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A review by oleksandr
Day of the Minotaur by Thomas Burnett Swann
2.0
This is an early fantasy novel, which uses Greek mythology that was nominated for Hugo Award in 1967. I read as a part of Author’s birthday challenmge reads in Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels group.
This is the earliest example I am aware of, where fantasy and Greek mythology were intertwined. Unlike modern long fantasy books, this one is quite short and while it later grew up to a trilogy, initially it was intended as a standalone.
Minos, king of Cretans has two children – a girl Thea and a boy Icarus. He brought them from the forest of Beasts and they are half-Man half-Beasts (which can be seen in their greenish hair and pointy ears. This clearly ‘elvish’ reference doesn’t bode well with either Greek or Minoan myth I know and more a nod to contemporary European fantasy). The kids are forbidden to go near the forest and when Ajax and the Achaeans bring war to the isle, the children (teenagers actually), prefer to be captured that to flight to Beasts. After Ajax thwarted rape attempt they are sent to the forest anyway. Enter the Minotaur.
The rest of the story goes from POV of the minotaur. The Beasts turn out not to be all the ‘bestial’ but peaceful farmers and crafters. But Achaeans bring the war to the forest.
The book is nothing special, it is a quick and sometimes funny read, with a bit of ‘flower power’ attitude of the times and the idea that the Man rules or is ruled, but never in a harmony with the nature.
This is the earliest example I am aware of, where fantasy and Greek mythology were intertwined. Unlike modern long fantasy books, this one is quite short and while it later grew up to a trilogy, initially it was intended as a standalone.
Minos, king of Cretans has two children – a girl Thea and a boy Icarus. He brought them from the forest of Beasts and they are half-Man half-Beasts (which can be seen in their greenish hair and pointy ears. This clearly ‘elvish’ reference doesn’t bode well with either Greek or Minoan myth I know and more a nod to contemporary European fantasy). The kids are forbidden to go near the forest and when Ajax and the Achaeans bring war to the isle, the children (teenagers actually), prefer to be captured that to flight to Beasts. After Ajax thwarted rape attempt they are sent to the forest anyway. Enter the Minotaur.
The rest of the story goes from POV of the minotaur. The Beasts turn out not to be all the ‘bestial’ but peaceful farmers and crafters. But Achaeans bring the war to the forest.
The book is nothing special, it is a quick and sometimes funny read, with a bit of ‘flower power’ attitude of the times and the idea that the Man rules or is ruled, but never in a harmony with the nature.