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Tabnit Gisgo
Here presented for the first time in print- unchanged and, more importantly, uncensored- are the memoirs of Tabnit spy, informer and occasional purveyor of fine wine and figs to the gentry of Athens. His astonishing recollection of skulduggery, dissembling and lust takes him from the death chamber of Alexander the Great in Babylon to the banks of the River Nile, where a desperate battle takes place that will decide the future of the ancient world… Oh, and as well as encountering the Great Conqueror himself, in all his power-crazed glory, (along with the voluptuous temple priestess of Nimip, a murderous Macedonian general who wants his blood and one enormous elephant) our scribe also reveals his disgraceful role in the greatest whodunnit of the age. Tabnit Everything in excess.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
228 pages, Paperback
First published February 17, 2012
41 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 27, 2012
This is an entertaining novel of historical fiction set in the time and space of the successors (Diadochoi) of Alexander the Great. It uses the clever ploy of the memoirs of an alleged contemporary of those bold and bloody men, Tabnit Gisgo ,who came by that name by virtue of his Carthaginian father . His mother was Macedonian hence his early life in Amphipolis (near Saloniki) before circumstances brought him over to Lampsacus (near Troy), and Babylon and Alexandria—into the world of the armies that had followed Alexander to Persia and beyond. The author has brought to life the intrigue among the potential successors to Alexander as they gathered round him in Babylon after the assassination of his closest supporter. Tabnit is inveigled/co-opted by the plotters of a second assassination, of the next of Alexander’s close advisors. The conspirators told him this was to persuade Alexander not to undertake any more expeditions to the East. But things do not go as planned.
There are scenes of bawdy life and devious intrigue as well as grim and grievous battle, all recounted by the protagonist as he reminisced, many years after the events, from his country estate near Mt. Sipylus on the (now Turkish) coast of the Aegean Sea. His is a distinctive voice, somewhat peevish, very much the anti-hero, and completely taken over by Ernest Tomlinson, M. D. Eyre’s putative great-grandfather, an antiquarian of great enthusiasm, an Edwardian who we must believe was entirely of Tabnit’s view about the value of life versus heroism.
The author has done his research well. He has also created in addition to Tabnit, Semtitinakte (possibly Sam Titie-whatever) and Amanshumgalanna, the “son-in-law of sin.” Inspired names, and there are many inspired scenes as well. But the pace of the narrative is uneven; there are long muddy stretches during which Tabnit inveighs against Aristotle, Plato and even pokes fun at Socrates. As Tabnit himself might have said, Cui bono? Further, the transitions in time between the events of the memoirs and the reminiscences sixty years later are jerky and the scene changes from Babylon to Alexandria or Issus or Pelusium shaky. Finally, a minor cavil: strychnine is used in a pivotal scene; this poison is extracted from the fruit of the strychnos vox vomica, native to India and unlikely to be growing in the gardens of Tabnit’s Aegean villa.
There are scenes of bawdy life and devious intrigue as well as grim and grievous battle, all recounted by the protagonist as he reminisced, many years after the events, from his country estate near Mt. Sipylus on the (now Turkish) coast of the Aegean Sea. His is a distinctive voice, somewhat peevish, very much the anti-hero, and completely taken over by Ernest Tomlinson, M. D. Eyre’s putative great-grandfather, an antiquarian of great enthusiasm, an Edwardian who we must believe was entirely of Tabnit’s view about the value of life versus heroism.
The author has done his research well. He has also created in addition to Tabnit, Semtitinakte (possibly Sam Titie-whatever) and Amanshumgalanna, the “son-in-law of sin.” Inspired names, and there are many inspired scenes as well. But the pace of the narrative is uneven; there are long muddy stretches during which Tabnit inveighs against Aristotle, Plato and even pokes fun at Socrates. As Tabnit himself might have said, Cui bono? Further, the transitions in time between the events of the memoirs and the reminiscences sixty years later are jerky and the scene changes from Babylon to Alexandria or Issus or Pelusium shaky. Finally, a minor cavil: strychnine is used in a pivotal scene; this poison is extracted from the fruit of the strychnos vox vomica, native to India and unlikely to be growing in the gardens of Tabnit’s Aegean villa.
