P is for Poseidon's Gold by Lindsey Davis

Another sneak entry into the A to Z Challenge, Poseidon's Gold is a novel I've been reading since I finished Lindsey's previous volume. Unfortunately the back pain and the pain killers have made reading a bit more difficult than I'm used to. Having a hard time focusing on the material in front of me which winds up with me fifteen-twenty pages later wondering exactly what I've read.

Despite that obstacle though, I have finished Poseidon's Gold! The short review? Reading one of the book's in the Falco series of Ancient Rome is like visiting an old friend. You are anxious to hear all about the happenings and going ons and see how everyone in the neighborhood is doing. If you've enjoyed the previous books, you will no doubt enjoy Poseidon's Gold.

The longer review?

Interesting. If I had finished this book earlier, I might have put it down as F is for Family.  This book focuses on several different relations of Falco and does so in a way that brings his own love, Helena, closer to the fold.

Falco's older brother, Festus, was a soldier who had a habit of falling in with not only the wrong crowd, but with every crowd. Wherever he went, there were fans and friends aplenty. But everything didn't always work out his way. Especially when there were those plots that failed to come to fruition and well, with Festus dead some odd five years at this point, for others to come calling on those old debts? Why, it's enough to have Falco's own mother hire him to clear the family name!

Such things are not easy though. For one of those who had been looking for Festus, a fellow soldier, turns up dead only hours after having last been seen in the company of Falco. So not only must Falco clear his brother's name, he must clear his own.

Which leads to the long hated Father, Geminum, also known as Favonius, a man who left Falco's mother many years ago. A man who Falco had never forgiven.

The trials and tributions put the duo through the ringer and they both come out with a greater understanding of the other. Add in Helena whose inquisitive nature and refusal to be a wallflower and you've got a trio of characters put into situations that a senator's daughter might not normally ever be a party to.

The book also introduces some new characters whose activities are as corrupt as they come and who have their own hold over Falco and his father thanks to Festus. These two would almost be a worthy match for the Kingpin of Marvel Comics Fame in that they're not going to go to the police to report their missing funds, but rather, will get those funds one way or another. These individuals do not suffer the full and righteous justice that Falco would prefer, and I'm sure with her skilled pen, Lindsey Davis will bring them back for another go around in a future volume.

Family, even dead family members, can bring out the best and the worst in the remaining family. Did one parent favor one of the children over the other? Is there any animosity between siblings? Do cousins have secrets that only one child knows?

Families can be much more than fodder for the sorrow pile and Lindsey's talented hand ensures that even when all members of the family aren't getting along, like all good families, when outsiders come calling, they pull together and work hard to clear that family name.

D is for Detective

Okay, I'm lying. D isn't just for Detective. It's for Davis, Lindsey Davis and her novel The Iron Hand of Mars. This is the next volume in the Ancient Rome Detective series starting Marcus Didius Falco so it could be D for Didius!

Besides, I'm already behind so it's okay if I cheat in this A to Z April Blog Challenge right?

In short, Lindsey continues to put Falco through the paces.

This includes emotional as well as physical.

Stress from financial situations as well as the desire to do what's right in a world that often isn't. What does he say? "No point risking my neck unless it's for a world where chldren can believe magicians will  always mend their broken toys.'

Lindsey does this with an ability to take the reader to these ancient lands, so that we can smell the food cooking and look around in a sense of awe and wonder at a different era.

She brings the reader in through familiar use of first person as we see the world through Falco's eyes.

In terms of detective, she often pairs Falco with others so that Falco has someone to bounce his ideas off of. In some instances, Falco isn't too pleased with those they've set him with. For example, Falco loves Helena Justina.

Helena is more than a match for Falco. She's smart and forward, quite unlike many women in her era. She's also the daughter of a Senator, far above Falco's station.

Helena Justina is being pursued by Titus Caesar.

Falco likes to think of himself as a man of the world, so that when Titus Caesar's 'barbar' is assigned to go with him up north into Germania Libera, Falco thinks that it's to make short work of him while he does his own investigations.

