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A review by usbsticky
Odysseus: The Oath by Valerio Massimo Manfredi
5.0
This is book 1 out of 3 on the life of Odysseus. This first book is a short one and deals with the young Odysseus before and after he becomes king and then the Trojan War. It's written in Italian and masterfully translated by someone whom I presume to be his wife.
The writing is easy to read and captivating. It's written in first person and in a somewhat ancient manner but still very readable. I liked the main character and enjoyed his interactions with the many famous heroes who populat the Iliad and even the Greek Gods. The action is fast, the Trojan War was 10 years long but is dealt with quickly without being too brief in half the book. The first half does a decent job of filling in young Odysseus' upbringing plus the reasons leading up to the Trojan War.
I liked the book so much that I ordered the second book before I finished this one. The 3rd one is a bit weird though. Though book 1 was written in 2012, it seems that book 3 was written in 1978. I suspect that books 1 and 2 were written to complement book 3. I received book 1 as a free ARC.
The writing is easy to read and captivating. It's written in first person and in a somewhat ancient manner but still very readable. I liked the main character and enjoyed his interactions with the many famous heroes who populat the Iliad and even the Greek Gods. The action is fast, the Trojan War was 10 years long but is dealt with quickly without being too brief in half the book. The first half does a decent job of filling in young Odysseus' upbringing plus the reasons leading up to the Trojan War.
I liked the book so much that I ordered the second book before I finished this one. The 3rd one is a bit weird though. Though book 1 was written in 2012, it seems that book 3 was written in 1978. I suspect that books 1 and 2 were written to complement book 3. I received book 1 as a free ARC.