Fantastic heroic fantasy (historical fiction this time around) from David Gemmell, who is quickly becoming the face of the genre for me. I'd previously only read Legend, written some 20 years before this novel, and there's a very clear step up here in writing quality and characterization. The writing style is breezy and not difficult, but avoids being simple or childish. Drawing heavily from the famous figures of the Greek epics, Gemmell weaves a tale here that's both subtly familiar and refreshingly unique.Being familiar with many of the major characters (namely Aeneas, Odysseus, Hektor, and Priam) from the Iliad, Odyssey, and the Aeneid, at first I was a bit confused since Gemmell's characterizations didn't match up 1:1 with how they are presented in the original works. Once you cast aside those preconceived notions and realize this isn't simply a retelling of myth, you can really sink into the writing and appreciate it.

There's not a single bad or flat character in the novel. Some get more screen time and have their motivations explored more deeply, but everyone feels like a human. The characters are larger than life, perfect representations of the Age of Heroes, and Gemmell paints the Greek world vividly, masterfully capturing the themes and emotions that have made Ancient Greece so famous.

Much like Legend, this book also features a siege. And like that novel, it's done so well. I've read a lot of fantasy and historical fiction and so have read more than a few sieges, but I don't think anyway does it better than David Gemmell. Tense and visceral throughout.

This was a hard book to put down. Gemmell is slowly working his way up into my favorite authors, and while he's sadly no longer with us he has quite a collection for me to get through.