The Gryphon's Skull

Hellenic Traders #2

by H.N. Turteltaub, Harry Turtledove

Menedemos, the young dashing sea captain, and his helper (and cousin), the scholarly Sostratos, are back in a new adventure.Soon after their successful return to Rhodes the two cousins find that Greece is a dangerous place after the death of Alexander. Various factions fight and vie for power and the neutrality of Rhodes itself is threatened as opposing forces maneuver for advantage in the eastern Mediterranean. But Menedemos and Sostratos are determined not to let circumstances stand in the way of a profitable venture…especially since they are now in possession of a rare skull which appears to be from the mythical creature known as the Gryphon.But can they survive long enough to benefit from their unusual discovery?“Factually-laden historical fiction…appealing camaraderie between the cousins, and no lack of action”—Booklist

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Adventure, Ancient, Greece

340 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2002

About the author

Pseudonym of Harry Turtledove.

Reviews

[Eric Mesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

As per usual, I had a lot of fun with this historical fiction taking place in Ancient Greece. Just like the first book, the story revolves around cousins Menedemos and Sostratos and their journeys around the Aegean during the trading season. Looks like Mr. Turteltaub wanted us to have a different experience than last time - and that makes perfect sense in terms of keeping readers from getting bored. And so while the first book had lots of chapters revolving around various symposia, this time there was none of that. Instead, in addition to the usual bits of haggling, we get to meet Ptolemy who happens to be in one of the cities they stop in for trade. So this book gets to veer a bit into the Ancient Greek version of a military novel as the cousins end up doing a few missions for Ptolemy.

I'm excited that the next book has the cousins going to Phoenicia and Israel. This should keep things from getting stale as well as allowing Turteltaub to explore Phoenician and Israeli culture during the Ancient Greek era.

If you enjoyed the first book, this one's mostly more of the same. So if you didn't like the first one or found the dickering boring - you won't like this one. Note: if you have some precocious history buff minors in your life who enjoy reading fiction - there are a few explicit sex scenes. They aren't written as an erotica or romance novel, but they are explicit - so be aware of their maturity level/what their parents would think (if you happen to be the cool uncle/aunt/cousin/etc who gets books for the kid).

I'm definitely excited for the next one - it's going on the TBR list!

[Ty · Rating 2 out of 5]

It sold itself well as a seafaring adventure, which I wanted to get into. But in the end...(and at the beginning), boring, really. It's billed as an adventure, but as far as I read it very little adventure showed up. A lot of talking.

What is worse, it was not interesting talking. (Which I CAN enjoy.) But the dialogue was written in such a way as to pack in as many Greek words and facts about Ancient Greece as possible. That made it sound a little absurd.

Also the characters are too "witty" by half. Always making some sort of snide crack. And you can almost tell when the author expects you to find this witty.

I only today found out that this is a pen name for Harry Turtledove...an author of a previous "adventure" novel that I started but didn't finish. Maybe I should stop trying to read his stuff?

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stiff, expository dialogue? Check.
Awkward, unnecessary sex scenes? Check.
Four stars? Check.

If you like the ancient world, this is sweet candy. Yum. It's got ship design, lingustics, clothing design, numismatics, warfare, gender relations, comparative cuisine studies, theology, philosophy, poetics, and more.

[Tom Riggle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second of H. N. Turteltaub's Greek historical novels I have read. It was just as engrossing as the previous one. The author has a knack for believably blending historical persons and events with fictional characters and plot arcs (There are more than one). Another plus in these books is the natural dialog of the characters. The reader can easily imagine that he or she is riding along on the merchant galley Aphrodite with these sailing entrepeneurs, Menedemos and his cousin Sostratos.

The book is both entertaining and educational. Several times I stopped to look up persons and places. Like a few other sea novels (Moby Dick, the Hornblower series, Two Years Before the Mast) the methods and mechanics of seafaring are convincingly described.

The only down side this book presents are the occasional adult events described in greater detail than I think is necessary. No doubt, this is most likely true to the times, but it would have, when I used to teach, required a caveat lector for my younger students.

[TammyJo Eckhart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm an ancient historian, so I admit I tend to be harsher on historical fiction than the average reader. I have also not read the first book in the Hellenistic Seafaring Adventure saga; I am only judging this one book.

Turteltaub is famous as a historical fiction and alternative fiction author and normally I love his work. I didn't really like this one as much because I found the word choices distracting. He goes back and forth between quite modern phrases and then uses Greek words. In a related vein, I just didn't buy how the two main characters, Menedemos and Sostratos spoke most of the time based on their family job and descriptions. They seem like rather average guys yet they had a lot more cultural and philosophical knowledge than I suspect men in their profession at the time in question would have had.

These two things made it less enjoyable for me to read this slice of life story, which is one of my favorite genres to lose myself in.

