HISTORICAL FICTION REVIEW: The Armour of Achilles - Glyn Iliffe

Release Date: 08/07/11

SYNOPSIS:

The siege of Troy is in its ninth year.

The Greeks, with Achilles at their head, have inflicted numerous defeats on the Trojans, but Troy itself still stands. When

Agamemnon is threatened with mutiny by a disillusioned army wanting to return home he changes his tactics by ordering a series of attacks on the allies of Troy, thus depriving the city of reinforcements, trade and supplies. But even this cannot draw the Trojans out from behind their walls.

Odysseus, Eperitus and their men have become hardened soldiers. Tired and bitter about the war, Odysseus just wants to return home to his island Kingdom of Ithaca. But while Agammenon is still determined to revenge himself upon Troy for the theft of Helen by Paris, then Odysseus is held by the oath that he himself created. Eperitus is tormented by his own oath: sworn to protect the very man who murdered his daughter.

As the war continues, Odysseus realises that sheer numbers will never overwhelm Tory, if he is ever to return home, then he must use cunning and guile to bring about its downfall . . .


REVIEW:

To be honest I read the David Gemmell telling of the Trojan War and was very impressed with his writing style, so for me, an author has a lot to live up to when presenting a series based on the same source material if they’re going to make headway with myself as a reader.

What Glyn’s writing does is take the key elements and brings it to the modern audience through the eyes of Epiretus who works wonderfully well. Add to this a cracking overall arc and an author who believes in working the story up so that the reader gets not only the glory but the true horror of this type of battlefield and this was a story that overall was very impressive. Finally add to the mix a great sense of pace which when backed with Iliffe’s own writing style made this a book to stand out. I’ll eagerly await future instalments.