"Favorite Ancients Novel (Round 1E)" Topic

Crikey, this is going to be a Marathon, especially with just about every book listed in an author's series. For instance, I've read about the 1st 8 in each of the Scarrow & Riches series, but couldn't id the titles; all pretty formulaic though (just like Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series).

Lindsey Davis titles, there are 30+ of them and I'm seeing them pass by, one by one. Her stories are purely 'whodunnit?' about a detective in Rome. There's no link to the other authors books except that they're all about 'ancient' time periods.

So what information, apart from that of our reading habits, is being gained?

Not all of Lindsey Davis's books are mysteries. 'The Course of Honour' and 'Master and God' are straight novels. (so are 'Cruel Fate' and 'Rebels and Traitors', but they are outside the parameters of the poll, being set in the ECW).

And so what is wrong with mysteries? They can be every bit as good (and often better) than 'literary' novels – Hammett and Chandler proved that nearly a century ago. Just because the academic/pedagogical mafia is still fighting against that is no reason to accept the concept.

Careful, rmaker. You could be hauled off to the academic reeducation camp for spouting heresies. I'd recommend reading a collection of Edmund Wilson book reviews until you start thinking officially approved thoughts.