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The King Must Die (Theseus #1)

3.98 of 5 stars 3.98 · rating details · 2,658 ratings · 203 reviews

The story of the mythical hero Theseus, slayer of monsters, abductor of princesses and king of Athens. He emerges from these pages as a clearly defined personality; brave, aggressive and quick. The core of the story is Theseus' Cretan adventure.

Paperback, 352 pages

Published February 12th 1988 by Vintage (first published January 1st 1958)

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Apr 10, 2013 Terry rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

The past, they say, is a foreign country. One might even go so far as to say that it is another world full of strange wonders and people who both fascinate and repel. I imagine that is why history so intrigues me and I definitely approach the subject with a heaping portion of romance as I in no way attempt to diminish the veneer and lustre which the intervening ages bring to previous eras. Despite this fascination I generally find myself of two minds when it comes to historical fiction. While th...more The past, they say, is a foreign country. One might even go so far as to say that it is another world full of strange wonders and people who both fascinate and repel. I imagine that is why history so intrigues me and I definitely approach the subject with a heaping portion of romance as I in no way attempt to diminish the veneer and lustre which the intervening ages bring to previous eras. Despite this fascination I generally find myself of two minds when it comes to historical fiction. While the subject matter fascinates me and the promise of even vicariously visiting that foreign country, the past, is a powerfully attractive one I often find myself somewhat unimpressed by many of the books I have sampled in the genre which, for one reason or another, often fail to capture my interest. Sometimes I am critical of the anachronisms (real or perceived) that seem to litter these books as the writer attempts to make the past perhaps a bit too relatable to our present world. Other times I am simply unimpressed by mediocre writing (I imagine it is no more prevalent in this genre than any other, but somehow it particularly grates when I find it here). Then again, sometimes I am simply not interested in what turns out to be more a history lesson than a story with blood and life to it. I was glad therefore to have found Mary Renault’s _The King Must Die_ which proved to be both well-written, full of particular human interest, and displayed the wonder and strangeness of the past in all of its glory. I also consider it something of a return to the love affair I had in my youth with the Hellenic myths which seemed to fall to the wayside as I grew older and other interests crowded them out.

Renault takes as her subject the early Hellenic expansion among the Greek archipelago when the ancient chthonic mother-goddess religions of the autochthonous peoples (the “earthlings”) were being displaced by the more patriarchal sky-god religions of the invaders. The title of the book itself refers to the ancient tradition that the year-king married the goddess (or more accurately her avatar the high priestess) and would then be killed as a yearly sacrifice to the Great Mother in order to ensure the bounty of the harvest and safety of the people. Into this tradition she incorporates the story of Theseus and his rise to fame and power. The son of an unknown father and the daughter of the king of a tiny Hellenic kingdom, Theseus has grown up believing himself to be the son of the god Poseidon. Theseus comes to learn that some of his preconceptions about his birth may not be literally true, though he never loses the sense that there is a deep connection between himself and the Earth-shaker. I like how Renault handles this aspect of her story. The power of the gods and goddesses of the ancient religions permeates the story and is never simply disproved or denied, yet she also doesn’t make them explicit characters in the story and go fully into the realm of fantasy. There are indications of the ways in which these divinities interact with the world, and it is up to the characters (and the reader) to decide for themselves how to interpret these strange and seemingly coincidental events.

To make a long story short Theseus grows in knowledge and confidence and eventually leaves his tiny home in order to find his fortune, and his earthly father, in the wider world. His journeys take him across the wild and bandit-infested Isthmus of Corinth first to the goddess-ruled city of Eleusis and ultimately to Athens. From his early victories and society-changing actions Theseus is finally driven to the event that will cement his name in the history and myths of his people forever: the yearly tribute of youths from Athens to the kingdom of Minos in Crete. Again Renault does a superlative job of taking what is, on the face of it, an utterly fantastic story and bringing its details down to earth without divesting it of its magic and mythic allure. The Minotaur may not be a true half-man half-beast, but he is no less a fascinating power against which Theseus must stand. The bulk of the novel concentrates on the time Theseus spends in Crete at the labyrinthine court of Minos as leader of a team of bull-dancers. These bull-dancers hold a special place in the hierarchy of Crete, on the one hand they are slaves destined to die at the hand of the god’s creature, the bull; on the other they are sacred and popular athletes who, so long as they survive, are showered with praise, gifts, and glory and are an untouchable segment of the populace, forever kept apart.

All of the elements of the myth are here: the brutal and savage Minotaur looming in the background, the decaying and decadent reign of the monarch known to the world as Minos, the labyrinth built by Daidalos through which Theseus must creep guided only by a thread, and the doomed love of the hero for the unfortunate maiden Ariadne, but they are all subtly transformed. Renault’s transmutation of them in some ways brings them closer to us as they become more plausibly human and understandable as ‘real’ events, but she does not go so far as to allow them to lose the lustre that gives to all true myths the shine and glory which make them everlasting. Of course this is a Greek tale and thus tragedy is a prevalent thread throughout. The tale ends as the first phase of Theseus’ rise and adventures are coming to a close and sets the stage for the final phase of his story in The Bull from the Sea to which I look forward (with suitable fear and trembling on behalf of the man unfortunate enough to be the ‘hero’).

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Nov 18, 2011 Chris Gager rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the edition I have now and also the edition I read in prep school(not the same book). I used to keep all the textbooks I couldn't recyle through the book store but now all of them are gone with the wind. This printing was from a couple of years later(1966). I actually found two of them at the local transfer station within a month of each other. The first one had a missing cover. To find the intact one was a gift from the past. I enjoyed reading what a real history of Theseus might have b...more

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Jul 17, 2011 Sath rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People who enjoy older sword and sorcery fantasy and historical-fiction

Shelves: historical-fiction, fantasy, magic, reviewed

Mary Renault takes the Greek Legend of Theseus and the Minotaur; combines it with real architectural findings; adds in her own literary skill.. and makes it bigger and better in the telling.

My own telling of the Theseus legend would mostl likely cover half a page. Renault has made it a 350 page adventure that is half historical-fiction and half swords and sorcery fantasy.

The style of thing reminds me a fair bit of Michael Moorcock's Elric series. It's not the ending that counts here, and its not...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Kerri rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I discovered Mary Renault by accident recently when I bought a used book online and found a yellowed newspaper clipping from 1976 between the pages. It was a review of Renault's The Nature of Alexander, and it was so intriguing that I looked her up at the library, and just had the pleasure of reading The King Must Die. It's one of those books whose atmosphere seems to cling to you afterwards. Renault creates an entirely believable ancient culture. She conveys Theseus' attitudes about things like...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Tony rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-mainstream

THE KING MUST DIE. (1958). Mary Renault. ****.
I first read this novel back when it first came out. The timing was perfect; I was still in the middle of my historical fiction kick, and was still intensely interested in Greek and Roman mythology. As I recall, I got my copy as a member of the Book-of-the-Month Club. It may or may not have been the first of Ms. Renault’s books I read, but it was the catalyst that led me on to read most of her other novels. Mary Renault (1905-1983) was a prolific wr...more THE KING MUST DIE. (1958). Mary Renault. ****.
I first read this novel back when it first came out. The timing was perfect; I was still in the middle of my historical fiction kick, and was still intensely interested in Greek and Roman mythology. As I recall, I got my copy as a member of the Book-of-the-Month Club. It may or may not have been the first of Ms. Renault’s books I read, but it was the catalyst that led me on to read most of her other novels. Mary Renault (1905-1983) was a prolific writer, who originally studied at Oxford to become a nurse. She did practice nursing for a while, but then decided to make writing her career. Her early books were well received, but were eventually less so as her sexual preferences became known to her reading public. She won a prestigious prize for one of her early novels which came with a cash award of $150,000. With that money, she and her partner moved to South Africa where she continued to write, but in a less judgemental environment. Her novels continued to be best sellers. In this novel, which is actually part one of a two-part work, she retells the legend of Theseus from his birth to the death of his father. With few exceptions she manages to adhere to most of the accepted facts of the legend as they were known at the time. Her basic source for the legend was “The Greek Myths,” by Robert Graves. She managed to place the reader within the time frame of her story through both setting and dialog, although I did find one slip-up, where she used a typical English expression and put it into the mouth of a Greek ship captain. He was trying to recruit passengers for the trip to Athens, and his spiel went: “Now’s your chance, good people; now’s the time while the weather holds. If you’ve never crossed the sea, don’t be afraid, ‘Sea Eagle’ will get you there smooth as milk and safe as houses...” On the whole, this is a good review of a piece of the Greek myths that has been fleshed out to the point where the characters have come to life. It certainly helps us to remember who was who again after years of neglecting our childhood interests. I don’t plan on going back to re-read all of Ms. Renault’s novels, but I’m glad I found this copy and had a chance to rediscover it after almost fifty-five years. Recommended.
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Aug 21, 2012 L. Legault rated it 5 of 5 stars

