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Fatal Second Helen: A Modern Veteran’s Iliad
178 pages, Paperback
Published September 19, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 13, 2025
FIVE STAR READ! Part retelling of Homer's The Iliad and part memoir from Iraqi veteran author Josh Cannon-this book is highly recommendable! Cannon details The Iliad in a way that is accessible to any reader - those familiar with the original iconic story or not. The retelling is infused with Cannon's infectious love of the story which translates into the text. Interspersed between the retelling is Cannon's own account of his time serving two tours in Iraq as an Arabic linguist for the US Marines. The personal accounts were able to facilitate effortlessly between humourous and vulnerable and prove to be the heart of the book. I recommend this as a must-read for anyone and am beyond impressed by the concept and delivery of this book.
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January 28, 2026MWSA Review
Mention The Iliad to people today, and the first thing that might come to mind to many is the 2004 movie Troy, while a few might say it was that boring book from high school. To Fatal Second Helen author and Marine veteran Josh Cannon, it was a way to square away many aspects of his service in Iraq during wartime by comparing and contrasting his experiences to the oldest war story and the oldest book in the history of Western Civilization.
Cannon, who served as an enlisted Arabic Cryptologic Linguist and deployed to Iraq twice (first with the invasion in 2003, and again in 2004), is eminently qualified to write this book. After his time with the Marines, he attended the University of Pittsburgh and received his PhD, ultimately becoming the Director of Research, and an adjunct faculty member for the Classics Department and the Anthropology Department. He has also worked on numerous archaeological digs, including the actual location thought to be the site of Troy.
Despite the heady subject and academic credentials of the author, it is quite an enjoyable and very insightful read. The author deftly highlights how, at the level of the individual warrior, most of the physical, emotional, and psychological elements of war and its aftermath, can be found in The Iliad, including possibly the first documented “blue falcon” in the history of military service.
This fine book will be of interest to veterans, students of military history and ancient times, and anyone who is seeking to understand the effects of war on those who have served.
Review by Terry Lloyd (January 2026)
Mention The Iliad to people today, and the first thing that might come to mind to many is the 2004 movie Troy, while a few might say it was that boring book from high school. To Fatal Second Helen author and Marine veteran Josh Cannon, it was a way to square away many aspects of his service in Iraq during wartime by comparing and contrasting his experiences to the oldest war story and the oldest book in the history of Western Civilization.
Cannon, who served as an enlisted Arabic Cryptologic Linguist and deployed to Iraq twice (first with the invasion in 2003, and again in 2004), is eminently qualified to write this book. After his time with the Marines, he attended the University of Pittsburgh and received his PhD, ultimately becoming the Director of Research, and an adjunct faculty member for the Classics Department and the Anthropology Department. He has also worked on numerous archaeological digs, including the actual location thought to be the site of Troy.
Despite the heady subject and academic credentials of the author, it is quite an enjoyable and very insightful read. The author deftly highlights how, at the level of the individual warrior, most of the physical, emotional, and psychological elements of war and its aftermath, can be found in The Iliad, including possibly the first documented “blue falcon” in the history of military service.
This fine book will be of interest to veterans, students of military history and ancient times, and anyone who is seeking to understand the effects of war on those who have served.
Review by Terry Lloyd (January 2026)
December 22, 2025
This would be a good book for students. I appreciated the author’s interpretation of The Iliad and comparison to his own experience in the Marine Corps during the Iraq War.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews