I didn't expect this book to deliver anything particularly special. I figured it would be a shoddily regurgitated Iliad that would be satisfying enougI didn't expect this book to deliver anything particularly special. I figured it would be a shoddily regurgitated Iliad that would be satisfying enough to keep me entertained in between reading heavy classics. What I found after starting the book is that I could not put it down.
Gemmell did an excellent job of shaping the build up to the Trojan War without damaging the original story-line of The Iliad and The Odyssey. His characters are deep and well thought out, and the reader can relate to them. This makes the story more compelling because the reader actually wants to know what's going on. The story is clear and direct and doesn't go into overly long "set-up" chapters which build the story until the action finally hits. I enjoyed this book twice as much as A Game of Thrones. I am eager to read Shield of Thunder and Fall of Kings.
This is the best heroic-fantasy book I have read. Highly recommended....more
This book was absolutely amazing. By reading I, Claudius and Claudius the God and his wife Messalina I have read the two best books I've ever read. BoThis book was absolutely amazing. By reading I, Claudius and Claudius the God and his wife Messalina I have read the two best books I've ever read. Both were profound and I believe the sequel managed to retain a unique style which added to the potency of the first. Claudius the God was amazing at it will remain with I, Claidius my favorite book of all time.
It was very information, witty, and accessible. It managed to leave me with a sense of nostalgia and loss when it was over. Many thanks to Robert Graves for his hard work and study in putting these two masterpieces together....more
If you are a fan of history, but also enjoy it told in a manner which attracts the reader to the humanity oThis is one of the best books ever written.
If you are a fan of history, but also enjoy it told in a manner which attracts the reader to the humanity of the narrator then enjoy this very clearly and well thought out piece of historical fiction. I would argue that it is the best of its kind.
I can't wait to read the sequel, Claudius, The God and his Wife Messalina....more
A very unique work. It's a combination of travel literature and stream of consciousness. It's a masterwork about how the exploration of the world mirrA very unique work. It's a combination of travel literature and stream of consciousness. It's a masterwork about how the exploration of the world mirrors the exploration of the spirit....more
For those who are interested in a strict retelling of the history of Alexander the Great, this is not the book you are looking for. This is a fictionaFor those who are interested in a strict retelling of the history of Alexander the Great, this is not the book you are looking for. This is a fictional retelling which focuses on the individual Alexander III of Macedon and the pathos with which he and his companions were bound together. It is as much a fictional retelling of a historical person and time, as it is a dissertation on the spirit of youth. Kazantzakis shows Macedon as the new face of Greece which supplants the old and brings with it vim and vigor....more
This book was dark and hard to read but extremely rewarding. In capturing the spirit of what it means to be Greek with the spirit of what is means to This book was dark and hard to read but extremely rewarding. In capturing the spirit of what it means to be Greek with the spirit of what is means to be free, Kazantzakis juxtaposes the two in the midst of the civil war. The setting is northern Greece, and the remnants of its structure after World War II; a Greece austere and dry and devoid of much of its ancient splendor. The mountains are chaotic with war, and brother kills brother. Kazantzakis reveals a Greece which troubles him and should trouble the world. One where hatred is confused with nationalism and where extravagance is confused with freedom. However a deep hopefulness is found in this novel. Its main character, Father Yanaros' noble quest to end the civil war in his village is a reminder of those who sacrifice themselves to bring peace, not war. Chilling in its descriptions, The Fratricides shows a Greece in shambles, so far removed from its glorious past and unsure of its future, that the reader must question how it got there and who was responsible. It is a reminder that war and greed can destroy even the most beautiful places and people, but that faith whether that be in god or man, has the potential to repair even the most damaged country and people. It is worth it, but I must say it is very dark and depressing....more
Simply read it. If you are of any religion read this book, if you aren't religious at all, read this book. It will make the religious person have a deSimply read it. If you are of any religion read this book, if you aren't religious at all, read this book. It will make the religious person have a deeper appreciation for spirituality and suffering, and it will make the Atheist gain respect for spirituality....more
A very fresh interpretation of the story of Theseus slaying the Minotaur and defeating King Minos of Crete. Although it may seem straightforward, try A very fresh interpretation of the story of Theseus slaying the Minotaur and defeating King Minos of Crete. Although it may seem straightforward, try to analyze the underlying themes of colonization and change. Theseus ushers in the destruction of the Minoan Civilization in Crete, however he gives rise to Classical Greece as a beacon of learning and creation. Nikos Kazantzakis asks the reader if it is necessary to destroy on thing of beauty to create another....more
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