Folio Archives 450: The Alexander Trilogy by Mary Renault 2013
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The Alexander Trilogy : Fire From Heaven; The Persian Boy; Funeral Games by Mary Renault 2013
Mary Renault (Eileen Mary Challans 1905-1983) was a renown author of historic fiction centered around the Greek and Persian Empires that she vividly bought to life. Her sympathetic understanding of the historical time provides convincing (but unsubstantiated) answers to unsolved mysteries such as Alexander’s burning of Persepolis.
Written between 1969 and 1981, the three volumes start with Alexander the Great’s earliest memories in the harsh mountains of Macedonia, progress through his upbringing, his taming of the wild stallion Boukephalas and continue to follow his conquests in Anatolia and Persia, the establishment of his empire, and end with his death and the dissolution of his realm. The books are masterpieces of historic fiction, compelling and easy to read.
There is a 16 page introduction by Daniel Mendelsohn in the first volume, bound in colour illustrations by Geoff Grandfield in all volumes and a list of characters at the back of each book.
All three books have different map endpapers printed black on pale speckled orange and they are all quarter bound in black buckram with paper covers printed front and back with a design in black, white and orange. The black three-volume slipcase is title printed in white and orange on the front and measures 24.6x17x12.2cm.
Fire from Heaven, nine illustrations, xxvi+387 pages
The Persian Boy, nine illustrations., vii+426 pages
Funeral Games, six illustrations., ix+285 pages
Promotional leaflet for the Alexander Trilogy
There were two other books by Mary Renault published by the Folio Society in a similar format, The Bull From the Sea (2017) and The king Must Die (2016).
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
Mary Renault (Eileen Mary Challans 1905-1983) was a renown author of historic fiction centered around the Greek and Persian Empires that she vividly bought to life. Her sympathetic understanding of the historical time provides convincing (but unsubstantiated) answers to unsolved mysteries such as Alexander’s burning of Persepolis.
Written between 1969 and 1981, the three volumes start with Alexander the Great’s earliest memories in the harsh mountains of Macedonia, progress through his upbringing, his taming of the wild stallion Boukephalas and continue to follow his conquests in Anatolia and Persia, the establishment of his empire, and end with his death and the dissolution of his realm. The books are masterpieces of historic fiction, compelling and easy to read.
There is a 16 page introduction by Daniel Mendelsohn in the first volume, bound in colour illustrations by Geoff Grandfield in all volumes and a list of characters at the back of each book.
All three books have different map endpapers printed black on pale speckled orange and they are all quarter bound in black buckram with paper covers printed front and back with a design in black, white and orange. The black three-volume slipcase is title printed in white and orange on the front and measures 24.6x17x12.2cm.
Fire from Heaven, nine illustrations, xxvi+387 pages
The Persian Boy, nine illustrations., vii+426 pages
Funeral Games, six illustrations., ix+285 pages
Promotional leaflet for the Alexander Trilogy
There were two other books by Mary Renault published by the Folio Society in a similar format, The Bull From the Sea (2017) and The king Must Die (2016).
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2elenchus
Lovely and I'm always on the lookout when walking into used bookshops with finer stock on hand.
Anyone read Renault's biography of Alexander, The Nature of Alexander? I have it on hand thinking I would read it after reading this trilogy, though I don't have any definite timeline for when that would be.
Anyone read Renault's biography of Alexander, The Nature of Alexander? I have it on hand thinking I would read it after reading this trilogy, though I don't have any definite timeline for when that would be.
