Product Description

Gillian Bradshaw is a consummate writer, as is evidenced by her intelligent, exciting historical novels. Now Bradshaw presents us with a fictional account of Archimedes, one of the most innovative and intriguing thinkers of the ancient world. The young Archimedes has had three years of heaven at Ptolemy's Museum at Alexandria. But heaven must be forsaken when he learns that his father is ailing and his home city of Syrcuse is at war with the Romans. Reluctant but resigned, Archimedes goes home to build catapults as a royal engineer. He experiences fame and loss, love and war, wealth and betrayal - none of which affects him nearly as much as the divine beauty of mathematics.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #588057 in Books
• Published on: 2001-09-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

Review
"Delightful . . . true brilliance arises in a number of places . . . The theme of freedom, exemplified by verses from the Odyssey where more chains, not fewer, keep the hero free from the sirens' song bring The Sand-Reckoner to the timeless level of the best historical fiction."-"Historical Novel Society Review""Bradshaw makes ancient history immediate and thrilling."-"The Orlando Sentinel""Bradshaw is known for atmospheric accuracy, period characterizations, and rousing plots . . . She lends the conventions of the historical novel a rare and unusual depth."-"The Boston Globe"

Customer Reviews

A great book about Archimedes
At first glance a novel about the greatest mathematician of antiquity wouldn’t be a big draw to me – maths certainly isn’t my strong suit. But I liked the other books by Gillian Bradshaw that I had read so thought it worth giving this one a go.

How glad I am that I did! The Sand Reckoner is a hugely enjoyable, lighthearted tale about Archimedes and the way in which his engineering projects helped protect his home city of Syracuse. The author has woven a love story between Archimedes and the sister of King Hieron of Syracuse and there is also a side-love story between Archimedes’ slave and his sister.

Mathematics does make quite a contribution to this story and works really well. Archimedes is portrayed as a genius sometimes completely lost in his own world with his slave Marcus keeping him safe. The characters all have their own voices and are believable – especially the difficulties that they have over mistakes that they make. King Hieron is almost too good to be true, but a historical note from the author suggests that he really was like that. Let’s hope so!

It was also interesting about the differences between the Romans and the Greeks in antiquity and how they saw each other. Although the classics are often studied in schools and colleges this book really brought it to life for me. I highly recommend this book to those who like to transport themselves to other times in history through reading.

greek historical adventure with ups and downs
I've loved that book, archimedes coming home from Alexandria, where he spent some years of study, find's his city preparing for a war with it's neighbours. His best friend (who is also his slave, but does not like it at all, and will heroikally prove so in the book) helps him to get a job with the city ruler, where he must conceive war-machines (better engines to throw stones). As usual there is a fine love-story with a nearly unhappy ending (bradshaw does them really well)in the book, love and tragedy, war, inventions, ancient music and instruments, gorgeous descriptions of land and people - you get them all in that one book! I loved it!But i'm partial - I loved all her books

greek historical adventure with ups and downs
I've loved that book, archimedes coming home from italy, where he spent some years of study, find's his city preparing for a war with it's neighbours. His best friend (who is also his slave, but does not like it at all, and will heroikally prove so in the book) helps him to get a job with the city ruler, where he must conceive war-machines (better engines to throw stones). As usual there is a fine love-story with a nearly unhappy ending (bradshaw does them really well)in the book, love and tragedy, war, inventions, ancient music and instruments, gorgeous descriptions of land and people - you get them all in that one book! I loved it!But i'm partial - I loved all her books