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July 11, 2012I've added 3 independent reviews for my novel Tabnit Gisgo, one from from Kirkus Reviews and the other from the Historical Novel Society and here is a link to the Foreword Clarion review.
https://www.forewordreviews.com/revie...
Kirkus Review for Tabnit Gisgo:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
A fictionalized memoir set during the time of Alexander the Great tells the tale of a dynamic spy.
In Eyre’s third novel (Burnfield, 2012, etc.) and the first of a series set in the third century B.C., the spy, informer and all around character Tabnit Gisgo recounts his role in the death of Alexander the Great. The story is presented as a translation found among the personal effects of Eyre’s great-grandfather, a scholar who worked in the Middle East. Eyre explains in a note to the reader that because his ancestor “was a man of his time,” with an “Edwardian upbringing” and “public school education,” there are linguistic anachronisms through the text. This decision is a wise one; it lightens the tone. An elderly man with two very young wives when the story opens, Gisgo is a former wine seller and spy who writes about his “misspent youth” while realizing that the story of his life boils down to being in “the wrong place at the wrong time.” The novel hinges on dispelling the murky history around Alexander the Great’s death, and along the way includes battles, elephants and theater. While Gisgo denies wrongdoing in Alexander’s untimely death, he tells his story with relish. The detailed depiction of the era proves that Eyre’s done his research. The premise of rewriting history (particularly classical history) may be well represented, but the author’s real achievement is the creation of Tabnit Gisgo—a crude, bumbling yet completely appealing antihero.
A memorable narrator and rollicking plot make Eyre’s new series one to watch.
Historical Novel Society review for Tabnit Gisgo:
http://historicalnovelsociety.org/rev...
M.D. Eyre has created an antihero to rank with the best of them: cowardly, crass, bumbling, and thoroughly unpleasant, along, of course, with being immensely entertaining. In the novel he is elderly and writing his memoirs while fending off the amorous attentions of his mother-in-law and arguing with his dolt of a neighbor who is building a tomb for himself in his backyard. The point of this memoir, it seems, is to set the record straight about how Alexander the Great really died. Gisgo warns you from the start that his memory may not always be precise, setting the reader the enjoyable task of sorting out fact from double fiction.
The story is told in first person as translated by an antiquarian using the slang storytelling style of the 1910s or ’20s (so Alexander is “a bloke” and women’s breasts are “melons”). It is wonderfully effective, revealing more about the characters than an attempt at scholarly Macedonian and offering flavor to Gisgo and other characters through their speech. There is one poignant moment when Gisgo looks into Alexander’s eyes and sees real grief and exhaustion, but once that is over with you can relax: there is no more sentiment but many, many more laughs. One of my favorite characters is the Persian eunuch, a nod perhaps to Alexander’s other famous lover, whose style of speech would be worth the read all by itself. The battle scenes at Camelsford would make Bernard Cornwell proud but unlike Sharpe, Gisgo is no hero; he participates only because Ptolemy discovers his hiding place. You will find a rip-roaring great tale that also has a subtle message about how a hero can mess everything up for everyone, and that goes double for “the great.”
https://www.forewordreviews.com/revie...
Kirkus Review for Tabnit Gisgo:
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-re...
A fictionalized memoir set during the time of Alexander the Great tells the tale of a dynamic spy.
In Eyre’s third novel (Burnfield, 2012, etc.) and the first of a series set in the third century B.C., the spy, informer and all around character Tabnit Gisgo recounts his role in the death of Alexander the Great. The story is presented as a translation found among the personal effects of Eyre’s great-grandfather, a scholar who worked in the Middle East. Eyre explains in a note to the reader that because his ancestor “was a man of his time,” with an “Edwardian upbringing” and “public school education,” there are linguistic anachronisms through the text. This decision is a wise one; it lightens the tone. An elderly man with two very young wives when the story opens, Gisgo is a former wine seller and spy who writes about his “misspent youth” while realizing that the story of his life boils down to being in “the wrong place at the wrong time.” The novel hinges on dispelling the murky history around Alexander the Great’s death, and along the way includes battles, elephants and theater. While Gisgo denies wrongdoing in Alexander’s untimely death, he tells his story with relish. The detailed depiction of the era proves that Eyre’s done his research. The premise of rewriting history (particularly classical history) may be well represented, but the author’s real achievement is the creation of Tabnit Gisgo—a crude, bumbling yet completely appealing antihero.
