Meet the five men before they meet Bianca, their personal history, their respective parts of Italy, and why they each have a stake in the fight against organized crime. Each novella gives a deeper insight into the world and players that make the Roma Series so captivating. These five novellas, Man of Honor, The Fallen One, Two Warriors, Dance of the Spider, and Five Before Rome, precede the first … precede the first novel in the Roma Series, Roma, Underground.
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I have read all the books in Valjan’s Roma series (see review links above) and enjoyed every one. So I was intrigued to read the authors latest book featuring five novella prequels to the series – Man of Honor, The Fallen One, Two Warriors, Dance of the Spider, and Five Before Rome. In them he introduces us to Roma’s main characters – Dante, Alessandro, Farrugia, Gennaro and Silvio.
Each novella in this compilation showcases a story from the past – sometimes not too distant, sometimes further back. We get a peek into how these men came to be the people we meet later on. Each also offers a bit of Italian history as well as a bit of background of the crime families that call it home. After the last story is finished, Valjan has included a fairly detailed set of notes for each novella. Any questions you might have about one of the stories or references in them (Italian words, history, mythology, names, and more) can be found here. It you’re a lover of all things Italian, there are a lot of interesting gems for you to savor.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this new offering by author Gabriel Valjan. My only regret, I would have loved to read it before the other novels. Perhaps on my next vacation I will take all six books and indulge reading them starting with this prequel and then in order from book one to book five!
Five Before Rome is my first introduction to Gabriel Valjan’s books. This one is a collection of five novellas that are prequels to his Roma series. The novellas include:
Man of Honor – It is 2001 and readers are introduced to Alessandro, who is living with his mother and needs to find a way to help take care of the family.
The Fallen One – Silvio is 19 and living with mother and grandfather, in the year 1991. He finds out unexpected secrets, meets new friends and falls in love.
Two Warriors – In 1985, Isidore Farrugla has to do what it takes to save two bronze statues of The Riace Warriors that were found in 1972.
Dance of the Spider – During the 1990s, Gennaro DiBello has been faced with a lot of tragedy in his life with the loss of his wife, Lucia, and two of his friends, Giovanni and Paolo. He has to find a way to keep his life together.
Five Before Rome – Five men have to solve a murder involving organized crime that will affect the Vatican and Rome’s government.
I enjoyed these quick glimpses into what to expect with the series. My favorite of the five is probably Five Before Rome. It had a lot of mystery and suspense that kept me engaged from start to finish.
I am giving Five Before Rome four and a half stars. After reading this book, I am looking forward to starting the first book in the Roma series, Roma, Underground, to see what happens.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.