Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
I am a huge fan of historical fiction, but I recognize that it is inherently much more difficult to write a historical biography, and especially when the character written about is almost mythical. As Dr. Reames mentions in her postscript, the information about Alexander is nebulous, contradictory, overlaid with myth and altered by centuries of political changes – there is no way to know the full truth. Add to that the fact that the society he lived in is also poorly understood and completely foreign to the world we live in today, and writing a book of this scope becomes hugely difficult. What sources are to be believed? Which facts or theories will work best with the narrative the author wants to present?
The differences between this book and the first are stark. Book I was about learning who Alexandros was, how he thought, how his experiences formed his adult character. There was significantly more attention paid to the relationships he had with his friends, his family, and, of course, Hephaistion. His military training and its importance to him as a prince was described, as were the wars Phillipos was waging, but the focus was not political at all. I found it much more character and relationship-driven, which is, of course, what draws me to a book and is my personal preference.
Book II is more about the external factors in Alexandros’ life, and how he reacts to them. His father presented him with a command during one of the campaigns shortly after the book started when he came of age, and from there Alexandros embarked upon what was to be his career and his life. Military campaigns, political machinations, conquered territories… the pace was much faster, allies and enemies were introduced in confusing array, and old friends and acquaintances from the first book changed in how they interacted with the Pellan court. I have to admit, I got a little overwhelmed and confused, especially because I (sadly) know almost nothing about ancient Greece and Macedonia and their history, and I did not stop to look at the background information the author supplied in separate websites. I admit to being a little shallow with my books – most of the time I just like to read and let the story soak in, rather than to study it. I feel that to truly appreciate this book, you would need to either have some knowledge of the era going in, or to commit to studying.
That being said, I did enjoy watching Alexandros grow into his own. For good or bad, it seemed that his focus on being Phillopos’ heir, and anticipating becoming king, led to increased distance between him and Hephaistion. They became soldiers and officers primarily, and their relationship, though still close, seemed less romantic. Less about love, and more about loyalty and reliance. Which was absolutely necessary, but still a little disappointing to me as a romance reader.
Finally, <SPOILER ALERT>, I was not really prepared for the book to end where it did. Although I knew this book was “The story of Alexander before he became ‘the Great”” I was surprised that the book ends when Alexandros becomes king at the exact moment of Phillipos’ violent death. It was more than abrupt, and if another book was in the making, it would have been an excellent stopping place, but I understand this to be the final book in the series.
For those readers who are more knowledgeable about the ancient world, for those that are more interested in the historical facts (as much as they can be known) of the era, and for those that enjoy empire building and intrigue over relationship development, this will be a great read. For me, it was good, but not great. The 3 star rating has more to do with what I like personally than it does with the quality of the writing in the book, so I hope those reading this review will take that into account!
Cover art by LC Chase matches the first, but I found it interesting that Hephaistion is the man on the cover rather than Alexander…
Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Amazon
Book Details:
ebook, 350 pages
Published October 21st 2019 by Riptide Publishing
Original Title Dancing with the Lion: Rise
ISBN139781626499003
Edition LanguageEnglish
URL https://riptidepublishing.com/products/dancing-with-the-lion-rise
SeriesDancing with the Lion #2
JMS Books’ Trios are themed collections of three gay romance stories by a trio of authors. Each story is available separately, but readers can get all three for a discounted bundle price.
Trapped in a growing sense of restlessness, Oxen the hunter is lonely. Feeling like he’s waiting for something—or someone—he’s unable to focus on getting ready for winter. But when a handsome and very ill stranger collapses on his doorstep, everything changes.
While Keston enjoys his occasional video game tournaments with the kid across the hall, he’s grown tired of the daily grind of his job. With a bit of a push from his boss, he heads out for a weekend at his family’s cabin in Kona Woods. A little time away from the hustle and bustle sounds like just the thing he needs.
It wasn’t supposed to be REAL! Bigfoot doesn’t actually exist. Yetis, shifters, creatures of the night … none of those exist. Right? Right?
There’s nothing about perky — some might even say twinky — Oliver Hughes that would make a skeptic like Sensational News’ (Never Fake! We Swear!) reporter Wilson Banks think otherwise. But while pursuing soundbites for a tabloid story about Bigfoot, Wilson witnesses something he wasn’t meant to see.
In Wilson’s new reality, is there room for love with someone whose dreams are as big as his … er … feet?
A year after the sudden death of his longtime partner, Ben, Theo Anderson is still grieving. The last thing he’s looking for is a new lover. But as Theo soon discovers, sometimes life has other plans.
A lovely addition to the Clean Slate Ranch series, this story features Shawn, the assistant cook at the ghost-town saloon who helped Miles when his abusive ex showed up in Saddle Up, book three. Robin, one of the ranch hands, befriends Shawn after an initial minor hostility due to the fact Shawn looks like Robin’s former husband, Xander, who died in a rodeo accident three years before. But once Robin gets to know him, the resemblance takes a back seat because Shawn is a completely different personality: shy, sweet, virginal, and reclusive. Shawn has kept the fact he lives in his car a secret for two years, but now that it’s out in the open and he’s given the cabin next to Robin’s, the two slowly become friends, and then more. 
What a wonderful story! And the audiobook made it even better with the fantastic performance of Joel Leslie, who brought Dylan, Gabe, and the rest of the cast of characters to life. Listening to a book narrated by Joel is like watching the story unfold on the big screen. The voices become real characters. There’s drama, humor, tears (he does crying scenes so well!) and every voice is so distinctive that there’s never a doubt of which MC is speaking.
The main characters are a college student named Andrew, who is trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life, and a mysterious man named Caius, whom he keeps dreaming about after spending the night in a haunted house. I think the blurb tells you everything you need to know about this book, so if it sounds intriguing, go ahead and jump right in. I really hesitate to give any spoilers. Part of the fun of the book is it walks a fine line of many genres: horror, ghost story, historical romance, fairy tale, contemporary romance, paranormal, and urban fantasy. Is Caius the charming man of Andrew’s dreams, or an entirely different kind of nightmare?
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 