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Apr 22, 2012 Linda Riebel rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you have not discovered Mary Renault’s historical novels, you are in for a treat, and I envy you your discovery. The King Must Die, her first, is a masterpiece of evocation. In ancient Greece, the mythical (or was he?) Theseus becomes a brave hero who penetrates the infamous labyrinth of Crete, where the Minotaur lurks, awaiting his annual portion of Athenian boys and girls to devour. There is much more in the way of plot, but that’s not the main part of Renault’s magic. She so fully conjures...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Brian rated it 5 of 5 stars

Well it was about time! I've known about this book and its sequel, The Bull From the Sea, since I was in high school. I recently read the Percy Jackson series, and wanted more Greek mythology, so I finally read The King Must Die. While reading it, I kept wondering what took me so long. Well, these things happen.

Just in case you don't already know, these novels are about what may have been the actual Theseus in ancient Athens. They depict events that would have later inspired the legends. The sto...more

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Dec 07, 2009 Zeus_slayer101 rated it 5 of 5 stars

The King Must Die is the tale of Theseus told as if it were realistic, historical fiction. It is a retelling of the classic myth about Theseus’ adventures and most notably, his fight with the Minotaur on the island of Crete. However, the author introduces more plausible accounts for the instances throughout the myth. I really enjoyed how the author tells this story, but maybe that was because of my bias and soft-spot for all historical fiction. However, I did enjoy the idea of creating plausibl...more

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Oct 24, 2009 Elizabeth K. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2007-new-reads

I've picked this up now and again over the years, but never read the whole thing. I have this precious Pocket Books paperback edition, I'm guessing circa 1960 - sadly it's very fragile and crumbly and it took quite a beating being carried around in my purse before I realized it. The blurb on the back reads as follows:

Brave, aggressive, tough, proud, and highly sexed, Theseus faces danger after danger and overcomes them all.

His adventures will take you into a world of primitive orgies, sparkling...more

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Feb 23, 2011 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Lisa (Harmonybites) by: Assigned in High School

Shelves: favorites, historical-fiction, ultimate-reading-list, fiction, novels

This book was assigned to me in high school, and after that I quickly read every historical novel by Renault I could get a hold of. It's certainly one of the books responsible for making me interested in both history and historical fiction.

Along with Robert Graves, Mary Renault is my gold standard in historical fiction--but especially Renault. I think because more than any other author, she gave me the sense that the people in other times, though complex and human, aren't simply moderns in stra...more

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Dec 02, 2009 Tad Richards rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a dip into my parents' library -- Mary Renault was popular back in the 1950s, and this retelling of the Theseus legend inspired my stepfather, the sculptor Harvey Fite, to create his epic carving, "The Bull Dancer."

The story is a retelling of the Theseus legend, with a mastery of the storyteller's art, and an evocative sense of time and place. Renault's Theseus believes in the gods, but Renault herself never strays from natural phenomena, so one of the joys of the book is seeing how she'...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Beth rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: greek-roman-mythology

This novel was quite different than I expected. From the little that I have studied of Greek mythology, Theseus always struck me as being a buffoonish hero, albiet one with good intentions. It seemed like he had more brawn (and good luck) than brains. However, the Theseus that is shown to us in this novel is couragous, brave and even wise. I found him a much more sympathetic and interesting character.

I liked that this story is a recognizable yet still very different take on the more traditional...more

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Feb 24, 2011 Isis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Isis by: No one

Shelves: cream-of-the-crop, bronze-age-5000-to-1100bce-fiction

Perhaps my most major criticism of the entire book is that it does get off to a bit of a slow start. Renault's attention to details and wonderfully sophisticated use of language are usually a big treat, but we are thrown right into the thick of it straight from the off and what's going on is left to the reader to figure out. As a result some readers may feel for the first couple of chapters that the conjunction of confusing situation, complex language and lack of initial events or action renders...more Perhaps my most major criticism of the entire book is that it does get off to a bit of a slow start. Renault's attention to details and wonderfully sophisticated use of language are usually a big treat, but we are thrown right into the thick of it straight from the off and what's going on is left to the reader to figure out. As a result some readers may feel for the first couple of chapters that the conjunction of confusing situation, complex language and lack of initial events or action renders the beginning of this book somewhat plodding. However, once you get past that initial stumbling block, you won't be able to put this book down until the end. The plot basically follows the Theseus legend, but Renault is not afraid to take detours and make alterations in order to make the story more historical than mythological and for the sake of plausibility and believability. Obviously this walks a fine line between improving on and butchering the legend, but Renault judges that line to perfection. She even explains why she deviates from the conventional idea of Theseus as a huge, muscled man after the model of Herakles; namely because a youth chosen for bull-leaping in Krete would have had to have been slight, quick and agile rather than big and hulking, and because Theseus is often shown in close hand-to-hand combat with brutish monsters and it seems unlikely that he could have overcome them by sheer strength alone, more likely that he was a slighter build and relied on clever wrestling tricks of the trade rather than pushing power.

The plot follows a good arc, though perhaps since it is strongly based on the legend we cannot attribute that pleasing character growth and story arc to Renault alone. One of the arcs is in the way that the setting becomes ever more metropolitan; we begin in Theseus' homeland, a bit of a provincial backwater of a kingdom to be honest, moving on to the city of Athens which is a glittering jewel of the Peloponnese as portrayed by Renault at this period, and finally Theseus ends up on the highly developed island of Krete. More than anything else though, the arc of the story is Theseus' coming of age. From a boy struggling to understand his place in the world in Troizen and believing that he is the son of Poseidon, to the frustrated year-king of Eleusis where he learns to use his wits to earn his powers and effect change, to the heir of Aigeus in Athens where he must learn the responsibilities that come with his position, and to the palace at Knossos where Theseus becomes true leader of his own little microcosm of society. The developments in the plot seem natural and unforced, nothing leaps completely out of the implausible blue, but that's not to say that the story is in any way predictable - unless you've read the legend of Theseus before of course, but even then don't expect anything!

The quality of the writing is very high, but yet I found it fairly accessible as well, albeit the potential to come across as slightly plodding and slow in the first few chapters. In terms of historical setting, Mary Renault's novel is completely groundbreaking. The legend of Theseus is a well known story in Greek myth, the most famous episode in his tale being his confrontation with the fantastical half-man half-bull creature known as the Minotaur in the bowels of a twisted maze called the Labyrinth and aided by a ball of twine given to him by Princess Ariadne. There have been many retellings of the legend, but Mary Renault's is the first attempt to find the history behind the myth. Given this, this might be a good point to also discuss historical accuracy. Keeping in mind that this was published in 1958 and our knowledge about this period of history has since moved on by over half a century, it's clear that Renault has put significant effort into the historical accuracy of the piece, and even some of the scenarios which we now know to be incorrect were the accepted interpretation by the academic community based on the knowledge of 1958. There's no magic involved, only plausible human stories. Great stuff, highly recommended.(less)

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Aug 22, 2010 Sherry rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I really dug this book! I checked it out only because we were headed to Crete for vacation and the book is set in Crete; I like to read books set in the location I am vacationing in.

