Young Conquerors: A Novel of Hephaestion and Alexandros

by Christopher Cosmos, Gary Bennett (Narrator)

A boy who was never meant to be king, a horizon waiting to be explored, a love and legend that moved and created worlds, and has been erased... until now.

Pella, Greece; 341 B.C.

Alexandros is a middle child caught between two warring spouses, born to both a king and queen, but never meant to rule himself. When a mysterious young man arrives from the north, fleeing his own family, and meets Alexandros in a garden in the Macedonian capital, the bond that's created between them will soon become unbreakable and ultimately define both the direction of the Ancient World, and ours.

For fans of The Song of Achilles and Madeline Miller, Young Conquerors is a novel of the vast mysteries of the human heart that gives two of the most important figures in history the love story they deserve and shows how Alexandros, later called "the Great," was shaped, formed, and ultimately turned into the man who would go on to become the greatest conqueror and visionary the world had ever seen, all told through the eyes of the one he loved, and who knew him best.

A beautiful, sweeping, epic, and breathtaking novel from a new and important voice in Greek fiction, this is an intimate and vivid portrait of two of the most famous young men in history as they've never been seen caught between youthful ambition and eternal love, and on the precipice of changing the world.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Audiobook, Historical

Audio CD

Published September 10, 2024

About the author

Hello! I'm a screenwriter and bestselling author from the Midwest who grew up in Grand Rapids, MI and attended the University of Michigan.

My second novel, "Young Conquerors," is now available and ready to be added to your shelves! My first novel, "Once We Were Here," a love story set in Greece during WWII, is also out and available anywhere books are found or sold.

For more news and updates please also follow along on Instagram @christophercosmos.

Reviews

[A Bookworm Crafts · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this work of historical fiction, we follow young Hephaestion as he flees his ursurping uncle and finds himself in Macedonia, training with Basileus Philippos' men. There he meets Alexandros with whom he forms an intense bond. Together they will live and train, "two bodies with one soul".

I loved the references to the Iliad, particularly the story of Achilles and Patrocles (here referred to as Achilleus and Patroklos).

A recommended read for fans of Greek historical fiction and Alexander the Great.

Thank you to author Christopher Cosmos for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Derek Fleming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this fictional retelling of the Alexander and Hephaestion story and the story of their love - 'agape' - it is entirely believable and indeed quite likely to be fact rather than fiction! As much as I seem to be enjoying historical fiction of late, I do find I'm struggling in some cases to better understand thenfiction vs nonfiction elements lol! All good. Maybe I will just choose to believe it all!

[Stavro · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Audiobook]

Narrator: 4.5
Story: 4.5

Beautifully written book. The way Cosmos weaves historical fact and fiction in this retelling of Alexander The Great and Hephaestion is really well done. The rise of Alexander The Great and the live story between him and Hephaestion was wonderful. Really looking forward to more from Christopher Cosmos. Highly recommend this book.

[Kim Layman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderfully written historical fiction novel on the relationship between Alexandros, who is known as Alexander the Great, and Hephaestion.

Hephaestion flees his home to escape murder at the hands of his uncle, who usurps the throne and wants no competition. And in his new home, he meets Alexandros-a striking man with blonde hair and commanding presence.

Cosmos lyrically and beautifully lays out the growing bond between the two men-from soldiers, to friends, to one soul. The two protagonists form a quiet and strong connection through their similar situations, and the way they are able to provide a physical connection in a way no one else can. They stand together-side by side-through pain, compulsory activities, treachery, and war. Hephaestion is the calm in Alexandros’ storm, and brings his back to his right mind when he becomes consumed with the rage bubbling inside-at his father, his mother, his role in life. Alexandros is the strength that balances his friend’s silence and churning thoughts-giving him a place to feel a sense of meaning. Their emotions and conversations are raw, exposed, and truthful. They are not afraid of being known by one another, and trust one another without question.

The balance between these two is illustrated well in this new look at the world’s most renown commander and his closest confidant. Cosmos also reference Achilles and Patroclus-giving us a reference to the kind of relationship they feel they have. If you are a fan of Greek historical fiction, this is a must read. 4.5 stars.

A big thank you to the author for my ARC. My opinion is my own.

[Maddy McGlynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a thoughtful, lyrical and intimate story about Alexandros, who would become Alexander the Great, and Hephaestion, his soul mate, best friend and life companion.

Initially, the novel got off to a slow start, in part due to the long sentence structures. However, as the story progresses, and Hephaestion begins to find himself, and tells his story through his own words, this structure becomes part of the flow of the novel and lends itself to its structure and characterisation.

