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Shield of Thunder (Troy #2)

by David Gemmell

4.26 · rating details · 1,197 ratings · 67 reviews

The second novel in David Gemmell’s bestselling Troy trilogy. Interlacing myth and history, and high adventure, this is epic storytelling at its very best.

War is looming, and all the kings of the Great Green are gathering, each with their own dark plans of conquest and plunder.

Into this maelstrom of treachery come three travellers: Piria, a runaway priestess nursing a terr...more

Paperback, 493 pages

Published December 26th 2007 by Ballantine Books (first published September 2006)

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Oct 02, 2011

Stephen rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fantasy, ebooks, 2006-2010, supermen, fantasy, retellings-reimaginings-and-mashes, war-sff, military-fiction, good-guys

As you can see above, the math for this one is quite simple. This is book two of one of the best Heroic Fantasy series I have ever read. This sequel to the wonderful Lord of the Silver Bow is the middle installment of David Gemmell's Troy trilogy in which he superbly re-imagines the events leading up to and including the Trojan War. It is brilliant, original and terrifically entertaining.

Beginning several years after the events of Lord of the Silver Bow, this book contin...more

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Jun 19, 2011

Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalking rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: genre-fantasy, genre-historical-fiction, favorite-candidate-2011

Sometimes books are so well written, the characters come so alive, that I can read the book as quickly as I can watch a movie. That was the case with this book. David Gemmell was a genius. He was a puppet master, carefully laying out his characters, their dialogue, their moves, so that the story comes together beautifully at the end. I'm not going to do a full review since if you already read book 1, you most likely plan on reading this book or already read it.

However, if you haven't...more

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Feb 09, 2011

William rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: his-fiction

I was blown away by Gemmell's first Troy book, Lord of the Silver Bow, and purchased the rest of the trilogy soon upon its completion. Shield of Thunder did not disappoint. The action was ferocious, the drama was both touching and realistic, and the characters were vivid and alive. I was especially taken by the way Gemmell doesn't seem to pick sides as the great war enfolds. Nobody is the bad guy per se, although Agamemnon is a murderous tyrant, and instead we see the foul conflict through the e...more

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Sep 24, 2011

Христо Блажев rated it

· review of another edition

Дейвид Гемел демитологизира и разширява по страхотен начин Омировата “Илиада”: http://www.knigolandia.info/2011/09/blog...

Първите два тома – “Повелителят на сребърния лък” и “Гръмотевичния щит” всъщност нямат нищо общо с “Илиада”, освен героите. Те разказват в подробности страхотната предистория на конфликта – битките, превратностите, разкъсването по лагери, причини за всяка от решенията. Тук Гемел е убедителен до последната дума – показва разрушителната природа на човешката алчност и...more

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Jan 26, 2012

Sue Smith rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2012

I do have to admit that historical fiction is one of my favorite genres .... you have a feel for the time and place , and have been introduced to the main characters so they become like old friends in no time. On that note, most people out there do know the battle of Troy, the legends exist and we still use the axiom of the gift of the Trojan Horse and what that ultimately means. It's one of the enduring parts of the tale that keep the legend of Troy alive to this day. Well that and the whole...moreI do have to admit that historical fiction is one of my favorite genres .... you have a feel for the time and place , and have been introduced to the main characters so they become like old friends in no time. On that note, most people out there do know the battle of Troy, the legends exist and we still use the axiom of the gift of the Trojan Horse and what that ultimately means. It's one of the enduring parts of the tale that keep the legend of Troy alive to this day. Well that and the whole Helen of Troy thing - the face that launched a thousand ships. Everyone knows about 'her'.

Well thankfully, this book isn't about Helen. It's more about the political climate of the times, about wealth and power and the will and whims of Kings. It's the chess game of power that small kingdoms like to play with the large. It's about the climate of war - of how wars start and why - and how small skirmishes ebb and flow and ultimately lead to world wars. And Troy for all intensive purposes was a world war, for it involved all the big players of the time to bring down the wealthiest and biggest of the them all. This book - the second in a trilogy - further explores the players and gives a better understanding to the eventuality of the Trojan War. It really helps introduce the scope of the thing too - and devastation and wastes that wars create - but this book also shows how it affects just one person - the pain and hurts, how personal these wars are to the average person that gets swept into it.

