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The Trojan War

SLStevens
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Post by SLStevens » Fri February 25th, 2011, 4:10 am

A good YA novel about the Trojan War that I'd recommend for readers of any age is Inside the Walls of Troy by Clemence McLaren. It's told from the POV of Helen and Cassandra. And although I haven't read Laurel Corona's Penelope's Daughter yet, it's on my TBR pile and it's supposed to be quite good.
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Russ Whitfield
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Post by Russ Whitfield » Mon February 28th, 2011, 9:56 am

[quote=""annis""]I haven't read The Mouse God, Russ, but it sounds good- I've just tracked down a copy. Thanks for the tip :)

Briseis also features in Colleen McCullough's Song of Troy which I enjoyed, though I know some people feel ambivalent about it.[/quote]

Song of Troy was a goodie, I thought. But I'd be really interested to hear your thoughts on "The Mouse God," Annis!

Cheers
Russ

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The Czar
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Post by The Czar » Fri July 1st, 2011, 11:20 pm

I just finished Helen of Troy, A Novel, by Margaret George. I was a bit apprehensive, as I had tried to read her bio of Mary Queen of Scots, and found it very dull, but this book was very good.

It makes Helen and Paris out to be much more sympathetic characters than I always found them. More "pawns of the gods" than selfish children. It also follows Helen after the Trojan war and the homecoming of Agamemmnon, etc.

The novel is seen through Helen's eyes, from her girlhood in Sparta, to old age, and she really makes a compelling narrator. The theme is, as usual, mortals attempting to change their fate, almost always unsucessfully.

The only part of the story that I find silly, as always, is the fact that half a dozen people suspected the Trojan horse had people in it, but nobody checked, or at least placed guards. But in total, the novel is very good.
Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results.
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lauragill
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Post by lauragill » Mon July 11th, 2011, 5:12 am

[quote=""Russ Whitfield""]I loved Men of Bronze - I must get the sequel, I've never read it.

That's so weird - I remember that line about the bath too - classic![/quote]

I loved Warrior in Bronze, but wasn't quite so happy with King in Splendour. Agamemnon's scenes with Clytemnestra were the best, though. He badly underestimated her.

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lauragill
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Post by lauragill » Thu July 14th, 2011, 8:29 pm

[quote=""The Czar""]I just finished Helen of Troy, A Novel, by Margaret George. I was a bit apprehensive, as I had tried to read her bio of Mary Queen of Scots, and found it very dull, but this book was very good.

It makes Helen and Paris out to be much more sympathetic characters than I always found them. More "pawns of the gods" than selfish children. It also follows Helen after the Trojan war and the homecoming of Agamemmnon, etc.

The novel is seen through Helen's eyes, from her girlhood in Sparta, to old age, and she really makes a compelling narrator. The theme is, as usual, mortals attempting to change their fate, almost always unsucessfully.

The only part of the story that I find silly, as always, is the fact that half a dozen people suspected the Trojan horse had people in it, but nobody checked, or at least placed guards. But in total, the novel is very good.[/quote]

I am on the fence about this book, because George leaves out a great deal, including Helen's earlier abduction by Theseus, and for some reason didn't place the novel in its proper Late Bronze Age setting.

The very best retelling of the Trojan War IMO is Eric Shanower's fabulous graphic novel series Age of Bronze.
Last edited by lauragill on Fri July 15th, 2011, 2:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Judith Starkston
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Post by Judith Starkston » Thu July 14th, 2011, 9:48 pm

[quote=""Margaret""]There are a ton of novels revolving around the Trojan War. A recent one of literary value is David Malouf's Ransom. I wrote a review of this for my own website, as well as a longer review for the U.K. archaeology website Heritage-Key. I had to chuckle when I discovered they had edited me into a Brit - the funniest part is that I didn't even notice until halfway through my reread of the review.[/quote]

I recently joined HFO and so have just discovered this thread. I'd missed this book. Thanks! I've been working on a novel about Briseis myself and for a while I avoided other people's fictionalizations, but I've got my own historical reconstruction set in my mind and love to read other people's now (not always models of historical accuracy as some of you have noted...). Another YA novel is Troy by Adele Geras. It's been awhile since I read it, but it's another one that tells it from a female perspective.
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Michy
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Post by Michy » Fri July 15th, 2011, 12:50 am

Another book on the Trojan War is Rosemary Sutcliff's Black Ships Before Troy. I've been reading her books on Roman Britain and enjoying them, so thought I'd give it a try (also ordered her re-telling of The Odyssey). I haven't received it, yet.

Like Sutcliff's other books, it was written for YA. So while it may not have the depth of other books on the Trojan War, if you've read any of Sutcliff's works then you know her style and language is sophisticated and very appropriate for adult readers as well.

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Shield-of-Dardania
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Post by Shield-of-Dardania » Sat July 30th, 2011, 5:44 pm

I've only read the version by the late David Gemmel. His trilogy. It was what launched me into the genre of HF. As a reader, I mean, so far.

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Post by Cuchulain » Mon May 6th, 2013, 6:45 pm

Has anyone read Helen by Edward Lucas White? Despite the title, it is really about Aithre. mother of Theseus, who became Helen's slave, foster-mother and companion in Troy.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/HELEN-White-Edw ... ucas+white

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Antoine Vanner
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Original Take on the Trojan War

Post by Antoine Vanner » Sun May 19th, 2013, 10:03 am

For an original take on the Trojan War it's worth reading Warrior in Bronze (1977)by George Shipway, which tells the story from the viewpoint of Agamemmnon.

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