Along the way Lindsey brings a lot of tricks that can be used for almost any situation.

For example, towards the end, there is a building of suspense.

Falco is exploring the wild regions looking for numerous things.

Things he isn't looking for? An abandoned Roman fort, long ago fallen and empty with no signs of life or habitation. When adding something like this to say, a role playing game, you have a few options.

If it's to showcase a sense of fallen civilization or how quickly things can happen, a rough description of what happened and what's left should be all that you need. If you're using it as a set piece however, you should have it fully mapped and noted out what's in there. If you map it out and there's nothing there, you're wasting everyone's time.

Thing he isn't looking for? A druid circle complete with freshly slaughtered animals and skulls nailed to trees.

Thing he isn't looking for? An opposing military force that captures him.

By building the suspense, Lindsey is able to augment the sense of dread and the tingle of anticipation. This is a technique used in the original Alien movie where we're not seeing the monster on screen every second so that when it does appear, it's appearance means something.

Another nice thing, is that Falco isn't perfect and he often thinks something is happening when it's not. For example, his 'assassin' barber is merely a barber, but one who does save Falco's life with one of his razor's so the man is capable of killing.

In addition to exploration, part of Falco's detective work involves speaking with numerous people. Often these individuals are not happy to speak with Falco for whatever reason.

He sometimes compensates this by having someone else talk to the same person. In a society where status has real meaning and real power, while someone is willing to dismiss Falco, they are not quite so willing to do the same thing with Helena, a Senator's daughter. Even in the far out lands outside civilization, such a person has their own amount of regal bearing and pose.

Lastly, there is also the ability to use random encounters to one's advantage. During the final tangle, Falco and his allies are outnumbered and surprised, one of them already taken down by a barbed spear.

Into that mess comes a maddened wild bull which gores the opposing captain allowing Falco's group to seize the initiative, even as the bull itself then turns on Falco, which requires the nimble 'detective' to engage in some fancy footwork to prevent himself from being gored.

Lindsey Davis is more than familiar with these characters and this setting and reading this book is like visiting an old friend.

For those who want to see how a detective story can be one that involves exploration of the width and breadth of a massive empire like Roman, The Iron hand of Mars is a worthy read.

Venus in Copper: Gaming Lindsey Davis' Ancient Rome

Detective stories are often hard to capture in a role playing session. There are often times when a system will rely on characters having select specialized skills to gather the specific information needed, and lacking those skills can cause the game to grind to a halt.

This is not a unique feature of detective games mind you. I remember when Green Ronin brought Warhammer FRPG back. One of their first ‘Adventure Paths’ involved some wilderness exploration that required characters to have some wilderness or tracking skills and well, things wouldn’t move forward without those skills. It’s been a while so bear with me if I’m not remembering some 10+ year old adventure with 100% accuracy.

Some products and systems, like the Gumshoe system, try to move beyond such limitations by always allowing the players to move forward in the mystery, allowing the other parts of the game to take the crunch if you will.

For example, I’ve mentioned Lorefinder before. It’s got all the crunch of Pathfinder but the investigative components are specialized into the Gumshoe style which allows potentially more satisfying results than just “make a skill check.” Mind you the more skilled such individuals are, the more information they can unlock with their skills.

But in dealing with role playing games, there are many facets that should be considered and utilized when possible. When of the things that Lindsey Davis does, is brings excellent description to the reader. The first person narrations of Falco, have the detective meet an Oracle who Falco describes in the following flowery manner:

“She looked about sixty. Her straight dark gown hung from two small silver niello shoulder-broaches, so her arms were bare, thought hidden in spare folds of the material. Her hair was rather thin, mostly black yet with broad silver streaks. Her face lacked professional mystique, except for severely hooded eyes. The eyes were no special colour. It was the face of any businesswoman in the male world of Rome: accommodating, yet with an underlying stubborn strength and a trace, faint as snail tracks, of personal bitterness.”

It’s a great list and includes age, clothing, hair, eyes, along with a few other characteristics thrown in.

