WARRIOR IN BRONZE

by George Shipway ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 5, 1985

Another of Shipway's re-dos of ancient adventures, in which he shakes down fabled or time-muddled events for sense, if not sensibility. This is the fictional version of the pre-monarchical career of Agamemnon of Mycenae, circa 1300 B.C., in which all that flighty mythic stuff--from avian impregnations to Olympian interventions--is grounded, leaving here a residue of intra-Aegean politics (with confabs in exec-suite lingo) and grisly family feuds. Agamemnon and brother Menelaus observe the rise of father Atreus to the kingship of Mycenae--a bothersome route during which Agamemnon is trained for leadership (Atreus regards him as sufficiently ""unscrupulous""); is nearly killed by wild Goatmen led by Dionysius (known to all as a ""bleeding menace""); sees Jason come and go in the Argo. However, it's the feuding of Atreus and brother Thyestes--who ping-pong back and forth power-wise--that finds Agamemnon with his hands full. And, oh, the incest, hideous revenges and gore, gore, gore. King Tyndareus of Sparta sums it up: ""Atreus killed his son and wife, married his niece, fed a nephew to his father. Thyestes seduced his brother's wife, raped his own daughter and sired on her a child. The sons of Pelops certainly know how to sin."" And along the way Agamemnon learns a firm lesson: ""power and honor don't mix."" There are many twists to the old myths--Iphigenia is the offspring of Theseus and Helen; Hercules is a ""robber, freebooter and a little mad,"" etc. The old heady stuff of scholars and poets in an easy-open container--but, still, there's enough pull in the tales of ancient bloodbaths to find a faithful popular audience.

Pub Date: Aug. 5, 1985

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Walker

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1985

Categories: FICTION