For much of Poul Anderson's career, some critics have lamented the author has not created novels worthy of his prose style. When one examines The Game of Empire (1985; see separate entry), written about the same time as Roma Mater, one can see how completely in command of his writing style Anderson truly is, but some critics might complain that the story itself is shallow. However, The Game of Umpire was plainly intended to be an entertainment, not a deep investigation of the meaning of life, and to entertain is actually a very good reason to write a book. On the other hand, Roma Mater is a deeper book; it discusses in detail significant aspects of the human experience.

Furthermore, like The Avatar (1978; see separate entry) before it, Roma Mater fulfills the high expectations some critics have had for Anderson's work. The style is complex and demanding. Anderson uses...