evamaria's review
4.0
This was a rec from someone, and I have to say, I truly enjoyed it and read it in the course of one day. Being an Alexander fan along the lines of Mary Renault it was a pleasure to read a sympathetic characterization of him. Plus, Hephaistion gets the place he deserves - by Alexander's side. :)
I'm also a big fan of alternate histories, so I enjoyed this aspect of the book as well. Alexander fighting the Romans was especially interesting, I thought, as were the tidbits of "future" that showed how history might have changed if he had succeeded in creating a stable empire. As far as I was concerned, the book could have gone on much longer!
There was so much detail in everything, from the battles to the "future" stories, I easily forgave the slightly uneven writing and the few facts that were changed before the point of divergence and left unexplained (i.e. the Sacred Band and Alexander's son). I do think already having some background knowledge of Alexander's life is helpful in order to fully appreciate the novel. But yes, definitely a pleasant surprise!
I'm also a big fan of alternate histories, so I enjoyed this aspect of the book as well. Alexander fighting the Romans was especially interesting, I thought, as were the tidbits of "future" that showed how history might have changed if he had succeeded in creating a stable empire. As far as I was concerned, the book could have gone on much longer!
There was so much detail in everything, from the battles to the "future" stories, I easily forgave the slightly uneven writing and the few facts that were changed before the point of divergence and left unexplained (i.e. the Sacred Band and Alexander's son). I do think already having some background knowledge of Alexander's life is helpful in order to fully appreciate the novel. But yes, definitely a pleasant surprise!
schneefink's review
4.0
If I had expected a novel I probably would have been disappointed: especially in the beginning the book was very much focused on what-if plot developments and battle plans and had little focus on characters. I suspect it would have taken me far longer to become interested in Alexander and Hephaestion if I had not read stories about them before. It was the background characters with conflicted loyalties that I found the most interesting, Theagenes and Cassius mostly, and I wish they'd been given more space, though it probably wouldn't have fit in this book's narrative style.
I do like what-if AUs a lot and this book delivered nicely on that. Especially the chapters set in the far future were an unexpected and fun bonus.
I do like what-if AUs a lot and this book delivered nicely on that. Especially the chapters set in the far future were an unexpected and fun bonus.
singinglight's review
Melissa Scott is one of those underrated scifi writers from the 80s and 90s who I actually really enjoy! This one is an alternate history where Alexander the Great survives and creates an empire that eventually reaches the stars. I was expecting more speculative/alternate history elements, but the bulk of the narrative is more historical fiction that didn't actually happen. My favorite moments were the interludes, and I would totally read a whole book that is set on a spacestation in Alexander's empire.
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