Beyond the North Wind

by Gillian Bradshaw

After learning that the evil Arimaspians and their witch queen plan to destroy the Issedones, Aristeas comes to the aid of his friends. By the author of The Dragon and the Thief.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Young Adult

184 pages, Library Binding

First published April 1, 1993

About the author

Born in Arlington, Virgina, Gillian Bradshaw grew up in Washington, Santiago, Chile and Michigan. She is a Classics graduate from Newnham College, Cambridge, and published her first novel, Hawk of May, just before her final term. A highly acclaimed historical novelist, Gillian Bradshaw has won the Hopwood Award for Fiction, among other prizes. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and their four children.

Reviews

[Ozymandias · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, even though it was not what I’d expected. Looking at the cover one might expect this to be a straight up Fantasy novel (and indeed, it has a lot of fantastical elements and creatures), possibly Dark Age inspired but still existing in its own universe. Instead, we get a historical novel about Aristeas of Proconnesus, an ancient semi-legendary Greek poet and magician, and his adventures among the barbarian peoples of the far north. In other words, this is a Fantasy novel but it's a Fantasy based almost solely on Greek mythology set within the ancient world.

That’s something pretty unique when it comes right down to it. A lot of Fantasy novels borrow elements from Classical mythology, but this exists exclusively in that realm. So we get elements such as spell-casting through music, shape-changing, and god-given curses and omens. Even though this book uses such tropes within a more traditional modern Fantasy structure (a direct and personal narrative, clearly-defined mythical creatures, and a world-ending threat) it never misuses them or makes the story feel forced. The book could never be mistaken for one of Homer’s or Apollonius’, but it would not have seemed totally alien to them. Which is more than can be said about most efforts to translate Greek myths to film, where the style is Roman at best, and medieval or early modern at worst, and various foreign elements (*cough* krakens) are inserted to bring the story more in line with “modern” Fantasy tropes.

The story itself is designed for children and tells of Aristeas’ attempts to defend the griffins from the Arimaspians (one-eyed cannibalistic giants). Aristeas can shapeshift and perform other magic through the power of song, and has been drafted by Apollo to complete his mission. He is a curious mixture of selfishness, pride, and compassion, and a good role model for kids. Also involved are the Hyperboreans of the title (hyper=beyond, boreas=the north wind), ancient magicians who have drifted apart from the world of man. The scale of the plot might be big, but the novel is essentially a personal adventure for Aristeas, who at times reminds me strongly of a more capable Bilbo Baggins. The plot is not over-long or convoluted, but each chapter gives us a new significant goal. Bradshaw states in her introduction that this was a story she came up with to entertain her children, and it seems well designed to do that. In this, it’s like many of the best children’s novels.

I, of course, am not a child. But I enjoyed it anyway.

[Evan Þ. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gillian Bradshaw here writes a children's book! In the world of ancient Greek myths, Apollo has empowered a magician and sent him to the edge of the world, where dwell the savage one-eyed Arimaspians and the griffins. He befriends the griffins, and resolves to defend them from the Arimaspians who plan to conquer them - but realizes Apollo has a surer but more challenging way in mind to make peace.

This was a fast read, and the ending pleasantly surprised me. It's still shallower than most of Bradshaw's books, but I'm sure I would've liked it as a kid.

[K. Nagle · Rating 5 out of 5]

James Spaid, the author of the Gryphon Pages Online, recommended this book to me and I'm glad he did. Bradshaw takes the Arimaspean/gryphon mythology and weaves it into a fun YA tale that clings to the source material. There's even a fun Author's Note at the end talking about what myths and sources she was working with.

Definitely worth tracking down a copy for the gryphon fan in your life.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Centuries before Herodotus, the Greek god Apollo grant the gifts of music & magic to a teenage Ionian poet, whom he then sends on a mission to prevent the slaughter of a tribe of griffins by a tribe of cyclops.

[Kathryn McConaughy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on an obscure bit out of Herodotus. Fun! Though the grumbly Aristeas is hard to take at times.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

At one point my favorite book as a child, and I was utterly delighted to read it again. It’s excellently executed and really iconic. Super underrated.

[Jennie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book written for tweens and young teens. Keeping that in mind I really enjoyed this book. Mrs. Bradshaw has an amazing way of taking a piece of history and expounding on it in a way that takes her readers on great adventures. I have yet to find a book by her that I don't like. (I have only read her historical fiction.) I was able to relate to multiple characters in the story and surprisingly enough, I was able to relate to a griffin too. That came as quite a shock since I'm a human.

The way she ends the story is exactly the way I like it. It's how life so often is. Bittersweet with a touch of pride from doing the right thing. That can be a difficult and arduous path that most people would shy away from. This in the end for me makes it worth reading the story.

[Charisse · Rating 4 out of 5]

how many times i read this story? don't know... this is my favorite book in my shelves.