A memorable narrator and rollicking plot make Eyre’s new series one to watch.
Historical Novel Society review for Tabnit Gisgo:
http://historicalnovelsociety.org/rev...
M.D. Eyre has created an antihero to rank with the best of them: cowardly, crass, bumbling, and thoroughly unpleasant, along, of course, with being immensely entertaining. In the novel he is elderly and writing his memoirs while fending off the amorous attentions of his mother-in-law and arguing with his dolt of a neighbor who is building a tomb for himself in his backyard. The point of this memoir, it seems, is to set the record straight about how Alexander the Great really died. Gisgo warns you from the start that his memory may not always be precise, setting the reader the enjoyable task of sorting out fact from double fiction.
The story is told in first person as translated by an antiquarian using the slang storytelling style of the 1910s or ’20s (so Alexander is “a bloke” and women’s breasts are “melons”). It is wonderfully effective, revealing more about the characters than an attempt at scholarly Macedonian and offering flavor to Gisgo and other characters through their speech. There is one poignant moment when Gisgo looks into Alexander’s eyes and sees real grief and exhaustion, but once that is over with you can relax: there is no more sentiment but many, many more laughs. One of my favorite characters is the Persian eunuch, a nod perhaps to Alexander’s other famous lover, whose style of speech would be worth the read all by itself. The battle scenes at Camelsford would make Bernard Cornwell proud but unlike Sharpe, Gisgo is no hero; he participates only because Ptolemy discovers his hiding place. You will find a rip-roaring great tale that also has a subtle message about how a hero can mess everything up for everyone, and that goes double for “the great.”
September 5, 2025
I love the plot, being an Alexander fan for decades. The delivery is difficult and hard to follow at times. Not sure if I will try volume 2 or not.
July 26, 2012
Although I have a fascination with most things related to ancient history, I'm not one to sit down with some massive tome on the events that shaped our world. That's why the "true" story of Tabnit Gisgo was such a treat to read. History, yes, but with a very enjoyable twist.
Tabnit, known as Tabbie to his annoyance, is at the end of his years and has chosen to pen his memoir, beginning with the death of the great Alexander. Unrecognized and unrecorded by any historian, Tabbie was not only an eyewitness as events unfolded, but also a very unwilling participant. In fact, Tabbie was extremely unwilling throughout most of the book, except, perhaps, when seeking refuge in a temple filled with young women. I seem to remember he was more than willing at that time.
This first volume of Tabnit's memoir (I believe the second installment will be arriving sometime in 2013) shifts between the events surrounding Alexander's death, with the subsequent jockeying for power by his men, and Tabbie's most annoying home-life in his latter years as he writes (with twin teenage wives and their harridan of a mother).
There are a few reasons why this novel is so enjoyable. One is the constant pretense that this is the very real memoir of a real person, as translated by the author's great-grandfather (who, being a man of Edwardian times, translated it in the vernacular of his times). That brings me to the second, and greatest, pleasure of Tabnit Gisgo--the language. Let's put it this way ... it's not exactly how you'd expect a Macedonian in 350 BC to speak, and yet, it works so perfectly.
The third reason flows on from the second. It's funny. Not laugh out loud, but more the humour that makes you chuckle or, in Tabnit-like lingo, titter. (However, sensitive readers should be aware that it does contain a little bit of bad language.)
This novel was fresh and enjoyable, right down to the final twist. I found myself dashing off to Google to look up historical details when interest was sparked by certain events.
For history purists, Tabbie's chronicles may not be ideal (as truth is stretched, at times, into what could have happened). However, for the average person with an interest, this will help bring a time in history to life.
Tabnit, known as Tabbie to his annoyance, is at the end of his years and has chosen to pen his memoir, beginning with the death of the great Alexander. Unrecognized and unrecorded by any historian, Tabbie was not only an eyewitness as events unfolded, but also a very unwilling participant. In fact, Tabbie was extremely unwilling throughout most of the book, except, perhaps, when seeking refuge in a temple filled with young women. I seem to remember he was more than willing at that time.
