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The Tale of Krispos #1
Krispos Rising
Videssos was beset by enemies abroad and had fallen into decadence at home. But on his first night in the imperial capital, The Empire’s health mattered less to Krispos than finding a dry place to sleep.
Driven by crushing taxes from the farm where his family had lived—and died—Krispos had come to the. city seeking what fortune a good mind and a strong back could earn. He had a single goldpiece to his name—the gift, years past, of a nomad chieftain to a ragged peasant boy. Now, though the night was raw and the inn was warm, he was loath to spend that coin, for the barbarian had claimed it carried magic.
Keep his lucky goldpiece or trade it for a warm, dry bed? Krispos tucked the coin away and stepped back into the wet streets—all unaware that so simple a choice would lead to a world of peril and possibility. . . .
Driven by crushing taxes from the farm where his family had lived—and died—Krispos had come to the. city seeking what fortune a good mind and a strong back could earn. He had a single goldpiece to his name—the gift, years past, of a nomad chieftain to a ragged peasant boy. Now, though the night was raw and the inn was warm, he was loath to spend that coin, for the barbarian had claimed it carried magic.
Keep his lucky goldpiece or trade it for a warm, dry bed? Krispos tucked the coin away and stepped back into the wet streets—all unaware that so simple a choice would lead to a world of peril and possibility. . . .
353 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
19 people are currently reading
369 people want to read
About the author
Harry Turtledove
566 books1,973 followersDr Harry Norman Turtledove is an American novelist, who has produced a sizeable number of works in several genres including alternate history, historical fiction, fantasy and science fiction.
Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.
Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.
Harry Turtledove attended UCLA, where he received a Ph.D. in Byzantine history in 1977.
Turtledove has been dubbed "The Master of Alternate History". Within this genre he is known both for creating original scenarios: such as survival of the Byzantine Empire; an alien invasion in the middle of the World War II; and for giving a fresh and original treatment to themes previously dealt with by other authors, such as the victory of the South in the American Civil War; and of Nazi Germany in the Second World War.
His novels have been credited with bringing alternate history into the mainstream. His style of alternate history has a strong military theme.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
November 6, 2016
Harry Turtledove was my favorite author throughout my high school years, before I got tired of him fairly suddenly sometime in my late teens. For some reason though, I decided to revisit the rows of books of his I have, and re-read Krispos Rising, one of my old favorites.
Looking at the book from the vantage of about a decade, both of my life and of how the field has changed, it's clear that the book hasn't aged terribly well. At the same time, it's also clear that Turtledove has genuine talent, and a way of doing things that explains why he's the best alternate history author out there (and this is more AH than Fantasy, for all that magic plays role).
On the one hand, the attitudes towards women and towards homosexuality expressed in the book are awkward. Iakovitzes is a dirty old man, and women are defined more than is comfortable by their appearances. At the same time, it's not as bad as it might be, since there's a lack of malice to these attitudes. Iakovitzes is a lecher who badgers his male underlings, but he takes no for an answer and is one of the smartest and most entertaining characters in the book. The end result is that Turtledove comes off more as your out-of-touch grampa rather than as a reactionary.
At the same time, Turtledove is a master at conveying a setting. Videssos is based on Byzantium, and as Turtledove has a PhD in the subject, he makes Videssos live and breathe. It's realism, not in the hyper-cynical style of G.R.R. Martin or Joe Abercrombie, but in a very down to earth, practical sort of way.
Really, that's the feel of the entire book. It's down to earth, competent, and pleasant. It doesn't soar, but it works instead.
Looking at the book from the vantage of about a decade, both of my life and of how the field has changed, it's clear that the book hasn't aged terribly well. At the same time, it's also clear that Turtledove has genuine talent, and a way of doing things that explains why he's the best alternate history author out there (and this is more AH than Fantasy, for all that magic plays role).
On the one hand, the attitudes towards women and towards homosexuality expressed in the book are awkward. Iakovitzes is a dirty old man, and women are defined more than is comfortable by their appearances. At the same time, it's not as bad as it might be, since there's a lack of malice to these attitudes. Iakovitzes is a lecher who badgers his male underlings, but he takes no for an answer and is one of the smartest and most entertaining characters in the book. The end result is that Turtledove comes off more as your out-of-touch grampa rather than as a reactionary.
At the same time, Turtledove is a master at conveying a setting. Videssos is based on Byzantium, and as Turtledove has a PhD in the subject, he makes Videssos live and breathe. It's realism, not in the hyper-cynical style of G.R.R. Martin or Joe Abercrombie, but in a very down to earth, practical sort of way.
Really, that's the feel of the entire book. It's down to earth, competent, and pleasant. It doesn't soar, but it works instead.
March 11, 2016
I was sad when I ran out of books in the Videssos / Roman series. But along comes the story of Krispos, set in the same "world", but well before the Romans "arrived" in Videssos.
Who can't like a rags to riches story? Certainly not me. Krispos starts out on a poor farm and ends up ... well, that would be telling, but his journey is filled with danger, opportunity, difficulties, courage, and all the things that make for a fun read.
I love Turtledove's style and this book didn't disappoint.
Who can't like a rags to riches story? Certainly not me. Krispos starts out on a poor farm and ends up ... well, that would be telling, but his journey is filled with danger, opportunity, difficulties, courage, and all the things that make for a fun read.
I love Turtledove's style and this book didn't disappoint.
September 12, 2013
The opening chapter of The Tale of Krispos really sucked me in. There is realism, which I'm always a fan of, and there are hardly any wasted words. At least that's how it is at first — but more on that later. Harry Turtledove does a great job of describing what is going on by working the information you need into the narrative in natural ways rather than just straight-out telling you certain facts.
The three books that make up The Tale of Krispos — Krispos Rising, Krispos of Videssos, and Krispos the Emperor — are based on the life and times of Basil I, the founder of the Macedonian dynasty of Byzantium. As such, this story rests in the fantasy sub-genre of alternate history. There is a ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
The three books that make up The Tale of Krispos — Krispos Rising, Krispos of Videssos, and Krispos the Emperor — are based on the life and times of Basil I, the founder of the Macedonian dynasty of Byzantium. As such, this story rests in the fantasy sub-genre of alternate history. There is a ... Read More:
http://www.fantasyliterature.com/revi...
September 26, 2012
Meh. A passable take on the farmboy-becomes-king storyline, but nothing outstanding.
December 19, 2017
The first volume of Harry Turtledove's "The Tale of Krispos" Trilogy, which I found particularly entertaining for both the integrity displayed by its unlikely hero, and for Turtledove's use of fantasy-appropriate, but actual, vocabulary terms - one of the few authors who uses terms I feel compelled to look up in the dictionary or online. The other notable vocabulary connoisseurs in literature being Rex Stout's usage of language in his Nero Wolfe mysteries, and Howard Philips Lovecraft's use of bizarre and archaic terminology in any and all of his horror oeuvre.
January 14, 2022
Fun, easy read, like all Turtledove books.
Krispos, as a character, is less engaging than other Turtledove protagonists. And although both were set in Videssos, I enjoyed this less than the stories of the legions from the Videssos Cycle series of books. That will not keep me from picking up the next book in the series, but does cause me to only give three stars.
Krispos, as a character, is less engaging than other Turtledove protagonists. And although both were set in Videssos, I enjoyed this less than the stories of the legions from the Videssos Cycle series of books. That will not keep me from picking up the next book in the series, but does cause me to only give three stars.
August 6, 2025
Nothing groundbreaking but entertaining, Krispos rise sometimes sprains credibility, but he's fated by God so...
All in all an enjoyable read, I would say it's too predictable but there was one big thing I thought was going to to happen and didn't.
All in all an enjoyable read, I would say it's too predictable but there was one big thing I thought was going to to happen and didn't.
December 13, 2019
Started well; then got too Roman. More action; less political intrigue
March 31, 2020
Did not finish. After just a few pages, I noticed so many typos and inconsistent spellings that I had to quit. How did this get published? Did I simply get a bad copy? This needs an editor. Oof.
January 5, 2021
I give it a solid 3 1/2 stars. A lot happens in this novel, showing his rise to the top. The book intrigued me enough to continue on to the 2nd book in the trilogy.
November 27, 2022
Great book, until the last chapter; the ending felt very rushed. I did really like all the court intrigue , though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 8, 2017
Best book I have read by Turtledove yet. I am working my way up chronologically and had just finished the Abivard and Maniakes tales. I found this book must more to my liking.
Although it is a rag to riches story it has its own pizzazz to it that sets it aside from others. The characters are easily to relate to. Iakovites is a great and funny character. I think it was Iakovites' character that really made this book enjoyable as his temper tantrums and sass make for a great comic relief. Cant wait to read the next book in the series.
Although it is a rag to riches story it has its own pizzazz to it that sets it aside from others. The characters are easily to relate to. Iakovites is a great and funny character. I think it was Iakovites' character that really made this book enjoyable as his temper tantrums and sass make for a great comic relief. Cant wait to read the next book in the series.
December 13, 2013
"Krispos' Rising" is a fun, if superficial, fantasy novel that is not an essential read for anyone's list, but sufficiently achieves its aims.
I should disclose up front that this hardly qualifies as a real book review. This is more a trip through nostalgia. A retro review, if you will. When I was twelve each trip to the local library (before it moved and expanded) was met with a quick trip to the small fantasy section. I read this book multiple times. I can remember the countless creases in the spine and the dilapidated cover.
