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Rise

(Dancing with the Lion #2)

Jeanne Reames (Goodreads Author)

4.54 · Rating details · 28 ratings · 11 reviews

The story of Alexander before he became “the Great.”

Finished with schooling, Alexandros is appointed regent of Makedon while his father is away on campaign. He thrives with his new authority—this is the role he was born for—yet it creates conflict with his mother and Hephaistion. And when his soldiers, whom he leads with unexpected skill, start to call him “The Little ...more

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ebook, 350 pages

Published October 21st 2019 by Riptide Publishing

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Nov 05, 2019 Ozymandias rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction-greek, fiction-hellenistic, historical-fiction

A charming account of Alexander’s rise to power and his love for his closest friend, Hephaestion

Anyone who enjoyed the first book will likely love this one, which feels more like a completed story than that did. To recap, the last one’s arc was entirely character-driven and took us from Alexander and Hephaestion’s meeting to their eventual romance. There’s more going on, but that is the spine. This time the book’s main storyline is the conflict between him and Philip during the leadup to Philip’ A charming account of Alexander’s rise to power and his love for his closest friend, Hephaestion

Anyone who enjoyed the first book will likely love this one, which feels more like a completed story than that did. To recap, the last one’s arc was entirely character-driven and took us from Alexander and Hephaestion’s meeting to their eventual romance. There’s more going on, but that is the spine. This time the book’s main storyline is the conflict between him and Philip during the leadup to Philip’s invasion of Persia. Anyone who knows anything about the two can guess where the book ends.

With the book moving beyond Alexander’s childhood into the much broader range of adulthood, it’s interesting to see what does and does not get focused on. There aren’t really any surprises actually. The book is still focusing on character and setting. Alexander’s personality gets a little more drawn out and he’s starting to seem a bit more like I imagine him. The pride, the stubbornness, the unending, unquenchable, relentless lust for glory. It’s all here.

His relationship with Hephaestion is still a highpoint, with the two opposites providing exactly what the other needs. It’s got to be hard being a prince and dealing with all the endless sycophants struggling to get near you. But Hephaestion loves the man, he finds the prince rather a nuisance. You can see why emotionally needy Alexander would go crazy for that. The other key relationship is between Alexander and his father. This one really breaks my heart. The two are absolutely poison to each other. One is too proud to admit his emotions, the other incapable of not doing so. And both are too stubborn to back down.

Another element that is handled very well is the loving depiction of everyday Macedonian life and society. Religion continues to be strongly presented as does the love of literature and other cultural allusions. Sexuality really kicks into overdrive. Now that Alex and Phaestas are a couple they’re screwing like rabbits. It actually gets uncomfortably explicit sometimes. What’s more interesting (at least to me; other views may vary) are the mores that come with the act. Some of which are quite bizarre. Phaestas and Al are a lot like a modern gay couple compared to the strict pederasty of the time. It’s sweet, but emotionally devastating for them to come to terms with.

What continue to get very little attention are some of the elements you might expect to see more of in Alexander’s adulthood. Elements like warfare. We do get some of course, since it would be impossible to avoid. We even get a whole chapter on Chaeroneia. But the buildup to the battle (both political and military) is hardly setting the scene for the importance of the match. And the battle itself seems detached and emotionally distant. We mainly follow Hephaestion as he stumbles around trying to hold off a single warrior. The aftermath is rather more memorable than the event. Politics is also a little sidelined, although again we do get some. Most of what we see are of the family politics variety, where the interaction between marriages and the highland/lowland clans are well handled. But of foreign affairs or the alliances between Macedon and the Greek states we’re left pretty vague.

The book’s interests are not too far from my own when reading historical fiction (people who write great battle scenes or good political maneuvering often struggle to write anything else) so this is mainly there to give fair warning to people expecting this account of one of history’s greatest conquerors to include a lot of, well, conquering. If there are future books (and I certainly hope there are!) we may get a bit of that. For now, Al is still struggling to get on top.

If nothing else, I have to enjoy this book for introducing me to a whole new array of Greek obscenities. Since Liddell-Scott and other dictionaries are products of the rather puritanical 19th century and have only limited English-Greek functionality it’s rather hard to locate such expressions. ...more

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Sep 01, 2019 Charlotte rated it really liked it · review of another edition

my review will be posted on my blog Sep 21, 2019

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This was a great continuation of the Dancing With the Lion series. This book brings the author back to the world of Alexandros as he is coming into his own as a leader, a man, and a partner. It’s so difficult to read a book like this and then come up with a succinct summary. Reames is a great writer, using detail when it’s appropriate and simply letting her main characters speak through their actions.

This book is just as much about family my review will be posted on my blog Sep 21, 2019

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This was a great continuation of the Dancing With the Lion series. This book brings the author back to the world of Alexandros as he is coming into his own as a leader, a man, and a partner. It’s so difficult to read a book like this and then come up with a succinct summary. Reames is a great writer, using detail when it’s appropriate and simply letting her main characters speak through their actions.

This book is just as much about family and friendship as it is about the general military history of Alexander the Great. There are a lot of differences between Alexandros and his best friend and sometime lover Hephaistion. The most pointed difference in my mind is the way they were raised. Hephaistion’s father was loving, familiar, stern when he had to be… and offered his son advice when he thought it warranted. As the son of a king, Alexandros had a distant relationship with his father. The King has politics and ruling forefront in his mind and his familial bond with Alexandros is fragile. Like Reames, I have no doubt that Philippos loved his son, he just seemed incapable of parenting a son rather than raising an heir. I’m simplifying this greatly in light of the wonderful way that Reames has written the complicated bonds between fathers and sons in this book.

