protect the Emperor becoming part of the forces arrayed against him.

Members Reviews:

Info Dump with Romance

Any additional comments?

Davis' concept of a wise-cracking, Raymond Chandleresque equivalent in ancient Rome, Didius Falco, was, at the time he first appeared, a new approach to the mystery novel and much praised. But Davis herself has never been an outstanding author, and there are now better authors in the genre [such as Ruth Downie]. Indeed, her later Falco novels weren't particularly good. But this novel is definitely more mediocre than her previous efforts. It is rather a "Everyday Life in Imperial Rome" with large dollops of history, social and political, and an awkward love story inserted at intervals.

Falco succeeded in large part by being in the first person; this book is in the third, and that makes the narrative sections somewhat slow going, not helped by Robin Sachs' attempt at being laconic -- which comes across as monotonous and soporific.

In short, this is overwritten, and not particularly interesting, and read rather than performed. I'd recommend Downie's "Medicus" series instead.

Snore...

I think this would have been better received by me if the reader didn't drone on so. Good subject matter, but it doesn't hold my attention.

Let down by narrator with try reading it instead

I've read almost all of Lindsey Davis' books and enjoyed them. So I thought I'd try an audio book this time . I had to give up after an hour as the story was ploddingly slow and the narrator dull and monotone. I will try reading the book to see if it really is the story or just the narrator.

A "Listen Again" book

What did you love best about Master and God?

I loved the view into the "real" life in ancient Rome. Most books deal with life as an aristocrat. You never think about how the hairdressers and beat-cops live.

What other book might you compare Master and God to and why?

Master and God is very similar to Davis' incomparable "The Course of Honour" - it's both a history and a love story. Both couples ended with the long-term best type of companionship. But the road there was rocky - and the political situation added materially to the bumpy path.

Have you listened to any of Robin Sachss other performances before? How does this one compare?

I haven't listened to any of Sachs' other recordings. This one was calm.