Customer Reviews

Age of Bronze, Vol. 1: A Thousand Ships

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"A Thousands Ships" is the first volume in a projected seven part series titled "Age of Bronze," in which Eric Shanower intends to tell the entire story of the Trojan War. Volume 1 collects the first nine issues of the comic book saga, beginning with Paris herding cattle on the slopes of Mount Ida and ending with the thousand ships of the Achean fleet supposedly sailing off to Troy to fetch back the face that launched them, namely Helen. The first part of the volume tells of how Paris learned that he was really Alexander, Prince of Troy, and after he abducts Helen the second half tells of how the Achean host was assembled, including wily Odysseus and the young Achilles.

As a person who still collects comic books and teaches Classical Greek & Roman Mythology I can appreciate the problems that Shanower has to deal with in telling this timeless tale. In the past I have taught a giant unit on the Trojan War in which students had to read the stories about the Judgment of Paris and the Abduction of Helen from Edith Hamilton's "Mythology," the Euripides play "Iphigenia at Aulis," Homer's "Iliad," the Fall of Troy from Virgil's "Aeneid" and then continued with the story of Agamemnon in the "Orestia" by Aeschylus. Greek mythology is, as Shanower notes, hopelessly convoluted and contradictory, which means making all the stories fit together impossible. Shanower solves this Gordian knot by establishing ages for his characters with an eye towards how old they will be at the end of the Trojan War. Yes, this still presents problems (Helen, with her eight-year old daughter, seems much older than Paris, Achilles seems too young to be outraged in the next volume by the scheme by which Agamemnon dupes Iphigenia into coming to Aulis, and Neoptolemus will be 10 when he comes to Troy to take part in the slaughter at the end), but in each and every instance I understand exactly what contradiction Shanower is trying to resolve in the wealth of classical mythology from which he draws his tale. I find Paris to be too much the hot-headed brat, but since Shanower has decided that Helen submits to the abduction because she believes it to be her fate rather than out of love the characterization does not work against the story at this point (Paris is always the most problematic character in the story, in the same way that dealing with Judas forces authors to make hard choices in telling the story of Jesus).

The most significant difference in Shanower's version is that the supernatural elements are downplayed in order to emaphsize the human element. There are dreams and visions, "But no gods i nthe flesh" (Shanower proves he has fully done his research when he points out that Dares of Phrygia had Paris dream the judgment in his "History of the Destruction of Troy"). What matters here is not so much the abduction of Helen, but the fact that Troy controls the Hellespont and commerce by ships between the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Still, prophecies and portents prove themselves accurate time and time again.

I also want to note Shanower's accuracy in showing the city and throne room of Mycenae, which I visited this spring. Helen's dress and idols bespeak the Minoan civilization more than the Mycenaean to my eye, but that is not too much of a stretch. The artwork is certainly competent enough and since it works in service to the story there is nothing to complain about on that score (although I thought the decision to do the recap of the sack of Troy by Herakles in a more cartoonish style counterproductive). What I especially appreciate is the way that Shanower provides lots of details in the vast majority of his panels. Consequently, I would not be especially interested in see this volume in color because the artwork is clearly more effective in black & white.

I look forward to the next volumes in the series, especially when Shanower has to deal with the monumental gap that exists between the arrival of the Acheans on the shores of Troy (the story that the first man ashore would die is fairly well known) and the refusal of Agamemnon to give up Chryseis to her father that begins Homer's "Iliad." I will be interested to see if Shanower glosses over that nine-year period or meets the challenge of finding some sense of drama and characterization to what happened during the period. All things considered, this is a fine beginning which should impress those who know the original stories as well as those who were seduced by the recent television mini-series abomination "Helen of Troy."

Graphic novelist Eric Shanower here presents a stunning interpretation of the age of the Trojan War in this, the first of a proposed seven-volume set of tales covering the events from the judgment of Paris to the fall of Troy. This one, the first, covers the judgment of Paris, the abduction of Helen, and the mustering of the Greek forces at Aulis.

The attention to historical detail is well researched and convincing. The Trojans are convincingly placed within the cultural orbit of the Hittites and Anatolians, making the Trojan War simultaneously a clash of cultures and a geopolitical struggle as well as a jilted husband's quest for revenge. Supernatural elements and the presence of gods and goddesses are deliberately understated in order to focus on the human element. The characterisations of the protagonists are vastly assisted by the graphic novel format. Paris comes off as cocky and chaotic; Odysseus, a crafty elder statesman among the Greek kings; and Achilles is a pretty-boy, convincingly able to hide among the women at Skyros. Each character is drawn as an individual human being in the outstanding line art.