This first volume of Tabnit's memoir (I believe the second installment will be arriving sometime in 2013) shifts between the events surrounding Alexander's death, with the subsequent jockeying for power by his men, and Tabbie's most annoying home-life in his latter years as he writes (with twin teenage wives and their harridan of a mother).
There are a few reasons why this novel is so enjoyable. One is the constant pretense that this is the very real memoir of a real person, as translated by the author's great-grandfather (who, being a man of Edwardian times, translated it in the vernacular of his times). That brings me to the second, and greatest, pleasure of Tabnit Gisgo--the language. Let's put it this way ... it's not exactly how you'd expect a Macedonian in 350 BC to speak, and yet, it works so perfectly.
The third reason flows on from the second. It's funny. Not laugh out loud, but more the humour that makes you chuckle or, in Tabnit-like lingo, titter. (However, sensitive readers should be aware that it does contain a little bit of bad language.)
This novel was fresh and enjoyable, right down to the final twist. I found myself dashing off to Google to look up historical details when interest was sparked by certain events.
For history purists, Tabbie's chronicles may not be ideal (as truth is stretched, at times, into what could have happened). However, for the average person with an interest, this will help bring a time in history to life.
September 19, 2012
Book exchanged for a review~Per Goodreads rules
Tabnit Gisgo is a well-travelled man who is reflecting on the past thru a series of flashbacks and present day thoughts surrounding the events with Alexander The Great. Tabnit is married to two young women, who are former slaves, and has their mother visiting his home as well. Tabnit shares his humble beginnings as an informer and treasure seeker. Tabnit meets Deopus at a local tavern and offers Tabnit a job. Deopus was sure that Tabnit wouldn't refuse the job let alone the money that comes with it. Tabnit takes the job, yet is unsure of his task, but does the best that he can. Tabnit's job involves poisoning someone very powerful in Alexander's inner circle. Tabnit does his job but all does not go according to plan which only leads to more trouble. Tabnit wonders how he even survived these events intact. Is Tabnit being truthful? What else is involved with Tabnit's job? What is Tabnit's mother-in-law really after? What does Tabnit really think about Alexander? Your answers await you in Tabnit Gisgo.
Where to begin, I really struggled to read this book. But I'm the type of person that once I start a book I have to know what happens no matter what book I read. The author did really crafted unique story for sharing with others. The characters in the story were believable yet you could have a love hate relationship with them as well.
This is where I struggled with the book. I felt like I was being treated as a stupid reader that couldn't figure out clues for myself. I really tried to move past this yet could not because of the asides being presented which was frustrating to me. I consider myself a well read person yet treated like I was child that couldn't accept what was presented. I found that I would stop reading the book and go do something else and come back to reading the book again. I did this constantly which also frustrated me as well because I wanted to finish the book too. The slow pace to get to the meat of story took too long in my opinion. Maybe for someone else, the book will be read at a faster pace. These are my thoughts and opinions for Tabnit Gisgo.
Tabnit Gisgo is a well-travelled man who is reflecting on the past thru a series of flashbacks and present day thoughts surrounding the events with Alexander The Great. Tabnit is married to two young women, who are former slaves, and has their mother visiting his home as well. Tabnit shares his humble beginnings as an informer and treasure seeker. Tabnit meets Deopus at a local tavern and offers Tabnit a job. Deopus was sure that Tabnit wouldn't refuse the job let alone the money that comes with it. Tabnit takes the job, yet is unsure of his task, but does the best that he can. Tabnit's job involves poisoning someone very powerful in Alexander's inner circle. Tabnit does his job but all does not go according to plan which only leads to more trouble. Tabnit wonders how he even survived these events intact. Is Tabnit being truthful? What else is involved with Tabnit's job? What is Tabnit's mother-in-law really after? What does Tabnit really think about Alexander? Your answers await you in Tabnit Gisgo.
