I read some series like River Song travels with the Doctor: out of order. I’ve dipped and dallied with various books in the Falco series, but most recently I read Venus in Copper before going back to the source, Falco #1: The Silver Pigs. Here we meet Lindsey Davis’ private eye: Marcus Didius Falco, an informer in the first-century Roman empire. Falco is constantly on the hunt for new clients and new income, lest his greedy landlord send some gladiators around to bust his kneecaps (and other, more precious body parts). In this case, Falco gets mixed up in the murder of a senator’s niece and finds himself travelling to Britain, where he meets the same senator’s daughter as he races to uncover a silver theft conspiracy that could topple the emperor.As I pointed out in my review of Venus in Copper, this series has two notable strengths. Firstly, Falco is a great protagonist. Secondly, Davis is great at reifying ancient Rome, describing it in all its glory. She does this in Falco’s voice, making him sound like the native of the city that he is, as he nonchalantly tosses out names and routes from one part of the city to the other. These two strengths more than make up for weaknesses in the plot or mystery, though I think I preferred this mystery over that of Venus’.Falco embodies a lot of the typical private investigator traits, complete with the run-down office/apartment that is somewhat behind on the rent. He gleefully spars verbally with everyone from his mother to potential clients to emperor’s sons, only to become tongue-tied when he meets the one woman he can’t just seduce and then cast away. In this way, Davis also subverts some of the tropes of the private investigator. She establishes Helena Justina as a permanent love interest for Falco. In The Silver Pigs, we get to see their first meeting and the way their relationship begins from mutual animosity towards something approaching amity, and then finally to love. Falco and Helena are a good match for each other: stubborn, clever, and passionate; I wish them well.The other strength of this series lies in Davis’ knowledge of Rome, particularly Roman geography. I don’t spend too much time with the maps at the beginning of historical fiction books. If I need to, I might refer back to them while I read. I like it when I don’t even have to do that. Davis smoothly describes how Falco might be running from one end of Rome to the other, and her easy patter means I don’t have to worry about mapping out the route. Falco should sound like he knows what he’s doing, and Davis makes sure he sounds that way. She creates a consistent voice for him as narrator, expertly balancing between exposition that her modern readers need to know and inferences about would be apparent to someone living in ancient Rome.So many books set in this time period focus on the dynastic struggles. Many take a very wide view of history, with their stories set across decades and dynasties. It is refreshing, then, to have a book like The Silver Pigs. It takes place over the course of about a year, as Falco travels from Rome to Britain and back, with a stint in the lead/silver mines for a few months. In the backdrop of the book, Vespasian is securing his grasp on the throne by celebrating his and his son’s Triumph over Jerusalem. However, this is never more than a side element; the main story is undoubtedly the mystery that Falco decides he must solve.I admit that Davis’ penchant for describing the political ramifications of her villains’ machinations is not at the same level as her geography. She does her best to explain how bribing the Praetorian Guard could lead to Vespasian’s downfall; however, this never demonstrates much suspense. The most realistic and compelling part of the mystery is Falco’s drive to avenge the death of Sofia. It’s easy to believe in that, regardless of the time period one might be from. So, while this isn’t one of the book’s strengths, there are plenty of books about ancient Rome that do have cutting political philosophy.The mystery itself burgeons with suspects and villains, though we don’t actually meet many of them, and some of the ones we do meet turn up dead or missing. What drives Falco is the constant sense of danger as the ground shifts beneath his feet. I don’t have a lot of experience with pulp detective fiction, but I’m given to understand that often the protagonist can’t even trust the people he works for—they can have shady agendas as well. This is certainly the case here, where Falco manages to pick up not one but three employers: Helena Justina’s father, Helena herself, and the Emperor (in the form of his son, Titus). Watching Falco deal with the people who are supposed to be helping him is probably as much, if not more, fun as watching him deal with the people who want to hurt him.The Silver Pigs is a promising start to the Falco series. I think it would probably give a first-time reader a good indication of whether they can expect to like the rest of the books. I certainly intend to continue dipping into this series at a leisurely pace. These books are excellent works of historical fiction when it comes to setting and character. Davis set out to write mystery in ancient Rome … and she has certainly succeeded.
