Book Review: ‘A Coin for the Ferryman’
A time-bending adventure with Caesar — where history and sci-fi collide.
What It’s About (In My Own Words)
A Coin for the Ferryman by Megan Edwards
Imagine you could bring Julius Caesar into the present — not just any old version of him, but the one on the brink of his assassination, right before the Ides of March. That’s the grand experiment in A Coin for the Ferryman, where Nobel laureate Andrew Danicek assembles an eclectic team of experts, including the unlikely Cassandra, a young woman fluent in Latin, to bring this ancient icon into the modern world. The catch? There’s a whole lot more going on under the surface than just time travel.
If you’d told me Julius Caesar would turn up in 1999 California — possibly hitting up a casino in Las Vegas — I’d have laughed, poured a glass of wine, and said, “Only if it’s well written.” Luckily, A Coin for the Ferryman delivers on the promise of that gloriously bonkers premise.
Merging Greco-Roman history with time travel sci-fi is my kind of literary cocktail, and this one? Shaken, not stirred. The narrative unfolds through nearly a dozen POVs, and while the slow start might test your patience (yes, there’s a lot of setup), every detail eventually clicks into place. It’s a puzzle worth solving.
Once the pieces are set, the story shifts into high gear — suspense ratchets up, timelines twist, and secrets unravel. By the 60% mark, a romantic subplot begins to bloom in the background, and the rotating perspectives keep things fresh. Locations span from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, with some delightfully cinematic scenes. Even Faith, who grated on my nerves for much of the book, earns her place in the tapestry by the end.
Now let’s talk about Caesar. Sharp, strategic, and unexpectedly endearing, this version of him is the best kind of narrative wildcard. His interactions with Cassandra and the rest of the IDES team are electric — I’d read a whole spin-off series of their escapades, even if I disagree with 90% of his tactics.
That said, my only gripe? I wanted more science. The time travel experiment at the story’s core is more handwave than hard sci-fi, and I would’ve happily nerded out on the mechanics. But hey — the heart of the story lies in the people, not the particle physics, so I can live with it.
The ethical dilemma of bringing someone forward in time — and how that disturbs both their fate and history itself — lingers through the plot. It becomes especially poignant in the final chapters. Caesar’s parting moments stayed with me, and I pondered what it means to rewrite destiny. Honestly, I would’ve devoured another hundred pages just diving into that.
MOM BRAIN FILTER
As a mother, A Coin for the Ferryman made me reflect on the ripple effects of our actions, both monumental and mundane. Can we rewrite history without consequences? The novel suggests otherwise. I kept thinking how one decision, even a small one, can echo further than we realise. And I definitely want Teresa to grow up knowing that our choices matter, not because they’re always perfect, but because they shape the world around us.
READ IF YOU:
Have a soft spot for ancient figures brought to life in modern times
Enjoy suspenseful, action-packed reads with a twist of romance
Like character-driven stories with moral dilemmas that make you think
Want to explore the philosophical “what ifs” of time travel without getting bogged down by too much science
SKIP IF YOU:
Prefer your stories to be more grounded in realism
Need more focus on the mechanics of time travel
Expect a deep philosophical exploration of morality and history
Don’t enjoy multiple points of view or character-driven narratives that lean into drama over action
⭐ RULING
An entertaining romp through time with Julius Caesar as the unexpected breakout star. A Coin for the Ferryman isn’t flawless, but it delivers on its irresistible premise — where history crashes into modernity and leaves you questioning the ripple effects. Smart, surprising, and just the right amount of chaotic.
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YOUR TURN
Now that I’ve shared my thoughts, I’d love to hear yours!
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to meet someone from the past? Who would you bring into the present, and why?
And just for fun, if you could time travel, what period would you visit first?
👇 Let’s chat. I’m listening!
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I am not big on science fiction and I usually hate "what if" books add storylines, but I have had a crush on Caesar ever since reading Colleen McCullough's Rome books, so I think I will have to give this a try...