Probably everyone should read Homer's The Iliad during the course of their life — if you weren't forced to do so in a high school, that is. But if you can't make it through such unfamiliar language and concepts, do the next best thing and read Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles.

This intelligent, poignant and beautifully written book follows the life of Achilles, ancient Greece’s most legendary warrior and a central actor in The Iliad. The novel’s told through the eyes of the hero’s lifelong friend, companion and lover, Patroclus. Banished after accidentally killing another highborn boy, Patroclus finds himself living in the court of Achilles’ father, King Peleus. The king is kind to him, but Patroclus, having been stripped of both is title and his name, is deeply damaged. It’s only when Achilles, a youth as comfortable in his own skin as Patroclus is uncomfortable in his, takes an interest in him that the disgraced boy begins to come out of his shell. Being the favorite of a prince is an enviable position to have, but most do not approve, especially Achilles’ goddess mother, Thetis. Cold and calculating, Thetis is obsessed with the prophecy that her son will go on to be Greece’s greatest warrior, thereby earning himself a place among the immortals. She sees Patroclus as not only being unworthy of the prince’s affection, but actually contrary to his fate. Perhaps the only thing that keeps her from murdering Patroclus is knowing that it would drive a permanent wedge between her and Achilles.  

Achilles however, is a reluctant hero and an even more reluctant killer. When he and Patroclus are sent to study with the centaur Chiron, tutor to other legendary Greeks like Jason and Herakles, the boys at last find the freedom to be themselves. Secluded in Chiron’s mountain retreat, the pressures and responsibilities of court, title and prophecy melt away. Achilles and Patroclus find that their differences complement each other and finally consummate their relationship. This is the start of a lifelong love affair which, though tested by separation, war, pride, and the cruelty of the gods, does not falter. 

The latter half of the book deals extensively with the Trojan war and Achilles exploits there. It is the war that really transforms Patroclus and Achilles, inspiring one to look for ways to help others, the other to become as obsessed with his honor as his callous mother, preferring to see hundreds die before yielding even an ounce of it to another. In many ways, Miller's book reminds me of the best of Mary Renault, whose novels about Greek myth include The Bull from the Sea and The King Must Die. Renault's books are still some of the best on ancient Greek life and widely hailed as classics. I would not be surprised to find The Song of Achilles earn similar accolades in the years ahead.

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I read Brahms Stoker‘s Dracula when I was in college, but only recently found out that this 1903 novel was the basis for Boris Karloff’s The Mummy (1932). Because I love that movie so much, I had to sit down and read this novel right away. 

Like Dracula (1897), The Jewel of the Seven Stars is a horror novel which combines mythology, history, science, and the Victorian belief in spiritualism. The main character is a barrister (lawyer) named Malcolm Ross who is summoned to the estate of a rich nobleman fascinated with ancient Egypt. The nobleman, Abel Trelawny, has been overcome by a seemingly magical sleep. While in this impenetrable slumber, he’s attacked several times by forces unknown which seem intent on procuring a key fastened to his wrist by an unbreakable steel bracelet. Despite the horrific nature of the assaults, no suspect can be identified despite concurrent investigations from Malcolm, the local doctor, and Scotland Yard. Mr. Trelawny’s daughter, Margaret, with whom Malcolm is smitten, can shed no light on the experiences even though she’s the first to arrive on the scene after each attack. As Malcolm continues his investigation, it becomes clear that Mr. Trelawny’s interest in the Egyptian occult, and in particular a female pharaoh called Tera, may have something to do with his troubles. 

Like so many people of the Victorian era, Stoker was fascinated with ancient Egypt and clearly did a tremendous amount of research in preparation for this story. While his attention to detail is amazing, the overly mannered writing style, which often strays into minutia, can make for a difficult read. Told in first person, the reader sees very little of the actual events leading up to the book. Instead, secondary characters provide endless exposition to create the backstory. In this sense, Stoker violates a cardinal rule of a modern author: show, don’t tell. In fact, you might have to drink some coffee or go for a walk if you’re trying to get through some of the ponderous foreshadowing and long monologues.

Stoker was very much a man of his time, and his characters certainly embody his Victorian sensibilities. All the gentlemen are exceedingly proper, honorable and intelligent. They are all keenly interested in understanding the ancient Egyptian mysteries laid before them, while simultaneously considering such things the works of heathens dabbling in realms better left untouched. The central female character of Margaret (who’s almost the only female character), is everything a young Victorian gentleman would want. She’s intelligent (but not more intelligent than the men), exceedingly kind, inquisitive, and in constant and persistent need of rescue. Later in the book, when her mood changes for reasons I won’t go into, and she becomes more withdrawn and haughty, Malcolm acknowledges that he doesn’t find her as attractive as before. To the reader, there’s a clear message here: the woman’s more valuable and relevant when she’s appealing to men.

If you’re reading The Jewel of the Seven Stars as an example of Victorian horror fiction, then you will probably find it interesting, even at times fascinating. If not, you’re going to find it a slog.  In the end, I don’t know that the payoff is worth it. I found the conclusion very anti-climactic. It had a much darker ending when it was originally published, but Stoker went back and changed it a few years later. Perhaps a happy ending was more in keeping with Victorian sensibilities where “civilized” men triumph and “civilized” women get married?

In the end, Dracula's still a better book.

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The graphic novel adaptation of the exciting final adventure of the New York Times best-selling Kane Chronicles trilogy!

He's b-a-a-ack! Despite their best efforts, Carter and Sadie Kane can't seem to keep Apophis, the chaos snake, down. Now, Apophis is threatening to plunge the world into eternal darkness, and the Kanes are faced with the impossible task of destroying him once and for all.

Unfortunately, the House of Life magicians are on the brink of civil war, the gods are divided, and the young initiates of Brooklyn House stand almost alone against the forces of chaos. The Kanes' only hope is an ancient spell that might turn the serpent's shadow into a weapon, but the magic has been lost for millennia.
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PURCHASE

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