I love this trilogy! (And I haven't even read the third and final one yet). It's nice to have a glimpse - albeit a fictional one - into the beginnings of the legend of the Trojan War. A glimpse that isn't completely romantic and wrapped about a bunch of guys fighting over a pretty girl (sorry Helen). Which I'm sure was a part of it, but not the actual start and reason of the war. The characters are all great - whether you're following the lesser players, or those of the kings - there are no frivolous players in the story. I would advise that you start with the first book of the series though. It really lays the groundwork for this one, even though this book is a stand alone. It gives a much deeper insight to the whole.

A series that is well worth the read!

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Jul 29, 2011

Mathieu rated it

· review of another edition

Le récit de ce second tome se divise en deux parties. D'abord une phase où Gemmell introduit, ou rappelle à notre bon souvenir deux personnages très secondaires du premier tome pour en faire les héros de ce deuxième tome : Banoclès et Calliadès, deux guerriers mycéniens condamnés à mort par le roi Agammemnon suite à leur expédition manquée dans le tome un.

Puis, une phase plus enlevée, qui retrace les premiers développements de la guerre opposant Troie aux royaumes mycéniens.

On retrouve égalemen...more

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Nov 26, 2011

Arun Divakar rated it

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We all harbor monsters within us. Winged,clawed,fanged & frothing at the mouth they wait to be unchained even at the slightest provocation to create before our eyes what we have but dreaded in our darkest thoughts. A war looming in the horizon will change everything from the land to the people and everywhere we hear the patter of hoofbeats. Astride a pale horse comes the rider who eventually visits everyone who ever draw breath on this earth !

War draws mankind like moths to a flame...more

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Aug 30, 2009

Nate rated it

A passion of mine is the story of the sacking of Troy and the return of the “Greeks” (The Iliad and The Odyssey) while I’m no expert, I’m ‘acquainted’ with the story. The events Homer describes are so strong and vivid, I also love the characters involved, particularly the character of Odysseus (sorry, rather than the big heroic type I’m more into the thinker).

Mr. Gemmel did the ambitious act of writing a series of historical fiction books that supported Homer’s works along with Vir...moreA passion of mine is the story of the sacking of Troy and the return of the “Greeks” (The Iliad and The Odyssey) while I’m no expert, I’m ‘acquainted’ with the story. The events Homer describes are so strong and vivid, I also love the characters involved, particularly the character of Odysseus (sorry, rather than the big heroic type I’m more into the thinker).

Mr. Gemmel did the ambitious act of writing a series of historical fiction books that supported Homer’s works along with Virgil’s The Aenid. The second in the series, Shield of Thunder picks up about three years after the first (Lord of the Silver Box), the setting is before the Iliad with growing tension between the Western Kings and those supporting Troy. Telling the tale this time, Mr. Gemmel decided on two parts, one focusing on the growing tension between the East and the West (The Gathering Storm, the focus is on Odysseus and the “changing” environment that leads to the Trojan War) and the engagements leading to the Iliad (An Enemy of Troy).

Rating wise this is a solid 4 star book for me; and that’s lower than I was initially anticipating. I say that because The Gathering Storm showed so much that made me love the book. Mr. Gemmel’s description of Odysseus, Agamemnon, and the other greats from the Iliad was so interesting. I loved how Mr. Gemmel expanded Odysseus’s story from Homer’s and gave us so much to explain why he was the thinker and to be more feared by the Trojans than Agamemnon. Merging this with the story of Kalliades, Banokles, and Piria (sorry, you have to read it to learn about them) made for exquisite story telling (truly going to 5 stars). An Enemy of Troy though let things down. Part of the reason is the story grew in complexity due to the number of view points (we now see Helikaon, The Trojan Horse, and the Dardanian front) and Mr. Gemmel decided to lean more on fiction and less on history. I say that this is more fiction than history because Mr. Gemmel took the liberty of describing an environment more suited to the Dark Ages than that of the late Bronze, early Iron Ages : the cavalry is mounted rather than using chariots that history indicates (sorry, the mounted charges he describes wouldn’t have been nearly as effective due to the lack of spurs and stirrup in that era) and the armor doesn’t sound like the plate armor found in Mycenae grave sites, rather more like scale mail from later eras. I also had some problems with the “strategic” nature of the war. I say this because the war is being fought across a rather large area and uses strategy and logistical concerns that fit latter eras. While I admire Mr. Gemmel’s idea on what was happening to Troy (attacking the supporting city states and then Troy, and yes, that’s how I believe the 10 year ‘siege’ of Troy occurred) I believe he made it a little to big and grand (sorry, the fighting we’re reading about is largely on the Western side of the Dardanelles and I have a hard time believing Troy would have a significant land force there). Despite my issues though, Mr. Gemmel does deliver a nice story that seems to lend itself to Homer’s and because of this it lends itself to a nice 4 star rating.
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Sep 24, 2008

Terry rated it

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A great take on Greek Mythology and the story of Troy. This book leads up to the point were the Greeks surrounds Troy. David Gemmell tells a great story how the battle may have come to be. His characters are lively and very entertaining. I really felt the need to go back time and be there for some of the scenes. A Very enjoyable story.

