Thessalonica (Baen Fantasy) [Mass Market Paperback]

Harry Turtledove (Author)

Book Description

Series: Baen Fantasy | Publication Date: December 1, 1996

The city of Thessalonica was a Christian light in a sea of pagan darkness, filled with hostile Germanic tribes and their powerful demons who threatened George, his family and his city.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hugo nominee Turtledove (Prince of the North) blends religion, history and fantasy in this adventurous tale told from the point of view of George, a simple shoemaker who lives in Thessalonica in the 7th century A.D. George is a Christian, as are most of the city's residents, but remnants of the old pagan religion and its creatures are known to still exist in the hills. George happens upon a satyr, who warns him of a new danger approaching. The danger turns out to be the invading Avars and Slavs, who have at their command supernatural wolves and bats. Within days the city is surrounded, and though the strength of their Christian God enables the population to keep the warriors at bay, George realizes they may need help to defeat their enemy. With the help of the pious Priest Luke, George convinces the satyrs and centaurs to come to the aide of Thessalonica. Fans of historical fantasy will relish Turtledove's offering and its unlikely hero.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Baen; First Edition edition (December 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671877615
• ISBN-13: 978-0671877613
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,387,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Harry Turtledove is the award-winning author of the alternate-history works The Man with the Iron Heart; The Guns of the South; How Few Remain (winner of the Sidewise Award for Best Novel); the Worldwar saga: In the Balance, Tilting the Balance, Upsetting the Balance, and Striking the Balance; the Colonization books: Second Contact, Down to Earth, and Aftershocks; the Great War epics: American Front, Walk in Hell, and Breakthroughs; the American Empire novels: Blood & Iron, The Center Cannot Hold, and Victorious Opposition; and the Settling Accounts series: Return Engagement, Drive to the East, The Grapple, and In at the Death. Turtledove is married to fellow novelist Laura Frankos. They have three daughters: Alison, Rachel, and Rebecca.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Sin of Presentism, August 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Thessalonica (Baen Fantasy) (Mass Market Paperback)

I enjoy reading Harry Turtledove's alternative histories, and this one was no exception. It's an enjoyable book, and I strongly recommend it. I must, however, point out one flaw that irked me throughout the book. The scenes with George and his commedian friend John in the town wine shops struck me as contrived. The barkeeper acted more like a modern-day comedy club operator than an ancient wine seller, and John's jokes just didn't fit the time period. This is the type of strained writing one would expect to find in an episode of Xena Warrior Princess, but not a Harry Turtledove novel. Despite those distractions--and they are minor--this is still a great book with which to kill an evening.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "What If" lovers delight!, April 8, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Thessalonica (Baen Fantasy) (Mass Market Paperback)

In a land where the "old" religions and their Dieties co-exist with the "new", man is caught in the middle. This book exercises the imagination and was an absolute treat for someone like myself who enjoys reading mythology. The author breathed life into the pages of Edith Hamliton and Robert Graves. I am a regular reader Dr. Turtledove's work and, to date, honestly feel this is his best.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Story, June 25, 2003

By 

Dustin R. Hudson "Anastasios" (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Thessalonica (Baen Fantasy) (Mass Market Paperback)

I was very pleased with Turtledove's novel "Thessalonica". He did an excellent job of keeping the fantastic elements in with the historical fiction elements.

Turtledove, who has a PhD in Byzantine history, accurately portrays Christian life in the Roman Empire during the 7th century AD. Details buffs such as myself will note that from time to time he makes glaring errors such as messing up the "Trisagion prayer", but if you are not an Eastern Christian this won't bother you a bit. Also, the bishop's prayers are borderline silly at times.

One other negative aspect of the book is Turtledove's obsession with describing the status of the satyrs' sexual organs (in mythology these animals are oversexed, and Turtledove uses vivid descriptions of the satyr's erectile state to determine his mood, which gets annoying.)

The book's action moves quickly, and the author incorporates the main character George's home life quite well into the thread of the action.

I loved this book and would recommend it to those who have an interest in the genre of historical fantasy.