Greece is the land of Cosmos’s ancestors, and his affinity and connection with it is evident through Alexandros’ and Hephaestion’s experiences. He vividly creates Ancient Greece; from its characters, locations through to the tactics and tools of a Greek army. He also creates a very personal and relatable portrait of Alexander the Great, a figure I know very little about and loved learning more about through the words of this novel.

The connection between the two men is deep, intricate and complicated, but is done subtly and gracefully. It is reminiscent of the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, something which is referenced in the novel.

I really enjoyed this deep and intimate portrayal of two powerful men in the ancient world.

Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hephaestion flees from his home in the middle of the night in order to avoid being murdered by his uncle, who wants no competition for the thrown. He races to a nearby kingdom, asking for sancuary and training. Here, he meets a young Alexandros who is a prince fighting to rule his own kingdom. They are immediately drawn to each other and form an unbreakable bond. This is the story of Alexandros, known as Alexander The Great, told through the eyes of the person he loved most, Hephaestion.

Thoughts 💭
I love historical fiction but have not dived into too much about Ancient Greece. After this, I'm definitely checking out more! I went into this blind but came out learning so much about Alexander and Hephaestion. This story was beautifully told about these historical figures who were able to accomplish impressive feats at such a young age. I didn't realize I would also get a wonderful love story out of this as well. While people speculate whether he and Hephaestion were just friends or more than that, I definitely think they were more, and this book gives them their story. I definitely recommend checking this out if you love historical fiction, especially about Ancient Greece.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Shannon O'Flynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hephaestion is the son of a king who died and has to flee his kingdom in order to not be killed. He is considered a threat and must flee to Pella, where he begs to train to fight for Philippos. He meets Alexandros there, the son of Philippos and the two form a strong bond. They train side by side along with the other companions until they grow old enough to go to war. Then, they start conquering.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It read very similarly to "The Song of Achille's" in terms of Hephaestion and Alexandros' bond. It is actually mentioned multiple times in the book that the two are like Achilleus and Patroklos. I liked how Alexandros tried to be better just for Hephaestion.

The parts where the two of them were conquering land was, in my opinion, the best part, although I liked when they were younger as well. This part, the action just seemed to take off.

There was also a lot of historical references in this book. For example, Alexandros is Alexander the Great.

Overall, this book was a great read. I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction especially about Greece and fans of the Song of Achilles.

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Although nothing can be one hundred percent proven, there has long been speculation that Alexander the Great and Hephaestion were more than just friends. In Young Conquerors, Cosmos gives shape to their love story in what I thought was quite a sweet way. Told from the perspective of Hephaestion, readers get to experience the unbreakable bond that forms between two young men destined for greatness.

I have always loved reading about Ancient Greece so I enjoyed the plot of this novel. I appreciated that Cosmos focused on the daily lives and experiences of what shaped Alexander and Hephaestion into who they were instead of just the battles they fought together. Their dedication and total acceptance of one another was one of the highlights of this story for me.

I did think there was some awkward sentence structure, with an overuse of unnecessary adverbs, but in a way that sort of lent itself to the voice of Hephaestion. You can tell he is inexperienced in certain areas of life, but determined to overcome any obstacles, especially when it comes to helping Alexandros. Overall, Cosmos creates a unique story that is accessible for many different types of readers.

[J L · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did not read this as a love story, and I like that. It felt to me more like a (quite) realistic take of what initially *made* Alexandros as great as he eventually became, and what kind of a person would (or could) become that. Not making him and Hephaestion’s relationship too intense felt in a way respectful, and I really liked the decision. We **don’t** know any details of what they were or what they did. The description of their bond was somewhat vague, but clearly still a deep and meaningful one, for sure.

I think there was still a hint of that more modern interpretation on how some things went, but I get that the book wouldn’t sell otherwise..

I liked many things about Alexandros as a character, and the way he was written was honestly my favourite part of the book. He was clever, charming, religious, hot-headed.. Maybe his impulsivity is what I sort of missed. Putting his less morally correct acts on his ”darker side” didn’t feel accurate to me personally, since I tend to think he was just very impulsive from time to time, and that he really needed to make a big deal about himself. I wouldn’t necessarily say he had a light side and a dark side in that way, but that’s just me. I liked the lion comparison. It was very dramatic, but so was he, so it didn’t feel out of character for him. And as I said, I like that he was described as a religious man (although maybe that could’ve been highlighted even MORE. Again.. with the personal takes..)

