I wasn't able to finish this book, but what I read of it I thought was promising. I think the world building is interesting, I thought the characters were well defined and I was interested, but it was a bit too dense for me. I want to come back to it when I'm ready, but I can safely say that what I was able to read (about 20%?) was enough to keep me wondering what was next. I'd say it's worth a try if you're up for a dense fantasy.

Fascinating alt-history worldbuilding, well-drawn characters, and a plot rich in queer fury, this is a banger of a series starter. Can't wait to see where Burnham goes next.

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.

OMG why aren't more people talking about this book? It was so good and the plot twist at the end? I didn't see any of this coming. This book is so well written and a great look as to why we need to pay attention to what is going on in this world.

Excellent book, loved it! Looking forward to more from this author! Apologies for the lateness of my review

LOVED THIS. Sophie made me finally start thinking about the Roman Empire. This is such a well thought out world and creative take on alternative history. The characters were so rich and defined, and I was rooting for each of them (Except Darius) the whole time. If you're a fan of political, character driven fantasy, then you will love this. I'm still impressed by the way Burnham was able to deftly craft together so many various POVs without it feeling clunky nor blurred together. Each voice is so distinct and flawed in their own way.

I'm having trouble getting into this book right now, and I think it may just be that I am struggling to follow the plot and the characters of this book. I think I will come back to this later on however. 3/5 for what I read so far.

An adult take on that staple of YA alt history: what if the Roman Empire never fell? Sargassa, set in a post-apocalyptic North America, presents an unvarnished critique of caste-based societies that mask oligarchy with false meritocracy. This murder mystery / political intrigue is told by 5 characters located in different positions within the Imperium power structure — from a patrician (noble) heiress to a nonbinary runaway-serva (slave) spying for the rebellion. It is these achingly-realistic perspectives on an all too familiar social dynamic (to those of us living in the United States at least) that made this debut novel shine.

My sole issue with this book (it cannot be called a critique in hindsight) is a quirk of the world-building. If you are a historian like me, you will notice that the in-world timeline as conveyed by the characters makes no sense. Do not get massively frustrated with these discontinuities, as I did. Just run with it and all will be explained in time. ;)

Giving this one one a 3.5 out of 5 for wild awesome, queer-normative worldbuilding but a confusion narrative. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

In theory I loved this story. The world that Sophie Burnham has crafted is layered and nuanced and you can see where history as we know it has meshed with the fantasy. In some ways this story could be categorized as dystopian, because the story takes place in a society post world-ending apocalypse a la the Dark Ages on steroids, and reverts to a Roman Empire era governance mixed with a strict caste system. The terminology and slang used by some of the characters is tricky to follow and I kept going back to re-read sections to make sure I understood what was happening. I understand why the timeline was put at the end of the book, but I feel like putting a [Redacted} one at the start would do a world of wonders for understanding what was happening (also a map and character relationship web).

In some ways, there were too MANY POVs in the story. While I did appreciate being able to see what each character was thinking and learn the details of their motivations, especially when it came to the relationships between the characters, it became overwhelming to keep the characters straight. This on top of the complex societal worldbuilding was a lot to take in and things legitimately did not click for me until the last few chapters.

I'm definitely invested enough that I am already eagerly awaiting the second novel!

I have never read a book that would have so benefitted from placing a timeline of events at the start of the book instead of way back at the end (who made that decision!) like Sargassa does. Maybe the thinking was that it would spoil some twists towards the end, but it’s a funny one — I still think the timeline should have been placed first, because it clarified a whole damn lot of the plot and worldbuilding.

If anything, it would have tightened up the worldbuilding to know some context because, as it was, I spent a lot of time trying to work out if this book was science fiction, fantasy, an alternative world where Rome survived, while also seemingly being set in North America (Sargasso Sea), so it was an alternative universe where Rome became North America? It was, in fact, none of these options (and further I will not elaborate, because that’s spoilerish). I have no real objection to having aspects of worldbuilding obscured as the reader, because more often than not it’s on account of being a twist for the characters to experience, but something about how it was done here didn’t work that well. I think the issue was just how loose the worldbuilding felt without knowing that context. The best books will have such immaculately detailed worldbuilding that you don’t even question that there might be something more to discover. Sadly, this one did not.

In addition to this aspect of the worldbuilding, there was also the whole thorny issue of inventing curses and slang for characters to use. Some of the time this did work! But a lot of the time it didn’t. For example, a character tells someone to “ice”, and they respond they “will not ice”. It’s clearly the in-world way of telling someone to chill, but it just reads so awkwardly and it took me a moment to read the sentence “Ice, Mina” as “chill” because my first thought was this character was asking for ice. Maybe this is a YMMV point. As ever, my mileage is pretty short.

