WINNER OF THE ORANGE PRIZE FOR FICTION 2012 Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their differences, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.
ACHILLES: A LOVE STORYA Gay Novel of the Trojan War The heroic tale of the passion of Achilles, unrivalled hero and the most beautiful man in the world, for the handsome and heroic Patroclus, as it unfolds in Homer's Iliad, is the one of the greatest and earliest gay love stories ever told. But Homer also hints at another love story that complicates the tale: that of the handsome Prince Antilochus who comes to the battlefield of Troy to find Achilles, the man he has always loved. When the tragic death of Patroclus leaves Achilles shattered and alone, it is Antilochus who is at his side, as friend, companion in battle, and lover. "Achilles: A Love Story," written in the tradition of Mary Renault's "The Persian Boy" and "Fire From Heaven," Yourcenar's "Memoirs of Hadrian," and Vidal's "Julian," is the first modern novel (published: 2010) to re-imagine the "Iliad" as what ancient readers knew it to be: not only a tale of battles and exemplary heroism, but a passionate story of love between men. "Achilles: A Love Story" creates the passionate tale of Antilochus and Achilles as it plays out against the legendary battles of the Trojan war in an exciting and moving story told by no other writer. (Revised Edition: February 2012) COMMENTS Much More Than I Expected (H. Michael Starr Amazon Verified Purchase.) The title of this book...suggested a quickie gay romance novel....What I got instead was a beautifully written retelling of a beautiful story, the Iliad, from a homoerotic perspective. Unexpected, (By Anna - Amazon Verified Purchase) I totally did not expected this....it was beautiful! ...and it grips the reader. I could not stop reading. Highly recommended (Gerry A. Burnie "Gerry B's Book Reviews" Amazon Verified Purchase. "Achilles: A love story" is an unapologetic celebration of male love and valour.
"Spectacular and constantly surprising." -Ken Burns Written with the authority of a scholar and the vigor of a bestselling narrative historian, The War That Killed Achilles is a superb and utterly timely presentation of one of the timeless stories of Western civilization. As she did in The Endurance and The Bounty, New York Times bestselling author Caroline Alexander has taken apart a narrative we think we know and put it back together in a way that lets us see its true power. In the process, she reveals the intended theme of Homer's masterwork-the tragic lessons of war and its enduring devastation.
The legend of Achilles is one of the greatest legends in the Greek mythology and one of its oldest. His fame survived through centuries and his legend is enhanced by thousands of details in the Iliad poem. Achilles' best traits are glory and honor, he was so eager to follow these exploits with his inseparable friend Patroclus. He preferred, despite the multiple warnings of his mother Thetis, a short but glorious life. Thetis ́ beauty, bravery, fortitude and valuable protection that she provided to Achilles would grant him the approval of Greek Goddesses, such as Hera and Athena, which greatly helped him to increase his fame. He was actually more than just a hero; Achilles was considered in ancient times as a demi-god and revered in many parts of Greece. He dedicated his entire life to pursuing a glorious afterlife, seeking to be surrounded by his deities with whom he shared his life and pleasures in an eternal joy atmosphere, interspersed with feasting and fighting endlessly for the sake of honor and greatness. Achilles decided consciously to leave his human life behind and engrave his name through his noble acts in the Greek world and the world in general. He wanted history to identify him as an "immortal God" rather than a coward who chose a long life over fighting to his last breath in a battle of death. By choosing a short life, Achilles has given history the reason to remember him for eternity and built his legend, because after all his choice complies with what he is and who he truly was; a Goddess and a king's child. The courage he displayed, which his name is forever associated with, is what true heroism is about.
This classic novel of the closing days of the Trojan War is being published to coincide with the Signet Classic conversion of The Odssey. This translation has been praised by the Times Literary Supplement and the New York Times Book Review.
Story of Achilles from birth to death, the greatest hero in Greek literature/history and the hero of the Trojan War. All the great characters of the Trojan War cycle are here and presented in a fashion that makes history come alive.
This #1 New York Times bestseller is a "bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story" that brilliantly reimagines the life of Circe, formidable sorceress of The Odyssey (Alexandra Alter, TheNew York Times). In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child -- not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power -- the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. Threatened, Zeus banishes her to a deserted island, where she hones her occult craft, tames wild beasts and crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology, including the Minotaur, Daedalus and his doomed son Icarus, the murderous Medea, and, of course, wily Odysseus. But there is danger, too, for a woman who stands alone, and Circe unwittingly draws the wrath of both men and gods, ultimately finding herself pitted against one of the most terrifying and vengeful of the Olympians. To protect what she loves most, Circe must summon all her strength and choose, once and for all, whether she belongs with the gods she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love. With unforgettably vivid characters, mesmerizing language, and page-turning suspense, Circe is a triumph of storytelling, an intoxicating epic of family rivalry, palace intrigue, love and loss, as well as a celebration of indomitable female strength in a man's world. #1 New York Times Bestseller -- named one of the Best Books of the Year by NPR, the Washington Post, People, Time, Amazon, Entertainment Weekly, Bustle, Newsweek, the A.V. Club, Christian Science Monitor, Refinery 29, Buzzfeed, Paste, Audible, Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, Thrillist, NYPL, Self, Real Simple, Goodreads, Boston Globe, Electric Literature, BookPage, the Guardian, Book Riot, Seattle Times, and Business Insider.
In 1882, after six years of foreign travel and adventure, renowned diplomat and detective Erast Fandorin returns to Moscow in the heart of Mother Russia. His Moscow homecoming is anything but peaceful. In the hotel where he and his loyal if impertinent manservant Masa are staying, Fandorin’s old war-hero friend General Michel Sobolev (“Achilles” to the crowd) has been found dead, felled in his armchair by an apparent heart attack. But Fandorin suspects an unnatural cause. His suspicions lead him to the boudoir of the beautiful singer–“not exactly a courtesan”–known as Wanda. Apparently, in Wanda’s bed, the general secretly breathed his last. . . . From the Trade Paperback edition.