Making Hephaestion the one who sort of kept Alexandros’ feet on the ground was amusing to me, since I have a feeling he sort of had the opposite effect on him in reality.. But I guess we can’t really know, so it’s a choice.
And the whole thing about Hephaestion (**literally the man who (likely) eventually drank himself to death**) not praying to Dionysus, but ATHENE. Sure, why not. But I absolutely loved how the book actually described him as strong and capable, which he definitely was, and didn’t try to make him seem insecure or shy just to make him feel more relatable to most.

Somethings that *I* would’ve probably written differently (not that I’m an author of any kind, but still, personal takes and preferences)..

The whole Ithaca plotline felt a bit random, to be honest. And a bit cliché, the cave and all. Because I hardly think they would’ve had to travel all the way to some cave in the middle of nowhere just to do all that (for no apparent reason really), and then it never got addressed again..? And we also didn’t really hear any of Hephaestion’s thoughts on the whole situation or how he even felt about Alexandros throughout the book, which sort of left me as a reader feeling like it all was a bit rushed and confusing. Sure, it was said they loved each other, but there was really no further explanation and so it came off as a bit rushed. Maybe just I felt that way, I don’t know.
I would’ve honestly liked to hear more about how he saw or felt about him rather than just descriptions of his hair colour and his eyes again and again, but.. Still, let me say this again, it is a personal preference, and I know that most people would probably rather read about a cool cave scene.

Also, I know that books like these are somewhat difficult to write, since it’s hard to make the book hooking for the reader while still keeping it historically accurate, BUT I would’ve still liked maybe.. just something that wasn’t just like a list of things that happened. Maybe some less obvious forecasting on what will happen in the future (for the readers that actually know the story of Alexander.) There was soo much potential, I was waiting in anticipation, but noo..

I would recommend this book to someone who struggles with maturing and leaving their comfort zone. Also, the timeline, the characters and the plot; quite historically accurate, actually! Surprised me! The unfortunate side of reading about stuff that actually *did* happen is just that I won’t be expecting for any plot twists, hah.

The desciptions of places and views were accurate and very believable, and the transitions between places felt smooth and quick.

I wouldn’t advice to read this quite as a history book, no. I would recommend to read it more of as proof that the passing of time is melancholic and scary, but that there’s comfort in knowing that maybe some things really are immortal and everlasting, or maybe recurring. Or as proof that we will always keep making mistakes as humans, because no man is perfect. And neither should we be. But the fear of making mistakes is not something that should ever stop us from living. That’s something that stuck with me from this book.

[Marion Clarisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone whose favorite love story of all time is the millennia old one between Alexander the Great and his most loyal and devoted general, Hephaestion Amyntoros, Young Conquerors stands out as an innovative retelling that envisions Hephaestion as a young prince and the rightful heir to the throne of Salona, a kingdom in Illyria. After a tense encounter with his traitorous uncle's men, he finds himself in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia and meets Prince Alexandros, the second son of King Philip II of Macedon and the boy who would one day shape his destiny.

One of the novel's strongest points has to be the worldbuilding. Christopher Cosmos illustrates Salona as a place that feels just as real as Pella and although he takes creative liberties with some historical details, he manages to maintain a delicate balance between history and fiction and amalgamates them to create a believable universe.

I would be remiss, of course, if I didn't mention the achingly beautiful portrayal of Alexandros and Hephaestion's emotional love story, which is the heart of the entire novel. Cosmos deftly uses the prevailing theme of "agape" as the strongest, most powerful form of love and in applying this to Alexandros and Hephaestion's intense bond, he reinforces Aristotle's belief that they were one soul abiding two bodies. Nowhere is Hephaestion's devotion to Alexander more evident than when he eventually chooses to follow Alexandros into the unknown over the kingdom he's fought so fiercely to return to. The ending where they share a kiss overlooking the horizon towards Persia is especially poignant and evocative. It foretells a future where no matter the outcome, no matter the cost of the world they build together, their love will remain as everlasting and eternal as their legacy.

[BookBabeNails · Rating 4 out of 5]

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I am such a sucker for these ancient retellings. I absolutely loved The Song of Achilles and the way the friendship and relationship build in this one reminds me of that story. Achilles and Patroclus are actually referenced in this book as well many times. I was so excited for this one because I actually know very little about Hephaestion and Alexandros compared to a lot of the other characters in retellings I’ve read.

