Nobody Loves a Centurion

by John Maddox Roberts | Mystery & Thrillers |
ISBN: 0312320191 Global Overview for this book
Registered by Mastulela of Nuneaton, Warwickshire United Kingdom on 1/7/2005
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15 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by Mastulela from Nuneaton, Warwickshire United Kingdom on Friday, January 7, 2005
One of the better Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger novels. Decius finds it expedient to abandon his beloved Rome and join Caesar in Gaul. Arriving at Caesar's camp, 'in some style', he is ordered to find the murderer of an unpopular centurion. At stake is the life of a son of a friend and client of his family who is accused and will die in a few hours.

For the historical mystery book box.

Journal Entry 2 by Shylock from Skipton, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 2, 2005
Box returned safely-lovely book, never tried this author so looking forward to it. Thanks for some great trades Mastulela.

Journal Entry 3 by Shylock from Skipton, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Friday, June 3, 2005
Enjoyed very much, though I did suspect the perp! I liked the focus on life in the Roman legions,an unusual angle that makes a change from tripping around the forum as is the norm for Roman mysteries. I felt I got a reasonable insight into camp existence,much detail on clothes & weaponry, and some understanding of the possible relationships & attitudes between slaves,,vanquished, opposing tribes & conquerors. Would've liked more enlightenment on the Druids.
Someone at Leeds meetup 'fessed to a liking for Roman mysteries, so will steer this their way.

Journal Entry 4 by Mai-day from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 14, 2005
How could I pass this up? I love the Falco books (Lindsey Davis) so am looking forward to this one (thanks Carol)

Journal Entry 5 by Mai-day from Leeds, West Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, February 26, 2006
Finally got to this spot on my tbr shelf!

This was a good read. I found the protagonist sympathetic and likable, which is something not all historical novel writers manage to achieve. Whilst I think I still prefer Lindsey Davis for the depth of her characters, I would look out other books in this series.

I'll take to York Meetup next week - I know someone who may like this.

Journal Entry 6 by Mai-day at Judges Lodgings in York, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, February 26, 2006

Released 18 yrs ago (2/28/2006 UTC) at Judges Lodgings in York, North Yorkshire United Kingdom

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Journal Entry 7 by wingNu-Kneeswing from Knaresborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Tree-hugger brought this back from the York Meet Up for me. Thanks Tree-hugger and Mai-day, it looks very much like my kind of thing!

Journal Entry 8 by wingNu-Kneeswing from Knaresborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Sunday, March 5, 2006
Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed that, thank you!

Waiting for inspiration on what to do with it next .....

Journal Entry 9 by Mastulela from Nuneaton, Warwickshire United Kingdom on Monday, March 13, 2006
Patchworkperson
Iojima
Laura0141
YowlYY
Mytilus
Beekeeper40

Journal Entry 10 by wingNu-Kneeswing from Knaresborough, North Yorkshire United Kingdom on Tuesday, March 14, 2006
This is now winging its way to PatchworkPerson courtesy of the Royal Mail.
Thanks, Mastulela, for setting this up.
Enjoy!

Journal Entry 11 by PatchworkPerson from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Saturday, March 18, 2006
Arrived safely yestreday (17 March 2006). Will read asap. Nu-Knees, thank you for the lovely letter.

Journal Entry 12 by PatchworkPerson from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire United Kingdom on Monday, April 3, 2006
Really enjoyed this book. Loved learning more about life as a Roman soldier & the relationships between masters, slaves, tribes etc. The glossary in the back was interesting & useful. Ready to pass on to Iojima. Will look for more by this author.

Journal Entry 13 by Iojima from Nyons, Rhône-Alpes France on Friday, April 7, 2006
Received and it's high up on TBR (which is rapidly becoming Mount Tooby.)

Journal Entry 14 by Iojima from Nyons, Rhône-Alpes France on Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Witty, well-paced and educational. I look forward to more in the series. I'm impressed, Shylock, that you got the perp!

Journal Entry 15 by laura0141 from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Sunday, April 30, 2006
Received with thanks. Mt TBR No. 3

Journal Entry 16 by laura0141 from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 2, 2006
Will be starting this tonight.

Journal Entry 17 by laura0141 from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 2, 2006
Oh dear. I'm really sorry - I didn't realise that this was part of a series when I signed up for it. I have a thing at the moment for reading series in sequence so I'm going to pass this on unread and put the first in the series on my wishlist. Apologies again.


PMed YowlYY for addy

Journal Entry 18 by laura0141 from Glasgow, Scotland United Kingdom on Wednesday, May 3, 2006
On way to YowlYY

Journal Entry 19 by YowlYY on Wednesday, May 10, 2006
I confess that I too prefer to read the books in the original sequence in which they were written/published, but this time I will bend my rule. After all, he's a new author for me, and this sixth volume will be the one that will decide if I have to increase my wish list with all the volumes of the series or not...
I have seven (!!) rings and rays here waiting to be read - yes, once again they decided to visit me all in a week, so please stay tuned... a new journal entry and the announcement of the trip back to the ringmaster will appear here in a few weeks.
In the meantime, thanks to Laura0141 for shipping it and to mastulela for sharing :)

Journal Entry 20 by YowlYY on Thursday, June 8, 2006
Enjoyable mystery indeed! Although we, Falco's and Gordianus' fans, do all agree that Decius Caecilius Metellus, the new "kid on the block", is not as fascinating and witty as our heros, correct?

Still, a pleasant read, well written, and probably I will be reading more by this author, if I happen to stumble on the other books of the series.

Mastulela let me know that the ring is now a ray and has been extended - so it will continue with the following partecipants:

Mytilus
beekeeper40

It will be mailed as soon as I have Mytilus' address. Thanks again :)

09.06.2006: Mailed today 1st class.


Journal Entry 21 by Mytilus from Plymouth, Devon United Kingdom on Saturday, June 17, 2006
I am ashamed (and slightly embarrassed) to confess that I have already read and, indeed, sent this book onwards to the next participant.

I have had to beg the BCID from Mastulela, who was very nice and did not laugh overmuch.

Anyway… I have a long history of enjoying roman-centric murder mystery books, so it was little surprise that I adored Nobody Loves a Centurion. Roberts’ writing reminds me of the earlier books of Lindsey Davis, when she wrote marvellous, witty, fresh dialogue and before she became so formulaic.

Shylock, all I can say is that I stand in awe of you. I had *no* idea who the perp was!

I loved this book and am occupying myself today by wrestling with my conscience. I am in the (extraordinarily) expensive process of buying a house and *really* need to economise. But how can I live without the rest of the series in my sticky little hands?

Nobody Loves… was sent to Beekeeper40 three days ago.

Thank you Mastulela, you’ve introduced me to *another* great series of books!

Journal Entry 22 by beekeeper40 from Hoveton, Norfolk United Kingdom on Saturday, June 17, 2006
Received safely from Mytilus today!

Journal Entry 23 by beekeeper40 from Hoveton, Norfolk United Kingdom on Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Took this on holiday with me and thoroughly enjoyed it, although to start with I thought it was going to be a war story. Actually it was a conincidence (spelling?) as the novel is set in ancient Helvita and guess where we went on holiday? - Yep Switzerland!! I too found out loads of interesting facts about Roman life especially the lives of centurions. Passed to Mr Beekeeper to read on the journey home and he too thoroughly enjoyed it. We shall both be looking forward to chancing upon the others in the series. Neither of us guessed the perp!

Released 17 yrs ago (7/7/2006 UTC) at to a fellow bookcrosser in book ring/ray, By Mail/Post/Courier -- Controlled Releases

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The bookray goes international! Mailed to AmberC in Australia. Enjoy!

Journal Entry 25 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Monday, September 25, 2006
Received today. I want to start it immediately, but have other bookrings before it.

Journal Entry 26 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Thursday, February 1, 2007
I enjoyed this book a lot. It was a good, light mystery in a very different and intersting setting.

I too would be interested in reading more in this series if I come across them.

Journal Entry 27 by amberC from Darwin, Northern Territory Australia on Thursday, February 15, 2007
Into Norfolk's 8 Bookbag.

Journal Entry 28 by RockDg9 from Toowoomba, Queensland Australia on Friday, February 23, 2007
Removed from the bookbag!

Journal Entry 29 by RockDg9 from Toowoomba, Queensland Australia on Saturday, June 23, 2007
I enjoyed this. The character Decius was a cross between Holden Caulfield, Darkly Dreaming Dexter and an old English history professor!

No great work of literature, but highly enjoyable, and the educational aspects were not too painful.

This is reserved for catsalive.

Journal Entry 30 by catsalive from Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Monday, July 2, 2007
Thanks heaps, Ro.

Journal Entry 31 by catsalive at Rooty Hill, New South Wales Australia on Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Quite an amusing read. Decius is a likeable character with a bit of humour to him & the period detail is interesting. A bit too boys'-own for me to want to read any more. I do prefer Lindsey Davis' Didius Falco series, more substance & more real, perhaps.

cover:
Like so many young men in later generations, Roman playboy/detective Decius Caecilius Metellus the Younger is faced with the necessity of serving in his counry's armed forces. Since a dangerous enemy has become powerful in the politics of Rome, Decius is just as well out of the city for a while. He sets out to join Caesar in Gaul (where the general has come and seen, but has as yet not been able to conquer). The occupying Roman army is at s standstill. When Decius shows up in full parade regalia (much to the amusement of the more informally uniformed veterans) and accompanied only by his young personal slave, Caesar sets him the taks of discovering who murdered one of his centurions, a cruel and unfair officer feared and hated by every one of the hundred soldiers under him. A further prod to Decius is that the main suspect is a youth whose father is a close friend of the Metellus family. With Caesar's decree that another killer be found in a matter of hours or the young man dies, Decius has his work cut out for him.

Journal Entry 32 by catsalive at Laverton, Western Australia Australia on Monday, September 30, 2019

Released 4 yrs ago (9/30/2019 UTC) at Laverton, Western Australia Australia

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Sent to mattandandy75.

Journal Entry 33 by mattandmandy75 at Cockatoo, Victoria Australia on Thursday, October 10, 2019
Received in a fabulously full book box from Catsalive. Thanks so much!!
Will pop aside for release at a later stage. :)

Journal Entry 34 by mattandmandy75 at Malvern East, Victoria Australia on Friday, November 1, 2019

Released 4 yrs ago (11/1/2019 UTC) at Malvern East, Victoria Australia

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Sending to Billbooks as part of the Aussie Book Bag.

Journal Entry 35 by Billbooks at Malvern East, Victoria Australia on Wednesday, November 27, 2019
This book arrived as part of the Aussie Bookbox and it sounds like a fun read so onto the TBR it goes.

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