Review of The Fox
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- Latest Review: The Fox by M. N. J. Butler
Review of The Fox
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Fox" by M. N. J. Butler.]
What caused Sparta, the renowned ancient Greek city-state, to fall? Was it actually due to ossification—a failure to change and adapt to new situations—or was it the result of Sparta's military culture gradually eroding due to the disregard for her stringent old laws? These are two fundamental questions: Do they validate the truth? M. N. J. Butler's The Fox transports us to ancient Sparta in the 4th century BC, where we meet Leotychides, an exiled bastard, son of Spartan royalty, and now an elderly mercenary, as he records the events that have occurred before his eyes during his long life and regretfully shares Sparta's decline in a memoir he is writing to the remnants of his home country.
I've read a few books that offer accounts of living in classical Greece. Butler, on the other hand, added a wide range of Spartan lifestyle and culture to make this a unique discovery. His in-depth knowledge of Spartan attitudes, the environment, and culture complements the writing's beauty. This indicates that he did substantial research before beginning to write. Personally, I find this commitment to be unquestionably admirable. I appreciated learning about the Spartan austere ideas that generated such disciplined people that saw death in war as the highest honour, rather than merely a responsibility. The fact that the author did not abandon the Spartan women is my favourite component of the book. I was mostly amazed that they could openly interact with the males and play games, and that they were equally industrious.
The novel has a large cast of characters, many with identical names, which can make the reader's head spin at points. However, the author addressed this worry peacefully by including a 12-page glossary of names and words that would be incomprehensible to the casual reader. Furthermore, the author did a fantastic job of establishing the novel in its time period without overwhelming the reader with dates and superfluous facts.
I didn't find anything about this book repulsive. Instead, I found it to be a moving, unique, engaging, and informative book. Despite how heartbreaking it was to see a nation's centuries-long military force erode and deteriorate to a mere shadow of its former glory, Leotychides' compelling narration of his efforts to preserve the customs and traditions of his slowly dissolving city state calmed my melancholy. I didn't find a single clear grammatical error while reading. This information supports my claim that the book was professionally edited before publication. It would be impolite of me not to give The Fox four out of four stars because of all of the aforementioned factors.
It's a book, in my opinion, that encourages us to reflect on how, personally, we fit within society. I suggest it to anyone interested in the sense of duty that ancient Sparta's army displayed, to history buffs interested in ancient Greece, and to anyone looking for an engaging book that is historically accurate and theatrically compelling.
******
The Fox
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
What caused Sparta, the renowned ancient Greek city-state, to fall? Was it actually due to ossification—a failure to change and adapt to new situations—or was it the result of Sparta's military culture gradually eroding due to the disregard for her stringent old laws? These are two fundamental questions: Do they validate the truth? M. N. J. Butler's The Fox transports us to ancient Sparta in the 4th century BC, where we meet Leotychides, an exiled bastard, son of Spartan royalty, and now an elderly mercenary, as he records the events that have occurred before his eyes during his long life and regretfully shares Sparta's decline in a memoir he is writing to the remnants of his home country.
I've read a few books that offer accounts of living in classical Greece. Butler, on the other hand, added a wide range of Spartan lifestyle and culture to make this a unique discovery. His in-depth knowledge of Spartan attitudes, the environment, and culture complements the writing's beauty. This indicates that he did substantial research before beginning to write. Personally, I find this commitment to be unquestionably admirable. I appreciated learning about the Spartan austere ideas that generated such disciplined people that saw death in war as the highest honour, rather than merely a responsibility. The fact that the author did not abandon the Spartan women is my favourite component of the book. I was mostly amazed that they could openly interact with the males and play games, and that they were equally industrious.
The novel has a large cast of characters, many with identical names, which can make the reader's head spin at points. However, the author addressed this worry peacefully by including a 12-page glossary of names and words that would be incomprehensible to the casual reader. Furthermore, the author did a fantastic job of establishing the novel in its time period without overwhelming the reader with dates and superfluous facts.
I didn't find anything about this book repulsive. Instead, I found it to be a moving, unique, engaging, and informative book. Despite how heartbreaking it was to see a nation's centuries-long military force erode and deteriorate to a mere shadow of its former glory, Leotychides' compelling narration of his efforts to preserve the customs and traditions of his slowly dissolving city state calmed my melancholy. I didn't find a single clear grammatical error while reading. This information supports my claim that the book was professionally edited before publication. It would be impolite of me not to give The Fox four out of four stars because of all of the aforementioned factors.
It's a book, in my opinion, that encourages us to reflect on how, personally, we fit within society. I suggest it to anyone interested in the sense of duty that ancient Sparta's army displayed, to history buffs interested in ancient Greece, and to anyone looking for an engaging book that is historically accurate and theatrically compelling.
******
The Fox
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: The Fox by M. N. J. Butler