It is especially welcome to see a literary interpretation of a mythological subject that seems minimally influenced by bogus notions out of turn of the century anthropology from Sir James Frazer, Robert Graves, and their followers. Instead, as the author-artist's afterword makes clear, current scholars have been consulted in the framing of this tale, and Dr. Manfred Korfman is singled out as having influenced this envisioning of the period. This is a beautiful book. I am eagerly awaiting the next of the series.

This book is absolutely marvelous, a rewarding example of just how good a graphic novel can be and what a fine medium it is. Shanower's research is meticulous, his storytelling is very fine and his draughtsmenship makes him among the best illustrators working today. Shanower is wonderful. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who does, or doesn't read comics. This faithful and beautiful retelling of the Trojan War would not only delight teen readers, it would also be of great interest to adults. It brings life and energy to the tale of Paris and Helen and presented the story to me in a way that made me appreciate it as never before. Don't pass up a chance to get this terrific book. This is not hype. This is a very fine piece of work!

This book is the first in a series by author and illustrator Eric Shanower. This series combines the Classic stories surrounding the Trojan War with modern archaeology, and uses a graphic novel format to bring those ancient stories to life. Everyone is here: Priam, Paris, Odysseus, Menelaus, and (of course) the radiant Helen. This book begins with Paris's arrival in the court of King Priam, and follows through to Agamemnon's gathering of the Greek armada.

This is a wonderful graphic novel, one that really brings the old stories to life, and puts them together to form a complete and logical whole. I really liked the way the author used our present knowledge of ancient architecture and clothing to make the stories seem so realistic.

Now, I don't recommend this graphic novel for younger or more sensitive readers. If you are familiar with the Classical stories, you know that such topics as rape, incest, and homosexuality are an integral part of the story. As such, any book that deals with these stories *must* deal with these topics.

But, even with that in mind, I must say that this is an excellent book. If you are a fan of the ancient Greek and Roman stories, and would like to see them in a modern format, then this is the book for you. I am very glad that I read this book, and can't wait for the next one to come out!

I have to confess - I have never read a comic book before and the only reason I got this was for research on the Bronze Age, since it seems the author did a lot of research to make all the drawings historically accurate, and I wanted to get a lively visual of their lives.

I am getting all that, and to my surprise, I am getting much more! I never imagined it would be good or entertaining, but I have to say I am so impressed by Shanower's skill. His drawings are wonderful, capturing people and keeping those images through multiple expressions and emotions he puts them through. The dialogue is interesting and at times even funny. I am so amazed that by several small snapshots he's able to relate so much more than what is right there. The characters and story come to life.

I think this is an absolute work of genius. He is both an artist, author, and story-spinner of top caliber. I will actually read the whole thing, when that wasn't my plan at all - need I say more?

A Thousand Ships is the first in a series of comics which retell the story of the Trojan war in comic book form. It begins with Paris, the lost prince of Troy who has been raised by farmers as a farmer, making his first ever journey to the capital. He tells his girlfriend it's a short trip, but even before he leaves the oracles are speaking and don't seem to agree. Meanwhile, Achillies is just leaving boyhood and, when confronted with the choice of short life and fame in war versus a long life that won't be remembered, he is very much for the short glorious life. His mother has other plans and struggles to save him from himself.

The plot is extremely intricate. It all comes from mythology, and there's a lot there to pull from. Doing the Illiad in seven comics makes sense. One book would only have allowed for the outline of the story. By breaking it into more books, the story is more complete and here the Illiad has been adapted well to the medium.

Graphically the book is well drawn. I'm guessing that the big challenge here was to keep faces consistent so that all the characters can be told apart. There are many, many characters and they are recognizable from frame to frame, if that helps to tell you the level of detail. The storytelling and how layouts play into that is good too. Layouts help to blend in and reveal characters's backstories (and everyone has a back story in mythology) and to communicate oracles and messages from the various gods.

This is a good read as a comic book. Being a modern take on the Illiad, which concievably someone might someday make you read, is an added bonus. Libraries should definitely stock this series. For individuals and families this is a good buy for a comic book, and a pretty good read. You should already know this, but if you don't then here goes, many of the classics have a lot of sex and violence. So, don't buy this for your four year old if you don't want them to see naked people and drawings of smeared entrails.

