false 1318 7 With an epic scope and keen sense of detail, Steven Pressfield has created an entertaining and vital reimagining of the Amazon legend with his historical novel, <I>Last of the Amazons</I>. Combining myth with history, Pressfield offers a conjectural account of the legendary female warrior tribe as it may have existed in the years leading up to its extinction. Following the Athenian-Amazon war in the fifth century B.C., Amazon warrior Selene is taken captive and placed as an unlikely governess to the two daughters of a high-ranking Greek. The three form a lasting bond, and when Selene eventually escapes to return to Amazonia, eldest daughter Europa follows her. The Athenians, including King Theseus, assemble a group to find them, eventually traveling to Amazonia. Here, those involved relate the story of the Amazon war to the men, and the book's action really begins. Narrators tell of Theseus's earlier voyage to Amazonia, where his weakened crew was given shelter by the Amazons; the love affair between Theseus and Amazon queen Antiope; and the terrible consequences of the queen's defection and the Amazonian invasion of Athens that it inspired.<p> Throughout, Pressfield instills <I>Amazons</I> with a grandiose sensibility, firmly modeling it after the Homeric epics of its time. Pressfield relishes in describing these events and their heroes with a divinely consequential spirit:<p> <blockquote> Antiope advanced&#133;Clearly no few of the foe took her for a goddess, with such splendor did her armor gleam and by such brilliance did her aspect exceed the common measure of humanity. The hour was still early, the west-facing slope deep in shadow, so that the Amazon, seen from the besiegers' lines, advanced from gloom into flares of blinding dazzle. </blockquote> <p> Some clumsy dialogue and clichéd interactions hamper the book's emotional resonance, but the level of intricacy and constant action on display here keep the pages moving along. <I>Amazon</I> is ultimately an impressive, fun read that renders history spectacular in its speculation. <I>--Ross Doll</I> 1743897 2002 Last of the Amazons total:216|5:46|4:70|3:64|2:29|1:7| 216 767 326 30 4 1 false false Sat Aug 22 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 10 07:46:31 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 24 06:48:40 -0700 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false false Sat Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Oct 09 19:22:39 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 09 19:22:39 -0700 2009 more...]]> 2 0 false true Mon Apr 06 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 08 04:53:32 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 08 05:01:55 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 1 false false Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Wed Oct 10 18:16:08 -0700 2007 Wed Oct 10 18:37:25 -0700 2007
Presented through the eyes of ...more...]]> 1 0 false false Wed Feb 25 08:53:42 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 06 06:45:44 -0800 2009 Wed Feb 25 08:53:42 -0800 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Jul 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 11 05:15:56 -0700 2009 Sat Jul 11 09:24:05 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Mon Sep 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Jan 05 15:36:09 -0800 2009 Mon Sep 28 07:13:13 -0700 2009
Very brutal and unique story of an extinct warrior tribe. The story is told from ...more...]]> 0 0 false false Thu Jan 01 13:14:00 -0800 2009 Thu Jan 01 13:15:02 -0800 2009 4 0 false false Sun Dec 21 21:31:59 -0800 2008 Sun Dec 21 21:33:46 -0800 2008 3 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Wed Aug 12 15:37:03 -0700 2009 Wed Aug 12 15:37:54 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Mon Sep 14 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 15 16:41:16 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 14 20:15:02 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue May 13 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri May 16 01:16:33 -0700 2008 Fri May 16 02:40:24 -0700 2008 more...]]> 1 0 false false Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Thu Sep 18 01:03:09 -0700 2008 Mon Dec 08 07:50:40 -0800 2008 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Aug 10 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat May 03 08:40:49 -0700 2008 Mon Aug 11 20:46:19 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sat Jun 21 16:44:24 -0700 2008 Sat Jun 21 16:56:21 -0700 2008 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 30 21:28:44 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 30 21:31:24 -0800 2008 more...]]> 1 0 false false Fri May 30 08:49:21 -0700 2008 Fri May 30 08:50:57 -0700 2008 4 0 false false Sun Jun 01 17:26:21 -0700 2008 Sun Jun 01 17:29:24 -0700 2008 It had quite a bit of action, too which made it a good read. Just a little tiny bit romancy... :(]]> 4 0 false false Mon Aug 25 11:56:11 -0700 2008 Mon Aug 25 11:59:08 -0700 2008
]]> 5 0 false false Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2003 Fri Apr 18 02:52:53 -0700 2008 Fri Apr 18 02:57:29 -0700 2008