#Ruth downie books full
#Ruth downie books series

I wrote this post saying I plan to finish it, but while it was waiting in the queue to be published I went ahead and devoured the whole series (individual reviews on Amazon and Goodreads). I have no idea why it took me so long to get back to it, but I am glad I did. calling a master вЂmy lordвЂ™ rather then вЂdomineвЂ™, or using вЂdoctorвЂ™ for physician), which may sound a tad weird to those used to Latin terms from similar series. She has elected to translate most Latin terms into modern English (e.g. Ms Downie has experience with archaeology and Latin history, and it shows in her writing. Rather, the stories are told in a lighter vein, in third person perspective from either Ruso or TillaвЂ™s POV. While there are certainly some gruesome bits (did I mention combat medic?), these arenвЂ™t your typical first-person hard-boiled detective. These arenвЂ™t the noir mysteries I normally read and recommend. She has clearly done her research, and each location comes alive with the latest modern archaeological understanding of life there seeping through her writing. Tilla has her own sense of fairness, and views on what makes the world tick.Дownie locates each book in a different town, mostly around Roman Britain (#3 is set in Roman Gaul, and #7 in Rome itself). Downie is masterfully weaving the investigations through sub-plots, distractions, daily lives, grand events вЂ“ till you just have to know what happens next.В Ruso may be a reluctant investigator, but he has that nagging voice in his head when things donвЂ™t quite fit well, and it keeps him following and digging for the truth. The plot of the stories grips you till canвЂ™t put the book down. It is clear that each character вЂ“ from main to support cast вЂ“ is a fully realised person, with their own agendas and biases. Downie has a knack to depict the world-views of the characters realistically, switching viewpoints from a Roman medical officer to a British peasant woman. These are the kind of books where you care for the characters.

The writing is witty, the setting is rich, the plot thought-out, and the mysteries engaging. All characters are fully fleshed, believable, with their own motivations. Things naturally become much more complicated than anyone expects, and Ruso is both aided and frustrated by his native housekeeper (and future wife) Tilla.

The series takes place (mostly) in the height of Roman occupation of Britain, which serves as a great background to view the empire at itвЂ™s Western extreme.Д®ach novel is a mystery, where Ruso is reluctantly ( heвЂ™s a doctor, dammit, not an investigator!) dragged to solve murders no one else wants to take a close look at. Ruso is a physician, serving as a medic in RomeвЂ™s Legio XX stationed in Britannia at the start of HadrianвЂ™s reign. (I wrote individual reviews for each book on Amazon & Goodreads). Since I do not include spoilers in my reviews and the below applies equally to all volumes IвЂ™ve read, IвЂ™ve made this post a review of the whole series. That should give you an idea about how much I love the series. I actually wrote this post after finishing the 3rd volume,В Persona Non Grata, back in November вЂ“ but since I schedule posts in advance and have been catching up on my reading over the holidays, I had the chance to finish the other volumes in the series between writing this and posting. Below are my thoughts on the whole series, as IвЂ™ve just finished the last published volume, Vita Brevis. IвЂ™ve read the first two books a couple of years ago, and have been reading the rest of the series this year.

#Ruth downie books full

I strikes me that while I have mentioned Ruth DownieвЂs writing before, have interviewedВ her protagonist Gaius Petreius Ruso, and have even used him for a guest appearance вЂ“ with permission! вЂ“ in In Numina, I have never actually wrote a full review of her books.