Scott Oden Memnon

Memnon

Scott Oden

Medallion, Aug 2006, $24.95

ISBN 1932815392

Being of Greek descent and having been born and raised on the Island of Rhodes, Memnon dreams that he will become the equal of his hero Achilles. However, when his father was beheaded during an uprising, Memnon fled his hometown barely escaping with his life. He becomes a mercenary for hire joining the militia of a Persian provincial governor as a lieutenant.

He quickly realizes emulating his hero Achilles is not his fortitude, as he proves an able military strategist. When Alexander invades Asia Minor, Persian King Darius III hires Memnon as a general officer to defeat his foe and repel them back to Macedonia. The ensuring battle makes one of these fierce leaders a name for the ages and the other a footnote buried in encyclopedia.

MEMNON is a superb ancient biographical fiction novel of a leading figure of the fourth century BCE who fought against Alexander and obviously lost as he became the footnote while his opponent became one of the Greats. The story line is action-packed yet provides the audience a deep look into Aristotle's Greece, Alexander's Macedonian Empire, and Darius' Persia. Though confessing that he was forced to "have taken spectacular liberties" to fill the holes in the historical record, Scott Oden, as he did with the powerful MEN OF BRONZE, provides a fantastic fascinating ancient historical tale focusing on the exploits of Alexander's most capable opponent whose scorched earth advice on preventing the invaders from a sure win was rejected.

Harriet Klausner