Two other points regard writing too: firstly that the romances feel very rushed throughout, and there also feels to be very little jeopardy in this. I think these are linked in a way, because it’s about building tension in both cases. The tension in the romances was almost nonexistent, except for what we were being told and the tension around the plot was also a damp squib. I never felt worried for the fates of the main characters because there was never any feeling that I needed to be.

As such, even though I did broadly like this book, it’s not one I feel compelled to read again, or a series I feel the need to continue. But, as ever, feel free to disregard this review in its entirety and read it anyway.

Gosh, Sagassa was fabulous! In fact, I am now epically sad because I am forced to wait for more. The only thing stopping me from giving it five full stars is that it did start out a little slow for me, and I was a wee bit confused. But please do not let that stop you, because it gets so good. And so twisty, and so freaking exciting! Look, I don't even know how to review it because there are so many mind-bending twists! You might think you know, but you have no idea. So I shall keep it purposefully brief.

I read a review (after I finished the book, thankfully!) that says not to even read the description, and that is spot on. Actually- don't even read the genre tags, because I feel like they spoil stuff too. Just. Okay- if you like complex characters, really high stakes action, incredible relationships, and ultimately just falling into a world wholly, then this is the book for you. There is political mayhem, survival, relevant commentary on both past and present society... this book legit has it all. If you can get through the little rocky first bit where you might be a tad confused (and I think you should!), this will be unputdownable.

Bottom Line: Need. Next. Book!

Expertly juggling multiple points of view, this complex, twisty novel has a gripping plot and great character development. Reminiscent of Notes From the Burning Age or The Book That Wouldn't Burn, there is some high-concept stuff mixed in with compelling drama. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because of the level of violence, which, while not gratuitous, was somewhat glorified. I'll be looking forward to a sequel.

An interesting alternate history in a fantastical setting. I loved the idea but couldn’t quite pull myself into the execution.

I’m giving this book 3 stars because it had all of the things I look for: interesting worldbuilding, diverse characters, a unique plot, and a nice flow of delivery. I can’t put my finger on where it fell flat for me, but I couldn’t bring myself to the level of gushing adoration I wanted to have.

Selah is fine. She and the other pov characters all have depth and were likeable and distinct, but I struggled to care.

However, because I can’t put my finger on what didn’t work for me, I can say this book will probably hit for a wide audience of readers who love history and dystopian reads. I’m hoping to give it another try in the future because it was well written, and I want to follow in the series.

I will note that I followed a previous reviewer’s advice to start with the appendix, and I’m so glad. It definitely helps you understand what is happening at first and doesn’t spoil anything. Highly recommend.


Thank you to NetGalley and Daw for the advance read of this book. All opinions here are my own.

Sargassa takes place in an alternate world where the Roman Empire never fell, following five characters navigating political intrigue and personal struggles. Selah, the new head of her family after her father’s assassination, must unravel the mystery of a powerful stone and atlas that could change everything. Alongside her, Darius, a morally complex police officer, brings a gritty perspective as they all face the consequences of their choices.

The book has some great moments, especially toward the end with surprising twists and reveals. However, the lack of world-building and inconsistent character development made it harder to connect with the story. There’s potential here, but it didn't fully land for me.

Set in a contemporary North America where the Roman Empire never fell, Sargassa follows five very different characters. Selah is 22-years-old and following the assassination of her father, she is now the head of her family and one of the most important people in Roma. Her father leaves express instructions for two items - a mysterious item known as the Iveroa Stone and an atlas which bears no resemblance to the known geography - to make their way into Selah’s hands and little does she know how much it will completely change her life. She will need the help of friends new and old to unravel the mystery.

This was one of those books that I didn’t realise was a 5 star read as I was reading it but the more that I thought about it, the more I realised just how smart and unique it was. I was utterly blown away by the attention to detail that Burnham has brought to bringing this story to life as well as crafting believable characters that don’t necessarily fit neatly into genre archetypes. I really appreciated that these characters messed-up and there was no deus ex machina that made things okay, they just had to live with the consequences of those mistakes. Selah likes to believe that she is enlightened and witnessing the injustices that her brother and her childhood crush experienced has changed her but ultimately the place that she is in the start of the book is someone who has a lot of privilege and sees a truth that is convenient and comfortable for her.
As much as I hated Darius, I recognised how authentic he was in his outlook to the world. Beyond being necessary to the plot as his actions had a direct impact upon the other four POVs, he perspective provided much-needed insight into the thought processes of a pleb who is doing what they can to have the best life for themselves within the restraints of society. Darius is somewhat holier-than-thou and he holds some really disgusting views but he was a fascinating perspective.

My jaw was on the floor as we got to the end of the book and the reveals occurred. I was actually astounded at the sleight of hand that Burnham carried-out.

I am so excited to see where this story goes.

My main complaint for this story is the lack of worldbuilding. There is an entire timeline for Roma that exists that isn't ever explained. There are terms and peoples that also aren't explained. It is hard to place Sargassa in the greater world. It isn't near Roma. Is it supposed to be England? North America? Africa? The Holy Roman Empire held sway over Asia, Africa, Europe, and Great Britain. Not North America. There is reference to some kind of athlete, but no indication of what exactly the sport was (football? soccer? rugby? Who knows). So I spent over half the book trying to figure things out. Where and how things fit. I actually thought I'd misread and this was the second book in the series, not the first.

And then things start to fall into place a small bit at a time, and some of that lack of worldbuilding starts to make a kind of sense. The ending is very compelling and definitely makes me want to read as the story continues.

DNF. I kept dutifully reading Sargassa because the prose is perfectly good and the worldbuilding is excellent, and it was exploring themes I care about – but recently I hit 68% and woke up to the fact that I didn’t know where this was going and did not care.

Like Blood of the Old Kings, I don’t think it’s bad. But besides all the MCs being some flavour of queer, Sargassa doesn’t seem to be doing or saying anything new – empire is bad, institutionalised oppression is EXTREMELY bad, cops are the fists of the ruling class, privilege is a thing which exists and we can do a lot of harm with it. I think Sargassa could be a helpful wake-up call for readers who’ve never thought about these things before, but there wasn’t much for me to sink my teeth into. The characters and their storylines weren’t interesting to me; the various injustices they face were rage-inducing because those things are inherently rage-inducing, not because I cared that they were happening to these characters in particular.

And I can’t put my finger on why, but wow this book felt slow. I think it might be that so many little (or relatively little) things were happening, they slowed down any progress on the bigger plot, bogged us down in stuff I didn’t care about. At 68% no progress at all had been made on who murdered the previous Historian, for example; the characters were all distracted by other things. Some of which mattered to the development of those characters, sure, but didn’t matter to me.

From what I’ve seen of other early reviews, if you’re into Ancient Rome you’ll be delighted by the detailed worldbuilding and how well-thought-out the timeline of this alternate history is. Or if you’re here for examinations of class privilege and seeing oppressed people slow-burn turn on the system out to keep them down, you might have a good time with Sargassa.

If neither of those things interests you, I’m not sure you should bother. It's not bad; it's fine. But why waste your time reading a book that's just fine, when there are so many greats out there?

This is the kind of world-building I love to see in fantasy stories. The level of detail spent to build the history of this world and map out how the world got to where it is in the present time is extraordinary. This will be your new Roman Empire.

I love all of the POVs that we get in this story and can appreciate how all of their individual plot lines weave together. The amount of dramatic irony is so impressive, but I don’t think it reaches the excessive of the wealthy Roma elites. The story between Saleh and Tair is so beautiful and painful to watch and I am heavily rooting for them in future installments of the Ex Romana series!

There were so many poignant quotes and such great commentary on society, history, and memory of the people in the society.

“We’re…doomed to repeat the mistakes we don’t remember.”

“There’s no such thing as good people and bad, just the circumstances you’re given and what you choose to do with them.”

If you loved the world of The Will of the Many, you’re going to devour Sargassa. This is a very bingeable read that you may want to purposefully sit with longer to soak up the emotion, the message, and the vibes. I know I did and I loved it so much more for that.

Thank you to @DAWBooks and the author for this ARC! All thoughts are my own.

Unfortunately, this book just never clicked for me. I love the alt!Rome premise, and there are some interesting tidbits in the world-building (the author, to her credit, was willing to engage with the realities of what how classist such a society would have been), but I never warmed to any of the characters. There’s also quite a few debut author tells, such as hinting that something happened in the past… and then immediately jumping to a flashback of said thing, rather than letting the story evolve organically.

I’d happily check out a later book by Burnham because I can see a lot of promise, but this one wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

Not gonna lie, the beginning is pretty rough. The first 20% introduces brand new PoV chapters one after the other, with each PoV character being in a different place doing different things, plus time jumps, which made it hard to understand who's who and what's going on. I seriously considered DNFing, but I am so glad I decided to push through.

Once all the main characters have been established, the book kicks into gear. The plot is fast-paced and engaging, the story beats are on point and the build-up leading to the reveal at the end was so well-executed, I couldn't put it down. Speaking of the big reveal, looking back, there are elements that make so much more sense in hindsight, which shows how the author really thought everything through.

One part that was kind of lackluster for me was the characters. There isn't anything wrong with them, and objectively, the character work is great! But I just couldn't connect with any of them. The romance sub-plots are also kind of meh. I didn't dislike them, but I also didn't root for them.

At its heart, though, this book is about classism and injustice. The author does an excellent job of tackling these themes with the portrayal how the caste system works, as well as how the system is built to discriminate against the lower class while protecting the upper class. I find this especially timely, with everything going on in the world right now. This book is brimming with visceral rage, from rage against the system of oppression, to rage against personal injustices.

Besides the rough beginning, this book is fantastic, with a brilliant plot and well-developed world-building and themes. I cannot wait to read the sequel!