Achilles: A Love Story- A Novel of the Trojan War [Paperback]

Byrne Fone (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2010

ACHILLES: A LOVE STORY A Gay Novel of the Trojan War

The heroic tale of the passion of Achilles, unrivalled hero and the most beautiful man in the world, for the handsome and heroic Patroclus, as it unfolds in Homer's Iliad, is the one of the greatest and earliest gay love stories ever told. But Homer also hints at another love story that complicates the tale: that of the handsome Prince Antilochus who comes to the battlefield of Troy to find Achilles, the man he has always loved. When the tragic death of Patroclus leaves Achilles shattered and alone, it is Antilochus who is at his side, as friend, companion in battle, and lover.

"Achilles: A Love Story," written in the tradition of Mary Renault’s "The Persian Boy" and "Fire From Heaven," Yourcenar’s "Memoirs of Hadrian," and Vidal’s "Julian," is the first modern novel (published: 2010) to re-imagine the "Iliad" as what ancient readers knew it to be: not only a tale of battles and exemplary heroism, but a passionate story of love between men. "Achilles: A Love Story" creates the passionate tale of Antilochus and Achilles as it plays out against the legendary battles of the Trojan war in an exciting and moving story told by no other writer.

(Revised Edition: February 2012)

COMMENTS

Much More Than I Expected (H. Michael Starr Amazon Verified Purchase.)

The title of this book…suggested a quickie gay romance novel....What I got instead was a beautifully written retelling of a beautiful story, the Iliad, from a homoerotic perspective.

Unexpected, (By Anna - Amazon Verified Purchase)

I totally did not expected this....it was beautiful! …and it grips the reader. I could not stop reading.

Highly recommended (Gerry A. Burnie "Gerry B's Book Reviews" Amazon Verified Purchase.

"Achilles: A love story" is an unapologetic celebration of male love and valour.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

About the Author BYRNE FONE is the author of three novels in the Trojan Trilogy, "War Stories," "Trojan Woman," and "Achilles: A Love Story," and of "American Revolution," a novel about a gay American President. His works in Gay Studies include "The Columbia Anthology of Gay Literature," the largest and most comprehensive anthology of gay literature; a study of early English and American gay literary history in "A Road to Stonewall: Homosexuality and Homophobia in British and American Literature." His book "Masculine Landscapes: Walt Whitman and the Homoerotic Text" explores Whitman’s homosexuality and how it is manifest in his poetry. "Homophobia: A History" examines the history of homophobia over a period covering almost two millennia. Other books include "Historic Hudson: An Architectural Portrait." Byrne Fone lives in France.

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (July 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1452897905
• ISBN-13: 978-1452897905
• Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 5.9 x 8.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #937,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BYRNE FONE
[e-mail]
La Millasserie
24150 Mauzac et Grand Castang

Byrne Fone is the author of the novels "War Stories," "Trojan Women," and "Achilles: A Love Story," a gay romance, which together make up the "Trojan Trilogy," set at the time of the War at Troy. His most recent novel is "American Revolution," a political crime novel about a gay American president.

Byrne is a recognized pioneer in the field of Gay Studies and has written several books in the field including: "A Road to Stonewall: Homosexuality and Homophobia in British and American Literature "(Scribners), a study of Walt Whitman: "Masculine Landscapes: Walt Whitman and the Homoerotic Text" (S. Illinois University Press). He has edited the largest and most comprehensive anthology of gay literature, "The Columbia Anthology of Gay Literature" (Columbia University Press) and in "Homophobia: A History" ( Holt and Picador) he examines the history of homophobia over a period covering almost two millennia.

He is also the author of "Historic Hudson; An Architectural Portrait," a history of the City of Hudson, New York, that includes more than 200 images from the 19th to the 20th century of the Hudson's incomparable collection of 18th and 19th century architecture.

Byrne Fone and his partner Alain Pioton live in France where they operate their bed and breakfast: Le Domaine de La Millasserie. www.bandbfrancedordogne.com

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, as expected August 1, 2010

By DrSHF

Format:Paperback

Dr. Fone can always be relied upon to provide a work of literature that is exciting, heartfelt and well-researched. Achilles is no exception. The depth of feeling, breadth of knowledge and sheer story-telling artistry are remarkable. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a love story, filled with passion and steeped in vivid historical detail.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Much More Than I Expected May 8, 2011

By H. Michael Starr

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The title of this book, and its categorization by Amazon, suggested a quickie gay romance novel, with lots of man-to-man sex. What I got instead was a beautifully written retelling of a beautiful story, the Iliad, from a homoerotic perspective. (I did not use the word "gay" to characterize the point of view. "Gay", to me, has a very modern connotation, whereas this telling is very classical.) The story is told by Antilochus, son of Nestor, who hero-worships and idolizes Achilles. He realizes that he can never replace Patroclus as Achilles' soul mate. But serve he must. Although he is pierced by the love arrows of Eros for both Achilles and Patroclus, he does see and tell them honestly, as living young men, warts and all.

Yes, the e-book could have been spellchecked somewhat better. But the occasional typo did not detract from the beauty of the writing and storytelling. I feel that Professor Fone managed to convey the Hellenic, Achaean, sensibility almost as well as Homer himself. This book and the following one in the trilogy, "Trojan Women", I read non-stop; I could not put either aside until I had finished it. Thank the gods for the Kindle, it was invented to make marathon reading easy.

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Achilles:A Love Story: A Novel of the Trojan War August 2, 2010

By Ron Notto

Format:Paperback

If you are interested in historical fiction, love, or simply in very fine evocative writing then you owe it to yourself to read this sensuous and enlightening novel. Not since Marguerite Yourcenar's Hadrian has a protagonist so clearly effaced an author as Byrne Fone's Antilochus. The narrative is smoothly subtle where it needs to be and more pointedly chiseled when the moment warrants it. For me this text becomes a bas-relief, a literary sculpting which will ship you back through time yet evoke those emotions which are, to this day, manifestations of what it is to be human. You'll smile if not laugh, you might even cry, but you'll be on an unforgettable journey which will, in one way or another, touch your heart. I already know that I'll read this book more than once.