4 out of 4 stars
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The fox by M. N. J. Butler is a historical fiction book. It is based on the 4th Century B.C in the empire of Sparta. The book was first published in 1995 by Blackwoods London and was re-published this year 2018 by CNPosner Books. The Kindle version of the book is currently sold by Amazon at $4.50 and the Paperback version is sold at $14.95. The book has 301 standard pages.
This historical fiction is based on the life of Leotychides also called Cockrel by his colleagues in the flock. (The group of boys undergoing military training). He is the illegitimate son of the King of Sparta – King Agis II. The story starts with the young boy’s life in the royal courts being nursed by his mother Timaea. This life gives the history and cultural life in a typical Spartan royal court. He was later taken to join other boys to start military training. He tells of his life in the flock as he grew up to become a soldier. His life narrative is full of events which describe the history of Sparta in the 4th Century B.C. He tells of ‘great battles’ which were essentially mock battles between different flocks of boys. Later, his life narrative shows how he led his Spartan army to real battles. Some of these battles are written in an epic manner that makes the story interesting. However, Leotychides despite leading a life that seemed normal. The author paints him to have suffered internally. A life inflicted by circumstances and also the people surrounding him until his death at the court of King Philippos.
The fox is a book which has been crafted to give in-depth historical information in an interesting way. From reading the story, I learned first, the culture of Greek people i.e Sparta and the surrounding cities. Secondly, the historical events that took place in Greece about 4th Century B.C. These events included the wars fought by Sparta against the state cities of Athens, Corinth, Thebes, and other city-states. I also learned the many legendary people in the ancient Greek society.
At the beginning of this book, there is a glossary which has the names and the terms used in this book. The meanings and descriptions are given. You have to read the glossary to get a better understanding of the book and its historical context.
I liked the way the author of this books has artistically woven the fictitious story of Leotychides and the history of the Spartan Empire. This makes me give this book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. I recommend this book to historians and the lovers of historical fiction stories. The only things that I didn’t like in the book which the author couldn’t have avoided are the names which were difficult for me to pronounce and the many characters used.
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The Fox
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