| In A Thousand
Ships, graphic novelist Eric Shanower brings to life the legend of the
Trojan War, gathering the many different versions of the fabulous Greek
myth into a single, illustrated and dramatic story line. What sets apart
Shanower's graphic novel is the attention to historical detail, a superb
talent as an artist, and a powerful flair for storytelling. A Thousand
Ships is a gripping presentation perfectly suited to a modern readership
and brings this age-old tale to a whole new generation of readers. All
the fabled Greek characters are here, from Paris (a Trojan Prince), Helen
(whose beauty precipitated the most famous war in Hellenic history); Achilles,
Odysseus, Hector, Ajax, and the rest. Focusing on the events that led up
to the war, A Thousand Ships is the debut volume in a planned series. If
you only have time for a single graphic novel this month, make it Eric
Shanower's A Thousand Ships!
"The most exciting, engaging,
and entertaining work of historical fiction ever done in comics."
Ed Brubaker, Author of
Batman, Scene of the Crime
...tells a story in a straightforward,
clean manner that will keep you reading through one sitting.
Time.com
.
"I'm
going to Troy!"
With
these simple words, the poor cowherd Paris lights the fire which will become
one of the most famous conflagrations of all time--the legendary Trojan
War. When Paris reaches the magnificent city of Troy, he discovers a lifelong
secret hidden from him by Troy's king, Priam. From that moment Paris begins
a daring journey that will lead him to the most beautiful woman in the
world, Helen of Sparta.
Helen's
fateful decision to forsake her homeland and join Paris brings sorrow to
thousands--to her husband Menelaus, deserted without cause or explanation--to
the young king Odysseus, who faces decades of separation from his wife
and infant son--and to the priestess Thetis, whose son, Achilles, must
choose between long life at home and glorious death battling before Troy.
Drawn
from the myths and legends of centuries, A Thousand Ships presents anew
for the twenty-first century the complete prelude to the Trojan War--each
sensual touch, every savage blow, the smiles and tears, the lust and betrayal,
the entire tapestry of drama and action. Eric Shanower's historically accurate
illustrations and compelling dialogue bring new life to this ancient epic.
.
From the Inside Flap
The Trojan War is one of
the world's most enduring and exciting epics. Great poets of every age
have told the story, each in his own way--Homer, Euripides, Virgil, Ovid,
Chaucer, and Shakespeare. Countless others have told the story, too, adding
to and expanding on earlier versions.
In the 1870s, German archaeologist
Heinrich Schliemann revealed to a fascinated world the remains of the ancient
city of Troy. Ever since, excavations at Troy and elsewhere have shed light
on the Late Bronze Age cultures of the eastern Mediterranean, the world
of the Trojan War.
Now, Eric Shanower combines
the various Trojan War legends with the findings of archaeology to present
a new retelling of the Trojan War, built on the foundations of the past,
but uniquely envisioned for today's readers by a modern cartoonist.
A Thousand Ships brings to
vibrant life the prelude to the Trojan War. Here, once more, shines the
glory of Troy. Here the famous names of legend breathe again, Achilles,
Odysseus, Paris, Agamemnon . . . and Helen, the face that launched a thousand
ships.
About the Author
Eric Shanower's comic book
work has appeared in many publications in the USA and Europe. His favorite
past projects include his five Oz graphic novels and An Accidental Death
with Ed Brubaker. He has illustrated a number of children's books by various
authors, including his own The Giant Garden of Oz. His comics work was
featured on the PBS television show Ghostwriter. Currently he is working
toward completion of his retelling of the Trojan War legends, Age of Bronze.
He has received several awards, including the 1996 L. Frank Baum Memorial
Award.
Mr. Shanower was born in
1963 in Key West, Florida. He lives in San Diego, California, with his
partner, David Maxine, where they maintain a publishing company, Hungry
Tiger Press, and a Boston terrier named Road. |