This book was probably my first introduction to the Byzantine Empire, even in its fictionalized form. It was also my introduction to Harry Turtledove's alternate history novels that I devoured in my early teens (most notably his series detailing an alien invasion during World War II).
The book is a very quick read—I breezed through its 368-page book in a couple of days—largely due to, for good and for ill, Turtledove's very unadorned and somewhat minimalist writing style. Moreover, while the novel has a fairly straight-forward direction, it tends to feel more like a collection of moments in his young protagonist's life than a strong, single narrative. This is not really that surprising given that we watch Krispos move from a boy in a village at the edge of an empire, to the servant of a nobleman in the City of Videssos (the fantasy equivalent of Constantinople), until he is eventually involved with the powerful players in the empire.
There isn't much going on behind Turtledove's prose in this novel. The book doesn't meditate on the events of the novel or try to find meaning in them and certainly it doesn't tackle any major issues; it is designed solely with the aim of telling a story that entertains (and making use of a previosly developed world from an earlier series I later discovered). In that, it is successful enough.
My wife asked me if I was disappointed after reading the book again so many years later, and I think I can safely say I wasn't. It wasn't as complex as I remembered (in fact, it is almost absurdly simple at times), but it was enjoyable all the same.
I should disclose up front that this hardly qualifies as a real book review. This is more a trip through nostalgia. A retro review, if you will. When I was twelve each trip to the local library (before it moved and expanded) was met with a quick trip to the small fantasy section. I read this book multiple times. I can remember the countless creases in the spine and the dilapidated cover.
This book was probably my first introduction to the Byzantine Empire, even in its fictionalized form. It was also my introduction to Harry Turtledove's alternate history novels that I devoured in my early teens (most notably his series detailing an alien invasion during World War II).
The book is a very quick read—I breezed through its 368-page book in a couple of days—largely due to, for good and for ill, Turtledove's very unadorned and somewhat minimalist writing style. Moreover, while the novel has a fairly straight-forward direction, it tends to feel more like a collection of moments in his young protagonist's life than a strong, single narrative. This is not really that surprising given that we watch Krispos move from a boy in a village at the edge of an empire, to the servant of a nobleman in the City of Videssos (the fantasy equivalent of Constantinople), until he is eventually involved with the powerful players in the empire.
There isn't much going on behind Turtledove's prose in this novel. The book doesn't meditate on the events of the novel or try to find meaning in them and certainly it doesn't tackle any major issues; it is designed solely with the aim of telling a story that entertains (and making use of a previosly developed world from an earlier series I later discovered). In that, it is successful enough.
My wife asked me if I was disappointed after reading the book again so many years later, and I think I can safely say I wasn't. It wasn't as complex as I remembered (in fact, it is almost absurdly simple at times), but it was enjoyable all the same.
October 3, 2014
This book is, in my opinion, one of Turtledove's best. One of his problems is that many of the characters in his varied series are essentially the same; this does not happen here. The story too is relatively fresh. While it is a basic rags-to-riches plot, the execution is relatively flawless and the details are wonderful. The plot itself is loosely modeled on the rise of Byzantine Emperor Basil I (book two is largely based on Basil II) but the interaction of magic and other various details makes this book unique. It's a well written and exciting read. Moreover, minor details tie it in to the other two Videssos located series, the "Videssos Cycle" and the "Time of Troubles" cycle. Well worth reading, I give it full marks.
June 24, 2015
This was a pretty good read about a peasant farmer who ended up as Emperor.
I read the Kindle version which had some real glaring misspellings. Things like "mat" for "that" and "I V" for "I've" and what have you. Getting past that did not sour the reading of the book however. So if you enjoy the fantasy style books this is pretty good, although like most Turtledove books this can slow down in places and drag some. However his character building is very good as his world building I thought.
I read the Kindle version which had some real glaring misspellings. Things like "mat" for "that" and "I V" for "I've" and what have you. Getting past that did not sour the reading of the book however. So if you enjoy the fantasy style books this is pretty good, although like most Turtledove books this can slow down in places and drag some. However his character building is very good as his world building I thought.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2013
A really good series that I thoroughly enjoyed. Krispos rises through the ranks and the story of how he gets there is fun. I love the characters and Turtledove does a good job of keeping the world of Videssos alive. I enjoyed these books.
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December 7, 2009Not sure about this one, but we'll see.
...abandoned. Can't get into it.
...abandoned. Can't get into it.
May 22, 2012
I really enjoyed this series. Typical fantasy series but well written.
December 28, 2014
I read this book a long time ago, but I find myself thinking back to it regularly. I plan to finally read the next one soon.
June 10, 2024
Repurposed History of the Rise of He who would rule. A worthwhile read (Again and again).
6/24 A joy in transition
6/24 A joy in transition
August 13, 2014
First book was a good read , pity about the 2 that followed
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews