Odysseus

Starred review from September 1, 2014

Manfredi is a professor of classical archaeology in Milan and the author of 13 novels including the international best-selling "Alexander" trilogy (Child of a Dream; Sands of Amon; Ends of the World) about Alexander the Great. With this title, he launches a new two-part saga about the legendary Greek king and hero, from his boyhood on the tiny island of Ithaca to the fall of Troy. From a very early age, Odysseus knows he will one day rule Ithaca and spends his childhood training for the task. When the king of Sparta gathers all the eligible young rulers of Greece to vie for his daughter's hand in marriage, it is Odysseus who persuades them to allow Helen to choose her husband in the hopes that the ardent young heroes won't fight among themselves. Each warrior swears an oath to support the chosen suitor. When Helen is stolen from her husband, Menelaus, and spirited off to Troy by Paris, the Greek kings, bound by their oath, descend on Troy with 1,000 ships and 50,000 warriors. VERDICT Manfredi beautifully retells Homer's epic poem, the Iliad, in a classical manner, which at first seems stilted to our modern ears but grows increasingly lyrical as the style and language enhance the reader's experience of rediscovering an ancient tale. This masterpiece will be eagerly devoured by those who enjoy the works of Bernard Cornwell and Steven Pressfield.--Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage P.L., AK

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2014
The first of a two-volume epic, this book traces the life of the Greek king and explorer Odysseus, from his childhood in Ithaca to the Trojan War. It's a huge story, but, as he did in his trilogy of novels about Alexander the Great, Manfredi focuses on the people, using the historical (and mythological) action as a backdrop for the human drama. As the story opens, Odysseus is a young boy, eager to learn from his father, the king of Ithaca, what it means to live the life of an adventurer. A tantalizing story about Herculesin which it is suggested that the warrior did not, as everyone believed, ruthlessly massacre his own familysends Odysseus, now a young man, on the first of his voyages. Originally published in Italian, ably translated into English by the author's wife, this is a beautifully told tale, and fans of novels about the great characters of Greek mythology (Mary Renault is an obvious and apt read-alike) will relish the story and eagerly await the final volume.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)