The Prophet From Ephesus: The Roman Mysteries 16

The sixteenth book in "The Roman Mysteries" series picks up almost directly after  its predecessor  left off (in fact, the final four books in the series are probably best read in quick succession due to the overarching plot of Emperor Titus that stretches throughout them). The four young detectives: Roman Flavia, Jewish Jonathan, African Nubia and Greek Lupus, are stranded in Alexandria, wanted by Roman officials for a crime they didn't commit and believed dead by their friends and families back in Ostia.But then news reaches them that the slave-trading operation in their hometown is back in business, kidnapping freeborn children and selling them into slavery - and among them is one of Miriam's twins (Jonathan's nephew and Flavia's cousin). With their tutor Aristo, they decide to avoid the authorities by escaping to Asia in the search for the missing children. With Helicarnassus as their goal, the four young people (they can't really be described as children anymore!) are carrying plenty of emotional baggage as they traverse Asia. Flavia has found that the man she loves is betrothed to another woman, and Nubia is grappling with the intensity of her feelings at being reunited with Aristo. Jonathan is haunted by the memory of the great fire that he started in Rome that took thousands of lives, and Lupus is caught by desperate hope when he hears of prophets on the road that can heal the sick - perhaps one of them can restore his severed tongue to him.As the second-to-last book in the series, there's really no point in beginning to read the Roman Mysteries this late in the series (you'll have to backtrack to  The Thieves of Ostia ). "The Prophet of Ephesus" draws extensively on characters and situations introduced in earlier books, as far back as  the third book . Anyone who doesn't read these books in order will most likely be lost, or at least miss out on the full reading experience by skipping parts of the story arc and each character's personal growth.In terms of story, the pacing flies along as the children and their guardians go in pursuit of the mastermind of the slaving trade, getting split up along the way as various other responsibilities and temptations cross their paths. There are several characters from previous books, such as Gaius Flaccus and Magistrate Bato, and plenty of new ones too, particularly the titular prophet Tychicus, one of the earliest preachers of Christianity. As the penultimate book, it ends on an open-ended conclusion that strongly hints as to the content of the finale:  The Man from Pomegranate Street .As always, Lawrence vividly brings to life the ancient world in a swirl of colors, scents, sounds and sensory experiences. As you read, you feel you're right there with the characters, feeling cold rains or warm sunshine, tasting exotic foods and riding horses through open countryside, the thrilling terror of capture and the warm comfort of a safe place. Likewise, her research into the customs, locations and history of the past is impeccable, and everyone should finish the book with some new insight into the way humanity used to exist, and what remains of that heritage.Throughout the series there has always been Christian underpinnings to the proceedings, but it is here (and in  The Slave-Girl from Jerusalem ) that it really becomes overt. More than anything, this is a story of healing and growth, as each of the main characters grapple with their past sins and current predicaments. With an exploration into the early onset of Christianity, Lawrence ensures that three of her four protagonists reach some semblance of peace in their lives, as well as new understanding and direction for the future. The spiritual aspect of the final few chapters and its effect on many characters may strike some as too heavy-handed, too abrupt, or to simplistic. As has been said in another review, the sudden lack of a villain for the heroes to defeat, one who has been lurking in the pages since  The Colossus of Rhodes , is something of an anti-climax, especially after all the trouble and effort put into catching him.Only time will tell whether there's pay-off to the children's rather sudden conversion to Christianity (not that that's a bad thing of course, just not quite as deftly handled as I would have expected), and I'm currently looking at my library copy of  The Man from Pomegranate Street  with a mix of excitement, longing and dread. As much as I dearly want to know what happens to the characters I've come to know and love, the knowledge that it will be the last time I get to tag along on Flavia, Lupus, Nubia and Jonathan's adventures mean that I want to put off reading it for as long as possible. One more book, and the journey ends for good.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. As always, Lawrence has seamlessly woven into her work a wealth of historical details, and in this particular book, biblical allusions. Instead of being intrusive, these details only add to the depth and fullness of the novel. Everything is very accurate, and even the most casual reader is sure to pick up some historical knowledge (though he or she may not realize it at the time!). The Prophet from Ephesus offers the reader an intriguing glimpse into early Christianity as well. Without being preachy or cheesy, Lawrence addresses issues of Jonathan's faith that have needed to be resolved.A distinctive characteristic that sets her books apart from other historical fiction is her knack for describing settings. Lawrence does not simply rely on visual details--she paints a multisensory masterpiece of scent, sight, and sound that swiftly draws the reader into the novel. When reading her descriptions of places, one receives the impression that Lawrence has been there before (and she has). All of her books have this remarkable quality, but The Prophet from Ephesus is beyond exceptional in this regard.As far as the plot goes, the series is clearly arcing towards an imminent climax. Romance, excitement and tension climb higher and higher, and at the end of the book, the reader is left hanging off a cliff. Personally, I am torn between longing for the next book to come out, and not wanting the series to ever end!The Roman Mysteries may be children's books, but in no way does Caroline Lawrence dumb them down for her audience. C. S. Lewis once said, "A children's story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children's story in the slightest." By that criterion, The Prophet from Ephesus is a definite success.

I am a huge fan of the Roman Mysteries series, both in book form and TV adaption. These books take something of the concept of the Famous Five (four child detectives and a dog, tracking down criminals and solving mysteries) and sets it in the ancient Roman empire. This is a gritty and realistic ancient empire though, and as such it is highly educational, very exciting and a really good read.In this book the children are far from home, travelling the ancient Roman province of asia minor, in pursuit of a slave dealer.The story is first class, and brings together some threads of earlier novels.

'It is August, AD 81Presumed dead by their families but wanted by unknown authorities, Flavia and her friends feel very far from home.News of more kidnappings in Italia reach them, and when they discover one of Miriam's twins is among the missing, the four detectives set out for Halicarnassus in the Roman province of Asia.Here they find the countryside is full of prophets who heal the sick and cure the lame ~ or are they merely tricksters and villains in disguise?Once again, the detectives' loyalties are tested as they are confronted with hopes for the future and grim legacies of the past...

These books have been a revelation to my 10 year old son, whose favourite subject is History. When he started reading them he became hooked immediately, even though he hadn't been keen to start reading the first one, as he didn't like the description of them, especially the fact that there was a heroine rather then a hero! He had been a reluctant though competent reader and now he is an avid reader with a reading age of 15. The books are involving, exciting, and very educational(without appearing to be for the child) and teach a lot of mythology, history, classics and even Greek and Latin words. If my husband or I read a chapter to him at bedtime we are also hooked and end up reading on ourselves. The subject matter can be quite adult though, as in this book, and I would not recommend it for any younger than a mature 10 year old- it hints at dark subject matter like child abuse and deals with kidnapping and other crimes that could give a sensitive child nightmares, for instance in previous books there have been very gory descriptions of killings etc. However this of course is just the thing to hook boys like mine in, as they love reading gory things, and it does seem removed from real life as it is set such a long time ago. We hear that the next book will also be the last in the series and don't know what we will do! Any recommendations for the next book or series to read anyone?

As usual the research is astounding, putting many adult historical novelists to shame (Conn Iggudlen comes to mind). The description and accuracy to detail is faultless, the twists and turns of the plot are exciting to keep the reader interested and wondering what will happen next. What I like about Caroline Lawrence is that her books are practical, she doesn't conform to the clichés of a happy ending or shying away from such issues as sex. All of this goes to make the Roman Mysteries a unique and interesting and accurate children's novel set in ancient Rome and a must read for all people of all ages. However the reason this book didn't get the full 5 stars is the principle characters (save for Flavia thank god, no pun intended conversion to Christianity. Now Lupus I can understand living with Jonathan and learning to control his anger and forgive his uncle for what he did, how that can lead to Christianity and I do find his conversion authentic albeit with the feeling of light, god's love etc it could be portrayed more realistically, he felt calm, relaxed etc. Nubia too with some thought yes I can see, she likes animals and Romano-Greco Polytheism demanded animal sacrifice though should this make her a vegetarian too? But she likes goat and camel stew but anyway that aside I can see why Nubia would find Christianity perhaps appealing. What I cant understand however is Aristo's conversation; a classical Greek scholar well versed in Homer and a frequent visitor to the temple of Aphrodite? His conversion was rushed in "I've spent 3 days with this fisherman and i'm now converted and all my lifelong teachings and beliefs have gone out of the window." Now maybe in the bible this would happen but Caroline Lawrence has hitherto treated her audience with the intelligent respect they deserve and for this I greatly admired her but I found this book to be very preachy, it seemed to convey the idea that all good characters were Christians and that the faith could turn the most evil person good. Now while this can happen and is a fundamental part of the Christian faith in what has been a rather balanced series of books religious wise to date it deviates from her normal accuracy in portraying characters and situations that feel real. The only consolation is that Flavia, at least, remains Polythenic and can at least give us the "pagans" view on events which was the majority view and belief at that time. I liked how in "The Beggar from Voulbilis" her attachment to Isis was shown in a dream that could be taken as a vision or just a dream, if the Christian conversions had been treated in a similar way in this novel than I think it would have worked much more effectively and feel more authentic.

I am a huge fan of the Roman Mysteries series, both in book form and TV adaption. These books take something of the concept of the Famous Five (four child detectives and a dog, tracking down criminals and solving mysteries) and sets it in the ancient Roman empire. This is a gritty and realistic ancient empire though, and as such it is highly educational, very exciting and a really good read.In this book the children are far from home, travelling the ancient Roman province of asia minor, in pursuit of a slave dealer.The story is first class, and brings together some threads of earlier novels.

A good series of books for boys who like history. I would recommend them for 9-11 year olds But watch out, once you start reading them there are a lot in the series.