The war to end all wars ... High adventure and epic storytelling combine in the final novel in David Gemmell's bestselling Troy trilogy.

Darkness falls on the Great Green, and the Ancient World is fiercely divided. On the killing fields outside the golden city of Troy, forces loyal to the Mykene King mass. Among them is Odysseus, fabled storyteller and reluctant ally to the Mykene, who knows that he must soon face his former friends in deadly combat. Within the city, the Trojan king waits. Ailing and bitter, his hope is pinned on two heroes: his favourite son Hektor, and the dread Helikaon who will wreak terrible vengeance for the death of his wife at Mykene hands. War has been declared. As enemies, who are also kinsmen, are filled with bloodlust, they know that many of them will die, and that some will become heroes: heroes who will live for ever in a story that will echo down the centuries.

DARKNESS FALLS ON THE GREAT GREEN,
and the Ancient World is fiercely divided.

On the killing fields outside the golden city of Troy, forces loyal to the Mykene King Agamemnon mass.

Among them is Odysseus, fabled storyteller and reluctant ally to the Mykene. He knows that Agamemnon will stop at nothing to secure the treasure that lies within the city walls, and he must soon face his former friends in deadly combat.

Ailing and bitter, the Trojan king waits. His hope is pinned on two heroes: his favourite son, Hektor, the mightiest warrior of his age, and the dread Helikaon, who will wreak terrible vengeance for the death of his wife at Mykene hands.

War has been declared.

As enemies, who are also kinsmen, are filled with bloodlust, they know that some of them ? men and women - will become heroes: heroes who will live for ever in a story that will echo down the centuries.

Published in 1984, David A. Gemmell?s first novel, Legend, has become a classic. His most recent Drenai and Rigante novels are available as Corgi paperbacks; all are Sunday Times bestsellers.
Now widely regarded as one of the finest writers of heroic fantasy, David Gemmell lived in East Sussex until his death in July 2006.

2008-07-03 A fitting conclusion?

I realise that the last part in this absorbing triolgy had to be finsihed off by Stella Gemmell following David's untimely death. Although other reviewers suggest that this is seemless, I beg to dissagree. The final part of the triolgy is well crafted and brings a touch of refreshing, imagined "realism" to the tale of Troy's downfall. However, the storyline falls flat towards the end. Clearly, David Gemmell had a longer work in mind. Perhaps, even another book or series of books, charting the mythical rise of Rome (the "Seven Hills" of his story) in the manner of the Aeneid, just as the Trojan War triolgy is broadly based on the Iliad. We shall never know and that is a shame because that story is one which would have benefited from a re-telling by someone with David Gemmell's obvious talent.
That notwithstanding, there are a number of other loose ends such as the fate of Moses - yet another series of books which we shall never see. Oh well! Enjoy what we have.