[Leonardo Etcheto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book 2, with the characters becoming more developed though many of the quirks are repeated.
Again the cousins set out to trade, this time going north. Luxury goods is their focus and a fossil fits right into Sostratos' fondest dreams. More sneaking around the wars and troubles in this book as they sail into areas full of conflict.

The part of how Polemaios meets his end was interesting, he was rash and not very strategic. Very ambitious and it cost him, not sure where he got his money from but he antagonized his potential supporters. Probably should have gone east and taken over some land somewhere.

Interesting how the societal ideal of a rich landlord with leisure to not do much goes back to at least the Greeks, probably earlier than that: "lands to the horizon".

A lot of fun and you learn somethings along the way, a fascinating time period.

[Blind Mapmaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 A really solid historical novel with a weird, but believable eponymous twist. It is not quite as great as it's predecessor since there are quite a few situations and exchanges that are very much like it the first book. Turtledove fans will know what I mean. Though there are also a lot more different situations and the series manages to keep the reader's interest by introducing some of the movers and shakers of the era while also adding more danger that was largely absent from the first volume.

The lack of interactions with female characters gets a little worse, even though Turtledove does his very best to a add some variety like the shrewd hetaira and Sostratos' sister who really needs to marry again. It's not exactly unrealistic for the time period and the two cousin's occupation - still, there could be some more.

[Ronald Spitzer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good historical book about Hellenistic times set in the Aegean Sea. Good follow up to Over the Wine Dark Sea. Accurate portrayal of the 309 B.C. and known historic events in the fight between Alexander the Great's succors. Enjoyable read. This time period between the rise of Rome and the death of Alexander is neglected and this series by Harry Turtledove using his pseudonym H.N. Turteltaub helps fill in this time period in the sea faring around the Mediterranean Sea.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting historical seafaring story set during the time of the Successors. Two cousins from Rhodes sail through the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. One cousin had a gryphon's skull that he was trying to get to the philosophers in Athens, but keeps getting thwarted by accidents, secret missions for one general or another, and pirates. An interesting read in a good series by Harry Turtledove.

[Norman Howe · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I picked this up at the used book sale, the author's name made me think it might be Harry Turtledove.
It is!
But it's historical fiction, set in classical times. And unlike Harry's SF novels, it's not set in an alternate history. It's bawdy, funny, and seafaring.

And it's the second book in a series.

P. S. The Gryphon is just to attract fantasy readers!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this very much. Some of the narration got repetitive (how many times must a character dip his head per page?) but I felt the sense of time and place very well and I was interested in the progress of the Wars of Succession. I will definitely continue with the series.

[Thom · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it. I like the way that Turtledove writes and I really like the titular skull as a plot point. I felt it was a little bit weaker than the first book, but I definitely still enjoyed it overall.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read.

[Trevor Kettlewell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Typical B-grade fantasy style characters: supposedly rough, capable, worldly commercial sailors in a dangerous trade talk like high schoolers

[Solomon Zehnwirth · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent historical fiction book! The "gryphon's skull" might be that of a fossilized dinosaur, though we may never know for sure

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light vacation read; a pretty transparent opportunity for the author to show off his knowledge of ancient Greece. Enjoyable but not too heavy.

[Burt · Rating 5 out of 5]

HN Turtletaub is, of course, Harry Turtledove, of alternate history fame. Under the Turtletaub name he writes historical fiction, principally the adventures of Menedemos and his cousin Sostratos, ship captain and traders on "the wine dark sea." The novels are not exactly plot-free, but they contain a wealth of information about life in the 4th century BCE. I just love them and eat up all the detail on the history of the day. I don't think many others do, but if you like this era, like to read about trade in the Med, and want to follow the adventures of a ladies man and his much more staid cousin, you just might like this series, too.

The second. book in the series

[Liz V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 309 BCE, wars still rage amongst the surviving successors of Alexander the Great. While Rhodes remains a free and neutral polis, each port in the Aegean at which cousins Menedemos and Sostratos call is embroiled in intrigue. As well, pirates have free rein while the coastal governments turn their attention and resources to survival or war. Thus the cousins' voyage to Athens, with hopes of selling a gryphon's skull, is fraught with dangers.

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book of a series, as enjoyable to me as the first. Turtledove is amazing in both his understanding of Hellenistic Greek culture, and his ability to convey that understanding to the reader.

[Brentman99 · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this was a stand alone book, I wish Turtledove had made it a series. Written under his pen name, this is another good book that captures ancient history well. I enjoyed it.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting era. The power struggles post Alexander the Great.

[Lori · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historical fiction set in post-Alexander the Great Mediterranean Sea. A bit wooden.
Boy, am I glad I'm not living back then, especially since I'm a female!

[Jim Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read the whole series. This was the weakest.