What is clear in the book is that the relationships Alexandros has with all the people in his life are what shapes him into the leader he will become. While his father challenges him at every turn, Alexandros receives more gentle parenting from Hephaistion’s father, Amyntor. And again, Hephaistion… he is Alexandros’ best friend, his brother-in-arms, his lover and in many ways his teacher. The bond between these two characters is beautiful and complex. There are moments that are poignant without being over-the-top…. and I loved that. The bonding ceremony between Alexandros and Hephaistion is beautiful and symbolic of much of the depth of their relationship.

As these two young men mature and grow, their relationship morphs. They are lovers on occasion, friends always and unfailingly dedicated to one another. Hephaistion teaches Alexandros about weakness and true strength, the bonds of love and ultimately, the way to lead.

This series was a fantastic read. Yes, it’s historical, but Reames brings Alexander the Great back to life. I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books, 4 stars from me! ...more

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Oct 13, 2019 John rated it it was amazing

Shelves: alexander-the-great, lgbtq, greece

The second half of Reames’s novel about Alexander’s youth knocks it out of the park, concluding several long-view themes initiated in the first half. Becoming was about the burgeoning relationship between Alexandros and Hephaistion. In Rise, simmering tension explodes between Alexandros and Philippos.

Reames gets people. She captures human complexity, and in her hands, everyone seems multifaceted. Her characters do not behave in trite ways, and her dialogue is rarely pedestrian. Becoming felt ...more

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Oct 27, 2019 Thor Odindotter rated it it was amazing

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

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Oct 21, 2019 Joyfully Jay rated it really liked it

Shelves: sue

A Joyfully Jay review.

4.25 stars

Rise is the second in the Dancing with the Lion series and, at least for now, the last. The author mentions she plans on writing more about Alexandros and Hephaistion in the future, but there’s no book currently on the horizon. And that makes Rise slightly problematic. It is a very much an “in-between” novel. Alot of things happened in the first book, Becoming, and Rise ends with a pivotal event in the life of Alexander the Great. Which leaves the bulk of Rise ...more

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Oct 20, 2019 Christine rated it it was amazing

As much as I enjoyed the first book in the series("Becoming") I really LOVED the second book of "Dancing with the lion: Rise". It continues the story of Alexandros of Macedon, from the time of being regent at the age of 16 to hisascensionto the throne four years later. It includes quite a few well known historical events, but with the author's own clever interpretations which explain some of the puzzles historians have been trying to solve for centuries. Reames's academic background comes As much as I enjoyed the first book in the series("Becoming") I really LOVED the second book of "Dancing with the lion: Rise". It continues the story of Alexandros of Macedon, from the time of being regent at the age of 16 to his ascension to the throne four years later. It includes quite a few well known historical events, but with the author's own clever interpretations which explain some of the puzzles historians have been trying to solve for centuries. Reames's academic background comes through the finest at those moments. Comparing to "Becoming", "Rise" is more plot driven and faster paced. There isn't a dull moment.

Nonetheless all the twists and turns are not at the expense of character development and emotional depth. Alexandros and Hephaistion both come alive vividly, through joy and pain and devotion, each with his own set of virtues and faults. Their relationship is complex due to their different social standings, upbringing and personalities. One cannot help but feel deeply invested in their lives and quests for excellence(in the Aristotelian sense). As the book progresses, the intensity of events and emotions rises steadily until the final crescendo, which definitely leaves readers to crave for more.

As in the first book, the supporting cast gets much love. But the father/son dynamics have generated much emotional turmoil, with stark contrast between Philippos and Amyntor, each loving his son in his own way. There are a few new characters as well. The women get stronger voices - from royals to slaves. None is perfect, all with dignity.

Reames is an excellent writer, not just an excellent writer for a historian. The plots are well constructed, the characters well developed, the historical details authentic. While the first book may feel unfinished, the second one stands well on its own even if one skips the first. But there are some amazing parallels between the two that might take a couple reads to get. Like olives - the Greek favorite - the longer you savor, the more you'll enjoy. ...more

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Nov 13, 2019 Colin Smith rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A beautifully written sequel to 'Becoming', the story of Alexander's boyhood. The novel bursts with information about Macedonia and Ancient Greece and, despite the author's admitted inventions and historical acrobatics, gives a believable picture of Alexander's life and loves, friends and enemies, during the period of his adolescence, immediately prior to the start of his Asian adventure. His father, Phillippos II, is finely drawn, and shows a man, a king, a ruler, an unstable drunkard and a ...more

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Oct 16, 2019 Coltostallion rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This was a great continuation from the first book. Things are starting to heat up politically and there's plenty of problems getting in the way of love. The amount of research that went into this series is phenomenal. Even for those who aren't interested in this period in history, the story carry itself well!

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Dec 06, 2019 Jeanne added it · (Review from the author)

EXTRA & CUT SCENES!

For those who enjoyed the novels (book 1 Becoming and book 2 Rise), and would like more from the boys, I have several cut scenes on my website, as well as 3 others that occur between the books.

These 3 include "Moth & Flame," a bit of romantic floof, "Two Scorpions," Olympias takes on Hephaistion in a one-on-one confrontation, and finally, the novelette "For the Love of Geometry," which shows the boys from the point of view of the adults, plus a bet between King ...more

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