Sargassa (Ex Romana #1), by Sophie Burnham
11 Nov 2024The Book
Synopsis:
An unlikely group of rebels are ready to burn down the Roman empire like you've never imagined it before. From the halls of the Senate floor to the bloody sands of the gladiatorial pits, Sophie Burnham's debut is full of riveting political danger, thoughtful worldbuilding, and a tightly-knit group of conspirators.
The role of Imperial Historian is Selah Kelios's birthright, but she was supposed to have more time to learn the role from her father, the previous Historian. In the wake of her father’s sudden and shocking assassination, Selah finds herself custodian of more than just the Imperial Archives when an old flame returns intending to steal the Iveroa Stone—a seemingly harmless artifact containing secrets that could destroy the empire.
Theo Nix is a damn good spy, and they know it. By day, they work in Senator Naevia Kleios’s office; smart, unobtrusive, and grateful, they’re the model of a perfect plebeian. By night, their time belongs to Griff: master strategist, commander of the Revenants, the spider at the center of a very large and very dangerous web. When Griff gives Theo an assignment, they move, no questions asked, so it’s really no surprise Theo is flirting with Arran Alexander—Selah’s low-caste half brother is an obvious target. It is a surprise, however, that they’re enjoying it so much.
After a year away in the legions, Arran has recently returned home, only to find the cracks beneath his feet widening. Struggling with his own identity and purpose, drawn into an underground independence movement through his growing feelings for Theo, Arran must choose between the sister he loves and the chance to take control of his own life for the very first time.
Sargassa is the first book in a new speculative trilogy that is equal parts political intrigue, queer romance, and revolution.
My Review
Sargassa is the first novel in the Ex Romana trilogy, an alt-history science-fantasy written by Sophie Burnham, and published by DAW Books. A choral story rooted in a thought experiment, which takes the opportunity of using a worldbuilding worthy of the best fantasy novels to discuss many themes that are more relevant than ever, such as sexuality, gender, and oppression, all in the context of a revolution against an empire.
The assassination of the Imperial Historian will play as the first stone that will pave the way used to explore its amazing plot through the eyes of five characters; Burnham picks across the different social classes, weaving them together through a common one. While the story starts being set as a murder mystery, the author is not afraid to mutate the plot into something bigger, which can be overwhelming at the start (especially if you take into account the jumps across the POVs), but just trust the process.
Sargassa is an ambitious novel, and its worldbuilding is a reflection of it; we can appreciate the influence of the Roman Empire on this society, with many figures that are recognisable for the history lovers, but the author also introduces her own layer of modernity, adapting this world to the hypothetic different world development. Choosing characters from different social classes also allows the portray of the different struggles of each one, from the high ones such as Selah, to those on more modest positions, such as Tair. Using them, Burnham introduces many questions on nowadays burning themes such as queerness, the "slavery" of the working class under the establishment, introducing also the feelings and beliefs of her cast of characters.
Personally, I think the pacing is a bit slow at the start, as a big chunk of the pages are using for setting the stage; the pay-off is worth-it, but sometimes it can be confusing and difficult to follow for the reader. The prose is precise, and you end being fully immersed in this alternative world.
Sargassa is an excellent novel, a science-fantasy proposal that will be loved equally by Roman Empire enthusiasts and people that want their speculative fiction to be thought provoking. An incredible debut, and, definitely, a big reason to continue reading the Ex Romana series.
The Author/s
Sophie Burnham
Sophie (they/them) is the author of the Ex Romana trilogy. The first novel, Sargassa, is now available wherever books are sold.
They have been a participating writer in—and script doctor behind—multiple studio film and television projects. They’re a recovering theatre kid with a BFA in Acting from Syracuse University. Sometimes they fall off the wagon. They’ve still been known to direct a play now and again.
Sophie lives with their dog on an island in Rhode Island, which is not an island.