"Epic tale of magnificent warrir and his slave woman"

Locked in her husband's home by her menfolk on their way to fight the Argives (read: Greeks), poor Briseis is trapped inside when the town is fired by the invaders. An Argive raider hears her screams and rescues her, ordering another soldier to bring her to Achilles. For Briseis, this is just trading one master for another. She was sold to her ancient husband for four oxen, and her life has ben boring and unhappy. Anointed with perfume and dressed in a fine gown, she awaits the arrival of her new owner -- but is shocked to find that he is young and handsome as a god -- and he wears the face of her rescuer. Achilles woos her and teaches her the joys of love that first night, and wins Briseis' heart.

But she learns quickly that her lord can be as cruel as he can be kind to one who disobeys him. When she refuses to pray for his victory, only his safety (she is a Trojan; praying for his victory means the defeat of her people), he spanks her soundly as punishment. But Achilles learns he has met his match; he can defeat any warrior in battle but he cannot force Briseis to bend on ethics (he wisely decides not to push the issue by demanding she pray for victory) and settles for her unswerving devotion to him. He has her trained as an assistant to the physicians, and for the first time, Briseis is happy.

Sadly her happiness doesn't last. This is, after all, a faithful retelling of the Iliad. Arrogant and self-centered Agammemnon sees Briseis and demands her from Achilles, and she is passed to him (he doesn't get to lay a finger on her; Briseis rips his earring from his ear). Achilles refuses to fight, withdrawing to his tent in an operatic temper tantrum, which turns the tide for the Trojans. In an effort to prod Achilles into battle, Odysseus (wily but evil) persuades Achilles' beloved cousin Patrocles to don Achilles' armor and face the Trojans -- with tragic consequences. A maddened Achilles enters the fray, and he attacks the Trojans like a whirlwind -- ultimately to be slain by a poisoned arrow in his heel.

Briseis' tale doesn't end with her lover's demise. He entrusts her to the care of Menelaeus (his wife was Helen whose kidnapping by Paris touched off the war), the only king she respects and care for -- but Helen's arrival on the scene destroys that relationship. Can Briseis find happiness? What happened to crafty Odysseus and obnoxious Aagammemnon? If you like your tales epic and don't mind minimal sex (there are love scenes but they are neither long nor graphic), this is a wonderfully evocative read.

I'll be honest: The Iliad is my least favorite epic after the Aeneid (I had to read that one in Latin), but this book brings that world of the ancient Greeks and Trojans to vivid life. Over it all towers the larger-than-life Brat Prince Achilles, an astonishing mixture of self- centeredness, glory hunger, and real kindness. It's hard to understand why a clear-sighted, intelligent woman like Briseis would love him with such utter devotion --- and she remains fully aware of his flaws and never attempts to excuse them -- but she's like another woman who loves a husband with feet of clay: Hillary Clinton. A remarkably appealing heroine with a strong sense of right and wrong and a practical streak, she is so vividly drawn that she is hard to forget (this is another one of those books I hated to have end). Selfish and cruel Agammemnon is as supremely loathsome as his gentle-natured brother Menelaeus is appealing, and the real villain is Odysseus, who pulls everyone's strings except Briseus', who recognizes him for the Karl Rove clone he is (yes, I can't help seeing comparisons to current politics). The other women are tragic pawns, moved around at the whims of men on the chessboard of politics and war, yet each is carefully differentiated, a woman with her own flaws and strengths. no mean accomplishment with such a large cast.

And somehow she even managesd a HEA!

This is rich and complex tale with a heroine you'll long remember. Told in gracefully stark yet powerful descriptive prose. If you liked Roberta Gellis' retelling of the Greek myths, this is a book you'll enjoy wholeheartedly. It's a definite keeper, and I look forward to reading more from Ms. Rose.

Sensuality Rating: Romantic rather than hot — heterosexual sex, but not explicitly described.

Reviewed by Gillian Fitzgerald
Courtesy Sensual Romance Reviews
Posted July 18, 2004