A dramatic and instructive history of the birth of Persia.
A work of historical fiction focuses on the life of Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian Empire.
In an effort to forge a political alliance, the king of Medea, Astyages, offers his daughter, Mandane, to the Persian king of Anshan, Cambyses I. Much to the dismay of Astyages, though, a prophecy later foretells that his grandchild will grow up to overthrow his rule. He quickly decides that the child must be executed and orders one of his commanders, Harpagus, to dispose of him. Harpagus disobeys the king, gives him to Mitradotes to raise as his own son, and names him Cyrus. Years later, the boy displays such prodigious wisdom and regal poise, Astyages becomes suspicious of his origins, and Harpagus comes clean and confesses his disobedience. The king punishes Harpagus by killing his son and feeding the boy to his father, but he permits Cyrus to leave, a decision he soon regrets. Astyages becomes fearful of Cyrus’ burgeoning popularity and plots his assassination, but the conspiracy fails. After Cyrus announces his independence, Astyages surrenders. With the unified nation behind him, Cyrus overtakes Susiana. Then he repels the aggressive advances of the talented leader Croesus and extends the empire to Babylon, liberating thousands of Jews in captivity. Though Cyrus rules for only 30 years or so, his reforms lay the groundwork for the next 1,200 years of the empire; he not only democratizes the governmental structure and creates a currency, but also establishes a charter of human rights remarkably progressive for the time. Balouchian (Punishment, 2017, etc.) manages to artfully condense a complex history into a very brief novel, well under 200 pages. The drama, sometimes tantalizingly grim, unfolds with an electrified air of suspense even though the reader knows the conclusion of the tale is foregone. The most remarkable aspect of Cyrus’ governance was his insistence on the rights of his citizens, a position so historically radical one wishes the author could have attempted more of an explanation for its basis. Nonetheless, this is a well-crafted and readable introduction to a major historical figure.
A dramatic and instructive history of the birth of Persia.Pub Date: June 15, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9905973-4-6
Page Count: 168
Publisher: Mason's Publishing
Review Posted Online: June 12, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A first novel, this is also a first person account of Scout's (Jean Louise) recall of the years that led to the ending of a mystery, the breaking of her brother Jem's elbow, the death of her father's enemy — and the close of childhood years. A widower, Atticus raises his children with legal dispassion and paternal intelligence, and is ably abetted by Calpurnia, the colored cook, while the Alabama town of Maycomb, in the 1930's, remains aloof to their divergence from its tribal patterns. Scout and Jem, with their summer-time companion, Dill, find their paths free from interference — but not from dangers; their curiosity about the imprisoned Boo, whose miserable past is incorporated in their play, results in a tentative friendliness; their fears of Atticus' lack of distinction is dissipated when he shoots a mad dog; his defense of a Negro accused of raping a white girl, Mayella Ewell, is followed with avid interest and turns the rabble whites against him. Scout is the means of averting an attack on Atticus but when he loses the case it is Boo who saves Jem and Scout by killing Mayella's father when he attempts to murder them. The shadows of a beginning for black-white understanding, the persistent fight that Scout carries on against school, Jem's emergence into adulthood, Calpurnia's quiet power, and all the incidents touching on the children's "growing outward" have an attractive starchiness that keeps this southern picture pert and provocative. There is much advance interest in this book; it has been selected by the Literary Guild and Reader's Digest; it should win many friends.
Pub Date: July 11, 1960
ISBN: 0060935464
Page Count: 323
Publisher: Lippincott
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1960
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Briskly written soap with down-to-earth types, mostly without the lachrymose contrivances of Hannah’s previous titles...
Sisters in and out of love.
Meghann Dontess is a high-powered matrimonial lawyer in Seattle who prefers sex with strangers to emotional intimacy: a strategy bound to backfire sooner or later, warns her tough-talking shrink. It’s advice Meghann decides to ignore, along with the memories of her difficult childhood, neglectful mother, and younger sister. Though she managed to reunite Claire with Sam Cavenaugh (her father but not Meghann’s) when her mother abandoned both girls long ago, Meghann still feels guilty that her sister’s life doesn’t measure up, at least on her terms. Never married, Claire ekes out a living running a country campground with her dad and is raising her six-year-old daughter on her own. When she falls in love for the first time with an up-and-coming country musician, Meghann is appalled: Bobby Austin is a three-time loser at marriage—how on earth can Claire be so blind? Bobby’s blunt explanation doesn’t exactly satisfy the concerned big sister, who busies herself planning Claire’s dream wedding anyway. And, to relieve the stress, she beds various guys she picks up in bars, including Dr. Joe Wyatt, a neurosurgeon turned homeless drifter after the demise of his beloved wife Diane (whom he euthanized). When Claire’s awful headache turns out to be a kind of brain tumor known among neurologists as a “terminator,” Joe rallies. Turns out that Claire had befriended his wife on her deathbed, and now in turn he must try to save her. Is it too late? Will Meghann find true love at last?
Briskly written soap with down-to-earth types, mostly without the lachrymose contrivances of Hannah’s previous titles (Distant Shores, 2002, etc.). Kudos for skipping the snifflefest this time around.Pub Date: May 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-345-45073-6
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Ballantine
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2003
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