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Jan 21, 2010

Darkpool rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: historical, read-in-2010, fiction

Finished this a day or two ago, and have finally knocked a very short review together...

Ah. Book 2 in the series. Significantly darker than the Lord of the Silver Bow, but no less gripping. We see Odysseus, trapped by consequences of actions taken for the best of motives, forced into an alliance with Agamemnon against those he considered his friends. The transformation of Odysseus, the neutral trader, into The Sacker of Cities is as tragic as it is inevitable. The supporting cast of ...more

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Apr 24, 2009

Bonnie rated it

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I read the 1st part of the trilogy last year and can't begin to imagine why I didn't go on to the second part immediately. This is going to sound crazy, but sometimes I put off reading books I am sure I'll really like because I'm into anticipation. I liked this book even better than the first one. One of the things I really like about both books is that the characters' motivations are very human and believable. I was very unhappy to read in the afterword that the author died while writing th...more

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Feb 10, 2008

Isteniel rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: david-gemmel

I loved the book, just as i loevd the previous one and most of Gemmel's books. It is one of the best pieces of art created on the Trojan theme. Looking forward to reading the last *sigh* book from the trilogy.

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Oct 08, 2007

Erin Pierce rated it

· review of another edition

Last David Gemmell Book. This was a super excellent book. He was a wonderful story teller. He will be missed.

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Apr 25, 2009

Tiffany rated it

· review of another edition

I loved the first book Lord of the Silver Bow and I love this book. I can't wait to get started on the next one. I don't want to say too much because I want my friends to read it, but I will say that Banokles is my favorite in this book.
For my friends that read my last review with Heir to the Shadows and I couldn't decide if I really liked it or not well I don't. David Gemmell is was able to pull off what Anne Bishop couldn't and that is switching characters and their stories simontanously...more

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Oct 31, 2011

Tsvetelina rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, favorite

Незнайно защо, ала бях много резервирана към прочита на втората книга на поредицата "Троя". Може би това от части се дължеше към страхотното начало с "Повелителя на сребърния лък" и се притеснявах дали и останалите книги ще са на ниво, както и факта, че любимите ми герои определено ще преживеят някаква лична драма. Всички тези страхове обаче заминаха в небитието в момента, в който взех книгата в ръце.

"Гръмотевичният щит" е достойно продължение на първата...moreНезнайно защо, ала бях много резервирана към прочита на втората книга на поредицата "Троя". Може би това от части се дължеше към страхотното начало с "Повелителя на сребърния лък" и се притеснявах дали и останалите книги ще са на ниво, както и факта, че любимите ми герои определено ще преживеят някаква лична драма. Всички тези страхове обаче заминаха в небитието в момента, в който взех книгата в ръце.

"Гръмотевичният щит" е достойно продължение на първата книга. Тук динамиката на действието е още по-наситена и епична. Дейвид Гемел отново ни доказва, че неговият талант е неоспорим, като превърща една от любимите ми гръцки легенди в нещо още по-прекрасно и спиращо дъха. За огромно мое съжаление това е и последната книга, която написва. Въпреки това съм убедена, че неговите творби ще продължат да се харесват и за напред, защото поредицата "Троя" накара три различни вкуса и поколения в моето семейство да съпреживеят историята на героите и да станат фенове на поредицата.

В тази книга вниманието на читателя се насочва към героите от войната, за да може да се запознае не само с царете, чието име никога няма да бъде забравено, но и с обикновените войници, които извоюват победите за владетелите си. Гемел се опитва да ни напомни, че никой от тези царе не би бил увековечен във времето, ако не са били неговите смели войници, които са истинските герои от битката. Те смело се хвърлят в боя, за да защитават семействата си, приятелите си, генералите и царете си. На тях им е нужно само признание за това, което са направили, и въпреки това историята е погълнала в забрава имената на повечето безмилостно. Ала последиците от действията им остават во веки.

