3 out of 4 stars
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Five Years on Pellion, Ten Years at Troy is an epic historical fiction book. The author, Will Roberts, has brought Greek mythology to life in this engrossing tale. The story is written from the viewpoint of two minor heroes, Epistrophus and Schedius.
Iphitus, the prince of Phocis, is to embark on a perilous voyage with Jason and the Argonauts. Jason's mission is to retrieve the legendary Golden Fleece in Colchis. Iphitus has arranged for his sons, Epistrophus and Schedius, to remain in Pelion and train under the guidance of Cheiron. Cheiron is a well-renowned teacher and healer. At Cheiron's cave, the boys meet Achilles, another of Cheiron's students. Young Achilles never ceases to amaze the brothers with his strength, skill, and valour. Soon, the three of them form close bonds. Cheiron, who possesses the gift of prophesying, foretells that the boys will partake in the greatest war the world has ever witnessed. This coming war is to be so great that poets and bards will sing about it long after its occurrence.
The book is divided into two parts. The first part covers Epistrophus and Schedius' training in Pelion. The second part occurs years later and covers the great war at Troy. The two parts compliment each other nicely. The first part prepares readers for the second part - where most of the action occurs. For example, as Cheiron instructs the boys, he teaches them about Greek history, legends, gods, and heroes. These tales serve to introduce readers who lack a background in Greek mythology to the various myths and legends. Thus, when the action occurred in the second part, I was acquainted with some of the heroes and their history.
Most of the book is from the viewpoint of Schedius. He takes on different roles - a son, younger brother, husband, father, and warrior. These roles made him more human, more relatable. As a minor hero, he has no vanity and carries a great sense of awe for most of his fellow Greeks. Reading about these Greek heroes from his viewpoint enabled me to feel the same kind of admiration. Thus, imagining the battles by these legends was so much more thrilling!
During the war at Troy, the number of characters increases greatly. Thankfully, the author uses clear, simple language throughout the book. Otherwise, I would have been confused with trying to figure out who is who. I feel that these characters all play pivotal roles, although some only appear in a few paragraphs. They all help in the outworking of the plot.
I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed this book, but that would only spoil it! I recommend it without reserve. Sadly, I cannot give it a perfect rating due to a couple of spelling errors. Hence, I rate it 3 out of 4 stars.
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Five years on Pelion, Ten years at Troy
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