I found myself rooting for the main characters which is always a good sign of emotional investment as a reader. I just love watching these kinds of relationships blossom in books. Like watching characters go from strangers to having an incredibly close bond. This was a sweet one for sure and I also learned some new bits of history too along the way. Recommended for fans of ancient history retellings.

Thanks to the author for providing an eARC!

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this book expecting Song of Achilles vibes and while the vibes are certainly there, this book is more than capable of standing on its own merit.
This book is about Hephaestion and Alexandros, better known as Alexander the Great. It centers on their adolescence and coming of age as they find and fulfill a destiny that will last for millennia.
Young Conquerors is definitely a slow burn. There are moments of homoerotism and sensuality, but Cosmos doesn't dwell there and instead focuses on the emotional and soulful connection between our two main characters and how their bond transcends the physical. The writing is infused with a sense of longing, yearning, and desire. To make something of one's self and to live a life that matters. I will say that Cosmos has a tendency to repeat words and phrases, perhaps for emphasis and dramatic effect, and sometimes it's effective, but other times comes across as trying a little too hard to be profound. All in all, this was a slow but solid read.

[Riss 🫶🏻☕️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young Conquerors is a historical fiction story set in Greece. Alexandros is the middle child to a king and queen, but he was never meant to rule. In the Macedonian capital, he meets a young man with whom he creates an unbreakable bond. As a major fan of Greece and the Ancient times, I was really excited to read this! Cosmos’ voice captures the story of two people in love and a history written beautifully. There were many moments that I loved, but reading about Alexandros and his journey into becoming one of the greatest conquerors was my favorite part. This is a gripping tale that I could not put down. I highly recommend reading this for the writing and storytelling that the author has given us.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was definitely not something I would normally pick up and read. I enjoy historical fiction, this was the first I have read about Greece.
Hephaestion’s father is a king who died. He now has to flee his home in the middle of the night. He is avoiding to be murdered by his uncle who wants the throne without any competition.
He goes to Pella another Kingdom and asks for training and sanctuary.
He meets Alexandros, the son of Philippos and they form a strong bond. They train together.
Historical references, a story about two historical figures.

I received an ARC prior to publication and decided to voluntarily review it.

[Izz McBride · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Parts of it at the beginning were a bit clunky and that’s the only thing keeping it from being 5 stars for me

This book is compared to Song Of Achilles, and while I do see the comparison I don’t think the fan base for this book and SoA would overlap as much because it’s not so much a traditional romance. Like it’s about these two men who love each other and going through the events that lead them into becoming the men history remembers them as.

This books explores Agape, an unconditional selfless love and it comes through in the writing.

I might come back later and add more but I love this book so much. I need to find more like it.

Read it it’s good.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book. I would have to say it's not my usual genres, but the book was very engaging. It is the story of Alexander the Great through his childhood until he came into power. Learning the history was very interesting, and watching the relationship between the 2 boys was good. 4 stars, as at times it got quite wordy and there was not as much dialog as I would have liked. But, a very good book!!

Thank you to Christopher Cosmos for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

First of all the tambour of this book fits the time period. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator’s rhythm and voice fit this work very well.
This book was so good. I’ve never dove into historical fiction and this was a great first experience. The story of Haephestion and Alexandros is timeless. The different Greek loves perfectly illustrated and how one can drive you to murder and the other lead you to conquer the world. I’m so glad I read it.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

i think i wanted more from this, but i did enjoy what it gave. idk anything about these two historical figures relationship prior to starting this book, so learning they were perhaps more than friends was interesting. i think i wanted a more solid stance between the two. i did like their relationship with one another though. i want to read this again as a physical book in the future. the audiobook narrator did a lovely job, but my brain...

[Mirandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no idea how historically accurate this story is (probably not very historically accurate tbh). However I do love a story about gay ancient Greeks, and this story definitely delivers. There are a lot of references to the love between Patroclus and Achilles. Alexander seems like an imperialist dick sometimes but Hephaestion tries to keep him in line.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read!! Couldn’t put it down!!!

[Will Ames · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it in two days, highly recommend! If you loved Song of Achilles you'll love this. Super interesting history, super sweet love story, five stars *****

[Nicara Govindsamy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written story that is very character based rather than plot led. A beautiful portrayal of an enduring relationship.

[m.e.]

come back to later

[William Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fascinating and informative novel, forcing me (in a good way) to look up more information on many of the characters.

I loved the novel. And the author definitely knows his early Greek history and lovingly and ingeniously develops the stories of two main characters. I look forward to the sequel.