The Stolen Goddess [Paperback]

Richard L. Purtill (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 2, 1980

The Stolen Goddess: Book Two of the Kaphtu Trilogy Ducalion finds that the road to Hades is paved with bad intentions when he must venture to the death lands in search of a kidnapped goddess. "Richard Purtill has done a masterly job of breathing life into what scant detail we have recovered, like the physical restoration which has raised the palace of M'nos up again, and built new walls to rejoin old, so that the modern visitor can imagine what a glorious thing once stood there-a breath and a step removed from gods and demons, where magic lived in the land." -CJ. Cherryh "Richard Purtill is both a clear and common sensical philosopher and an accomplished fantasy writer." -Peter Kreeft, author of Between Heaven and Hell. "Purtill's tales of ancient Crete bring myth to life with exciting action, colorful detail, and magic. Don't miss the Bull Leapers!" -Sara Stamey, author of Islands. The Kaphtu Trilogy: The Golden Gryphon Feather The Stolen Goddess The Mirror of Helen

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Richard Purtill is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Western Washington University, and the author of nineteen published books, including six fantasy and science fiction novels. He has made more than twenty visits to Greece, and lived several years in England. His stories have been published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and The Year's Best Fantasy Stories. He is a popular presenter at conferences and conventions, and has been guest of honor at Mythcon in San Diego. He is a member of Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, the Author's Guild, and the National Writer's Union. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: DAW (December 2, 1980)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879975849
• ISBN-13: 978-0879975845
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,402,641 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Morphing the Myths, September 20, 2003

By 

Gord Wilson "alivingdog.com" (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Stolen Goddess: The Kaphtu Trilogy Book Two (The Kaphtu Trilogy, Book 2) (Paperback)

At last Richard Purtill's Kaphtu Trilogy has returned to print. These new large size paperback collector editions feature acid-free paper, an interior illustration, and full color fantasy cover art (see the author's website at alivingdog.com for a comparison of the covers). The cover of The Golden Gryphon Feather (Book One) is by George Barr, who also did the late '70s DAW books edition cover. Don Maitz, whose art adorned the DAW cover of Purtill's The Mirror of Helen, provided original paintings for the covers of both The Mirror of Helen and The Stolen Goddess in these new editions.

While this second story continues the adventures of book one, it also stands on its own, and it's not necessary to read the earlier books to follow the trilogy's story line. Purtill sketched the book's setting in ancient Athens and Crete from his many visits to Greece, and fleshed out characters drawn from mythology. Beyond that, his novelization weaves between history and imagination to tell the story of Ducalion, a young seafarer who braves the Hounds of Hades in search of a kidnapped goddess. On the way he encounters Dionysius and Artemis, and finds himself in the midst of a feud between Olympians. The volatile tempers of the Titans alternately swerve between great generosity and cold vengeance, lending an aura of suspense, and the ones Ducalion encounters don't seem to like mortals.

You don't need any background in Homeric legends to read the trilogy, but those familiar with ancient tales will find echoes everywhere. Like Homer, Purtill feels at liberty to morph the myths, with gods and half-gods forever emerging from their ancient haunts. While they can be read separately, all three books of the trilogy interact, and a Return to Kaphtu trilogy is in the works, with a new fantasy, The Athenian Owl Enchantment, due out next year.