Eric Shanower does a fabulous job of bringing the Mycenaean world and the story of the Trojan War to life. Shanower has a different perspective on many of the characters than I might choose, but still I find his protagonists credible and compelling. With a combination of strong characterization and historically accurate settings and costumes, this is simply one of the best reimaginings of the myth I've encountered.

Highly recommended for fans of graphic novels and aficionados of the ancient world alike -- as well as for those who just love a gripping story!

I was torn between grading Shanower's book 3 or 4 stars but decided on the lower grade because I can't decide what audience this graphic and detailed adult comic book is aimed at. I'm also a little miffed--at myself, really--for not recognizing that I was purchasing a rather well written and well drawn comic book. Not too long ago, I purchased a historical tale on the renegade Simon Girty and was surprised that the tale was also rendered in comic book graphics.

Just like many of us who love the basic tale [multiple tales, really], Shanower found himself increasingly captured by one of the greatest stories ever told. As a talented artist and cartoonist, he evidentally decided to carefully study stories revolving around the Trojan War, cull out inconsistencies, cull out the supernatural, and turn it into multiple, sequential comic books. Comic books appeal more to children and young people than to most adults so it follows that this is the audience he is aiming at. On the other hand, he has included graphic scenes of rape, sexual intercourse and human reproduction which would seem to be inappropriate for preteens and early teens. Therefore, who is it aimed at? It seems to me that most literate adults would prefer the poetry and pathos of the original tales themselves.

Perhaps, however, this comic book depiction fails in the same way that virtually all movies on the Trojan War have failed. By rendering the story into pictures, the reader's or watcher's imagination is denied. To be certain, this is true of most good books turned into movies. A movie may seem excellent to a viewer IF he has never read the book. If the viewer has previously read the book, however, the movie is usually found lacking. That's the situation I find myself in. I have read--and enjoyed--multiple translations of the Trojan War story. I am passionate about the subject. Therefore I'm bound to be nonplussed by a comic book although I am impressed by the author's talent and research.

This is the first volume in a projected seven-part graphic novel series devoted to the epic of the Trojan War. There are minor gaffes (occasional misspellings, etc.) but overall this is a powerful and immensely useful retelling of one of the greatest epic stories in human history. Shanower draws on multiple sources to come up with a cohesive, readily coherent narrative of what is often seen as a daunting story. He both expands on and simplifies the classic narrative by Homer, giving a more immediate, modern feel to the characters and events, but does not sacrifice the authenticity of time or place: Shanower makes these ancient events accessible to modern readers in a way that the best of Western Civ classes may not; indeed, academics for many years to come with probably turn to these comics as a way to give entry into the world of Greek history and mythology.

This first volume covers the abduction of Helen, the arousal of the great Spartan army, the beginning of the cult of Achilles, and ends as the Spartan fleet sets sail to attack Troy. In general, Shanower minimizes the magical/mythological aspects of ancient Greek culture -- a centaur, for example, is not seen as a half-horse beast-man, but rather as a shaggy, burly man; various characters claim relationships to various gods, but we never see Athena's visage floating over the clouds, or Poseidon rising from the sea. Unlike in the original narratives, the Olympian gods are not characters in the story itself -- people pay allegiance to them, and discuss them as figures that may control their destinies, but we do not see the gods themselves. This realism helps make the historical context come alive -- modern readers don't have to struggle past supernatural events, nor allow the supernatural to overwhelm the human drama, and what emerges is a clear, concise historical narrative, one that makes sense and makes clear the essential stories behind the great, epic tale. It's pretty cool... I'm looking forward to the second volume! (Joe Sixpack, ReadThatAgain book reviews)

I just ripped through A Thousand Ships and the second book in the series, Sacrifice, in two days and I'm bowled over. What a tour de force these books are. Shanower seamlessly incorporates all the myths entwined in the Trojan War. An incredible feat by itself, it's even more impressive because he achieves this without bogging down what is, after all, a ripping good story.

In the course of the book, Shanower offers some interesting insights on some of the more puzzling and disturbing events (Iphigenia's sacrifice comes to mind). I also was impressed by how he developed the characters. For instance, he convincingly portrays Odysseus changing from a clever Trojan War draft-dodger to a gung-ho warrior by the end of the second book.

I can't wait for Shanower's next book in the series. Until then, I'm pressing these books on everyone I know. They're THAT good. Bravo!