I first encountered Marcus Didius Falco in a short story in Classical Whodunits, many years ago. At the time I was more interested in the late Roman Republic, so I was more drawn to the Steven Saylor mysteries featuring Gordianus the Finder, contemporary of Cicero and Julius Caesar and the significant events of that era. I later rediscovered Falco through audiobook versions of "A Body in the Bath House" and "The Jupiter Myth," which occur much later in the series. "The Silver Pigs" is the debut novel introducing Falco and the other characters that dominate the series.Falco's period is also fascinating: after the Year of the Four Emperors, just as Vespasian is beginning his rule. In this inaugural book, Falco - a bawdy, cantankerous "informer" (private investigator) of little means - struggles with a dysfunctional family, a landlord with limited patience for late payments, and not nearly enough work...when a Senator's young niece runs into him (literally) and changes the trajectory of his life. The case, which begins with a maiden with "far too many clothes" fleeing from a band of bully boys, leads Falco through palaces, sewers, and the silver mines of a Britain the former soldier hoped never to see again. Along the way he loves, loses, and loves again (vague enough?) and begins a relationship not just with a Senator's family, but with the new Emperor's as well.The dialog is first person, and reads a bit like Sam Spade in the Subura. You are never left wondering what Falco's opinion is, on any subject or person. As this is the first of many Falco novels, paying attention here is worth it; Davis seems unwilling to let any juicy bits stay on the floor, and applies the Five Second Rule to rescue them for later enjoyment.I can't call Falco lovable, but he's got a gruff charm that - try as he might - he can't hide completely. Along the way, Rome - all of it, not just the polished marble and chalk-white togas, but the stink of the slums, the chaos of the hearth, the perils of travel whether across town or across the continent, the struggle to earn a daily denarius, and the surprisingly but authentically modern-seeming conveniences and complaints of urban life - is itself a vibrant, slightly dangerous but romantic (cough) character.As for Britain: Falco never quite escapes it, and Davis will never be invited to join the Londinium board of tourism. But it too wheezes with what passes for life.Highly recommended.
What do You think about The Silver Pigs (2006)?
This is the first book in Davis' Marcus Didius Falco series, set in what seems to me to be an authentic version of ancient Rome and Britain. Falco is a private investigator (not that he calls himself that) who falls into a complicated plot involving financial shenanigans and murder that leads him (much to his dismay and disgust) right up into the imperial palace.At first I found Falco's very contemporary, Sam-Spade style, voice hard to reconcile with the setting. But why not? The Romans' Latin was once a living language, wasn't it? Like most private eyes, he takes a licking and keeps on ticking, almost to the point of absurdity. But, again, Davis gets away with it. Unlike many private eyes, Falco has a family. Unlike many private eyes, he falls in love---inappropriately, but that just adds to the sly humor of the story, which moves right along and is resolved in a believable manner.
—Lillian Carl
Silver Pigs is the first in a now 20 book detective fiction series. This one is set in Rome and Roman Britain in 70-71 A.D. The blurb on the back says "Sam Spade in a Toga" and the story is now about 25 years old having been published in 1989. For a first published novel it is remarkably good and caught my interest from the first page. Sam Spade in a Toga is in fact a bit of what it is about but the attention to detail and a romantic element that powers much of the latter part of the story really make this more than simply a detective novel set in early Rome and Britain.Silver Pigs refer to ingots mined and produced in Britain that are made of silver and lead ore. There is a bunch of intrigue (and murder) concerning the manufacture and transport of this resource. Frankly, I found the stories of the characters and family relationships (and there are quite a few) much more intriguing. Our detective (known as an "informer" in Roman times) is Marcus Didius Falco. He's a rather hardened guy with a good heart. There are a few bits in here to reward the careful reader that I can't spoil by mentioning. I really enjoyed the romance side of the story as it was rather unexpected even if obvious in hindsight. There is some good verbal sparring between Marcus and others, friends and foe. Altogether just a very enjoyable read and I will be reading more in this series.
—Ron
Stuff I Read - Silver Pigs by Lindsey Davis ReviewSo I picked this up because I'm interested in Rome and like mysteries. It makes sense, really, because this is the first book in a long series of ancient Rome-based mysteries. And in that it's rather fascinating, fun, all of that. It seems well researched, and it's well written enough that I kept on reading despite a rocky beginning. It's just a little difficult for me to rate it, because while it might be reflecting the values of ancient Rome, I just never liked Falco, and I didn't think the book ever succeeding in getting me entirely on his side. Rooting for Helena was much easier, but she was made into the damsel too many times for me to really get behind her as an empowered female, even if she was by the standards of the time.In many ways this felt like a standard 1980s mystery, with a brash detective who seems more pulp-based than Roman. The setting is Rome, and that was one of the interesting parts of the book, but it's all wrapped up in that almost noir feel that reads very modern. It's not poorly done at all, but it wasn't really what I was expecting or wanting. I was hoping, I guess, for something that was a bit more distant from the Lovejoys or private investigators that were so prevalent on television and in books at the time. But Falco is definitely an 1980s detective, for all he's supposed to be living nearly 2000 years ago.Of course, a lot of the detail was great, and it's interesting to think of how things in ancient Rome might have mirrored certain things today, that certain thoughts and prejudices were around even back then. And it was a dangerous place, where people could be attacked in the middle of the street. It added a level of suspense that was nice, and the whole book was filled with little bits of flavor, from the state of affairs for going to the bathroom to the various businesses. It's definitely a setting rife with possibilities, and I liked that the story used so many of the set pieces.The romantic angles were very standard, though, with Falco the misogynist detective who falls for his clients. It works and it was entertaining in places, but I would have wished for some added complications. The relationship between him and Helena was fairly well done, but it wasn't exactly new stuff. I would have liked for them both to have been a little more complex, though they were better than some portrayals I have seen. In the end, I did want more, but the story was moving and entertaining and kept me reading. It shows its age a bit, perhaps, but I liked it overall, and am giving it a 6/10.
—Charles