Where to begin, I really struggled to read this book. But I'm the type of person that once I start a book I have to know what happens no matter what book I read. The author did really crafted unique story for sharing with others. The characters in the story were believable yet you could have a love hate relationship with them as well.
This is where I struggled with the book. I felt like I was being treated as a stupid reader that couldn't figure out clues for myself. I really tried to move past this yet could not because of the asides being presented which was frustrating to me. I consider myself a well read person yet treated like I was child that couldn't accept what was presented. I found that I would stop reading the book and go do something else and come back to reading the book again. I did this constantly which also frustrated me as well because I wanted to finish the book too. The slow pace to get to the meat of story took too long in my opinion. Maybe for someone else, the book will be read at a faster pace. These are my thoughts and opinions for Tabnit Gisgo.
August 25, 2012
Tabnit Gisgo, serial survivor of calamity tells the story of his youth and his encounter with Alexander the Great. It is a clever chronicle of luck, bad luck, cheek and sheer determination that carries Tabnit through dangerous times; the author has woven this unlikely character into a thread of history which I assume is based very loosely on true events. Although I know very little about this period of history the descriptions of everyday life and places felt real and accurately portrayed. Mostly it is just sheer fun but there were a couple of details concerning battles that gave me real pause for thought.
The actual storyline is about Tabnit's involvement in great historical events and is told in an irreverent, roguish voice. The pace is relentless and yet there are many 'asides' and 'digressions.' that drop it somewhere in between I, Claudius and Up Pompeii (if that's possible!)
This is a really likeable book about a likeable rogue. Have recently read a title from the Shardlake series it illustrates to me how very different styles in historical fiction can be and M.D. Eyre is definitely going for the hysterical end of the spectrum.
The actual storyline is about Tabnit's involvement in great historical events and is told in an irreverent, roguish voice. The pace is relentless and yet there are many 'asides' and 'digressions.' that drop it somewhere in between I, Claudius and Up Pompeii (if that's possible!)
This is a really likeable book about a likeable rogue. Have recently read a title from the Shardlake series it illustrates to me how very different styles in historical fiction can be and M.D. Eyre is definitely going for the hysterical end of the spectrum.
June 18, 2012
I received this book from the Author for an honest review.
If you love historical memoirs, you will more than likely love, love, love this book.
I don't care for the historical books as much, the classical ones at least, because of the language differences. I do not mind a classical read, but many of the older books use words that are no longer in circulation; or they use words that reference a type of clothing, a building, a lord in the Ming dynasty... you get my point. And when I come across some of those words, I must then consort with a dictionary to find out what they are. I found that my ignorance in Greecian terms diverted me from the flow of the book.
The writing is very time-specific, you may not be able to see much difference from this book's word usage and tone than you would something that was current in those times. The author's grasp of the time period is astounding.
If you love historical memoirs, you will more than likely love, love, love this book.
I don't care for the historical books as much, the classical ones at least, because of the language differences. I do not mind a classical read, but many of the older books use words that are no longer in circulation; or they use words that reference a type of clothing, a building, a lord in the Ming dynasty... you get my point. And when I come across some of those words, I must then consort with a dictionary to find out what they are. I found that my ignorance in Greecian terms diverted me from the flow of the book.
The writing is very time-specific, you may not be able to see much difference from this book's word usage and tone than you would something that was current in those times. The author's grasp of the time period is astounding.
October 14, 2013
This book took me a while to get through. It was like a large dinner for my brain, and now that I'm finished, I feel the need to loosen my belt.
You fall in love with the voice of the narrator almost instantly, likeable though cowardly and selfish rogue that he is. There were lots of new words I had to look up while reading, but I, being a grown-up, find that a good thing.
All in all, this book was excellent. A historical novel from the POV of an admittedly unreliable narrator that read almost like a British heist novel. I've never read anything quite like it, and it charmed the crap out of me.
You fall in love with the voice of the narrator almost instantly, likeable though cowardly and selfish rogue that he is. There were lots of new words I had to look up while reading, but I, being a grown-up, find that a good thing.
All in all, this book was excellent. A historical novel from the POV of an admittedly unreliable narrator that read almost like a British heist novel. I've never read anything quite like it, and it charmed the crap out of me.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews