Lindsey Davis, perhaps best known as the author of the popular Falco series, has written a sweeping standalone novel about the reign of Emperor Domitian in 1st-century Rome, giving voice to some of the more far-flung players in the empire's political drama.
Davis is audacious in crafting the narrative of Master and God, juggling several perspectives (including one memorable chapter told from the point of view of a housefly). She is, however, most successful when focusing on her hero and heroine: Gaius Vinius Clodianus, a disfigured and grudgingly noble Praetorian Guard in the service of the emperor, who finds himself sharing living space with the savvy and independent Flavia Lucilla, hairdresser and occasional confidante to the ladies of Domitian's court. They are brought together on the eve of a devastating fire, and both witness the ensuing violence as Domitian's initially promising rule degenerates into madness.
Davis brings her historical setting to vivid life with language that is engaging, despite occasionally feeling somewhat anachronistic. The scope of the novel is ambitious, but nicely balanced by the intimacy and nuance of the relationship that develops between the main characters. Within this complex and speculative historical novel, Lindsey Davis has created a surprisingly delicate love story. The result is an intricately crafted narrative that will please fans of multiple genres. --Judie Evans, librarian