THE DAY OF THE EARTHQUAKE

Intrigue in Roman Antioch: his warring father reported dead, his mother condemned to die for ""treason,"" Gaius himself bound for Persia as a slave--double-dealing behind, earthquake to come, coincidences around every corner, and nothing but a long explanation at the end (and superimposed Christianity) to make any sense of it all. Ridiculously plotted, this is trite as history and presumptuous as preaching.