Black Ships Before Troy

Author:

Rosemary Sutcliffe

Illustrator:

Alan Lee

Published by:

Frances Lincoln

First Published:

1 Jan 1993

Ideal for readers aged

9-12y

My Review

This is the version of The Iliad we had in our house growing up, and it's the one I read aloud to my children too when I wanted to find a retelling of the story that would captivate them. Even as an adult, if you want to read the story for the first time, read this! Rosemary Sutcliffe is the queen of historical fiction and this, and her partner book, 'The Wandering of Odysseus', are a gift to anyone wanting to introduce children to greek mythology.

Heads Up!

To find this version illustrated by Allen Lee, you will need to buy secondhand.

Publisher Review

As the gods and goddesses of Olympus scheme, the ancient world is thrown into turmoil when Helen, the most beautiful woman in all of Greece, is stolen away by her Trojan love. Inflamed by jealousy, the Greek king seeks lethal vengeance and sends his black war ships to descend on the city of Troy. In the siege that follows, history's greatest heroes, from Ajax to Achilles to Odysseus, are forged in combat, and the brutal costs of passion, pride, and revenge must be paid. In the end, the whims of the gods, the cunning of the warriors, and a great wooden horse will decide who emerges victorious. Homer's epic poem, The Iliad, is one of the greatest adventure stories of all time and Rosemary Sutcliff's retelling of the classic saga embodies all of the astonishing drama, romance, and intrigue of ancient Greece.