| Title | : | Lord of the Silver Bow (Troy, #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0345494571 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780345494573 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 483 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 2005 |
Argurios the Mykene is a peerless fighter, a man of unbending principles and unbreakable will. Like all of the Mykene warriors, he lives to conquer and to kill. Dispatched by King Agamemnon to scout the defenses of the golden city of Troy, he is Helikaon's sworn enemy.
Andromache is a priestess of Thera betrothed against her will to Hektor, prince of Troy. Scornful of tradition, skilled in the arts of war, and passionate in the ways of her order, Andromache vows to love whom she pleases and to live as she desires.
Now fate is about to thrust these three together; and, from the sparks of passionate love and hate, ignite a fire that will engulf the world.
Readers who know the works of David Gemmell expect nothing less than excellence from this author, whose taut prose, driving plots, and full-bodied characters have won him legions of fans the world over. Now, with this first masterly volume in an epic reimagining of the Trojan War, Gemmell has written an ageless drama of brave deeds and fierce battles, of honor and treachery, of love won and lost.
From the Hardcover edition.
Lord of the Silver Bow (Troy, #1) Reviews
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4.5/5 stars
Lord of the Silver Bow is my first foray into David Gemmell’s work and I must admit, it was a golden read.
David Gemmell has been an inspiration for many modern fantasy authors these days, there’s even an annual Fantasy award named after him that has been established since 2009. It’s quite crazy that it took me this long to finally get to reading Gemmell’s book, especially after hearing from many authors whose books I’ve read and loved mention that Gemmell is one of their main inspiration.
“Be lucky, Xander, and be brave. You will find that bravery and luck are often bedfellows.”
Lord of the Silver Bow is the first book in Gemmell’s Troy trilogy and it’s also his final series before he passed away. From the title of the trilogy, I think it’s safe to conclude that the trilogy will eventually be concluded with the tragic Trojan War. This war is most likely one of the, if not the most important and famous event in Greek mythology; it’s definitely one that I highly enjoyed learning about back in middle school. That said, I won’t say that I’m an expert on this subject. If you want to know how the plot and characters in this book differed to the original text, I suggest checking other people’s review rather than mine.
“Fear is an aid to the warrior. It is a small fire burning. It heats the muscles, making us stronger. Panic comes when the fire is out of control, consuming all courage and pride.”
Instead, I’d like to use my review to talk about the single thing that made me enjoyed this book immensely, Gemmell’s prose. It was incredibly stunning. I didn’t know what I was getting into but I was completely swept away by his writing. His prose was beautiful, full of inspirational and philosophical phrase, and every sentence has an urgent effect of completely sucking me into the story. For example:
“Danger lies in the extreme. A man who is always cruel is evil, a man who is always compassionate will be taken advantage of. It is more a question of balance, or harmony, if you will.”
It pretty much means “anything that’s too much is never good” but with the right context, that kind of prose was incredibly impactful to me. Here’s another one, this time about love:
“Love is not about conquest. The truth is a man can only find true love when he surrenders to it. When he opens his heart to the partner of his soul and says: "Here it is! The very essence of me! It is yours to nurture or destroy.”
Sure there were a few moments where the pacing of the book that felt a bit too slow, I will even admit that some POV and sections in the middle part of the book bored me a bit. However, the last 30% of the book and the overall quality of the writing truly outweigh the flaws. There were a lot of scenes that were done exceptionally like how the main character, Helikaon—based on Prince Aeneas—attained the name Helikaon, the Golden One, and the Lord of the Silver Bow. Plus, Gemmell’s way of building up momentum in the climax sequence and the execution of it was utterly engaging and heroic. Although there wasn’t a lot of character development except for Argurios, each character’s personality and feelings were still well fleshed out and the characters’ voice felt distinctive from each other. Even though there were more or less ten POV in this book, it was pretty easy to distinguish them from each other.
Despite the number of events that have happened in this book, the story did seems like an introductory installment for the purpose of familiarizing readers with the characters more than anything else; I think of it as a prelude before the upcoming chaos in the sequels. I will immediately continue to the second book in order to re-experience the Trojan War tale through Gemmell’s retelling. Lord of the Silver Bow was a glorious start to the Troy trilogy; truly a magnificent combination of myth, history, and legend in one package. I highly recommend this book to fans of Greek Mythology, the Trojan War, or historical fiction.
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Novel Notions -
Lord of the Silver Bow is the first story in Gemmell's Troy trilogy and it was a joy to read. Although this is the first Gemmell book that I have read, I know that he is often heralded as the King of writing Heroic Fantasy. His skill in this field mixed with a story incorporating some of the greatest mythological heroes of all time seems to me like a perfect mix and aid in making this a stunning historical fiction book.
Although the narrative follows about ten points of view characters, the main protagonist is Aeneas who is mainly known here as Halikaon. Halikaon - The Golden One is a Prince, a legendary warrior, apparently blessed by the Gods, loyal to his comrades and feared by his enemies. The book opens with King Agamemnon being advised by the spirits that Halikaon will lead to his downfall. Following this King Agamemnon then offers the individual who assassinates the Prince their bodyweight in Gold.
I have read the main Epic's that are the original texts for the heroes of legend that are presented here. Due to this, I was initially left slightly confused with characters acting unlike how I envisaged they would from the pictures in my mind that I had created previously. I had to take a step back, cast aside my assumptions and as soon as I realised this I had no problems and in fact, the characters are the greatest asset this book has. It does add extra layers to the reading experience though if you are familiar with the Iliad, Odyssey or Aeneid though. An example being: Odysseus, as presented here is an ugly tall-tale weaving showman and one of his stories that left his gathered audience spellbound is about when he crossed paths with a Cyclops. Odysseus admits to friends that the story was completely made up and that he had never seen a monster in his life but it is a cool reference to the Odyssey where that exact thing happens.
For every known mythological character such as Priam, Paris or Hektor there are Gemmell's excellent creations such as Argurios, Zidantas and Attalus. Mykene warrior Argurios is probably my favourite but I will not say too much about the characters personalities or agenda's because that is what makes this novel stand out, however; they are deep and often fleshed out via flashback scenes which also create affinity. The Greek God's such as Apollo and Hades are mentioned frequently with characters offering up respect, prayer, and sacrifices but I am glad Gemmell decided not to make the God's present in a physical way like they were in the Iliad. The fact that the God's do not walk the Earth (at least so far) - makes the tale more about the plight of the humans and the individual characters emotions, actions, and destinies.
The first half is quite slow, but not unbearably so and mainly follows Halikaon and his crew from the Death Ship - Xanthos. Early on Halikaon locks eyes with a lovely lady and that is where a love triangle begins. I didn't care too much for this love story but it isn't intolerable as it is majorly feelings felt rather than actions made between those involved. It is set up so that it could get even more confusing and intriguing in Shield of Thunder. There was one other love-story which I thought was very cool and sweet, I think you will know the one I mean. Xander was one point of view perspective character that I didn't really care for, a 12-year-old who seemed more of a device of telling the action taking place with an uncorrupted often frightened opinion. He may grow throughout the trilogy so I will not write him off yet. The second half was utterly entrancing and I raced through half this 600+ book in one day which must speak volumes for how much it gripped me. The conclusion was entirely fitting and was built up to its culmination excellently. A twist at the end was slightly predictable but that did not stop me going "fuck yeah!!!" when it happened!
When I dropped my opinions and views on what I thought about this era and the heroes presented I was able to be swept away by Gemmell's obvious genius. I know I am a few years behind some of my friends who have read and loved this trilogy before but I can't wait to get back to the world created here. Amazing historical fiction focusing on excellent characters that also intertwines political unrest, betrayal, brutal sieges, love, and legends. I recommend this highly and if you were like me and have slept on this one for a while, it is well worth your time.
Thanks for reading - James.
www.youandibooks.wordpress.com -
SPEECHLESS. Utterly speechless.
I was trolling on GR, as I so often do, when I saw a book cover with “TROY” written across it. I read the blurb, did hardly any research and picked it up mostly on whim. It was supposed to be about the Trojan War, something I knew of only through the Movie Troy.
You remember the movie..?
With Brad Pitt prancing about in a tunic as Achilles, Eric Bana as the mighty Hecktor and Orlando Bloom as Paris. The epic war waged by Agamemnon over the city of troy and the famous Trojan Horse.
Of course you remember it. So did I. I loved the movie and thought what would it hurt to read a book about it, especially with the kind of dull year I have had in terms of books. What’s one more bad read, right?
So I set about reading this book with no expectation. None. Zero. Nada.
But then something unexpected happened. This book gripped me. It got a hold and did not let go of me. I loved every word of it. So much that I’m at a loss of words. But try I shall.
The book takes you on an amazing journey.
It has everything from battles of sea to palaces under siege. From love at first sight to hate that runs deeper than blood. Disdain for one’s own flesh and blood and respect for the bitterest of enemies. From heartbreak to sad goodbyes to sacrifices. Prophecies made. Friends lost. Battles fought. Heroes Fall. A complete package.
I had thought, this book would be more or less along the lines of the movie but when I realized it is a trilogy, it made me think there might be more to it than just Achilles and Hecktor. But they were not even in the book. Not at all. It is only in the last few pages that Hecktor pays a visit and there is not even a hint of Achilles. This book is about another Trojan Hero, Aeneas aka Helikaon or the Golden One. This is his story.
How Aeneas, a young boy, marred by the death of his mother masters his grief and turns into an immensely successful merchant, the Golden One. How and why he forfeits his right to the throne, only to fall prey to cunning plans of fate and ends up on the same throne. How Helikaon, a man, falls in the sort of love he did not believe in and how he ends up marrying someone else.
The writing so rich, so fluent and smooth, I was immersed in the story completely. Characters with an amazing depth, you could fall in love with them. The novel is paced in a brilliant fashion. Quickening the pace just enough to keep the reader engrossed and then letting up ever so little to let the reader revel in everything that has happened thus far. Every word, every sentence is a polished gem that has the right impact. From highest of elations to deepest despair. The story keeps moving along nicely and subliminally keeps building up to something bigger.
This is one of the best books I have read so far. This book has allowed me to end 2016 on a high. Every word, every syllable of this book is a delectable appetizer and the main course is yet to be served. Though this is good but it does leave me troubled. The 1st installment in the trilogy has set the bar pretty damn high and I hope that the author will match the levels in the sequel.
With my fingers crossed I shall pick the 2nd book.
Wish you all a Happy & Prosperous New Year
CIAO. -
6.0 stars. Put simply, I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!! This is the newest book to make it onto my list of 6 star books and may eventually make it on to my "All Time Favorite" list. This is HEROIC fantasy at its absolute peak done by one of the best heroic fantasy writers of all time. The novel is the first of a trilogy focusing on the events before, during and after the Trojan War.
The main character is Aeneas (though his friends call him Helikaon). Helikaon is a Dardanian (a region to the north of Troy) whose father is Anchises, King of Dardania, and whose uncle is Priam, King of Troy (who is father of Paris and Hector). Helikaon is also close friends with Odysseus who he sailed with as a young boy. As with Gemmell's other books, Helikaon is a larger-than-life hero with a violent temper that he is constantly struggling with (think of a more sophisticated version of Druss from the Drenai series and you will be pretty close). I think Helikaon may be the perfection of Gemmell's heroic "ideal."
All of the supporting characters are equally memorable and include the giant best friend with a heart of gold, the wrongfully outcast son or a foreign king, the "honorable" enemy, quite a few "not so honorable" enemies, the evil king bent on conquest and the rogue pirate who loves to tell stories (i.e., Odysseus). I also really liked that the female characters (for the most part) were three dimensional characters and were both as "intelligent" and "tough" as the men. The character of Andromache is one of the best characters in the novel and is as strong and decisive as they come.
Add to the great cast of characters an amazingly well-plotted, fast-paced story that is fresh and original despite being part of one of the most often told tales in Western civilization (i.e., the Trojan War). This story looks at the war from a completely different perpective and you will not feel like you have read this before.
This was a truly amazing book and I give it my HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!
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Lord of the Silver Bow (Troy #1), David Gemmell
With this first masterly volume in an epic re-imagining of the Trojan War, David Gemmell has written an ageless drama of brave deeds and fierce battles, of honor and treachery, of love won and lost.
He is a man of many names. Some call him the Golden One; others, the Lord of the Silver Bow. To the Dardanians, he is Prince Aeneas. But to his friends, he is Helikaon. Strong, fast, quick of mind, he is a bold warrior, hated by his enemies, feared even by his Trojan allies. For there is a darkness at the heart of the Golden One, a savagery that, once awakened, can be appeased only with blood.
Argurios the Mykene is a peerless fighter, a man of unbending principles and unbreakable will. Like all of the Mykene warriors, he lives to conquer and to kill. Dispatched by King Agamemnon to scout the defenses of the golden city of Troy, he is Helikaon’s sworn enemy.
Andromache is a priestess of Thera betrothed against her will to Hektor, prince of Troy. Scornful of tradition, skilled in the arts of war, and passionate in the ways of her order, Andromache vows to love whom she pleases and to live as she desires.
Now fate is about to thrust these three together–and, from the sparks of passionate love and hate, ignite a fire that will engulf the world.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز دوم ماه ژانویه سال 2014میلادی
عنوان: ارباب کمان نقره ای؛ نویسنده: دیوید گمل؛ مترجم: طاهره صدیقیان؛ تهران کتابسرای تندیس، 1391؛ در 592ص؛ شابک 9786001820595؛ موضوع داستانهای نویسندگان بریتانیایی - سده 21م
تروا - جلد یک - ارباب کمان نقره ای؛ سه تن سرنوشت ملتها را تغییر میدهند؛ «هلیکون»، شاهزاده ی جوان «درنای»، تسخیر شده توسط یادمانهای تلخ، و عذاب آور دوران کودکی؛ «کاهنه آندروماک»، با روحیه ای آتشین، و استقلال طلب، که اقتدار پادشاهان را به چالش میکشد؛ و «آرگوریوس»، جنگجوی تنها و منزوی، که تنها فکر انتقام، او را به پیش میبرد؛ آنها «تروا» را، شهری ویران شده ی کینه و رقابت مییابند، و پشت دیوارهای سر به فلک کشیده ی این ویرانه، دشمنان تشنه به خونی را، که چشم به ثروت آن دوخته اند، و نقشه ی سقوطش را میکشند، میبینند
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 20/07/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی -
I now have a YouTube channel that I run with my brother, called 'The Brothers Gwynne'. Check it out -
The Brothers Gwynne
“Our lives are spent sailing in the mist, hoping for a burst of sunlight that can make sense of who we are.”
Lord of the Silver Bow is, firstly, an awesome title! One that refers to an alternate name for the deity Apollo, who plays a vital role in the tale of Troy, which this first instalment begins.
More than anything else around the numerous tales of Troy that I have read, this story sets and establishes the context of the characters and world, before going into the conflict we know much more about. Whilst we often are shown Agamemnon slowly but surely conquering the states of Ancient Greece, I have never read anything where the Trojans are given the same treatment. In Lord of the Silver Bow, we finally get that.
“Fear is an aid to the warrior. It is a small fire burning. It heats the muscles, making us stronger. Panic comes when the fire is out of control, consuming all courage and pride.”
I have enjoyed every book I have read by David Gemmell, and I have read eight before diving into this. Lord of the Silver Bow joins those ranks and continues Gemmell’s perfect record with me. He has a fantastic writing style that really works to immerse you in the tone and atmosphere he is crafting whilst simultaneously pushing the story forward.
“We make choices everyday, some of them good, some of them bad. And if we are strong enough - we live with the consequences. To be truthful I am not entirely sure what people mean when they talk of happiness. There are moments of joy and laughter, the comfort of friendship, but enduring happiness? If it exists I have not discovered it.”
What I particularly enjoyed was how Gemmell appeared to really embrace the philosophical aspects that we now attach to those living in Greece at this time. Whilst there is war and conquest, and we are exposed to the depravity of humanity, Gemmell probes the readers with philosophical questions, asking if any war is justified, if it is worth fighting back, and what the nature of happiness is. I found this to be a great addition to the tale of Troy that really fleshed out the culture we are thrust into.
We follow a variety of perspectives, all of whom I at least enjoyed, but our main perspective is someone named Helikaon, although nowadays we may know him as Prime Aeneas. This was a particularly brave choice by Gemmell in my opinion, but one that paid off, at least for this first instalment. He has heart, and as the reader I was rooting for him, but he has his flaws, which as always Gemmell explores brilliantly.
“The purpose of debates is to explore issues, not end them.”
Gemmell is famous for playing on those traditional fantasy tropes but adding his own spin, especially in the case of characters who he fleshes out so, so well. Lord of the Silver Bow demonstrates why he has this reputation once again.
Lord of the Silver Bow is a well-crafted, expert introduction to a new series which balances the aspects of storytelling very efficiently and seemingly effortlessly, in a manner that allows the story to just flow.
4.25/5 STARS -
updated on June 19, 2011 for piss poor grammar mistakes (I'm sure there are more but I just found some today).
So I asked for a recommendation for a historical fiction book that had court politics, backstabbing, and violence (you know all the stuff you are not supposed to love in a book) and I received a ton of great recommendations but I ended up finding the perfect book all by myself! At the time, I didn't even know I was holding this gem!
The cover-
First, the cover- it looks like it is some military history book. It's not. Sure, some military stuff is in there but it's not the focus.
2nd, the cover makes it look like it is a "guy" book. It's not just a "guy" book. It actually has romance in there, in fact, there is not one, but two developing romances in this book (not a menage for you erotica thinking peeps but two separate romances one involving Helikaon and Andromache and another involving a minor character and a princess- slight spoiler and I don't want to give it away).
The characters-
The author was brilliant. It is sad that he passed away before his time because I would be stalking his updates to see when he was going to be writing the next book. The author created characters that absolutely came to life on the pages. I was outraged when he made the Helikaon do something that involved savagery and revenge since I came to love Helikaon's kindness and loyalty. But that was what was so great, the author made imperfect characters so perfectly! Helikaon, through his greatness and his imperfections, became so real and I loved him and the book even more for that reason!
The minor characters were not even close to minor. They played such an important part in the story. They were all so wonderfully developed. The best part of the story, you think you know which character to trust but then when you are in their POV, suddenly you aren't so sure. Throughout this book, the bad guys become good, and the good guys become bad. But sometimes, the good stay good so you never know!
The story-
Oh my god. What a wonderful book about trust, friendship, loyalty, and courage. What a wonderful action, military, romance, fantasy, and historical adventure.
I could go on but I think I've made my point.
One of my favorite books of 2011- maybe that should explain how much I loved this book!!!!
Update- I forgot to mention- the battle scenes were so incredible that near the end, I had to keep putting the book down since my heart was pounding so much. I also cried when . I mean I boohooed like a baby! So, if I've scared you manly-men into thinking this is a flowery girl book, it isn't by far! It has enough of everything to keep all readers happy! -
Originally reviewed at
Bookwraiths Reviews
Wow, a book about the Trojan War with a new protagonist and a different - perhaps more realistic - portrayal of the Greek world and the reasons for the great struggle. I couldn't have ordered a book more suited to my tastes.
After finishing my read, all I can say is that Lord of the Silver Bow is okay. On one hand, it does a wonderful job of presenting the Greek world of the Aegean Sea in a more historic and realistic way with lots of re-imagined historic characters. However, on the other, the first half of the novel is plodding and suffers from the introduction of two, new characters.
So who are these new heroes of Gemmell’s Troy and what was wrong with them, you ask?
Well, the protagonist of the book is one Helikaon, a warrior-prince of Troy's empire. He is all that a hero of ancient Greece should be: tall, strong, a great warrior, a great sailor, a wise trader, and a friend to Mycene, Trojans, and Cretans. Unfortunately, Helikaon is also aloof and rather boring. Oh, Gemmell tries to explain this behavior by providing him with a dramatic back story, but no matter how awful his upbringing and no matter how angst ridden he is, Helikaon starts out as a one dimensional character, who broods more than he excites.
The other main character of the novel is the beautiful and strong-willed Andromache, a priestess fated to marry an important Trojan hero. Unfortunately, that hero does not seem to be Helikaon. However, since any tale about Troy needs a tragic love story, Andromache becomes the obsession of the testosterone-filled males in Lord of the Silver Bow, and so instead of the classic Paris and Helen love story, we have a new one involving Andromache and Helikaon and her future husband. The only problem with this new love triangle is that Andromache starts out this story nearly as boring as Helikaon, and so she and her star-crossed lover's passion for one another seems very unrealistic and not very compelling.
At about the halfway section of Lord of the Silver Bow, I found myself bored out of my mind by Helikaon, Andromache, their attraction, and the seemingly endless sea voyage to Troy, and I honestly began to wonder if I would be able to finish the story. Instead of writing a review, I envisioned throwing this book on my huge stack of "try it again later" novels. Then something most unexpected happened. This story came to life.
All of a sudden, Helikaon and Andromache’s ship reached Troy, and once at the golden city of legend, everything came into focus. The city of Priam providing just the right backdrop for this story to be transformed into something well worth reading.
That boring hero Helikaon? Once he stepped upon the streets of Troy, he sprang to life, becoming more dramatic and lordly. His innate heroic qualities reflected off both the kind and the devious members of the Trojan royalty. His unattainable desire for the betrothed Andromache becoming more compelling, as it is mingled with another love story between two unlikely but likeable minor characters.
And Andromache? Her introduction to the grandeur and decadence of Troy’s royal court transformed her into a determined woman, willing to suffer the wrath of a king to live by her own terms. Her desire for one man seemingly at peace with her love for another. And to see her deal with megalomaniac King Priam and his devious children was a real treat.
Add to this the tense situation in the Trojan hegemony, where armed conflict between Agamemnon’s Mycene and Priam’s Trojans is inevitable, and you can see that our two protagonists arrival at the legendary city was destined to not only reinvigorate Helikaon and Andromache but provide plenty of sword swinging action, which it does. For almost immediately, gritty combat ensues, as a reader is swept up in Gemmell’s classic testosterone splendor. The sounds of swords clashing against shields rings through one’s ears. Blood splatters across the pages. Courageous men fight against overwhelming odds. And at the end, the last words of love spoken between two star-crossed lovers brings a tear to your eye.
Yes, Lord of the Silver Bow is not a great book, but it is very good - especially the last half. So while it has its problems *cough* The first third of the book was boring *cough* it is still a good solid Gemmell read -- if you can just hold out until you get to Troy. -
Woe is me; I finished this book thinking I already had the second one. Ah well.
There is something about Gemmell's writing that is incredibly... raw. They are seemingly never perfect, lacking a certain polish and refinement to be more well-rounded experiences. A strange focus, peculiar choices in points of view, a lack of development in certain aspects and exaggerated development in others. And yet this all appears to be exactly what makes them so unique. Only Gemmell can do what Gemmell does.
Full review to come. -
This is the first part of a trilogy about the Trojan War, and literally, I had read in two days. All are heard very familiar Homer's description of the battle, but in this book the characters are ordinary people living at that time. The story is so compelling and you feel like you are at that time. The world in which they live characters from the book is cruel and relentless. Fraud, greed, love, hate, courage braided in a story that pulls you like Greek ships through the wild open sea. Descriptions of the equipment, ships, people, and cities are so complex that they can literally be seen. The book I would recommend to anyone who wants to dive into the old Greek. Although fiction, I had the feeling that it happened like that as it is written in the book.
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Lord of The Silver Bow is book one in a reimagining of the Trojan War. It revolves around a man known by many names. Those familiar with the Trojan War know him as Aeneas, but in this book he's also known as Helikaon and The Golden One. The man himself is one fit for the era. Helikaon is strong, brave, and brutal. His brutality has earned him no friends among his enemies, but then who has friends among their enemies.
I went into this book really not having a clear idea of what to expect. I think the author wanted it that way because there was no true continuous storyline other than Helikaon is a lost man trying to fight his demons to find his way and that Agamemnon wants to conquer all.
In many ways this story seemed quite true to life. David Gemmell hit many different areas such as duty, honor, pride, shame, love, and lust. He displays some truly human qualities in the characters which made me feel their emotions right along with them.
There were only two things I found I didn't enjoy about Lord of the Silver Bow. The first thing was that the story skips to some truly random point of view characters that seemed unnecessary. The second thing is that the middle fluctuated from interesting to boring so often that I wasn't sure if I could finish this book. The author ended the book quite well though so I must say I was more than satisfied.
One last positive to mention is that Odyseuss, in all his tall tale glory, appears in this book. He's quite the character and absolutely left me smiling.
After finishing book one, I know I'll be heading back to David Gemmell's Troy to finish this interesting series. -
Leído en 2016.
¿Por qué he tardado tanto en empezar esta trilogía de Gemmell?.
Leí sus 7 libros de la saga Drenai (Fantasía) y todos se llevaron 8,5/10. Y me dije “no puede ser tan bueno en Novela Histórica. Dejo su trilogía de Troya para más adelante”.
Eso fue hace tres años y medio.
Y ahora me encuentro con que, al menos este primer libro, es todavía mejor. Si por algo hay un premio de Fantasía que lleva su nombre …
Leed y disfrutad en este primer libro con Odiseo (Ulises), Agamenón, Héctor, Andrómaca, Eneas, y los personajes de la mitología (¿historia?) griega clásica.
La media de 4,29 tras casi 10.000 ratings ya dice mucho.
Voy de cabeza a por el segundo. -
"Make no mistake, I want you to die. But this is his night. Tonight he is greater than Kings. So you live."
I am absolutely blown away. This was spectacular. It had no right to be as good as it is.
This'll just be me raving about this Troy "retelling" which, honestly, it's not really. The Troy we know is coming, with twists, but this is essentially a prequel except that there is not one thing that happens in this book that you can know to expect from familiarity with the Iliad (besides that certain characters appear, like Odyssey and Priam).
We primarily follow three main POVs with a few minor POVs scattered throughout - Helikaon, Andromache, and Argurios- and I absolutely LOVED all three of them. They are immediately so well drawn, and so are all the side characters. There's a passage where a character is introduced for three pages and then I was moved emotionally by their actions.There was even a romance I was very invested in. Character work - superb
The action- superb. There was not a ton of action, but the action we got was incredibly exciting.
The politics- Refreshing to get Troy's side of the politics here. Agamemnon is mentioned, and tensions are rising, but most of the drama here is between factions within Troy and their competing interests, and that was very well done.
The prose was immensely readable. I could read 50 pages without even thinking about it. The way the book plays with what you know about the Illiad while being entirely its own thing and also not relying on people having prior knowledge was excellent.
This book made me tear up twice, which I'm pretty sure historical fiction has never done. This book is just excellent and I'm annoyed that I've owned it for years and wouldn't have picked it up for years still if it wasn't for an impromptu buddy read. This is my first Gemmell but not my last!
10/10 -
WOW!!
I love this book!!!!!!
I love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love this book!!
I love this book, I love this book, I love this book, I love this book!!
Can I say it again?
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!
If the above wasn’t clear enough I want to say that I love this book!! This is like the best book I’ve ever read, it’s just so Amazing!. It’s my favorite book of the year, probably my favorite book of all time!
I have an urge to go immediately to the library and borrow the second one right now, or better yet go to a b&n and buy it, and don’t wait any second longer!! It’s too bad I already checked out 2 books, and have to read them first… boo… Guess I’ll have to read them faster to get to the second book sooner.
How can I begin…
This book, Lord of the Silver Bow, is an outstanding retelling of Troy. It tells you the story of the Trojan war, but differently, I’m not really sure how to explain that without spoiling anything.
This story covers many different events from many different characters, but even though they are a lot, I didn’t have trouble memorizing the names, and who did what, what happened to who and so on, and that’s very strange for me. For example, when I was reading
A Game of Thrones I suffered a lot, I enjoyed the book, I’m not gonna lie, but it was just so slow and had a hard time remembering the names and what was happening to all the characters. This book, on the contrary, was fast paced, and the way David Gemmell tells the story is just absolutely EPIC!! he makes it easy for you to remember.
I seriously say, I enjoyed and appreciated every single page I read, I never felt something was unnecessary, and never thought for a tiny moment that the story was becoming dull or slowing down.
The characters are ALL great, all of them, not just the main. They were so brave, and some of them were the worst f*ing cowards, traitors I’ve ever read . They felt so real and the experiences they had, their feelings, their thoughts were believable.
The quotes were also great, there are some good thoughts about many subjects. Specially those said by Odysseus. The things he said when people talked to him had so much depth in my opinion.
The writing style is fantastic, when you are reading, sometimes you are surprised by what is happening. For example, they tell you something that you may think is totally unimportant, or maybe not unimportant but just unrelated, and then you realize it was not what it looked like, but it was something else, something important! And then everything makes sense! And you never saw that coming!
It’s THAT awesome!!
The only thing I didn’t like were the prophecies, because I feel like they are subtlety spoiling you of what will happen…
Oh, I can’t wait for the next book!!
This book is a must-read, and even though you may be familiarized with the story, it will feel like a brand new experience, like if you’ve never known about it before. -
زیاد نمیخوام تحت تاثیر پایان بندی کتاب نمره ام رو بدم و ریویو بنویسم
پنجاه صفحه پایانی بسیار هیجان انگیز
و غیر قابل پیشبینی بود.
از دیدگاه کلی که به کتاب نگاه کنیم
کتابی بسیار قوی و منسجمی بود
به نظر بنده این کتاب بیشتر بر پایه شخصیت پردازی و فضاسازی دنیایِ داستانی پرداخته شده بود.
انقدر از کارهای روزمره و پیروزی ها و شکست های شخصیت ها مختلف گفته بود تا کاملا با شخصیت ها ارتباط برقرار بشه اما به نظرم کمی زیاده روی شده بود و همین مورد کمی آزار دهنده بود برای من به همین دلیل خواندن این کتابِ ششصد صفحه ای بیش از یک ماه طول کشید.
نکته مثبت این کتاب این بود که با دیگر کتاب های دیوید گمل فرق اساسی داشت
هر چهار عنوانی که قبل از این کتاب خواندم همه با شخصیتی سقوط کرده شروع میشد که کم کم پیشرفت میکرد و برای خودش ارتش دست و پا میکرد.
ولی خب در این کتاب شخصیت اول
مردی با نفوز و قدرتمند است که به تازگی به پیروزی های بزرگی دست یافته و دشمنان بسیار دارد. در کتاب های قبلی گمل خبری از کشتی و نبرد بین کشتی ها
نبود اما در این کتاب بیشتر در این جور نبرد ها حماسه می آفریدند. کلا بگم که کتاب های قبلی حالتی کلیشه ای داشتن.
اما هنوز بهترین کتابی که از گمل خوانده ام همان شوالیه های بدنام است و بس
البته ریت بالایی که این کتاب داره
فکر کنم بیشتر به دلیل اینه که این مجموعه در دنیای هومر نوشته شده
و بسیاری از شخصیت هایی که در ایلیاد و اودیسه بودن (از جمله شاه آگاممنون و خودِ شخص اودیسه و ...) حضور داشتن و با توجه به نقد هایی که خواندم این کتاب خیلی هیجان انگیز تر و بهتر از کتاب های هومر ظاهر شده.
ولی خب من کتاب های هومر رو نخوندم و نمیتونم در این باره نظری بدم.
4.25 نمره ام -
“But that is what separates the evil from the righteous. When we behave like them, we become like them. And then what is our justification for being? By accepting their moral standards we discard our right to condemn them.”
This is perhaps the fundamental theme of Troy: Lord of the Silver Bow, distinguishing between the evil from the righteous is not always straightforward, the good guys in this book also do some very morally questionable things. Wikipedia describes Gemmel’s Troy Series as “a sequence of historical fantasy novels”. I have only read this first volume so far and it leans more towards historical than fantasy; in so far as the Greek legend of the Trojan War can be regarded as history. Various Greek gods are mentioned throughout the book but none of them make an appearance, ditto magical creatures like Pegasus, the cyclops etc. Several characters do have prophetic dreams and there is at least one seer so the book is not quite grounded. In any case, this book does not need any supernatural shenanigans, the narrative is very compelling as can be expected of David Gemmell. If you look at the average rating for the books in this series you can see they are all above 4.3, more than most books on GR manage.
What I know about the Trojan War can be written on a postage stamp and still leave the queen’s head unblemished, so I don’t know whether this is a faithful adaptation of the Greek legend. The main protagonist of Troy: Lord of the Silver Bow is Helikaon, based on Aeneas from the legend. He is a Dardanian prince, as a child, he was traumatized by his mother’s suicide and his father basically disowns him. Fortunately, Odysseus takes pity on him and recruit him as a crew member for his ship “the Penelope”. Helikaon flourishes under Odysseus’ guidance and becomes a successful trader. His troubles do not end there, however, his best friend is murdered and tortured by a Mykene general, and he swears vengeance. He falls in love with Princess Andromache who has been arranged to marry Hektor, the favorite son of Priam, the king of Troy. Mykene assassins are always after him, and he has to help defend Troy against invaders.
The above little synopsis barely scratches the surface of a book filled with plot and characters. There are, in fact, three main protagonists that the narrative follows, not to mention the various minor point of view characters. All the narrative strands are skillfully woven together to form a very compelling cohesive story. David Gemmell is probably my favorite writer of heroic fantasy. His characters are always complex and nuanced, his pacing is just right, and the plot always keeps the pages turning. I suppose his world building is not as elaborate as today’s leading practitioners of the genre but I never really notice such things once I am hooked on his storytelling. There is always an underlying moral core in his novels in spite of the numerous scenes of fighting, warfare, and violence. I thoroughly enjoyed Troy: Lord of the Silver Bow and I am looking forward to reading the other two volumes, and also learning more about the Greek legend the easy way! Yes, definitely read this book, it will rock you like a Helikaon.
Quotes:
“A great man once told me there can be no courage without fear”
“You have courage, though, and strength. And, by Hades, you sailed a piece of driftwood well enough.”
“No force under the stars is more powerful than hatred,” said Gershom.
“Hatred has no virtue, yet men can never be free of it,” Helikaon replied bitterly.
“The truth is that every invention leads men to say: Can I use it to kill, to maim, to terrify? Did you know that bronze was first used to create plows, so that men could dig the earth more efficiently? It did not take long, I suspect, before it was used for swords and spears and arrowheads.” -
In 'Lord of the Silver Bow' David Gemmell takes a realist approach to the legendary war between Greece and Troy. Placing Aenais, Trojan hero and legendary founder of Rome, at the centre of the narrative, Gemmell draws on serious scholarship to paint a convincing picture of an ancient eastern-Mediterranean world torn by a trade war between two regional superpowers. In this decidedly non-Homeric version of events, the gods are invisible, the supernatural makes only a brief appearance and Helen of Troy is a minor princess of little consequence. Instead we are presented with a brutal world of clan loyalties and blood feuds where atrocity is countered with atrocity. Aenais is more noble but no less ruthless than his enemies the Mykenes, and the imperially ambitious Trojans led by the loathsome and lecherous Priam are scarcely more deserving of admiration. Despite the brutality inherent in the situation Gemmell manages to find humanity amongst the bloodshed, with priestess Andromacche the compassionate counter-point to an unfolding Balkan war which has more in common with 1990s Bosnia than the bloody spectacle of Frank Miller’s 300. Arguably this is Gemmell's most accomplished work and can't be recommended highly enough.
-
This book sent me dredging my memory for what I used to know about Ancient Greek and Trojan history. Gemmell manages to work many of the accepted plot points into a tale that modern people can identify with. We meet Odysseus, Agamemnon, Priam, Hector, and Aeneas (here mostly known as Helikaon), as well as many others. Gemmell makes these mythic characters into comprehensible people, with weaknesses as well as strengths, human foibles, loves and hates.
This era in history was not a high spot for women and regular people. Kings reign supreme, claiming all those who live in their territory as chattel. If you aren't at the tippy top of the hierarchy, you have few choices or options. Nevertheless, the author writes female characters with fire and determination. Early in the novel, we meet Andromache, daughter of Ektion of Thebe. She gets shipped to Thera to become a priestess when Ektion has no political use for her, no man to ally himself to through marriage. Being a woman of ambition and action, Andromache throws herself into life on Thera, learning to shoot a bow and ride a horse, taking a female lover. Then her sister, the betrothed of Hektor of Troy, dies unexpectedly and Andromache is recalled to take her place. Ripped out of palace life to go to Thera, then torn out of Thera to go to Troy, Andromache has become a woman to be reckoned with.
For a fantasy tale of war and battle, there are a surprising number of romances that occur. Unlike many fantasy authors, Gemmell does not portray love as a male weakness. Instead, being in love provides a firm base on which to base a man's heroic reputation. They have a reason to fight and prevail. However, just because there is love, it doesn't automatically guarantee a wedding. Political realities intervene.
Those who dislike intense battle scenes should probably pass on this book. They are true to the time period, but Gemmell uses them to explore the nature of being a hero in interesting ways. He contrasts brutal older leaders like Agamemnon and Priam with Helikaon/Aeneas, who tries to be fair as well as firm. It is not an easy balancing act.
Book Number 465 of my Science Fiction and Fantasy Reading Project -
One of the best books I have read based on the events of the Trojan Wars-David Gemmell departs from the events of the Illiad but does so in a way that is both creative and plausible. A study of the history of this period would explain Gemmel's recreation of events quite convincingly. A riveting, picturesque, exotic, erotic historical fantasy, whereby the author convincingly recreates the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of the period, we are taken back to the time before the Trojan Wars. The main characters are the warrior King Helikaon of Dardania, dealing with a traumatic childhood, and with strong encouragement by Odysseus, is propelled into the role of a hero king by Odysseus. He rises to this challenge with magnificence and
unchallenged character making him an redoubtable ruler and invincible warrior who seems to lead charmed life. Then there is the enchanting, wise, fiery, headstrong and highly erotic Andromache, the character who for me made this novel irresistible. Andromache is brought to life in such an incredible way that the reader can fully understand why so many of the male characters of the book fall in love with her.
Then there is the gruff Mykene warrior, living in a world of loneliness and driven by the need for revenge, who will play a heroic role, and earn the admiration of Troy and it's ruler. King Priam of Troy comes to life as a harsh but admirable ruler, a burly again but never weakening warrior king, character Events unfold in just the right pace. Cassandra the seeress is presented as both a mysterious and lovable child at the age of eleven, and Priams other children range from the ambitious, corrupt, and spiteful, to the honourable and courageous, This epic culminates in battle for Troy again st brutish Myceneans, but ends well before the Trojan Wars of the Illiad. Another character worth taking note of is the Egyptian fugitive Prince Gershom who we will learn an exciting revelation about later in the series. -
For all the praise this book has, it would seem Gemmell kept -with the exception of some very shocking revelations- this book very calm. Like he was afraid of his characters exciting readers with too much passion. The author would take you on a high (and by god it was glorious) and just as sudden as that it would taper off. Then you would be left bobbing along, wondering why the heck you're still reading this book and then quite suddenly another high.
As crazy as the book gets sometimes, too much of it is muted. Too much of the characters actions felt like you were seeing only the surface and not the best they could give. Parts of the story felt like it was happening out of a loop, to be kept at a later date where it could suddenly be patched in. Speaking of characters, Gemmell's insistence on naming every single minor character was tiring, i want to believe that somehow this characters contribute significantly in the large scale of things to come so i'm keeping my fingers crossed for that.
p.s: i hope to see more of Andromache. I felt she had way little page time and it was easy at times to forget that she existed in the book.
Although i will be continuing with the series and as quotable as this book is (there really were some great gems in there) Gemmell characters need more spice. -
Excellent historical fiction. Gemmell takes the beginning stages of the siege of Troy to a whole different, and excellent, level. Read this book, no disappointment will ensue. Full review you can find on my blog:
https://poetryofreading.blogspot.com/... -
ریویو مربوط بازخوانی از کتاب ارباب کمان نقرهای، جلد اول از مجموعه تروآست:
چیزی که برام مشخص بود قلم دیوید گمل بود که تو این کتاب بهکمال رسیده بود. شخصیتها، صحنهپردازی و همهچیزهایی که مربوط بهقلم نویسنده میشد عالی ازآب درومده بود �� وقتی من این کتاب رو کنار کتابهای قدیمیتر همین نویسنده مثل پژواک آوای دوران میگذارم میتونم فرق رو ببینم؛ همچنین این کتاب هم مثل بیشتر کتابهای این نویسنده درونمایه بسیار قوی و حرفهای زیادی برای گفتن داشت. البته با توجه بهبیوگرافی نویسنده من احساس میکنم که تجربیات زندگی شخصی دیوید گمل تو گذشته شخصیتهاش تأثیر غیرمستقیمی گذاشتهبودند بهعنوان مثال وقتی که بهرابطه اودیسه و هلیکون و پدر هلیکون با دقت نگاه میکنم میتونم هلیکون رو جای خود دیوید گمل بذارم و اودیسه رو هم جای پدرناتنی گمل که اون رو دوران نوجوانی و جوانیش تشویق میکرده. ارباب کمان نقرهای از شخصیت زن قوی مثل آندروماک بهره میبرد که فکر میکنم (دگرباش) بود و از بهترین شخصیت زنهایی بوده که این نویسنده خلق کرده البته قطعاً بعد از شخصیت «جیانا» تو کتاب «گرگ سفید» و «شمشیرهای روز و شب».
اما دلیل اصلی که نمره این کتاب چهار ستاره است احتمالاً بهپلات و پرداخت هرازگاهی بیش از حد و اضافه شدن بیش از حد شخصیتهای فرعی مثل کارپوفورس، بانوکلس و حتی یه سرباز مسینی که فلان کار رو انجام داده برمیگرده که تنها هدفشون بهنمایش درآوردن یه زاویه دید همه جانبه بوده و بس. البته رابطه احساسی بین دو شخصیت اصلی داستان یعنی هلیکون و آندروماک. هرچقدر پرداختهای این دو کاراکتر بهصورت جداگانه خوب ازآب درآمده بود اما عشق این دو شخصیت اون عمقی که دیالوگها و افکارشون به منِ مخاطب القا میکرد رو نداشت يعنی چیزی که من میدیدم یه رابطه زودگذر و ظاهری بود اما چیزی که قرار بود باشه یه رابطه عاطفی بسیاربسیار عمیق.
درکل بهنظرم اگه هلیکون در رابطه عاطفیش پرداخت بهتری میداشت میتونست جای «اسکیلگانون» رو برای من بگیره و آندروماک هم جای جیانا تو گرگ سفید و شمشیرهای روز و شب.
یه سری شخصیتهای دیگه هم بودن که بهعنوان نقشهای فرعی ثابت درمجموع خوب و قابل قبول ایفای نقش کردن اما میتونستن خیلی حضور پررنگتری داشته باشن و اونها هم گریشام، آرگوریوس، پریام و لودایک و هلسیا بودند که البته به جز آرگوریوس و لودایک باقی شخصیتها تو کتابهای بعدی مجموعه هم حضور دارند.
نکته بعدی هم بهپلات ارباب کمان نقرهای برمیگرده و اون ساختارشه که خیلی مهیج نبود، فقط میشه گفت بهچند بخش تقسیم میشد و هربخش ماجرای پیوستهای داشت که بهکل کتاب ارتباط پیدا میکرد.
امتیاز من 4.25/5
نکته نهایی: ترجمه تو برخی بخشهای کتاب بهخصوص تو دیالوگهایی که بین شخصیتها ردوبدل میشد گهگاهی بسیار خام دستانه ترجمه شدهبود بهقدری که ترجمه باعث میشد دیالوگها گاهی اوقات لحن مشخصی نداشته باشن یا خیلی مصنوعی بهنظر برسن اما درکل، خیلی هم بد نبود! -
4.5 stars. This was awesome! Unexpectedly so, in fact. I've always loved Greek mythology, ever since I was little. Especially stories about Troy and the Trojan War. I read the blurb to this one, and it sounded great. I also like historical fiction, so it was intriguing to pick up a rendering of the Homeric period that was based more on a real (or possible) history of the region. In short, a tale about the people rather than the Gods and magic stuff.
So why was I hesitant and not expecting a great read? Well, I'd recently read
Legend, by the same author. I'd found it to be written in a rather juvenile manner, with thin characterizations and weak plotting. The battle scenes were pretty good, but the story didn't do much for me. Plus, the ending was horrible. Well, that's the book that Gemmell's known for; it's what the Gemmell Legend award is named after, matter of fact. If that was an example of his work, I was turned off.
But my friend Emma had recommended this trilogy, and the premise of it still intrigued me. So I gave it a go, and I was very pleased. It was very close to being 5-star material, though the pace did slow down a little through the middle. The writing was great, the characters were memorable and very sympathetic, even some of the antagonists. The ending was heartfelt and struck home too. I had to admit, I wondered if this was really written by the same guy. Of course, since it was published some 20 years after
Legend, it's quite possible that Gemmell's style simply improved.
I'm definitely looking forward to the other two books in the series. -
For a while now I haven't read a book which managed to truly get to me. This book did.
First and foremost, this is a book about human nature – what motivates a person, the nature of every person's beliefs, and what brings them to insanity.
Each and every character in the book was realistic and touching, you couldn't help but to identify with most of them, and come to appreciate the rest. Although some tend to be too good to be true, while others can be a little too close to pure evil, they are all written in such a manner that makes you believe them still.
Throw in the mix epic battle scenes, ancient superstitions, prophecies, and heart breaking love affairs that usually end in a tragedy, and you get a gripping book you won't be able to put down - not due to cheap writing tricks, but thanks to genuine interest.
This book was one of the few which actually made me stare for a while after finishing it, in order to let everything sink in. It was that good.
Need I say more? -
I liked all of David Gemmell's books. It was a sad loss to the fantasy genre when he passed away.
He had that individual style that made him special (in my opinion). He could draw you in, chew you up and spit you out in 300-to-400 pages. Great characterisation, I really cared about Gemmell's main characters. He had a knack for straightforward storytelling without the pages and pages about what people were wearing and what they had for breakfast that has become popular today.
I thought this was a good trilogy, even the final instalment that was completed by his wife. Not my favourite Gemmell series but still good.
If you haven't read a Gemmell book you have missed out! -
I’m speechless!!! This is Gemmells crowning masterpiece.
-
ILLUSTROUS -LOVED THIS BOOK
THIS BOOK MADE ME SMILE, LAUGH ,CRY .
Gemmell was a creative genius . The sagacity of writing is riveting . His characters are so well written . Characters are so quintessential flawed . Gemmell unequivocal prose gives a honest portrayal of human fallibility . Probing on what persuades a person , what makes one so committed to their beliefs . what brings them to utter madness . He draws in audacious movement. His writing is idyllic .Colossal battle scenes. Exhilarating and unpresuming combination of storytelling make this brilliant .
Rich in detail, yet not bestrewed by it . Exactly the right proportions of
CONVICTION
SOLDARITY
FAITHFULNESS
PASSION
LOVE
BRUTALITY
HATE
KINDNESS
BEHEVOLENCE
GALLANTRY
The characters are all so tragic . Imperfections and disappointment . Emotionally charged . Hurt feelings and a deep loss and void .
HELIKAON - haunted by a traumatic childhood . Unexpected twists make him realistic and believable . He is kind and loyal . Yet he is not perfect .
ARGUURIOS- Deep rooted beliefs. . .Shrouded by loneliness . Oozing revenges .
ANDROMACHE- .A strong heroine, one who defends those she deeply and truly loves with every ounce of her being . Tough , yet regal and loyal . She is adored by women . And
is receptive to these mutual feelings and desires .
Three lives all connected by trust, friendship and love .
I REALLY ENJOYED READING THIS BOOK . -
The heartbreak. The glory! Oh! The fucking glory!
-
Having read the acclaimed Sword in the Storm and not finding it really special, I had decided that Gemmell's style is not for me.
But I am always very interest in the myths and history of my ancient ancestors, so when I found the Troy trilogy in a second hand bookstore I grabbed the chance and bought them.
Being, as usual, in my post-Bakker blues, and finding difficult to enjoy new books I started Lord of the Silver Bow on a whim.
It quickly grabbed my attention. At first, because I loved the historical approach on the build up for the War of Troy. Fast enough though I started enjoying the characterization and how Gemmell gives colour and life to the Bronze Age Aegean Sea. Gemmell writes about some really great characters from all sides. The Mycenean Argyrios, Odysseus, Helikaon or mostly known as Aeneas, Andromache, Laodike and others, are all very compelling and diverse and I enjoyed a lot the dynamics between them.
The alternative history that Gemmell presents sounds plausible and is very evocative. Full of tragedy, betrayals, honour, courage, doubts and sacrifice. He managed to even make me very emotional towards the end.
This is probably the book I have enjoyed most after my Bakker reread and made me look Gemmell's works, that intrigue me as a setting, mainly his Greek books and the Shannow trilogy, with a very different eye.
"Farewell, then, King Aeneas..." cant wait to meet you again in the sequel and see how Gemmell plans to retell this eternally glorious story.
