Product Description

The tragic and terrible drama of the war between Greeks and Trojans, the long siege of Troy, and the impact of one woman's beauty on the fate of two nations, is played out again in this dazzling novel based on Homer's Iliad. Here is the enchanting Helen, who we first meet as a spoiled teenager and whose passion for the handsome, reckless Paris leads to the betrayal of her husband, King Menelaus, and the fall of the House of Troy. Here is powerful King Agamemnon with his terrifyingly ambitious wife Klytemnestra and his soothsaying mistress Kassandra. We meet Odysseus, doomed to wander the Aegean for twenty long years; brave Achilles, who is haunted by the mad shade of his mother; the heroes Hektor and Ajax, and many more. Chapter by chapter the narrative is handed from one character to another as the long years of siege, bloody battles, love and death unfold and the gods exact their retribution. With extraordinary vividness Colleen McCullough engages our sympathy for each character and gives this ancient saga a contemporary sense of urgency and excitement. An unputdownable read and the best possible way to introduce a new generation of readers to one of the greatest stories ever told.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #149302 in Books
• Published on: 1999-01-07
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

About the Author
Colleen McCullough is a neuroscientist by training, but best known for her many works of fiction. She and Sir Roden Cutler have been designated two of Australia's one hundred Living National Treasures. She lives in Norfolk Island with her husband, Ric Robinson.

Customer Reviews

NOT AS GOOD AS EXPECTED
Personally I don't rate this book at all beyond the poor. It's a pale imitation of history compared to her Rome series, although Antony and Cleopatra isn't much cop either! I didn't think the individual tellers point of view helped the flow, I found it irritating; however your mileage may vary - as is apparent from some of the glowing reviews here. Overall I just found it boring and certainly not a page turner.

A Compelling Read
Colleen McCullough was born in Australia. A neurophysicist, she established the department of neurophysiology at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney She then worked as a researcher and teacher at Yale Medical School for ten years. She is the author of the record-breaking international bestseller The Thorn Birds and her series of books on Rome have also been bestsellers. Colleen lives on Norfolk Island in the Pacific with her husband.

Colleen McCullough has been one of my favourite authors, every since I read the book The First Man in Rome and then eagerly awaited the next in the series and then the next and so on. The book The Song of Troy is a compelling read. The author tells a story that has stood the test of time, but in her own inimitable way. There is not a boring page in the book never mind a boring chapter I enjoyed it tremendously the first time I read it when it was published in 1998 and second time around I found it even better.

I doubt that there is anyone in the English speaking world who does not know the story of Troy but the author brings the story to life with such effect that the reader feels that they are there within the walls of Troy with Hector and Paris, waiting for Achilles and the Greeks to try to breach their defences. I suppose each individual reader will make their own mind up whether to side with the Trojans or the Greeks and that is what makes this ancient story so interesting.

the song of troy
Great book - although I sometimes got a bit lost - so many names and history to keep track of! It was really interesting the way each chapter is from a new person's point of view but this also added to the confusion! After reading this I opted straight for an easy-to-read romance, although don't get me wrong, I'm glad I read it but this book wouldn't let me read as quickly as I like to as there's so much History to digest.