Paul Waters (1)

A compliment: very Mary Renaultesque in the ancient Greek/Roman subject along with the treatment of male/male love, here written about tastefully where it so easily could have been crude. I enjoyed this readable, engrossing novel; even writing style seemed very similar to Ms. Renault's.

In the 3rd century BC, Marcus, a young Roman, travels with his father; they are captured by pirates and his father sacrifices his life to save that of Marcus. Marcus then lives with his uncle, a greedy, selfish merchant, who marries Marcus's mother and gains control of the family estate near Praeneste. Marcus is adopted by his uncle and is disgusted by the man's grossness and concern with money and his petty affairs. Marcus swears revenge on the pirate. Will this come to pass? Marcus and a Greek athlete, Menexenos, meet and become close. We see how Marcus matures in the novel from boy to man, over a period of years. Everything is here: love, hate, gentleness, warfare [with Philip V of Macedonia], even philosophy and wisdom put in the mouth of the common sense Menexenos and of the Roman Titus Quinctius.
Although the particular love theme made me uneasy, I appreciate the quality of this story and recommend it.… (mere)