A stunningly illustrated edition of Homer’s classic adventure story which has been vibrantly retold by the late Rosemary Sutcliff who adds her own story-telling magic to Homer’s original. The stories which led to the Greek’s siege of Troy, which include The Golden Apple, The Death of Achilles, The Wooden Horse and The Fall of Troy among many others, seamlessly weave the worlds of gods and men into one strand. Alan Lee’s illustrations evoke the heroism of the human Greek warriors – and their cruelty – while also bringing the shadowy gods convincingly to life.
Homer's epic poem The Iliad is retold in a dramatic story by acclaimed storyteller Rosemary Sutfcliff. Alan Lee's powerful images hauntingly recreate the age of heroes in this captivating introduction to the Greek classic.
Rosemary Sutcliff had the ability to make daunting historical fiction accessible to a young readership. In this retelling of Homer's Iliad, she retains all the excitement of the original ancient Greek story, with its colourful cast of Gods and heroes. The Iliad is not an easy book, with violent battle scenes and psychological drama, but there is enough magic and charm in the story to keep even the most faint-hearted reader enthralled. Sutcliff's version is an excellent introduction to the book and anyone who enjoys this would be well advised to pick up a copy of the same author's wonderful interpretation of Homer's Odyssey, The Wanderings of Odysseus, also published by Frances Lincoln. Carousel
Author
About Rosemary Sutcliff
Rosemary Sutcliff was born in Surrey, the daughter of a naval officer. At the age of two she contracted the progressively wasting Still's disease, and hence spent most of her life in a wheelchair. Although an avid reader, Rosemary made little progress with formal studies.
She left school at the age of fourteen to attend art school in Bideford, where she specialized in miniature painting. Her first children's book was published in 1950, and from then on she devoted her time and talents to the writing of children's historical novels, which have placed her name high in the field of contemporary children's literature.
Many of her books are set in Roman Britain, a period which particularly interested her. The second in The Eagle of the Ninthtrilogy, The Lantern Bearers, was awarded the 1959 Carnegie Medal.
In her lifetime, Rosemary Sutcliff was awarded the OBE and the CBE. Sadly, she died in 1992 at the age of 72.
