TITLE: The Olympic Charioteer
AUTHOR/EDITOR: Helena P. Schrader
INFO: Paperback, Fiction, 398 pages
PUBLISHED: iUniverse, 2010
ISBN#: 978-0-595-36782-5
HOW'D I GET IT: Received from publisher for review
FROM THE COVER/PUBLISHER: Set in archaic Greece, and based on incidents recorded in Herodotus, this is the tale of a young man's journey from tragedy to triumph - and the story of the founding of the first non-aggression pact in recorded history: the Peloponnesian League.
Award-winning novelist Helena P. Schrader has again created a novel full of rich and realistic characters while providing readers a remarkable insight into Archaic Spartan society. Well-researched and intelligently interpolated from recorded facts, Schrader's Sparta is a refreshing change from the stereotypes in much modern literature.
MY TAKE: I must admit it took me just a bit to get into this book. The author was very thorough in setting up the backdrop and getting necessary information in place before continuing into the story. BUT, once that groundwork was laid - this story moved faster than the horses pulling the chariots!
I was very impressed with the historical figures, events and places that the author wove into her saga. The characters were very believable and several were extremely likable - making you really care about them and their fate. Of course, I was drawn to this book initially because of the horses and the racing. Ms. Schrader didn't disappoint on that front either. She obviously did just as much research on the care and training of horses as she did the historical elements.
INFO: Paperback, Fiction, 398 pages
PUBLISHED: iUniverse, 2010
ISBN#: 978-0-595-36782-5
HOW'D I GET IT: Received from publisher for review
FROM THE COVER/PUBLISHER: Set in archaic Greece, and based on incidents recorded in Herodotus, this is the tale of a young man's journey from tragedy to triumph - and the story of the founding of the first non-aggression pact in recorded history: the Peloponnesian League.
Award-winning novelist Helena P. Schrader has again created a novel full of rich and realistic characters while providing readers a remarkable insight into Archaic Spartan society. Well-researched and intelligently interpolated from recorded facts, Schrader's Sparta is a refreshing change from the stereotypes in much modern literature.
MY TAKE: I must admit it took me just a bit to get into this book. The author was very thorough in setting up the backdrop and getting necessary information in place before continuing into the story. BUT, once that groundwork was laid - this story moved faster than the horses pulling the chariots!
I was very impressed with the historical figures, events and places that the author wove into her saga. The characters were very believable and several were extremely likable - making you really care about them and their fate. Of course, I was drawn to this book initially because of the horses and the racing. Ms. Schrader didn't disappoint on that front either. She obviously did just as much research on the care and training of horses as she did the historical elements.
This was a very enjoyable read that I came away from feeling a little more educated and extremely satisfied. I highly recommend this book.
***Thank you to the author and Paula at AME for the review copy. I was under no obligation to provide a review. My words and opinions are 100% my own.
MY RATING: 4/5
WHERE TO BUY IT: The Olympic Charioteer
on Amazon.comHappy Reading!