If this were a role playing description, other elements, such as any noticeable aura, weapons, or other strangeness, like say, floating Ioun Stones, would be marked.

Description is the character’s key to the world. It doesn’t matter how much detail the Game Master knows if he is unable to relay that information to the players.

Players tend to perk up on details because they assume that the Game Master is providing them for a reason. When in combat, it can be vital to know where a pillar is. How many feet between floors in a three story building. How many skeletons are climbing out of the graveyard.

The details in description can provide a lot of depth and information to characters that pay attention, but know your group. Just because you provide the detail, does not mean that your group is paying attention.

If your group is one who loves combat, all of the loving details about the weather, the increased temperature, the rise in the flu, and other bits that hint at events, are probably going to go by the wayside.

As a Game Master, you’ll have to focus on what the player’s are paying attention to. See if they pay attention to description’s of NPCs. See if they pay attention to rumors. See if they pay attention to local events and holidays.

Another aspect to look into when running a detective game, is investigation. The facets that should be examined include the old standards: Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why.

In a role playing game, the Who can be easy. In this  case, Falco is hired before a murder, to insure that no murder takes place! Serverina is a three time widower former slave making her world in the ancient Roman world. Those who've hired Falco want to insure that their friend, ally, and business patron, doesn't fall to her.

To know about Serverina, Falco goes through learning about how the past husbands died. Learning about how Serverina used to live. Learning about those who've hired him, just in case they themselves are not always what they seem.

This provides numerous character hooks and builds the whole of Rome in that it allows many characters to enter the realm of possible murderers, especially when Servenia’s husband to be dies BEFORE the wedding. If she was a gold digger as feared, then there are other suspects at play.

In addition to the investigation, a role playing game can have other elements. One of the fun things about gaming, are the rewards. In traditional games like Dungeons and Dragons, this is usually a more powerful magic item. Some things might included non-traditional rewards like titles or land.

In this novel, Falco is awarded with a turbot.

A turbot in this time, is a fish of royal importance. When caught it was often given to the Imperial House to carry favor. Falco getting one? When he doesn't have the house or means to properly prepare this giant fish? It borders on comic.

Giving players a reward that has social status and requires them to work with it to get the full benefit of that status? It can provide solid entertainment. Are there characters with skills in music? Get them into a bard college for a special performance that requires a special instrument.

Are there players who are master weapon smiths? Have them learn how to craft exotic weapons, but have to provide the materials and space to the trainers who will teach them.

With a little give and take in the reward, the reward itself becomes part of the story.

One of the things that players can learn, is a deeper history of their surroundings. For example, consider this exchange between Falco and Severina.

“After a moment Severina lifted her right hand, showing the cheap ring with a crudely etched Venus and a small blob that was meant to be Cupid nestling her knee. ‘Now copper-‘ she dlcared obscurely, ‘that’s for eternity!’

‘Eternity comes cheap! Did you know, copper is named for the mountains of Cyprus, where the oxhide ingots come from? I collect obscure facts. ‘And Cyprus is the birthplace of Venus, so that’s why copper is the metal of Love-‘

These bits of historical information may provide interesting tidbits of trivia to have, or may be important clues to something coming down the pipeline.

Lastly, I would say that detective stories, especially those set in a large city like Rome, benefit from set pieces. Having a place that the characters can use as a compass, to know where they’re at, that is a local spot that knows what’s going on around that particular location.

For instance..

‘Before I stalked out the gold-digger, I wanted to explore the Hortensius menage. People tell you more than they think by where they live and the questions they ask; their neighbors can be even franker. Now I had gained a general impression, the sweetmeat stall where I had been given directions earlier was ripe for a return visit.

‘When I got there a hen who liked the high life was pecking up crumbs. The place itself was just a shack opposite a stone pine. It had a fold-down counter and a fold-up awning in front, with a small oven tucked away behind. The accommodation in between was so scanty that the stallholder spent a lot of his time sitting on a stool in the shade of the pine tree on the other side of the road, playing Soldiers against himself. When a customer turned up he left you long enough to get excited over his produce, then sauntered across.

‘The freeholders of the Pincian discouraged shops: but they liked their little luxuries. I could see why they let this cakeman park on their hill. What his emporium lacked architecturally was made up for by his bravura edibles.

‘The centerpiece was an immense platter where huge whole figs were sunk to the shoulder in a sticky bed of honey. Around this circular dish were tantalizing dainties set out in whorls and spirals, with a few removed here and there (so no one need feel reluctant to disturb the display). There were dates stuffed with whole almonds the warm colour of ivory, and others filled with intriguing pastes in pastel shades; crisp pastries, bent into crescents on rectangles which were layered with oozing fruits and sifted with cinnamon dust; fresh damsons, quinces and peeled pears in a candied glaze; pale custards sprinkled with nutmeg, some plain and others cut to show how they were baked on a base of elderberries or rosehips. On a shelf at one side of the stall stood pots of honey, labelled from Hymettus and Hybla, or whole honeycombs if you wanted to take someone a more dramatic party gift. Opposite , dark slabs of African must cake drowsed beside other confections which the stallholder had made himself from wheat flour soaked in milk, piercing them with a skewer and drenching them with honey before adding decorative chopped filberts.

Lindsey Davis makes ancient Rome much more interesting then just a place where detective stories happen, and by engaging the players on multiple levels, you can do the same for your own campaigns.

If you enjoyed the ramblings, please +1, share, or comment. Talk about unusual rewards and what you’re players did with them. Speak of skills rarely used save for those special occasions.

Venus In Copper by Lindsey Davis

Venus in Copper is the third novel by Lindsey Davis in the Marcus Didius Falco detective novels in ancient Rome.

Lindsey continues to have a skilled hand in multiple fields that makes reading her novels about Falco worth while.

1. Funny. Lindsey has a light touch in her sense of humor, but it is persistent and shows up in much without overpowering things.

2. First Person: Her use of Falco in the first person to share his world view with the reader goes beyond the humor as Falco, despite some skill in various fields, is not a Spartan warrior. Is not a rich Senator. Is not much of anything except determined and understanding of his own limitations. He is enough of a rogue, of a scoundrel, that he never quite fits in exactly, but friendly enough, honest enough, hard working enough, that the reader wants him to win. 

3. Descriptive: Lindsey could drown the reader in the world of Ancient Rome. Her talents allow her to pick almost any point of entry and ram home the important parts like a master carpenter driving home nails. When she's describing what the new found rich are wearing? When she's describing what the vendors are selling from their stalls? When she's providing details on the objects to be found for sale in the warehouse district? All written with a flare for providing the details needed for the reader to understand what's going on and to paint their own mental picture of how it all works around them.

4. Continuation: One of the things I enjoy about a continuing series, is seeing how the characters change, evolve, grow, and react to the events that happen to them. Lindsey's  touch with Falco and romantic partner, Helena, is one that makes me want to see what happens not only to the mystery, but to the characters.

If you're looking for a well written novel Venus in Cooper is overflowing with description, character, and humorous happenings. Well worth the reading.

Shadows in Bronze by Lindsey Davis

One of the pleasures of the dollar spinner rack at Half-Priced books, is finding authors you've never read before. I know for some, that's a no-go as you're limited to the randomness of the rack and may be picking up books out of series.

Fortunately, for $1, I'm willing to give an author a chance to see if the novel catches my interest and if so, follow up from that point. I've been shopping at garage sales, used books sales, store closings, and other bits for so long, that if I didn't buy another book in years, I'd probably still have material to read or reread in some instances.

I initially bought Shadows in Bronze for my mom. While it may seem silly, she's a big fan of detective novels and especially of those in a historical context. After she finished it and before putting it back into the box for Half-Price, I decided to give it a go.

I'm glad I did. After reading the book, I immediately looked up Lindsey Davis and was surprised by the wide berth of material she's done. Her webpage is here. I was a little disappointed thought to see that so many of her books, in Kindle format at least, was over the $7.00 mark. I know that's nothing for some, and some would argue that the $1.99-$3.99 specials I'm so fond of are starvation wages, but when I can hit Half-Price again and again, well in one of these transactions, the author gets something. In the other, the author gets nothing.

