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The King Must Die (Vmc)

Mary Renault

'Mary Renault's portraits of the ancient world are fierce, complex and eloquent, infused at every turn with her life-long passion for the Classics' Madeline Miller, bestselling author of Circe The true parentage of Theseus, grandson of the King of Troizon, has always been shrouded in mystery. Rumours swirl that his father is Poseidon himself. But when he learns the truth - that he is the son and heir of Aegeus, King of Athens - Theseus sets out on a quest to claim his birthright. But his journey is a perilous one, from encounters with bandits to marriage to the Queen of Eleusis, whose consort is sacrificed each year - and, finally, to the labyrinthine palace of King Minos on Crete. There Thesues must enlist the help of high priestess Ariadne in a darling plan to slay the Minotaur - and free his people. Thrilling, immersive and gorgeously told, Mary Renault's classic novel is a unforgettable reimagining of the timeless Greek myth. * 'Mary Renault is a shining light to both historical novelists and their readers' Hilary Mantel, bestselling author of Wolf Hall 'This brilliant retelling of the story of Theseus, the king of Athens, brings Greek mythology vividly to life and remains "one of the truly fine historical novels of modern times"' New York Times

  • Classification : Historical Fiction
  • Pub Date : APR 24, 2025
  • Imprint : Virago
  • Page Extent : 416
  • Binding : HB
  • ISBN : 9780349019802
  • Price : INR 1,599
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Mary Renault

Tom Holland is an award-winning historian, author and broadcaster. His bestselling books include Rubicon: The Triumph and the Tragedy of the Roman Republic, which won the Hessell-Tiltman Prize for History and was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize; Persian Fire, which won the Anglo-Hellenic League's Runciman Award; Millennium: The End of the World and the Forging of Christendom; In the Shadow of the Sword: The Battle for Global Empire and the End of the Ancient World; Dynasty: The Rise and Fall of the House of Caesar; and Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind.

Holland has adapted Homer, Herodotus, Thucydides and Virgil for the BBC. His translation of Herodotus was published in 2013 by Penguin Classics and followed in 2016 by a history of Æthelstan published under the Penguin Monarchs series, and in 2019 Æthelflæd England's Forgotten Founder as a Ladybird Expert Book. In 2007, he was the winner of the Classical Association prize, awarded to 'the individual who has done most to promote the study of the language, literature and civilisation of Ancient Greece and Rome'.

Holland hosts (with Dominic Sandbrook) the no.1 podcast The Rest is History. He has written and presented a number of TV documentaries for the BBC and Channel 4, on subjects ranging from religion to dinosaurs. He served two years as the Chair of the Society of Authors; as Chair of the PLR Advisory Committee and was on the committee of the Classical Association.

@holland_tom

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