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Nikias
Nikias is amazed by the speed of Alkides, who he races against in the Isthmian games. He even wonders if the older boy is the god Apollo in disguise. At Delphi, where they race again, he realizes Alkides is only a boy, although a rather amazing boy. While in Delphi, Nikias receives a disturbing prophecy from the oracle and his life and that of Alkides become entwined. Nikias knows that he must lose all he loves to gain the deepest desire of his heart, but what is that desire and is it worth the cost? Nikias is a story of young love in Ancient Greece, during the war between Athens and Sparta.
281 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 4, 2025
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7 people want to read
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June 1, 2025
POLLANNA PROSE AD NAUSEUM
Before he begins his narrative, Roeder provides a glossary of ancient Greek words to help the reader better appreciate the story. However, for the purpose of this review there are only two terms you need to be acquainted with:
Erastes -older lover (20s -30s) of a young boy typically between the ages of 12-18.
Eromenos - a youth who is the object of love for an erastes.
This novel is a very simple story told in first person by Nikias, an eromenos, telling the reader about all of his loves as he grows from a boy into manhood; especially his one special love, his erastes. There are no other subplots. It's a very simple straight forward telling in Nikias' voice up until the very end of the story.
There really is no complexity to this novel. There literally are no female characters in the story which isn't really a criticism considering its ancient Greece and the status of women was just above goats. With the exception of only one bad actor, all the boys and men in this story are ridiculously and unbelievably sweet, pure, and oh so good. Every character is already an Eagle Scout or well on his way to becoming one.
Also, it seemed Roeder ran of things to say. There is so much redundancy in the novel. I think five time he tells us the gymnasium is reserved only for boys at certain times and should an older man enter (implication obvious), he could be put to death. It wasn't just this bit of information, most of what Nikias professes and who he says it to and the response he receives is often repeated many times throughout the story. I heard him profess his undying love to his erastes and his erastes sappy response in the same or almost the same phrases so many times I was eye-rolling.
Here's another one word definition I pulled from the internet that pretty much sums up this story:
Pollyanna: an excessively cheerful or optimistic person
If you want a story about "Greek love" that's all "rainbows and butterflies" (and not very realistic), this is a novel for you.
Before he begins his narrative, Roeder provides a glossary of ancient Greek words to help the reader better appreciate the story. However, for the purpose of this review there are only two terms you need to be acquainted with:
Erastes -older lover (20s -30s) of a young boy typically between the ages of 12-18.
Eromenos - a youth who is the object of love for an erastes.
This novel is a very simple story told in first person by Nikias, an eromenos, telling the reader about all of his loves as he grows from a boy into manhood; especially his one special love, his erastes. There are no other subplots. It's a very simple straight forward telling in Nikias' voice up until the very end of the story.
There really is no complexity to this novel. There literally are no female characters in the story which isn't really a criticism considering its ancient Greece and the status of women was just above goats. With the exception of only one bad actor, all the boys and men in this story are ridiculously and unbelievably sweet, pure, and oh so good. Every character is already an Eagle Scout or well on his way to becoming one.
Also, it seemed Roeder ran of things to say. There is so much redundancy in the novel. I think five time he tells us the gymnasium is reserved only for boys at certain times and should an older man enter (implication obvious), he could be put to death. It wasn't just this bit of information, most of what Nikias professes and who he says it to and the response he receives is often repeated many times throughout the story. I heard him profess his undying love to his erastes and his erastes sappy response in the same or almost the same phrases so many times I was eye-rolling.
Here's another one word definition I pulled from the internet that pretty much sums up this story:
Pollyanna: an excessively cheerful or optimistic person
If you want a story about "Greek love" that's all "rainbows and butterflies" (and not very realistic), this is a novel for you.
Displaying 1 of 1 review