Still, it's good to see the books in Kindle and other e-formats for those who prefer that medium to read in.

Shadows in Bronze is the second book in the Falco series. There are twenty novels with Falco, a low classed former soldier now turned investigator. The novel is 366 pages. The new version is 464 which is a good thing. My paperback is densely packed and while not difficult to read, does tend to feel crowded.

The novel is told in first person and Falco, the narrator, does a great job of providing the reader with descriptions of the sights, sounds, and smells of ancient Rome, while keeping the action flowing. Falco is one of my favorite types of heroes. Competent enough to get himself in trouble, but flawed enough having a hard time getting out of that trouble!

One of the things I enjoy about the novel, and indeed, about many mystery novels that don't take place in modern settings, is the lack of technology makes the main characters have to work harder. In working harder, one of the things the characters have to do is investigate.

These investigations act as windows to the setting. It allows the reader to see how things work in Ancient Rome without the author having to throw huge chunks of knowledge at the reader to digest.

Thankfully, Lindsey Davis is a skilled writer and I found myself quickly finishing the book.

It has a nice mix of intrigue, romance, and action. It isn't so grim and gritty that you look away in disgust, but nor is everything sunshine and flowers. Lindsey walks a nice balancing act of throwing oobstacles emotional, financial, and physical, into the character's way to make sure that when they do succeed, they earned it.

I'm looking forward to my trip to Half-Price today so see if I can find any more of the novels.

If you're looking for a historical mystery, Shadows in Bronze is a strong read and one of the better books I've read in 2014.

For those who are gamers and role players, I'm going to discuss some of the specifics of the book that I enjoyed and what you might be able to drag out of the book into your own games and settings.

NPC as obstacle. One of the problems with role playing games, is the dreaded motto, if it has stats we can kill it.

Make characters that the primary objective, isn't to make the NPCs villains who are out to threaten everything that the characters love and cherish, but political foes who are striving to enhance their own powers using the lay and laws of the land so that the characters have to come up with methods that showcase other aspects of the game.

Too often it's easy to forget in a role playing game that has vorpal weapons that there's a 'role playing' aspect to it. You can work on that part by making the NPCs memorable entities that may disagree with the players on crucial bits, but may otherwise agree with the players in almost everything else they do.

For example, in Shadows in Bronze, one of the most dangerous people Falco meets is Aufidius Crispus. The man is charismatic, wealthy, well liked, has his fingers in many pies, is willing to bet it all on the cast of a single die, and other bits that mesh well with Falco. But in this instance, Falco learns that Crispus isn't too concerned about women's rights, which sits poorly with Falco because his own beloved was attacked by an associated of Cripus, who not knowing this, shrugs off the attack as nothing special. That loses Falco right there.

NPC as Disadvantage: One of the things that the author does well, is puts Falco in family. Good lord am I tired of loners and orphan children who can't interact with society and have no family. Falco has brothers and sisters, nephews and cousins. It's great seeing him interact with them. However, those interactions take time. Those interactions come with responsibilities. Those interactions aren't always pleasant. It's refreshing to see someone have to help raise his dead brother's son with that son is whip smart and has his own ideas on how the world works. It's entertaining to see a grown man still have to deal with a mother who has her own iron in the belly.

NPC as complication. This one is a little different in that the NPC is skilled, powerful, well known, has their own circle of contacts and abilities. But the character has a history with them that's both pleasant and unpleasant at the same time. Ah, the dreaded love interest! In this instance, Helena Justina is "a high-born beauty" that is very competent and has her own family and agenda that aligns with Falco's, but Falco has such guilt for his low born status that it complicates things.

Remember that when designing your campaign and your dungeons, that when dealing with mysteries, the main source of information is going to be the other characters that are involved with it. Make sure those characters are memorable and can stand on their own if the player's aren't there.