Запознаваме се с микенските войници Калиадес и Банокъл, които са братя по оръжие и обявени за предатели от собствения си цар. В опита си да оцелеят те срещат и спасяват избягалата от Тера жрица Пирия, която е тръгнала да търси своята приятелка и любов, за да я спаси от гибел. Тримата заедно ще се изправят пред много препятствия, ще срещат приятели и врагове по пътя си, ще се сблъскват с любов и омраза и съдбата ще се опитва да ги изиграе безмилостно. Авторът не забравя и героите от първата книга, като ни прави свидетели на опит за покушение над живота на Хеликаон, наблюдаваме от първия ред празненствата в чест на сватбата на Хектор и Андромаха и ставаме слушатели на Одисей, когато той разказва най-популярната си история. И във време, в което войната чука на портите, приятели се превръщат във врагове и трагедията е неизбежна.

Дейвид Гемел притежава изключителния талант да описва велики битки, без да ни спестява нищо, да изобразява трагични и драматични моменти, без да има нещо прекалено в тях и да се чувстваме като в латино сапунка, както и да обрисува герои, без да хиперболизира, който и да е от тях. В романа няма нищо абсолютно добро, нито нищо абсолютно зло. Има само неизбежното и героите се опитват да оцелеят в една велика битка, като всеки защитава различни идеали. Също така в творбата се преплитат идеите за мистично и реално, като ясно се показва връзката между тях и каква роля имат и двете, за да управляваш и владееш хората. Същевременно личи и симпатията на автора към определени герои, ала това не е повлияло на преценката му и всеки от тях по някакъв начин е преживял или преживява лична трагедия.

Всичко това прави книгата толкова достоверна и реалистична, че ми се ще да повярвам, че това не е само роман, не е измислица, а наистина се е случило. От много отдавна не се е случвало книга да ме изненада, но тази наистина успя да го направи. Преди харесвах легендата за Троя и за хубавата Елена, за непобедимия Хектор и безстрашния Ахил, ала след тази поредица нищо няма да е същото. За това горещо препоръчвам поредицата на всеки, който харесва големи битки, политически сблъсъци и гръцката митология. Това е четиво, което не бива да бъде пропускано.(less)

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Jan 22, 2012

Isis rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: bronze-age-5000-to-1100bce-fiction

There’s not too much I can add to my review of this, the second novel in the trilogy, without repeating what I said in my review of the first book. Gemmell’s writing quality is consistent throughout the series, and, like the first, this novel is packed with just as much adventure, tension, authentic detail and earthy characterisations. I liked the fact that Gemmell shifts gears here to three new lead characters – Kalliades, Banokles and Piria, who are barely more than mentioned in the first nove...more

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Apr 12, 2011

Trayana rated it

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Shelves: favorites, fantasy, owned, bg

След увличащото начало на поредицата „Троя” – „Повелителят на сребърния лък”, Инфодар ни зарадваха и с втората книга „Гръмотевичния щит”. Противно на обичайното за средните книги в повечето поредици, тази се отличава с много динамично действие и развитие по основните сюжетни линии, но за съжаление е и последната завършена книга на Дейвид Гемел, преди да се спомине.

Не е възможно да се напише хубава история за героични дела, ако преди това не се напише красива история за човешките такива...more

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Jun 06, 2011

Steve rated it

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Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi-fantasy

Towards the end of July 2006, a 57 year old author is sat at his desk working on the last book in a Trilogy. Just two weeks previous he had undergone heart bypass surgery, and appeared to be making a good recovery. There he died. The Trilogy was 'Troy'.

David Andrew Gemmell liked to travel, he liked to sail. He loved to write. He wrote about heros and villians, characters with human weaknesses that could endure and achieve against great odds. I don't know why Gemmell chose to write a...more

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Aug 02, 2010

Molly rated it

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This book was way more war/battles and way less character development than the first book. I enjoyed the story of Heliakon and Andromanche (& Odysesseus) in the first book but H hardly makes an appearance in this book. It took me twice as long to get through because it's so slow-moving and I wanted to walk away from it a couple of times because the battle descriptions get so tiresome. I did enjoy that he expands on the story of Kalliades & Banokles though. Still debating on whether to finish off...more

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Jan 21, 2010

Lisa rated it

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Shelves: 2010, faves, 2010s-most-enjoyed

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 01, 2010

Nikki rated it

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Shelves: historical-fiction-alternatehistory, fantasy, greek-roman

Another enjoyable and interesting twist on the stories of Troy. How the war begins, and how the battlelines are drawn, are something that I wasn't familiar with at all: I don't know if there any records of it, and I know that this book isn't precisely faithful to what we already know even if there are, but this is an enjoyable take on it.

