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The Tale of Krispos #1-3
The Tale of Krispos
The dazzling story of a boy who rises from poverty and hardship to become the greatest leader his world has ever known
KRISPOS RISING
Born a ragged peasant, Krispos lives on the family farm until crushing taxes drove him from the land he calls home. With only a single gold piece to his name–a gift from a nomad chieftain who claimed it carried magic–Krispos heads for the imperial capital, Videssos, and into a world of peril and possibility.
KRISPOS OF VIDESSOS
Krispos’ reign as emperor of Videssos shows every sign of being brief and very bloody–for trouble is brewing. Civil war has erupted, and as rebel troops take the field against the untried emperor, outland raiders are sweeping down from the northlands in a tide of carnage. How long can Krispos hope to keep head and crown together?
KRISPOS THE EMPEROR
A strange heresy has taken root in the land and soon dissent flares into open revolt as Krispos faces his greatest To save his empire from tearing itself apart, he wages an evermore desperate war against an implacable foe, setting brother against brother and father against son.
KRISPOS RISING
Born a ragged peasant, Krispos lives on the family farm until crushing taxes drove him from the land he calls home. With only a single gold piece to his name–a gift from a nomad chieftain who claimed it carried magic–Krispos heads for the imperial capital, Videssos, and into a world of peril and possibility.
KRISPOS OF VIDESSOS
Krispos’ reign as emperor of Videssos shows every sign of being brief and very bloody–for trouble is brewing. Civil war has erupted, and as rebel troops take the field against the untried emperor, outland raiders are sweeping down from the northlands in a tide of carnage. How long can Krispos hope to keep head and crown together?
KRISPOS THE EMPEROR
A strange heresy has taken root in the land and soon dissent flares into open revolt as Krispos faces his greatest To save his empire from tearing itself apart, he wages an evermore desperate war against an implacable foe, setting brother against brother and father against son.
1024 pages, Paperback
First published October 30, 2007
29 people are currently reading
141 people want to read
About the author
Harry Turtledove
564 books1,966 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 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 28, 2023
TReading this omnibus edition is returning to an old friend.
Harry Turtledove's Videssos is simply the Byzantine Empire with the map flipped and Europe removed. He uses his doctorate in Byzantine history to create a vibrant, authentic setting. When my wife and I visited Istanbul, I could identify locations from the novels.
These three novels chronicle the rise of Krispos, a peasant farmer who was taxed off his land. Goomg tp Videssos the City; he is aided by divine intervention. Krispos starts as a groom, rises through the palace intrigues, and finally becomes the Autokrater. The second novel has Krispos dealing with a civil war and a mysterious wizard sacking cities in the north.
The final part of the trilogy is set some twenty years later. Krispos has three sons, and now new heresies threaten the realm's stability, and his heir is kidnapped. Or did he go willingly?
Turtledove's style is clean, crisp writing. His characters are engaging, and Videssos is a real place as it unfolds. These three novels are part of this milieu's much more extensive collection of stories. I like this book, and as I said, it's an old friend that stands up to being re-read occasionally.
Harry Turtledove's Videssos is simply the Byzantine Empire with the map flipped and Europe removed. He uses his doctorate in Byzantine history to create a vibrant, authentic setting. When my wife and I visited Istanbul, I could identify locations from the novels.
These three novels chronicle the rise of Krispos, a peasant farmer who was taxed off his land. Goomg tp Videssos the City; he is aided by divine intervention. Krispos starts as a groom, rises through the palace intrigues, and finally becomes the Autokrater. The second novel has Krispos dealing with a civil war and a mysterious wizard sacking cities in the north.
The final part of the trilogy is set some twenty years later. Krispos has three sons, and now new heresies threaten the realm's stability, and his heir is kidnapped. Or did he go willingly?
Turtledove's style is clean, crisp writing. His characters are engaging, and Videssos is a real place as it unfolds. These three novels are part of this milieu's much more extensive collection of stories. I like this book, and as I said, it's an old friend that stands up to being re-read occasionally.
January 22, 2018
This is a very good treatment of alternate Byzantine history. More, it's a good treatment of the rise of an ordinary fellow--he's a good wrestler and a fast learner but that's about it--to the very top of the Empire. The first volume covers the rise.
And then I stopped, or rather a couple chapters into the next volume. I liked Krispos and Turtledove knows how to tell a tale. But I've just come off two other novels centered on palace intrigue and that's mostly what I was reading here. Perhaps if I had not already gorged on the genre, I'd have stuck with this one longer.
And then I stopped, or rather a couple chapters into the next volume. I liked Krispos and Turtledove knows how to tell a tale. But I've just come off two other novels centered on palace intrigue and that's mostly what I was reading here. Perhaps if I had not already gorged on the genre, I'd have stuck with this one longer.
May 10, 2022
A great fantasy epic.
While not a traditional epic fantasy (which usually follows a hero's journey), this is a story both fantastic and epic.
Though it mirrors a normal hero's journey, it also deals more with culture and politics than vanquishing a mighty foe (though there is dinner if that in the second book).
I first read the first two books of this series many years ago, then searched forever for the third book. Following Krispos as he rises is a delightful, but also thoughtful, tale, and I have enjoyed it as much now as I did when I read it as a younger man.
While not a traditional epic fantasy (which usually follows a hero's journey), this is a story both fantastic and epic.
Though it mirrors a normal hero's journey, it also deals more with culture and politics than vanquishing a mighty foe (though there is dinner if that in the second book).
I first read the first two books of this series many years ago, then searched forever for the third book. Following Krispos as he rises is a delightful, but also thoughtful, tale, and I have enjoyed it as much now as I did when I read it as a younger man.
July 18, 2022
One of my favourite fantasy novels and definitely my favourite Turtledove books.
August 13, 2014
The Tale of Krispos consists of three previously published novels which were a favourite of mine in the 90s and which I foolishly disposed of a few years ago. So, I was happy to find a copy of this omnibus edition about a month ago.
This is the second of the Videssos cycle series, written after the Legion series which I reviewed earlier in the spring. It is set three or so centuries before the Legion series and follows the adventures of Krispos, a peasant who leaves his land holding due to over-taxation, moves to the city, Videssos, work his way into the imperial household and, eventually, to become the Emperor.
This edition starts with the first novel, Krispos Rising, which charts the rise of Krispos from a peasant holding to the north of Videssos through his move to Videssos and his unexpected overthrow of the pleasant, fun-loving, but ineffective Emperor Anthemios. The second book charts Krispos' efforts to remove his great rival, Petronas, and his wars with a rogue band of Halogai (read Vikings) and their leader, Harvas (who appears in the Legion series as the infinitely prolonged evil wizard, Avshar). The last book revisits Krispos twenty years later as he deals with grumpy adolescent sons (and successor!) and violent and destructive heretics (read: Paulicans in real life).
Like the Legion series, part of the appeal of this series is the degree to which the stories and the plots are clearly patterned on Byzantine history. Krispos is clearly Basil I the Macedonian, a peasant upstart who worked his way into the imperial office through wrestling prowess, clever opportunism and the elimination of a clearly alcoholic, ineffective emperor, Michael III. Basil proved to be a good and diligent emperor, but had an awkward relationship with his successor, who proved rather more educated, but still effective. The parallels go even into policy because Basil I's general policy to limit the economic and political power of aristocrats is reflected in Krispos' similar policies.
This is a fun read, although one must have a taste for the kind of slightly Stoic hero which is so common in Turtledove novels. Well worth reading!
This is the second of the Videssos cycle series, written after the Legion series which I reviewed earlier in the spring. It is set three or so centuries before the Legion series and follows the adventures of Krispos, a peasant who leaves his land holding due to over-taxation, moves to the city, Videssos, work his way into the imperial household and, eventually, to become the Emperor.
This edition starts with the first novel, Krispos Rising, which charts the rise of Krispos from a peasant holding to the north of Videssos through his move to Videssos and his unexpected overthrow of the pleasant, fun-loving, but ineffective Emperor Anthemios. The second book charts Krispos' efforts to remove his great rival, Petronas, and his wars with a rogue band of Halogai (read Vikings) and their leader, Harvas (who appears in the Legion series as the infinitely prolonged evil wizard, Avshar). The last book revisits Krispos twenty years later as he deals with grumpy adolescent sons (and successor!) and violent and destructive heretics (read: Paulicans in real life).
Like the Legion series, part of the appeal of this series is the degree to which the stories and the plots are clearly patterned on Byzantine history. Krispos is clearly Basil I the Macedonian, a peasant upstart who worked his way into the imperial office through wrestling prowess, clever opportunism and the elimination of a clearly alcoholic, ineffective emperor, Michael III. Basil proved to be a good and diligent emperor, but had an awkward relationship with his successor, who proved rather more educated, but still effective. The parallels go even into policy because Basil I's general policy to limit the economic and political power of aristocrats is reflected in Krispos' similar policies.
This is a fun read, although one must have a taste for the kind of slightly Stoic hero which is so common in Turtledove novels. Well worth reading!
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...
July 31, 2015
This is vaguely irrelevant to the book itself, but collecting the entire trilogy into one novel made for a very unwieldy book. The size of this volume is a bit odd, it's very floppy and hard to read, and the paper is really thin and cheap. To the point where you can see the words on the back of the page while reading the front. It's much more enjoyable to read this in 3 volumes.
July 6, 2013
THIS WAS IN MY MIND JUST A WONDERFUL BOOK. ACTUALLY THREE BOOKS IN ONE AND I HAD SO MUCH FUN READING IT. THE PLOTS WERE GOOD THE CHARACTERS WERE GREAT YOU WERE EVEN SORRY WHEN THE BAD GUYS GOT KILLED. FOR THOSE PEIPKE THAT LIKE FANTASY OR SCI FI. IN MY MIND THIS IS IT. I MORE THAN RECOMEND THIS BOOK. HAVE A GOOD READ.
March 3, 2008
Not bad, but I expect more from Turtledove. His alternate history stories were much better, I think. The first in this volume (Krispos Rising) is the best of the three.
January 28, 2009
A rags to riches story, well written and fun. Yeah its Rome, yeah theres Magic. But Harry pulls it together nicely with a great character study of a man who makes his own destiny.
December 7, 2013
Three great books altogether into one. What is there not to like? I loved the series individually, I had to buy them altogether. A great read.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews