The Classical
gods are fickle entities; divine beings yet all too easily driven by the human
traits of jealousy, lust and vengeance. The inhabitants of Olympus demand their
worship and adoration from mortals, yet all too often see humanity as nothing
but mere pawns to play against one another, regardless of the resultant
tragedy, and so the story unfolds …
Among the
hotchpotch of Bronze Age Greek city states stands the kingdom of Mycenae.
Its king, Atreus, wears the crown upon a troubled brow; his brother Thyestes
coverts the throne and moves against him in the shadows. Through treachery
Thyestes takes the city and throne, killing Atreus. The usurper would have
killed the princes Menelaus and Agamemnon as well, were it not for Atreus’
trusted general Pallas leading his charges out of the city.
Hunted, and
fearing for their lives, the princes are met by a mysterious hooded figure, who seems to possess uncanny abilities. Calling himself Thanatos, their guide leads the fugitives
through a maze of mines to seek exile aboard waiting vessels on the coast.
After a frustrating failure to seek refuge from King Priam of Troy, an embittered and vengeful Agamemnon joins his brother Menelaus in Sparta, where they are adopted
by the aged king Tyndareus. Knowing that Agamemnon seeks revenge against Thyestes
and to regain the throne of Mycenae, King Tyndareus names Menelaus as his heir.
Both princes marry daughters of Tyndarereus, Agamemnon to Clytemnestra, while Menelaus has
a somewhat difficult marriage to Helen, soured early on in their relationship
by Helen’s youthful impropriety.
King Thyestes of Mycenae, would seek the deaths of his nephews and
increase his wealth and power in the process. He builds an alliance with neighbouring states, built upon
threats and coercion, to conquer Sparta...
Robert Southworth is an accomplished author of historical fiction, known for his works on
Spartacus and Jack the Ripper (See my review of The Ripper Legacies Here) . In his unfolding Sacred Throne series, while
reinterpreting the world of the Illiad, he is able to cut loose from the
boundaries of historical fiction and introduce the fantastical. It’s a freedom
to be enjoyed and have fun with, and the author's enjoyment shows in Mr Southworth’s wonderful
tale.
In this world the gods and demi-gods walk among us. Centaurs haunt the
woods on the edge of civilisation and monsters can be summoned from the underworld and Tartarus by those with
the power to do so.
The characters come to the fore, the wise Menelaus, the brutal
Agamemnon (one would not want him as an enemy), the cruel and despotic Thysetes, the peaceable Centaur
Airlea, and the manipulative puppet master that is Thanatos; bending all
to his will, sometimes subtlety, but all too often not! The author weaves the
threads of his characters with a rare skill, brutal and bloody and yet also
humorous at times, creating a rich and colourful tapestry in the reader's imagination.
It’s always a good measure of a book when the reader positively devours
the imagery and tale, even more so when the eureka-like ending leaves the reader desperate
to continue the story, as pieces tumble into place. Medusa’s Shame is such a
book. Bravo Mr Southworth, this reader eagerly awaits book 2!
Medusa's Shame is available as kindle and paperback at Amazon
You can view all of Robert Southworth's work and enjoy his regular blog pieces at Robert Southworth-author.com/home
thank you for your kind words
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