It is a little difficult to feel emotionally connected when all this killing is going on, and you know that several of your favoured characters will...more

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Oct 28, 2009

Karla (Mossy Love Grotto) rated it

Shelves: die-in-a-fire, historical-fantasy, ancient-greece, author-is-not-for-me, 2-stars, going-ranty-on-ur-ass

The first half of the book is better than the second, as Gemmell does a good job of writing Odysseus while sticking to his canonical attributes. The book takes a downturn, however, in the second half as Gemmell's stable of characters go from dire circumstances to mandatory last-minutes rescues to sudden deaths, all without much emotional involvement. So much of what makes these people tick is told, not shown, in pluperfect flashbacks, as was the case in the first book, and it was a worn-out devi...more

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Oct 26, 2011

Carolyne rated it

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Shelves: fiction

Though not as good as the first in the series...it isn't far behind. It was more a personal thing in a sense that there were some battle scenes and I am not a fan of reading battles. Plus, we spent a lot of time with two new characters that for a great length of the book I did not find that interesting. That being said...this is a fantastic series and I highly recommend ANYONE with a slight interest in Troy and mythology should pick this up. Also, loved the allusions to a new settlement of t...more

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Dec 21, 2011

Dawn rated it

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Shelves: fantasy, historical-fiction, alternate-history

This is the second of a trilogy about the Trojan War. I am writing this review after having read all three books.
The story continues to draw us toward the inevitable Trojan War, the civil war within Troy has been resolved and now preparations for battle with the Greeks has begun. Several minor characters from the first book have a more significant role in this one, including Piria, a priesess of Thera and Kalliades & Banokles, warriors of Mykene. Odysseus, King of Ithaca, warrior, merchan...more

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May 13, 2011

Kim rated it

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Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, military, own-book, e-book, series, favorites

I really liked this second book in the series. I was a little concerned when my favorite story line of the book was not very prominent in the beginning. As i read I enjoyed getting to know more of the 'other' character's stories and that my favorite thread was still there. I didn't feel bogged down by the battle scenes, and I felt like I was there as I read. Crowning achievement is finding a book that doesn't make me feel like I'm reading a book!

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Nov 06, 2011

Darrin Drader rated it

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Came back to this one a couple days ago after getting busy and putting it down for the better part of a year.

It's hard to talk too much about it, other than to say that Gemmell introduces some new characters while continuing this masterful and complex story that he started in the first installment.

I have to say that I wasn't really a Gemmell fan before I started reading the Troy series, but this has made a believer out of me. These are among the most well written alternat...more

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Mar 06, 2011

Skip rated it

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Shelves: historical

Excellent second book in series, pitting Western kings led by Agamemnon against King Priam of Troy. Leaving the first story of Andromache and King Aeneas as background, this book focuses on Piria, a runaway priestess; Kalliades, a crafty warrior with the legendary sword of Argurious; and Banokles, a brute, who becomes a leader of men.

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Aug 29, 2010

Samuel rated it

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Not as fast paced as the first one ,the book focuses more on personal connections,intrigue and not on the war by itself .The ugly one and the golden one are on opposing sides ,i like both the characters and wish they would have been on the same side.Looks like they will ride to battle against each other in the next book in the series .

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Jan 07, 2009

Cheryl rated it

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This book was one of my top reads of summer 2008!(#2 in the series) I couldn't put it down because it was nothing like anything I'd read before. The plot pulled me in immediately and I was trasported 3,000 years into the past; a time of sea battles, love affairs, honor and mystery. The book is AMAZING.

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May 17, 2011

Clare rated it

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Loved this series, but then I always enjoy a good David Gemmell!

Was heartbroken to discover that he died before finishing the third installment of this quality series but his wife did a very respectful job of wrapping it up for him.

Top marks and a series that I will aim to read again one day.

· see review

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About David Gemmell

David Andrew Gemmell was a bestselling British author of heroic fantasy. A former journalist and newspaper editor, Gemmell had his first work of fiction published in 1984. He went on to write over thirty novels. Best known for his debut, Legend, Gemmell's works display violence, yet also explores themes in honour, loyalty and redemption. With over one million copies sold, his work continues to sel...more

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The King Beyond the Gate (Drenai Tales, #2)

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Quotes from Shield of Thunder

“I may be stupid, as you say, to believe in honour and friendship and loyalty without price. But these are virtues to be cherished, for without them we are no more than beasts roaming the land.” — 11 people liked it

“Nothing of real worth can ever be bought. Love, friendship, honour, valour, respect. All these things have to be earned.” — 8 people liked it

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Shield of Thunder (Troy #2)

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