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Synopsis
This novel is Colleen McCullough's retelling of the tragic and terrible saga of the Trojan war, a 3000-year-old tale of enduring love, abiding hate, vengeance, betrayal, honour and sacrifice.
Spotlight Reviews Write an online review and share your thoughts with other shoppers! 2 of 3 people found the following review helpful: 
Hard to love, hard to hate!, 20 July, 2001
 | Reviewer: (sue_brunning@hotmail.com) |
I still can't make up my mind whether I absolutely loved or absolutely hated this book, but I have given it four stars because there is no doubt that it is a masterful telling of one of my favourite stories of all time. McCullough certainly sets the scene wonderfully, and the telling of the story through alternating narrators is simply inspired and works like a charm. However, being a tremendous fan of Homer's Iliad, there were things in it that didn't sit quite right with me, and I'm sure I would have liked this book a whole lot more if Homer was not so dear to my heart! Basically, McCullough puts a very plausible and therefore fascinating historical perspective on one of the most enduring Greek Myths - that of the Trojan War - so as you read the book you really get a sense that this is how it could actually have happened, i.e. the war started over trading blockades and not Helen, quite simple explanations for happenings that are usually attributed to the hand of the gods etc. etc. I won't give away her slant on things, but to me I found it a great shame that she neglected to have the interplay between the gods and mortals - surely the crux of Greek Mythology - as a feature in the story at all, and how she completely overhauls some of the greatest moments of the Myth. However, if you can cut yourself off from the traditional tellings of the story, forget the hocus pocus and read it as if reading an account of something that truly happened, there is much to enjoy here. Although I couldn't quite stomach some of the great changes McCullough has made to the essence of an already great tale, her brilliant storytelling more than helps her get away with it and for that reason it should not get less than four stars. Interesting, bold, but somewhat controversial!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: 
A fantastically written and researched story!, 24 May, 1999
| Reviewer: A reader from London, UK |
When I read this book, I was totally mesmerised from page one. It is totally addictive and completely enthralling. McCullough writes with a true understanding of the facts as well as the emotions surrounding the Trojan War. The characters are brilliantly captured especially Achilles - who I fell in love with from the start! This is not a love story at all, as many people mistakenly believe the story of Troy to be. This book is not to be missed.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: A gripping and epic tale of the battle of Troy, 21 August, 2002
| Reviewer: Anna Rolicka from Warsaw, Poland |
I am a devoted Coleen McCullough's reader, and especially the Master of Rome books are my favourite. Thus when I learned about her novel telling the epic history of Illiad I picked it up instantly. It is a very interesting book that I would recommend to anyone, especially given that in the schools they no longer teach Homer to students, and the thorough knowledge of legends and Gods of Ancient Greece can prove valuable. But even if you know the story by heart, you will be enthralled. What I enjoyed most was that I could see the epic struggle of Troy from so many points of view; every chapter has it own protagonist, be it Achilles, Agamemnon, Helen, Priam, Nestor, Odyseus,or so many others. You are allowed the liberty of choosing your own favourite hero/heroine. And besides, the book does not only retell the Illiad. Far from it. The actual war of Troy begins halfway through the story, for first we learn he reasons of Greek attack. In overall, even though I still prefer reading about Marius or Ceasar to Odyseus and Achilles, I truly enjoyed the book.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful: THE TROJAN WAR COMES ALIVE UNDER MCCULLOUGH'S SKILLFUL PEN!, 19 April, 2001
| Reviewer: (asl726@aol.com) from New York City, USA |
Troy...The Trojan War...Helen...Paris. These words and names are alive in our culture, yet many of us know relatively little about them and how they fit together. Colleen McCullogh has penned an easily readable and thoroughly enjoyable account of the whole affair...from it's earliest beginnings and background...to it's final conclusion (and beyond )that will enthrall and entertain those totally familiar with it, totally unfamiliar with it and those simply looking for a rousing tale. The characters...and there are many...come alive as they narrate their own chapters, which illuminate the story from many different points of view. If you love action and battle, it's there in glory-ous and gory-ous detail. If you love romance, this timeless romance is one for the ages..yet, new angles on the characters, their temperament and motivations are uncovered that make them quite human and quite modern. I was genuinely sorry to finish this book and, having read "Caesar" from the author's Masters of Rome series in the past, am now highly motivated to read "The First Man in Rome", the first of the series, to begin a new adventure with a true "Master of Fiction", Colleen McCullough.
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Based on 100 reviews. 
A Heart-rending Novel, April 30, 2000 