3 out of 4 stars
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The Fox is a tale told from the viewpoint of Leotychides of Sparta, a prince in line for one of the two thrones when he is wrongfully denounced his right as heir after the death of his father, King Agis. Having no ambition to be King, he joins a flock—a military training “camp” for boys—and over the years rises in the ranks of both his flock brothers and in the Spartan army. Along the way, he encounters loyal friends, dangerous enemies, and political intrigue in a merciless war leading up to the downfall of a great and proud nation. It is a story of love and loss, trust and betrayal.
M.N.J Butler does a fine job writing an engaging historical novel packed with facts, geography, and many notable figures from the ancient time period. 'Leo' was an easy character to like and follow. Through his triumphs in the Games and in battle, as well as his many heartbreaks over the deaths of loved ones, especially toward the end of the novel, and with those losses, his eventual exile from his beloved Sparta. I liked the silent strength of Leotychides, the book's title making so much sense after a partial reading of the story, and even more so as it neared the end.
My biggest problem with the book was the huge overload of names and cities from the very beginning. I was never able to keep many of the straight in my head without the glossary, and I found myself confused between Anaxandros, Antalkidas, and Aristokrates all too often. That is just one example. Many of the names from the mass amounts of characters are either similar or the character is named after another. There is nothing to be done for this considering they are historical/legendary figures. This book is more for history buffs than just the casual reader. I also felt it took awhile for the novel to take off, since there was a slow, rambling start, but I'm glad I stuck through it regardless.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. It wasn't quite as appealing to me, but that is mostly personal preference. Butler did go back and make revisions, and I found the current lack of errors worthy of mention. The storytelling was straight-forward once it got in motion, and I was able to enjoy it.
I recommend this book to anyone who is really into Greek history as I think it will be appreciated more by those who really know and understand the references made to war heroes, gods/goddesses, and the empire into which the story is written.
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The Fox
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