The author retells the myth of Theseus, who went to the Labyrinth to kill the half-man, half-bull Minotaur. But instead of simply sharing the myth in all its abrupt plot turns and outlandish character motives, she retells the story in such a way as to make it much more realistic. As a reader, you can see how the lif...more

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Jul 14, 2011 Josh rated it 4 of 5 stars

I must be getting older. I was able to ingest the imagined Bronze Age dialogue, channeled through an early Twentieth Century British author. And, I understood theplot all the way through the build up to the climax of the story. But, I got lost in the denouement in the Naxos section of the story. What had Ariadne been doing where she was so exhausted and bloodied? Was she engaging in the same type of free love as Theseus, but rougher? Perhaps I need to stop reading just before I sleep, so that my...more

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Jul 09, 2012 Zara rated it 5 of 5 stars

This has been one of the most significant historical novel I have ever read. It becomes possible to imagine how the mythology could take place around the life of a real (I believe) person.

The book tells a tale of the classic Hero Theseus, who was said to have lived shortly before the time of the Trojan War. The man we meet in the book is quite an ordinary and yet clever, sincere and brave young man. It is a very strong and attractive character with deep and wise thoughts about life and death, fa...more

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Sep 30, 2010 Dylan Rostek rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm very reluctant to give anything five stars and while this one doesn't quite get there I thought about it....

The King Must Die is a retelling of the Greek myths about Theseus (most famous for slaying the Minotaur of Crete) but it tells it with the idea of what if it was real. It asks what if the monsters of the myths weren't monsters at all but other events that could happen that through time and telling were twisted into the myths we know today. With that question in mind Mary Renault weaves...more

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Oct 24, 2011 Sabrina Ly rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: silent-reading-books

I have finished the entire book and I thought it was really quite interesting and good. In the ending Theseus after being warned by Poseidon that a huge earthquake was coming,he got the bull-dancers armed and ready to charge out. In the process only one-bull dancer was killed and Theseus was able to kill the dreaded Minotaur.He was able to escape off of Crete safe and sound with Ariadne (his future wife). When he stops at an island the god Dionysus demands Ariadne so he leaves her there with an...more

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Feb 28, 2010 egelantier rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: male-protagonist, fantasy

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

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Oct 02, 2011 Bap rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

This is a historical novel based on Theseus a Greek prince who has two fathers, one Poisiden and the other the king of Athens. He grows up unaware of his lineage and when he grows old enough and wise enough, while still a teen ager, to remove a rock and retrieve a sword, his mother sends him off to Athens to meet his father and his fate which includes along the way on the coast road a place where the woman rule and a king lives one year before being slain. Hence the king must die. He survives th...more

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Jul 11, 2012 Ginni rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-novels

I first read this re-telling of the Theseus legend when I was about 15. I must have re-read it a dozen times since - having fallen in love with Theseus in my teens, it has so many resonances. I just think that it evokes Greece, the hot sunshine, the 'wine-dark sea', the warrior culture, and the ancient myths and religions that still have echoes even in our sophisticated modern world. Humanity does not change...If you enjoy this, you must read the sequel 'The Bull from the Sea.' After reading the...more

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Oct 02, 2012 Ross McCoubrey rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I discovered this novel at a library book sale, as it was handed to me by a fellow shopper - my grade 9 English teacher. He told me that it would be one of the best books I would ever read, so, naturally, I bought the book. He was absolutely correct. The story of Theseus and the rich tapestry of the world Mary Renault creates, combine for an epic journey into the life of one young man. Renault's writing was far ahead of its time for its depictions of sexuality and violence but it is all done wit...more

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Apr 26, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

The King Must Die is an historical novel by Mary Renault that traces the early life and adventures of Theseus, a hero in Greek mythology. Naturally, it is set in Ancient Greece. Rather than retelling the myth, Renault constructs an archaeologically plausible story that might have developed into the myth. She captures the essentials while removing the more fantastical elements, such as monsters and the appearances of gods. The King Must Die was lauded by critics, with New York Times reviewer Orvi...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Holly Lindquist rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction-literature

My opinion of this book was highly unfavorable until the main character ended up as a bull dancer on the isle of Crete. That was when the author really hit her stride. Or perhaps I just became interested enough to overlook the overly-affected dialogue and constant emphasis on Theseus's maleness. There are plenty of female writers out there who can write convincing male characters without having them metaphorically cupping their junk on every other page. (I'm sorry, but that's the impression I go...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a retelling of the Theseus myth, which was published in 1958 originally. It's not as complex a read as the original translations, and it does a pretty good job of capturing a portion of ancient Greek religions. The Theseus myth is set in a BC era, and it's interesting to read about the constant shifting of Greek religions with the knowledge that they would be all but wiped out by Judaism and Christianity. Fans of the Hunger Games with some basic experience in classical literature would l...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Ruthiella rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

It has been many years since I enjoyed Mary Stewart’s Arthurian trilogy, but The King Must Die reminded me of it. Mary Renault takes the myth of Theseus and makes it plausible; a would-be realistic telling of what might have happened to give life to the legend. Actually, the parallels go a bit further in this case. According to the myth, Theseus doesn’t know his true parentage until he successfully removes his father’s sword from under a stone; sound familiar? In any case, a little misogyny asid...more

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Apr 16, 2011 Michael Seidel rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

While The King Must Die is perhaps a bit dated in style, it's still an interesting read. And I'm sure was pretty shocking in it's day with it's rather frank homosexual references, though there is nothing even remotely graphic about it, it was simply part of life back then without issue. Mary Renault brings ancient Greece to vivid life. This book is the first time I got a sense that the ancients gods were real. I don't mean that Zeus et al are actual characters meddling in the lives of mortals as...more

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Jul 19, 2010 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars

The story of the Greek hero Theseus' early days. I'm always fond of stories like this that try to tell mythological stories in human terms, and Renault is an excellent storyteller. It's a good read--marred a bit by Theseus' misogyny, which is of course a product of its times and a fair portrayal, but grated me a bit sometimes. (ETA: I didn't know when I wrote this that it was only the first book about Theseus. In the context of the later books, it becomes clearer that his relationship with women...more

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Lucinda Elliot I find those perceptive comments interesting, Jennifer, and am not so sure that you weren't right the first time round to be disturbed by the way wome...more
Jan 25, 2011 02:50am

Jennifer Thanks for the interesting feedback, Jessica! I haven't read Renault for a couple of decades, and most women readers I know focus a lot more on her Al...more
Jan 25, 2011 10:06pm

Lucinda Elliot Thanks for taking the time to respond, Jennifer!
Yes, I think if in my dismayed reaction to the Theseus books I had been typical, it would have made me...more
Jan 26, 2011 03:10am

Sep 23, 2011 Danielle rated it 5 of 5 stars

THESEUS is the PERFECT role model for men. He may be prominiscous, but hey, that´s what Greeks were in those times, right? He´s debonair, sleek, sexy, smart, and passionate. I´d like him for my husband.:) Wouldn´t you? Without the magic bliss of the myth, Renault takes you through the Greek isles and into King MInos´ ( a man who wore a bull mask, to be feared and respected, yet cowardly on the inside) palace, where a ritual of bull fighting takes place every year. Will Theseus be able to get the...more

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About Mary Renault

Mary Renault
AKA Eileen Mary Challans

Born: 4-Sep-1905
Birthplace: London, England
Died: 13-Dec-1983
Location of death: Cape Town, South Africa

Father: Frank Challans (physician)
Mother: Clementine Newsome Baxter
Sister: Joyce
Girlfriend: Julie Mullard (life-long companion)

High School: Clifton Girls School, Bristol, England
University: BA, St. Hugh's College, Oxford University (1928)
Medical School: Radcl...more

More about Mary Renault...

Books by Mary Renault

The Persian Boy (Alexander the Great, #2)

Fire from Heaven (Alexander the Great, #1)

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“A man is at his youngest when he thinks he is a man, not yet realizing that his actions must show it.” — 10 people liked it

“I was a king and a king's heir and now I am a slave.” — 1 person liked it

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