Book Rec-- The King Must Die
Sep. 2nd, 2004 12:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mysidAs many of you know, I love Mary Renault's books about Alexander the Great, so when I came across another title by her, The King Must Die, in a used bookstore, I thought, "Why not."
I'm so glad I did. This is the story of Theseus (of Theseus and the Minotaur fame), but as you've never read it before.
In many ways, this book reminds me of Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy (another favorite of mine) because the protagonist, Theseus, is the narrator, and because it makes the supernatural elements of his myth less fantastic and more "real." While reading it, you almost believe, "This is the real story, but I can see how the myth grew out of this."
The recurring theme of the book is that a king/a hero must be willing to sacrifice himself to save his people. He must not waste his life needlessly, but be willing to sacrifice himself if absolutely necessary to save others. (The HP fans who read this should take note.)
As soon as I finished reading it (I found it hard to put down once I started), I immediately read it again--it was that good. Run, don't walk to a library or bookstore! Read this book!
(Oh, and feel free to recommend it to the non-slash readers you know. Although both m/m and f/f pairings exist on the sidelines of this one, all of Theseus's love affairs are with women.)
I'm so glad I did. This is the story of Theseus (of Theseus and the Minotaur fame), but as you've never read it before.
In many ways, this book reminds me of Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy (another favorite of mine) because the protagonist, Theseus, is the narrator, and because it makes the supernatural elements of his myth less fantastic and more "real." While reading it, you almost believe, "This is the real story, but I can see how the myth grew out of this."
The recurring theme of the book is that a king/a hero must be willing to sacrifice himself to save his people. He must not waste his life needlessly, but be willing to sacrifice himself if absolutely necessary to save others. (The HP fans who read this should take note.)
As soon as I finished reading it (I found it hard to put down once I started), I immediately read it again--it was that good. Run, don't walk to a library or bookstore! Read this book!
(Oh, and feel free to recommend it to the non-slash readers you know. Although both m/m and f/f pairings exist on the sidelines of this one, all of Theseus's love affairs are with women.)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-02 10:11 pm (UTC)Um, how slashy is it exactly?
Personally, I love it when the fantastical elements are magical. It's part of why I like fantasy so much. However, reading the "real story" version might be interesting too. I'll have to find it.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-09-03 11:12 am (UTC)The Persian Boy is very slashy in that the primary focus of the story is Bagoas's love for Alexander, and they are both male. However, it is not sexually explicit, PG-13. Sex is there, but you almost have to read between the lines.