This book is the first in a series of books that basically takes Homer's Iliad and turns it into a modern novel. It does not have the depth of the original of course, because it is an interpretation of some of its events. The original acts as a symbol that the reader can understand in his own way, whereas this book offers a specific way of understanding the stories of the Iliad.

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These books are not a replacement for reading the original work, they are rather a creative endeavour based on Homer's classic. They are Homeric 'fan fiction' if you like, written nearly 3,000 years later. Having said that, Clarke succeeds in bring the stories to life. He takes several details of the Iliad that readers often skip over and makes 'interesting sense' out of them. His interpretation of the work is informed and thoughtful.

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The writing style is gripping and the reader is provoked to get involved in the hero's dilemmas.

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I would not recommend these books for younger children because they deal with the topic of 'service to Aphrodite'. Helen's betrayal of her husband is dealt with at length, as well as other 'adult topics'. The way that the issues are discussed is thought-provoking, but it is not appropriate for children. For the appropriate age group however, these books have a lot to offer.

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Do not let your teenagers think that they are getting to know Homer's Iliad by reading this book, and all will be well.