Shadows in Bronze review

[alobear]

The second book in the Falco series by Lindsey Davis is better than the first.  It still takes a little while to get going, and only gets really good once Helena Justina makes an appearance.  In fact, I think what I like about the book as a whole is the inclusion of a lot more secondary characters.  Falco gets a bit annoying if he's left to his own devices for too long, but things are much more interesting and enjoyable when his friends are around to be mean to him!

His relationship with Helena remains the best aspect of the books - I can't remember how many I've read before but there are eighteen now and I wonder how sustainable the formula is once the relationship is established.  I guess I shall find out - though I don't plan to read all eighteen books in a row.

Comments

[quintus-marcius.livejournal.com]

In my view the best one is the one that doesn't have Falco in it at all. However, the main change in the formula that I remember is that after a while the focus shifts more towards the relationships and away from the informing, so you may well find that you continue to enjoy them more as you go along.