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Tiglath Ashur #1
El asirio
Siglo VII a. C.
Tiglath Assur y Asarhadón, hermanastros, excelentes amigos e hijos del rey de Asiria, comparten sueños y secretos, aunque saben que parten muy atrás en la línea de sucesión a la corona.
Pero tras la designación del heredero al trono, una plaga de suicidios y asesinatos, que conduce a Asiria al borde de la guerra civil mientras tribus bárbaras invaden el país, les despeja el camino. Son tiempos terribles en los que se suceden traiciones y matanzas sangrientas, y muchos ven destrozados sus sueños.
Según predicen los augurios, su prima, la encantadora princesa Asharhamat, se desposará con el nuevo rey. Las pasiones chocan con la política y los hermanos se enfrentan entre sí. Tras la caída de Babilonia se produce el auge de Nínive, y los dos hermanos se tendrán que plantear elegir entre la voluntad de los dioses y sus deseos, lo que cambiará el destino del imperio.
Tiglath Assur y Asarhadón, hermanastros, excelentes amigos e hijos del rey de Asiria, comparten sueños y secretos, aunque saben que parten muy atrás en la línea de sucesión a la corona.
Pero tras la designación del heredero al trono, una plaga de suicidios y asesinatos, que conduce a Asiria al borde de la guerra civil mientras tribus bárbaras invaden el país, les despeja el camino. Son tiempos terribles en los que se suceden traiciones y matanzas sangrientas, y muchos ven destrozados sus sueños.
Según predicen los augurios, su prima, la encantadora princesa Asharhamat, se desposará con el nuevo rey. Las pasiones chocan con la política y los hermanos se enfrentan entre sí. Tras la caída de Babilonia se produce el auge de Nínive, y los dos hermanos se tendrán que plantear elegir entre la voluntad de los dioses y sus deseos, lo que cambiará el destino del imperio.
810 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1987
143 people are currently reading
2729 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Guild
24 books73 followersNicholas Guild was born in Belmont, California in 1944. He graduated from Occidental College with a B.A. in English in 1966 and from the University of California at Berkeley with an M.A. in Comparative Literature (1968) and a Ph.D. in English (1972). Since then he has divided his time between teaching and writing. He currently lives in Frederick, MD.
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April 9, 2022
Siglo VII a. C.
Tiglath Assur y Asarhadón, hermanastros, excelentes amigos e hijos del rey de Asiria, comparten sueños y secretos, aunque saben que parten muy atrás en la línea de sucesión a la corona.
Pero tras la designación del heredero al trono, una plaga de suicidios y asesinatos, que conduce a Asiria al borde de la guerra civil mientras tribus bárbaras invaden el país, les despeja el camino. Son tiempos terribles en los que se suceden traiciones y matanzas sangrientas, y muchos ven destrozados sus sueños. Tras la caída de Babilonia se produce el auge de Nínive, y los hermanos se tendrán que plantear elegir entre la voluntad de los dioses y sus deseos, lo que cambiará el destino del imperio.
"El Asirio", se trata de una de esas novelas históricas en la cima con la gran reputación que le precede, tenía que leerlo. Ya había leído "El Macedonio", una novela sobre la juventud de Filipo, rey de Macedonia, y padre de Alejandro, de Nicholas Guild, muy bien escrito, muy bien documentado. Si bien lo único que no me gustó a modo personal, fue que se centró un 90% en su juventud y su paso como rey, tan importante, fue demasiado breve para mi.
Este libro trata sobre Tiglat Ashur, el hijo del famoso rey asirio, Senaquerib, y una de sus esposas, una griega jónica. Tiglath crece y tan pronto como puede se convierte en parte del formidable y temido ejército asirio, junto con su hermano, Esarhaddon.
Así da comienzo una novela con muchos detalles, diversos matices y maravillosamente documentado, al detalle, sobre la vida y las costumbres mesopotámicas. Sobre las culturas que la habitaron y la rodearon. Intrigas y por supuesto, mucha guerra. Decir que los asirios eran un pueblo en que la preparación bélica era formidable es quedarse muy corto y pasamos gran parte del libro en múltiples campañas con Tiglat, observando cómo crece de un soldado de infantería de primera línea, a un general por derecho propio.
Los personajes fueron adecuadamente vívidos y memorables. La madre de Tiglath, Merope, es una gran mujer y tiene además una simpatía y alegria muy agradables, me gustó. Su esclavo griego Kephalos es leal y proporciona momentos cómicos, muy necesarios. El propio Tiglath es algo cambiante, pero aún así fue fácil como lector empatizar y comprender y mantuvo un sentido de bondad a pesar de todo. Y esto es lo bueno, pues resto del elenco es prácticamente despreciable. Bien hechos, sin duda.
Los personajes están muy bien, pero no son los principales puntos fuertes que impera en el libro, en mi humilde opinión eran el alcance, la narrativa y sobretodo los detalles que aporta como costumbres, cultura, ambientación y la acción, cómo no, muy bien planteada. Es un libro que no aburre.
Es un libro fuerte, realista en el sentido de que no era lo que esperaba que tampoco sé lo que era siendo sincero, quizás algo más calmado y no tan crudo. Me impresionó y para bien. Hay mucha guerra, torturas, ejecuciones, un saqueo brutal de Babilonia y como no algunas prácticas sexuales que incluyen el incesto.
Desde que lo empecé mantuvo un impulso más que decente a lo largo de su duración épica y puedes aprender muchas cosas buenas sobre el panteón mesopotámico, sus reyes, costumbres y muchas más cosas. Muy buen ritmo. Tuvo sus partes más paradas, por supuesto, para algunos puede que innecesarias, no es mi caso.
Narrado con maestría en primera persona por el protagonista, Tiglat Assur, hijo del poderoso Senaquerib y una concubina jónica. En el dorso de la mano tiene una mancha o marca de color rojo sangre en forma de estrella que todos, Tiglat en primer lugar, consideran el signo del implacable Assur, dios de los asirios. Tiglath es un narrador melancólico pero orgulloso, siempre consciente de la marca del dios en su mano. El gran mérito de Guild es llevarnos a pensar, ver y sentir como una persona de esa época.
La inmersión en este periodo histórico es para mi perfecta. El autor no comete el error de hacer hablar y actuar a personajes antiguos como si fueran modernos, lo contrario, capta plenamente el espíritu con el que entonces se aproximaba a la vida divina y más en general.
Tiglath, a lo largo de la novela, es desgarrado por un tormento en su interior muy profundo generado por la sensación de inevitabilidad con la que vive por su sedu, una profecía, y lo que él desea, que es ascender al trono y casarse con la princesa.
Otro gran halago es haber elegido un escenario infrautilizado. Griegos, los romanos y egipcios son más usados en la literatura. Nos fascina el tema de la caída de Roma, o el ascenso de los faraones. Pues aquí tenemos otra civilización, más antigua que Roma, que a pesar de estar en el apogeo de su poder ya ve los peligros de una futura destrucción. Numerosas descripciones etnográficas destaca la de los medos y Ahura Mazda posteriores a campañas militares.
Batallas, muchas traiciones, intrigas, pasiones, venganzas, profecías y todo ello ambientado en un contexto en cierto modo cruel entre eunucos, ciertas masacres y personas hervidas vivas, no eran digamos sutiles.
Tiglath Assur y Asarhadón, hermanastros, excelentes amigos e hijos del rey de Asiria, comparten sueños y secretos, aunque saben que parten muy atrás en la línea de sucesión a la corona.
Pero tras la designación del heredero al trono, una plaga de suicidios y asesinatos, que conduce a Asiria al borde de la guerra civil mientras tribus bárbaras invaden el país, les despeja el camino. Son tiempos terribles en los que se suceden traiciones y matanzas sangrientas, y muchos ven destrozados sus sueños. Tras la caída de Babilonia se produce el auge de Nínive, y los hermanos se tendrán que plantear elegir entre la voluntad de los dioses y sus deseos, lo que cambiará el destino del imperio.
"El Asirio", se trata de una de esas novelas históricas en la cima con la gran reputación que le precede, tenía que leerlo. Ya había leído "El Macedonio", una novela sobre la juventud de Filipo, rey de Macedonia, y padre de Alejandro, de Nicholas Guild, muy bien escrito, muy bien documentado. Si bien lo único que no me gustó a modo personal, fue que se centró un 90% en su juventud y su paso como rey, tan importante, fue demasiado breve para mi.
Este libro trata sobre Tiglat Ashur, el hijo del famoso rey asirio, Senaquerib, y una de sus esposas, una griega jónica. Tiglath crece y tan pronto como puede se convierte en parte del formidable y temido ejército asirio, junto con su hermano, Esarhaddon.
Así da comienzo una novela con muchos detalles, diversos matices y maravillosamente documentado, al detalle, sobre la vida y las costumbres mesopotámicas. Sobre las culturas que la habitaron y la rodearon. Intrigas y por supuesto, mucha guerra. Decir que los asirios eran un pueblo en que la preparación bélica era formidable es quedarse muy corto y pasamos gran parte del libro en múltiples campañas con Tiglat, observando cómo crece de un soldado de infantería de primera línea, a un general por derecho propio.
Los personajes fueron adecuadamente vívidos y memorables. La madre de Tiglath, Merope, es una gran mujer y tiene además una simpatía y alegria muy agradables, me gustó. Su esclavo griego Kephalos es leal y proporciona momentos cómicos, muy necesarios. El propio Tiglath es algo cambiante, pero aún así fue fácil como lector empatizar y comprender y mantuvo un sentido de bondad a pesar de todo. Y esto es lo bueno, pues resto del elenco es prácticamente despreciable. Bien hechos, sin duda.
Los personajes están muy bien, pero no son los principales puntos fuertes que impera en el libro, en mi humilde opinión eran el alcance, la narrativa y sobretodo los detalles que aporta como costumbres, cultura, ambientación y la acción, cómo no, muy bien planteada. Es un libro que no aburre.
Es un libro fuerte, realista en el sentido de que no era lo que esperaba que tampoco sé lo que era siendo sincero, quizás algo más calmado y no tan crudo. Me impresionó y para bien. Hay mucha guerra, torturas, ejecuciones, un saqueo brutal de Babilonia y como no algunas prácticas sexuales que incluyen el incesto.
Desde que lo empecé mantuvo un impulso más que decente a lo largo de su duración épica y puedes aprender muchas cosas buenas sobre el panteón mesopotámico, sus reyes, costumbres y muchas más cosas. Muy buen ritmo. Tuvo sus partes más paradas, por supuesto, para algunos puede que innecesarias, no es mi caso.
Narrado con maestría en primera persona por el protagonista, Tiglat Assur, hijo del poderoso Senaquerib y una concubina jónica. En el dorso de la mano tiene una mancha o marca de color rojo sangre en forma de estrella que todos, Tiglat en primer lugar, consideran el signo del implacable Assur, dios de los asirios. Tiglath es un narrador melancólico pero orgulloso, siempre consciente de la marca del dios en su mano. El gran mérito de Guild es llevarnos a pensar, ver y sentir como una persona de esa época.
La inmersión en este periodo histórico es para mi perfecta. El autor no comete el error de hacer hablar y actuar a personajes antiguos como si fueran modernos, lo contrario, capta plenamente el espíritu con el que entonces se aproximaba a la vida divina y más en general.
Tiglath, a lo largo de la novela, es desgarrado por un tormento en su interior muy profundo generado por la sensación de inevitabilidad con la que vive por su sedu, una profecía, y lo que él desea, que es ascender al trono y casarse con la princesa.
Otro gran halago es haber elegido un escenario infrautilizado. Griegos, los romanos y egipcios son más usados en la literatura. Nos fascina el tema de la caída de Roma, o el ascenso de los faraones. Pues aquí tenemos otra civilización, más antigua que Roma, que a pesar de estar en el apogeo de su poder ya ve los peligros de una futura destrucción. Numerosas descripciones etnográficas destaca la de los medos y Ahura Mazda posteriores a campañas militares.
Batallas, muchas traiciones, intrigas, pasiones, venganzas, profecías y todo ello ambientado en un contexto en cierto modo cruel entre eunucos, ciertas masacres y personas hervidas vivas, no eran digamos sutiles.
August 28, 2021
I don't remember how I ended up with this book. The cover touts its similarity to 'Shogun', and the 'Aztec' series by Gary Jennings. It certainly is one of those epic reads of that type. The book is set in the Kingdom of Assyria, starting around 700 BC. The story is told from the point of view of one of King Sennacherib's sons--which from my limited understanding/research seems to be a fictional character. It starts with Tiglath Ashur growing up in the King's harem, eventually becoming a great warrior and battle leader.
Nicholas Guild does a masterful job of incorporating ancient history, while giving life to real historic figures as well as fictional to make this time come to life. Amazing how he takes the merest outline of events to create this story. Descriptions of the ancient cities and various lands Tiglath travels through make me wonder if Guild found the secret of time travel.
Assyria's capitol was Nineveh, the kingdom was located in what would today be northern Iraq, northern Syria, and part of Turkey. The book inspired me to look up locations and cultures as I read along to better understand that part of the world at that time.
Even though this area of the world is often referred to as 'the cradle of civilization', that doesn't mean peaceful. The Assyrians wage war against many other kingdoms and raiders throughout the book. Conquering the Babylonians, fighting the Medes, and battling various tribes finding their way down from the mountains to try and claim some fertile land. This made me realize that perhaps nothing much has changed regarding wars and power struggles since that time. There is also the power struggle at home--who will be the next Assyrian King. Palace intrigues, family rivalries, personal struggles, triumphs, tragedies--and love stories are all here. The book ends with a really well thought out epilogue.
Tiglath Ashur's story continues in 'The Blood Star', which I downloaded on my Kindle. I have to know what happens next!
Nicholas Guild does a masterful job of incorporating ancient history, while giving life to real historic figures as well as fictional to make this time come to life. Amazing how he takes the merest outline of events to create this story. Descriptions of the ancient cities and various lands Tiglath travels through make me wonder if Guild found the secret of time travel.
Assyria's capitol was Nineveh, the kingdom was located in what would today be northern Iraq, northern Syria, and part of Turkey. The book inspired me to look up locations and cultures as I read along to better understand that part of the world at that time.
Even though this area of the world is often referred to as 'the cradle of civilization', that doesn't mean peaceful. The Assyrians wage war against many other kingdoms and raiders throughout the book. Conquering the Babylonians, fighting the Medes, and battling various tribes finding their way down from the mountains to try and claim some fertile land. This made me realize that perhaps nothing much has changed regarding wars and power struggles since that time. There is also the power struggle at home--who will be the next Assyrian King. Palace intrigues, family rivalries, personal struggles, triumphs, tragedies--and love stories are all here. The book ends with a really well thought out epilogue.
Tiglath Ashur's story continues in 'The Blood Star', which I downloaded on my Kindle. I have to know what happens next!
July 18, 2024
Un libro bellissimo, che mi ha fatto venire la voglia di riprendere in mano quei bellissimi romanzoni storici letti decine di anni fa.
Ecco, questo libro di Guild non ha niente da invidiare ai capolavori di Jennings, al Sinuhe di Waltari e via dicendo. L'Assiro mi rimarrà nel cuore.
Unico neo, da lettore che si affeziona alla vicenda narrata, è la ritrosia del protagonista a prendere in mano il suo destino, prendendo "quella" decisione coraggiosa. Quella sola decisione che so io e che saprà chiunque leggerà la storia di Tiglath Assur.
Ecco, questo libro di Guild non ha niente da invidiare ai capolavori di Jennings, al Sinuhe di Waltari e via dicendo. L'Assiro mi rimarrà nel cuore.
Unico neo, da lettore che si affeziona alla vicenda narrata, è la ritrosia del protagonista a prendere in mano il suo destino, prendendo "quella" decisione coraggiosa. Quella sola decisione che so io e che saprà chiunque leggerà la storia di Tiglath Assur.
October 30, 2021
7,75/10
El asirio se puede considerar un clásico dentro de las novelas históricas, de esos libros que salen en casi todas las tertulias que debes de leer dentro del género, y lo cierto es que en mi caso lo tenía pendiente desde hace muchos años.
Me animé tras conversar en esta web con diversos amigos y puedo decir que la experiencia ha sido bastante satisfactoria, aunque quizás esperaba un poco más debido al hype que acompaña a esta clase de novelas.
La historia nos cuenta las andanzas y peripecias de Tiglath Assur, uno de los muchos hijos del rey, y cuando digo muchos, es que son casi incontables, que desde su niñez va mostrando una inteligencia y personalidad que le harán destacar por encima de la mayoría de sus hermanastros. Durante ese periodo forjará una gran amistad con Asarhadon, otro príncipe, pero que a diferencia de de él, si se encuentra dentro de la línea sucesoria principal, al ser su madre una de las esposas del rey y no solo una concubina como la madre de Tiglath. Esa amistad sobrevivirá durante muchos años, hasta que ya de adultos los celos y el poder se interpondrán entre ambos, cuando se deba elegir al sucesor al trono y el pueblo aclame al valiente Tiglath, cuyos actos heroicos se han ganado el corazón de todos, por encima del teórico sucesor Asarhadon. Desde ese momento se irán creando rencillas entre ambos, pero la fidelidad de Tiglath hacía su hermano se mantendrá férrea, a pesar de que su actitud le costará el amor de su vida y un futuro que podría haber sido esplendido.
En general la narrativa es bastante fluida y engancha durante gran parte de la trama, el problema viene cuando en ciertos momentos parece que la historia no avance demasiado y los vaivenes de Tiglath se vuelven algo repetitivos. No es nada demasiado grave la verdad, pero igual 100 páginas menos le hubieran sentado genial al conjunto. Con respecto a la historia de amor, lo cierto es que no es molesta, no es que se pase de puntillas por ella, ya que tiene bastante protagonismo, pero en ningún caso se hace demasiado pesada y hasta cierto punto es muy justificable para el devenir de los acontecimientos.
De un modo u otro, es una lectura perfecta para los amantes de novela histórica, hay aventuras, amor, enfrentamientos, batallas, vamos, tiene de todo y cumple de forma muy notable en casi todos los aspectos.
El asirio se puede considerar un clásico dentro de las novelas históricas, de esos libros que salen en casi todas las tertulias que debes de leer dentro del género, y lo cierto es que en mi caso lo tenía pendiente desde hace muchos años.
Me animé tras conversar en esta web con diversos amigos y puedo decir que la experiencia ha sido bastante satisfactoria, aunque quizás esperaba un poco más debido al hype que acompaña a esta clase de novelas.
La historia nos cuenta las andanzas y peripecias de Tiglath Assur, uno de los muchos hijos del rey, y cuando digo muchos, es que son casi incontables, que desde su niñez va mostrando una inteligencia y personalidad que le harán destacar por encima de la mayoría de sus hermanastros. Durante ese periodo forjará una gran amistad con Asarhadon, otro príncipe, pero que a diferencia de de él, si se encuentra dentro de la línea sucesoria principal, al ser su madre una de las esposas del rey y no solo una concubina como la madre de Tiglath. Esa amistad sobrevivirá durante muchos años, hasta que ya de adultos los celos y el poder se interpondrán entre ambos, cuando se deba elegir al sucesor al trono y el pueblo aclame al valiente Tiglath, cuyos actos heroicos se han ganado el corazón de todos, por encima del teórico sucesor Asarhadon. Desde ese momento se irán creando rencillas entre ambos, pero la fidelidad de Tiglath hacía su hermano se mantendrá férrea, a pesar de que su actitud le costará el amor de su vida y un futuro que podría haber sido esplendido.
En general la narrativa es bastante fluida y engancha durante gran parte de la trama, el problema viene cuando en ciertos momentos parece que la historia no avance demasiado y los vaivenes de Tiglath se vuelven algo repetitivos. No es nada demasiado grave la verdad, pero igual 100 páginas menos le hubieran sentado genial al conjunto. Con respecto a la historia de amor, lo cierto es que no es molesta, no es que se pase de puntillas por ella, ya que tiene bastante protagonismo, pero en ningún caso se hace demasiado pesada y hasta cierto punto es muy justificable para el devenir de los acontecimientos.
De un modo u otro, es una lectura perfecta para los amantes de novela histórica, hay aventuras, amor, enfrentamientos, batallas, vamos, tiene de todo y cumple de forma muy notable en casi todos los aspectos.
October 30, 2018
The Trials and Tribulations of Tiglath
Tiglath Ashur, one of the (apparently many) sons of Sennacherib, 7th century BC king of Assyria, is our narrator. At the time of the book's beginning he's still in his single digits, living with his mother (a Greek woman gifted to Sennacherib) in the House of Women, where he meets the two people who will shape his destiny: His (half) brother Esarhaddon (whom he befriends) and the crown princess Esharhamat (with whom he is instantly (and requitedly) smitten, although this will turn out to have been a Bad Idea). After narrowly escaping being made a scribe (and a eunuch), he becomes instead a soldier and, eventually, a high-ranking official in the Assyrian army; acquires a not-entirely-trustworthy Greek slave, Kephalos, who will spend the rest of the book making himself fatter, and himself and his master richer, and embarks on a life that will bring him to the highest heights and the lowest lows, all before his twenty-fifth birthday.
This is glorious stuff with all of the battles, court intrigues, and romance (and NSFW not-so-romantic bits) that you could want; plus at least a couple of scenes of rather unpleasant torture and/or execution because, hey, it's a historical novel so it's not gratuitous and we need to be reminded that the Assyrians were Not Nice People.
And yes, I'll be immediately proceeding to The Blood Star, second in the sequence, because I need to know what happens next (and hope that he gets to do more travelling -- the events of this first book are largely confined to Nineveh and Babylon and their relatively immediate surroundings), and because this book is another one of those big, fat 1980s historical novels that scratches a lot of the same itches as epic fantasy.
Tiglath Ashur, one of the (apparently many) sons of Sennacherib, 7th century BC king of Assyria, is our narrator. At the time of the book's beginning he's still in his single digits, living with his mother (a Greek woman gifted to Sennacherib) in the House of Women, where he meets the two people who will shape his destiny: His (half) brother Esarhaddon (whom he befriends) and the crown princess Esharhamat (with whom he is instantly (and requitedly) smitten, although this will turn out to have been a Bad Idea). After narrowly escaping being made a scribe (and a eunuch), he becomes instead a soldier and, eventually, a high-ranking official in the Assyrian army; acquires a not-entirely-trustworthy Greek slave, Kephalos, who will spend the rest of the book making himself fatter, and himself and his master richer, and embarks on a life that will bring him to the highest heights and the lowest lows, all before his twenty-fifth birthday.
This is glorious stuff with all of the battles, court intrigues, and romance (and NSFW not-so-romantic bits) that you could want; plus at least a couple of scenes of rather unpleasant torture and/or execution because, hey, it's a historical novel so it's not gratuitous and we need to be reminded that the Assyrians were Not Nice People.
And yes, I'll be immediately proceeding to The Blood Star, second in the sequence, because I need to know what happens next (and hope that he gets to do more travelling -- the events of this first book are largely confined to Nineveh and Babylon and their relatively immediate surroundings), and because this book is another one of those big, fat 1980s historical novels that scratches a lot of the same itches as epic fantasy.
October 24, 2018
"L'Assiro" è stato uno dei romanzi (storico e non) che ho amato di più. Di Nicholas Guild, autore ingiustamente poco conosciuto, avevo già letto "il Macedone", romanzo sulla giovinezza di Filippo II, re di Macedonia e padre del grande Alessandro. Insomma, affrontavo la mole de "l'Assiro" con un po' di fiducia, stuzzicato dall'ambientazione mesopotamica. Ogni attesa è stata ampiamente ripagata.
https://narraredistoria.wordpress.com...
"L'Assiro" è un grande romanzo epico, 650 pagine scritte fitte, narrate in prima persona dal protagonista Tiglath Assur, figlio del potente Sennacherib e di una concubina ionica. Sul dorso della mano porta una macchia rosso sangue a forma di stella che tutti, Tiglath per primo, considerano il segno dell'implacabile Assur, dio degli Assiri. Se volete battaglie, tradimenti, intrighi, passioni, vendette, profezie e il tutto calato in un contesto per certi versi "barbaro" (gli Assiri, tra eunuchi, massacri e gente fatta bollire viva non andavano tanto per il sottile) e "sensuale" (i personaggi vivono senza dubbio forti passioni in modo totalizzante) questa è l'opera che fa per voi.
Vediamo i punti di forza del romanzo. L'immersione nel periodo storico è perfetta. L'autore non commette l'errore di far parlare e agire personaggi antichi come se fossero moderni; anzi coglie appieno lo spirito con cui in quell'epoca ci si approcciava al divino e più in generale alla vita. Tiglath, lungo tutto il romanzo, è lacerato da un profondissimo travaglio interiore generato dal senso di ineluttabilità con cui vive il l'abisso che si spalanca tra il suo sedu (la profezia che un misterioso veggente gli ha fatto e che altri oracoli e sacerdoti sembrano confermare), e ciò che lui intimamente vorrebbe: ascendere al trono e sposare l'amata principessa.
Un altro pregio è la narrazione in prima persona. Tiglath è un narratore malinconico eppure fiero, sempre dolorosamente consapevole del segno del dio sulla sua mano. Il grande merito di Guild è quello di portarci quindi a ragionare come una persona di quell'epoca. Ciò è narrare la storia ai massimi livelli.
Altro grandissimo pregio è l'aver scelto un'ambientazione poco sfruttata. Greci, Romani ed Egizi hanno goduto di una letteratura molto più vasta; non così la Mesopotamia. Oggi noi siamo affascinati dal tema della caduta di Roma; ebbene ne "l'Assiro" abbiamo un'altra civiltà, più antica di Roma, che pur essendo al culmine della potenza già vede i semi della futura distruzione: i Medi e gli altri popoli della steppa. Nel romanzo sono presenti numerose descrizioni etnografiche (notevole quella sui Medi e su Ahura Mazda) a seguito di campagne militari, anche queste descritte molto bene e, pur costituendo a volte un “di più” rispetto la trama principale, sono importantissime per ricostruire l'ambiente e il contesto dell'epoca.
Per quanto riguarda il dipanarsi dell'intreccio non ci sono momenti di pausa. Gli eventi si susseguono rapidi e l'autore si concentra sulle cose importanti. In un romanzo di 600 e passa pagine che narra anni e anni di vita del protagonista c'era il rischio di ritrovarsi con centinaia di personaggi secondari, invece l'autore mantiene il controllo del timone e si concentra su ciò che è importante. I personaggi principali si evolvono nel corso della lunga narrazione e il Tiglath delle ultime pagine è un personaggio molto diverso dal giovane impetuoso dell'inizio.
La psicologia dei personaggi maschili è approfondita: non si può non sorridere per le stranezze e le manie di un Sennacherib ormai vecchio e decrepito, o per il cambiamento di Asarhaddon, il fratello amato e odiato, travolto da eventi più grandi di lui. I personaggi femminili, invece, risultano meno "tridimensionali". C'è un certo prevalere della "femme fatale" (che spesso è anche tentatrice e/o crudele): la principessa Esharhamat stessa e la madre di Asarhaddon, Naq'ia. Questo ha però il merito, a mio giudizio, di acuire la sensualità brutale del mondo descritto da Guild.
Passiamo allo stile. La scelta della prima persona, come detto, è eccellente per l'immersione che garantisce. Guild impreziosisce il suo stile alternando diversi registri: l'epico e il realista in primis, con punte di lirismo. Anche questo contribuisce all'immersione storica.
Sono veramente affezionato a questo romanzo. La trama è molto forte così come la domanda che ronza continuamente per cinquecento pagine: cosa farà Tiglath? Accetterà il suo sedu oppure si ribellerà al padre e al fratello? E se questo sedu fosse falso? Non aggiungo altro.
Il finale risolve tali quesiti pur rimanendo aperto...avendo però il letto l'altrettanto mastodontico ed epico seguito, "Ninive", posso assicurare che la vita di Tiglaht ha una degnissima conclusione.
VOTO: 5 / 5
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"L'Assiro" è un grande romanzo epico, 650 pagine scritte fitte, narrate in prima persona dal protagonista Tiglath Assur, figlio del potente Sennacherib e di una concubina ionica. Sul dorso della mano porta una macchia rosso sangue a forma di stella che tutti, Tiglath per primo, considerano il segno dell'implacabile Assur, dio degli Assiri. Se volete battaglie, tradimenti, intrighi, passioni, vendette, profezie e il tutto calato in un contesto per certi versi "barbaro" (gli Assiri, tra eunuchi, massacri e gente fatta bollire viva non andavano tanto per il sottile) e "sensuale" (i personaggi vivono senza dubbio forti passioni in modo totalizzante) questa è l'opera che fa per voi.
Vediamo i punti di forza del romanzo. L'immersione nel periodo storico è perfetta. L'autore non commette l'errore di far parlare e agire personaggi antichi come se fossero moderni; anzi coglie appieno lo spirito con cui in quell'epoca ci si approcciava al divino e più in generale alla vita. Tiglath, lungo tutto il romanzo, è lacerato da un profondissimo travaglio interiore generato dal senso di ineluttabilità con cui vive il l'abisso che si spalanca tra il suo sedu (la profezia che un misterioso veggente gli ha fatto e che altri oracoli e sacerdoti sembrano confermare), e ciò che lui intimamente vorrebbe: ascendere al trono e sposare l'amata principessa.
Un altro pregio è la narrazione in prima persona. Tiglath è un narratore malinconico eppure fiero, sempre dolorosamente consapevole del segno del dio sulla sua mano. Il grande merito di Guild è quello di portarci quindi a ragionare come una persona di quell'epoca. Ciò è narrare la storia ai massimi livelli.
Altro grandissimo pregio è l'aver scelto un'ambientazione poco sfruttata. Greci, Romani ed Egizi hanno goduto di una letteratura molto più vasta; non così la Mesopotamia. Oggi noi siamo affascinati dal tema della caduta di Roma; ebbene ne "l'Assiro" abbiamo un'altra civiltà, più antica di Roma, che pur essendo al culmine della potenza già vede i semi della futura distruzione: i Medi e gli altri popoli della steppa. Nel romanzo sono presenti numerose descrizioni etnografiche (notevole quella sui Medi e su Ahura Mazda) a seguito di campagne militari, anche queste descritte molto bene e, pur costituendo a volte un “di più” rispetto la trama principale, sono importantissime per ricostruire l'ambiente e il contesto dell'epoca.
Per quanto riguarda il dipanarsi dell'intreccio non ci sono momenti di pausa. Gli eventi si susseguono rapidi e l'autore si concentra sulle cose importanti. In un romanzo di 600 e passa pagine che narra anni e anni di vita del protagonista c'era il rischio di ritrovarsi con centinaia di personaggi secondari, invece l'autore mantiene il controllo del timone e si concentra su ciò che è importante. I personaggi principali si evolvono nel corso della lunga narrazione e il Tiglath delle ultime pagine è un personaggio molto diverso dal giovane impetuoso dell'inizio.
La psicologia dei personaggi maschili è approfondita: non si può non sorridere per le stranezze e le manie di un Sennacherib ormai vecchio e decrepito, o per il cambiamento di Asarhaddon, il fratello amato e odiato, travolto da eventi più grandi di lui. I personaggi femminili, invece, risultano meno "tridimensionali". C'è un certo prevalere della "femme fatale" (che spesso è anche tentatrice e/o crudele): la principessa Esharhamat stessa e la madre di Asarhaddon, Naq'ia. Questo ha però il merito, a mio giudizio, di acuire la sensualità brutale del mondo descritto da Guild.
Passiamo allo stile. La scelta della prima persona, come detto, è eccellente per l'immersione che garantisce. Guild impreziosisce il suo stile alternando diversi registri: l'epico e il realista in primis, con punte di lirismo. Anche questo contribuisce all'immersione storica.
Sono veramente affezionato a questo romanzo. La trama è molto forte così come la domanda che ronza continuamente per cinquecento pagine: cosa farà Tiglath? Accetterà il suo sedu oppure si ribellerà al padre e al fratello? E se questo sedu fosse falso? Non aggiungo altro.
Il finale risolve tali quesiti pur rimanendo aperto...avendo però il letto l'altrettanto mastodontico ed epico seguito, "Ninive", posso assicurare che la vita di Tiglaht ha una degnissima conclusione.
VOTO: 5 / 5
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August 18, 2018
Super close to a five star experience, really. This is very much a big, violent historical epic with lots of detail and kinky fucking of the same type as Aztec or Shogun. I really don’t know why Guild doesn’t seem to be more popular, as it took me a good deal of digging around to find out about this book whereas the previous two I mentioned are almost impossible to avoid in a discussion about big, bold historical fiction (especially Shogun). The dude deserves better! This was a seriously wild ride and the Assyrians don’t get nearly any exposure when it comes to fiction, whether it be books or movies. I don’t know if this is because we know less about their culture and history than others but it shouldn’t be so.
This book is about Tiglath Ashur, the son of the famous Assyrian king Sennacherib and one of his wives, an Ionian Greek. This gives us westerners a little bit more of a connection to the setting, which in my opinion wasn’t entirely necessary but certainly didn’t hurt the book. Tiglath grows up and as soon as he’s able becomes part of the formidable Assyrian army, along with his douchebag brother Esarhaddon. What follows is a sprawling brick of a novel with lots of details on Mesopotamian life and the cultures that inhabited and surrounded it, intrigue by the bucketful and of course, lots of war. To say the Assyrians were a wrathful and warlike people is a grave understatement and we spend a lot of the book on multiple campaigns with Tiglath, watching as he grows from a front-rank foot soldier to a general in his own right.
The characters were adequately vivid and memorable if not extraordinarily so. Tiglath’s mom Merope is a sweetheart and has a very motherly likability. His Greek slave Kephalos is a loyal dude and provides a lot of much-needed comic relief. Love interest Esharhamat (hopefully I’m spelling that right, some of these Mesopotamian names are kind of a mind-fuck) is...well, a love interest and was at least relatable to if not easy to fall in love with on the reader’s part. Tiglath himself is a bit of a Mary Sue but still easy to root for and maintained a sense of mercy and kindness despite all of the reaving and sacking. The rest of the cast are pretty much either ignorable or despicable. The characters are fine but they’re not really the book’s primary strengths, which in my humble opinion were the scope, details and action.
This one is really worth seeking out if you’re interested in the kind of historical fiction I’ve already mentioned a couple times, although it’d probably be easier to get in some kind of e-format as I’m pretty sure it’s been OOP for years. The only caveats I can think of is if you’re squeamish in any way shape or form you’re probably gonna be uncomfortable for a good deal of this book. There’s tons of war, torture, executions, a brutal sack of Babylon and some very questionable sexual practices including quite a bit of incest. If you’re good with that kind of thing then give it a shot! It really maintains a decent momentum throughout its epic length and you get to learn a lot of good stuff about the Mesopotamian pantheon and a couple of its kings.
This book is about Tiglath Ashur, the son of the famous Assyrian king Sennacherib and one of his wives, an Ionian Greek. This gives us westerners a little bit more of a connection to the setting, which in my opinion wasn’t entirely necessary but certainly didn’t hurt the book. Tiglath grows up and as soon as he’s able becomes part of the formidable Assyrian army, along with his douchebag brother Esarhaddon. What follows is a sprawling brick of a novel with lots of details on Mesopotamian life and the cultures that inhabited and surrounded it, intrigue by the bucketful and of course, lots of war. To say the Assyrians were a wrathful and warlike people is a grave understatement and we spend a lot of the book on multiple campaigns with Tiglath, watching as he grows from a front-rank foot soldier to a general in his own right.
The characters were adequately vivid and memorable if not extraordinarily so. Tiglath’s mom Merope is a sweetheart and has a very motherly likability. His Greek slave Kephalos is a loyal dude and provides a lot of much-needed comic relief. Love interest Esharhamat (hopefully I’m spelling that right, some of these Mesopotamian names are kind of a mind-fuck) is...well, a love interest and was at least relatable to if not easy to fall in love with on the reader’s part. Tiglath himself is a bit of a Mary Sue but still easy to root for and maintained a sense of mercy and kindness despite all of the reaving and sacking. The rest of the cast are pretty much either ignorable or despicable. The characters are fine but they’re not really the book’s primary strengths, which in my humble opinion were the scope, details and action.
This one is really worth seeking out if you’re interested in the kind of historical fiction I’ve already mentioned a couple times, although it’d probably be easier to get in some kind of e-format as I’m pretty sure it’s been OOP for years. The only caveats I can think of is if you’re squeamish in any way shape or form you’re probably gonna be uncomfortable for a good deal of this book. There’s tons of war, torture, executions, a brutal sack of Babylon and some very questionable sexual practices including quite a bit of incest. If you’re good with that kind of thing then give it a shot! It really maintains a decent momentum throughout its epic length and you get to learn a lot of good stuff about the Mesopotamian pantheon and a couple of its kings.
August 30, 2007
I wish I could give more than 5 stars. This book, and its sequel, The Blood Star, would get a solid 10 out of 10 if that were allowed here.
The main character, Tiglath, is the son of the king of Assyria. He's noble and good and in every way worthy of being a king. He's one of the best characters I've ever read, and I was sad when I got to the end of the sequel, because that's the last I'm going to see of him.
Read this. Find it and read it and savor it, because it's amazing. The sequel, God only knows why, was never released in paperback. Which was fine with me, since I went out and found a copy of The Assyrian in hardcover to go with it.
The main character, Tiglath, is the son of the king of Assyria. He's noble and good and in every way worthy of being a king. He's one of the best characters I've ever read, and I was sad when I got to the end of the sequel, because that's the last I'm going to see of him.
Read this. Find it and read it and savor it, because it's amazing. The sequel, God only knows why, was never released in paperback. Which was fine with me, since I went out and found a copy of The Assyrian in hardcover to go with it.
September 5, 2020
От добрите стари приключенски романи, които разхождат живописно из историята и географията.
Не помня да съм чела много романизации за Древна Асирия, и тази е приятна изненада. Долината на Тигър и Ефрат през 7 век пр. н. е., когато градовете Вавилон, Ниневия и Ашур все още процъфтяват и не са станали на пепел. Дворци, храмове, хареми, казарми и пазари оживяват.
Главният герой е типичното героично момче. Царски син, внук на Саргон Велики, с добро сърце и здрав юмрук. Мъжете му се кълнат във вярност и го следват с песен, жените до една се хвърлят на врата му. Не остава и без врагове, разбира се, и то от лоши по-лоши. Когато не се бие, е влюбен, и обратното. Вижда сума ти свят. Различава еламити от шумери, асирийци и халдейци (за разлика от мен). Като за моя вкус му липсват мозък и постоянство (най-вече първото). Вместо това се оправдава с разни лоялности към хора, които го предават и няма грам гръбнак да се бори за тези, които държат на него. За сметка на това е много послушен към йерархията.
Но като за необременяваща асирийска разходка е много добро.
2,5 звезди
Не помня да съм чела много романизации за Древна Асирия, и тази е приятна изненада. Долината на Тигър и Ефрат през 7 век пр. н. е., когато градовете Вавилон, Ниневия и Ашур все още процъфтяват и не са станали на пепел. Дворци, храмове, хареми, казарми и пазари оживяват.
Главният герой е типичното героично момче. Царски син, внук на Саргон Велики, с добро сърце и здрав юмрук. Мъжете му се кълнат във вярност и го следват с песен, жените до една се хвърлят на врата му. Не остава и без врагове, разбира се, и то от лоши по-лоши. Когато не се бие, е влюбен, и обратното. Вижда сума ти свят. Различава еламити от шумери, асирийци и халдейци (за разлика от мен). Като за моя вкус му липсват мозък и постоянство (най-вече първото). Вместо това се оправдава с разни лоялности към хора, които го предават и няма грам гръбнак да се бори за тези, които държат на него. За сметка на това е много послушен към йерархията.
Но като за необременяваща асирийска разходка е много добро.
2,5 звезди
August 9, 2017
Questo è un libro che si inizia a leggere perché l'ambientazione nell'antica Assiria è molto promettente. Ed in effetti, a lettura ultimata, posso dire che mantiene ciò che promette. Potrebbe stare in piedi anche come libro a sé stante, certo che l'epilogo è letteralmente un invito a leggere il seguito, e poiché questa lettura si è rivelata ottima, difficile resistere alla tentazione di conoscere ulteriori avventure del protagonista.
Circa la veridicità dei dettagli non saprei dire, non sono un'esperta di storia antica, di certo è avvincente e completo di tutti i particolari necessari a rendere plausibile e realistica la quotidianità dei personaggi. La difficoltà dello scrivere un bel romanzo storico penso stia anche in questo: collocare i personaggi - reali o inventati che siano - in un'altra epoca implica farli muovere e farli dialogare in maniera realistica, in un ambiente e tra oggetti e con un vocabolario a noi assolutamente sconosciuti. Quindi confermo, ottima lettura.
Circa la veridicità dei dettagli non saprei dire, non sono un'esperta di storia antica, di certo è avvincente e completo di tutti i particolari necessari a rendere plausibile e realistica la quotidianità dei personaggi. La difficoltà dello scrivere un bel romanzo storico penso stia anche in questo: collocare i personaggi - reali o inventati che siano - in un'altra epoca implica farli muovere e farli dialogare in maniera realistica, in un ambiente e tra oggetti e con un vocabolario a noi assolutamente sconosciuti. Quindi confermo, ottima lettura.
September 11, 2015
quite entertaining but predictable at least after reading a number of similar novels (I would say that Aztec by G. Jennings remains the best of this subgenre - "exotic" cultures, preferable with first person narrator); I wish I had read this 25 years ago or so (close to its publication in 1987-8) as I am sure I would have enjoyed it tremendously then; even so, kept my interest and I got book 2 and plan to read it asap - this one promises less predictability, but will see
June 30, 2023
I started reading this book because for the last few days, I have been studying some things about the Assyrian empire, and from what I understand this is the only related historical novel. The author tries to approach the subject as in other related books such as The Egyptian of Mika Waltari, conveying to us some very important events through the eyes of a man who lived them and although he does not reach such a literary level he does a pretty good job. We begin our story quietly, with an introduction full of cultural elements, and continue with the real or non-real characters whose development we are most concerned with, then arrive at the big events in which they are the protagonists. Until the end, the story is balanced between the impressive military operations, with the journey to far places and epic battles, and the intrigues of power in the imperial palaces, which include dramatic confrontations, intrigues, and a lot of sex. I can say that I find the result positive, although I would like more self-restraint from the author and more weight in the depiction of the era. But it is definitely a good book for those interested in this particular era and if they know some details they will enjoy it.
Ξεκίνησα να διαβάζω αυτό το βιβλίο επειδή τις τελευταίες μέρες μελετάω κάποια πράγματα για την ασσυριακή αυτοκρατορία και από ότι καταλαβαίνω αυτό είναι το μοναδικό σχετικό ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα. Ο συγγραφέας προσπαθεί να προσεγγίσει το θέμα όπως σε άλλα σχετικά βιβλία όπως Ο Αιγύπτιος του Mika Waltari, μεταφέροντας μας κάποια πολύ σημαντικά γεγονότα μέσα από τη μάτια ενός ανθρώπου που τα έζησε και αν και δεν φτάνει σε τέτοιο λογοτεχνικό επίπεδο κάνει αρκετά καλή δουλειά. Ξεκινάμε ήσυχα την ιστορία μας, με μία εισαγωγή γεμάτη από πολιτιστικά στοιχεία, συνεχίζουμε με τους πραγματικούς ή μη χαρακτήρες που η εξέλιξή τους μας απασχολεί περισσότερο στη συνέχεια για να καταλήξουμε στα μεγάλα γεγονότα στα οποία πρωταγωνιστούν. Μέχρι το τέλος η ιστορία ισορροπεί ανάμεσα στις εντυπωσιακές στρατιωτικές επιχειρήσεις, με το ταξίδι σε μακρινούς τόπους και τις επικές μάχες, και τις ίντριγκες της εξουσίας στα αυτοκρατορικά παλάτια, που περιλαμβάνουν δραματικές αντιπαραθέσεις, ίντριγκες και αρκετό σεξ. Το αποτέλεσμα μπορώ να πω ότι το βρίσκω θετικό, αν και θα ήθελα μία περισσότερη αυτοσυγκράτηση από τον συγγραφέα και μεγαλύτερο βάρος στην απεικόνιση της εποχής. Είναι όμως σίγουρα ένα καλό βιβλίο για αυτούς που ενδιαφέρονται για τη συγκεκριμένη εποχή και αν γνωρίζουν κάποιες λεπτομέρειες θα το απολαύσουν.
Ξεκίνησα να διαβάζω αυτό το βιβλίο επειδή τις τελευταίες μέρες μελετάω κάποια πράγματα για την ασσυριακή αυτοκρατορία και από ότι καταλαβαίνω αυτό είναι το μοναδικό σχετικό ιστορικό μυθιστόρημα. Ο συγγραφέας προσπαθεί να προσεγγίσει το θέμα όπως σε άλλα σχετικά βιβλία όπως Ο Αιγύπτιος του Mika Waltari, μεταφέροντας μας κάποια πολύ σημαντικά γεγονότα μέσα από τη μάτια ενός ανθρώπου που τα έζησε και αν και δεν φτάνει σε τέτοιο λογοτεχνικό επίπεδο κάνει αρκετά καλή δουλειά. Ξεκινάμε ήσυχα την ιστορία μας, με μία εισαγωγή γεμάτη από πολιτιστικά στοιχεία, συνεχίζουμε με τους πραγματικούς ή μη χαρακτήρες που η εξέλιξή τους μας απασχολεί περισσότερο στη συνέχεια για να καταλήξουμε στα μεγάλα γεγονότα στα οποία πρωταγωνιστούν. Μέχρι το τέλος η ιστορία ισορροπεί ανάμεσα στις εντυπωσιακές στρατιωτικές επιχειρήσεις, με το ταξίδι σε μακρινούς τόπους και τις επικές μάχες, και τις ίντριγκες της εξουσίας στα αυτοκρατορικά παλάτια, που περιλαμβάνουν δραματικές αντιπαραθέσεις, ίντριγκες και αρκετό σεξ. Το αποτέλεσμα μπορώ να πω ότι το βρίσκω θετικό, αν και θα ήθελα μία περισσότερη αυτοσυγκράτηση από τον συγγραφέα και μεγαλύτερο βάρος στην απεικόνιση της εποχής. Είναι όμως σίγουρα ένα καλό βιβλίο για αυτούς που ενδιαφέρονται για τη συγκεκριμένη εποχή και αν γνωρίζουν κάποιες λεπτομέρειες θα το απολαύσουν.
November 13, 2020
Es una buena novela histórica, aunque no demasiado original. El tema del esclavo astuto que vuelve millonario a su amo está claramente influenciado por Sinué el Egipcio, de Mika Waltari. Después no me ha gustado el trato que se le da a la mujer. La palabra "ramera" sale un montón de veces. Los hombres se emborrachan y van a los callejones de la prostitutas. Ellos son héroes y ellas rameras, ¿por qué no al contrario? El lenguaje, a lo mejor es por la traducción, es muy arcaico. En las novelas históricas se suele poner en la boca de los personajes un lenguaje muy "pomposo" y grandilocuente. No creo que los antiguos hablaran así, seguramente lo hacían como nosotros hoy en día. Las descripciones de batallas están muy bien, pero no le encuentro a la novela nada especial.
November 3, 2012
Epic historical melodrama set in Ancient Mesopotamia?
Check.
Bloody battle scenes that read like Sam Peckinpah meets Epic of Gilgamesh?
Check.
Lusty harlots? Conniving eunuchs? Nefarious kings? Tragic love? Creepy blind prophets spouting omens? A bull-headed main character who always chooses the hard path in any situation?
All of the above and more.
PS: If you like this book, it's well worth the effort to track down the sequel, The Blood Star. It's out of print and somewhat pricey, but a more economical ebook version is available through Smashwords.com.
Check.
Bloody battle scenes that read like Sam Peckinpah meets Epic of Gilgamesh?
Check.
Lusty harlots? Conniving eunuchs? Nefarious kings? Tragic love? Creepy blind prophets spouting omens? A bull-headed main character who always chooses the hard path in any situation?
All of the above and more.
PS: If you like this book, it's well worth the effort to track down the sequel, The Blood Star. It's out of print and somewhat pricey, but a more economical ebook version is available through Smashwords.com.
April 10, 2015
Tiglath Ashur is the favorite son of King Sennacherib and molds him to become the next ruler in Nineveh after his death, but the omens have decreed that his brother, Esarhaddon- who is less than capable and not as loved by the people, will take the throne instead. Tiglath bows to his brother but the price paid may very well bring destruction to their people. Woven in to the story are a great cast of characters:
Na'qia- Esarhaddon mother; a conniving woman who would do anything to have her son on the throne,
Esharhamat - the woman Tiglath loves but cannot have,
Kephalos- his loyal and rich servant,
Shaditu- his sister and cunning seductress. All of them play a part in the role Tiglath takes to find his destiny amidst all the political upheaval. It was a journey through many lands, battles and court intrigue that had me entertained all the way to the end.
I enjoyed this story very much, especially reading about the culture of the Assyrians, which I did not know much about. I will definitely be reading its sequel, "The Blood Star".
Na'qia- Esarhaddon mother; a conniving woman who would do anything to have her son on the throne,
Esharhamat - the woman Tiglath loves but cannot have,
Kephalos- his loyal and rich servant,
Shaditu- his sister and cunning seductress. All of them play a part in the role Tiglath takes to find his destiny amidst all the political upheaval. It was a journey through many lands, battles and court intrigue that had me entertained all the way to the end.
I enjoyed this story very much, especially reading about the culture of the Assyrians, which I did not know much about. I will definitely be reading its sequel, "The Blood Star".
February 7, 2021
Un gran bel romanzo storico, scritto benissimo, con una storia avvincente da cui è difficile staccarsi e con una ricostruzione storica che fa immergere totalmente il lettore. Posso dire con certezza che sia uno dei migliori romanzi del genere in circolazione.
June 3, 2019
I do not know enough history to rate this on that scale. So I'm giving it 3 stars because I did like it.
December 29, 2021
My first ever Nicholas Guild book, and I absolutely loved it. I'm no Assyriologist, but his descriptions of daily life, social dynamics, and military operations in the Neo-Assyrian Empire seemed deeply researched. I will say, though, that his female characters leave a lot to be desired. Having read another Guild book (The Macedonian) right after finishing this one, this seems to be a running theme. All women in The Assyrian (and The Macedonian, for that matter) fit into two archetypes, both of which are driven almost solely by their complete obsession with the protagonist:
Archetype A is hopelessly in love with the main character, and devotes her entire life to demonstrating that love. With the exception of the protagonist's mother, the characters who fit this archetype are desperate to have sex with him from the first moment they lay eyes on him. They usually succeed in this endeavor.
Archetype B nurses a seething hatred for the protagonist (usually for no reason beyond her own irredeemable villainy) and is willing to sacrifice almost anything to do him harm. Oddly enough, the characters who fit this archetype are often ALSO desperate to have sex with the protagonist from the first moment they lay eyes on him. Once again, they usually succeed in this endeavor.
Those are very dramatic and entertaining dynamics the first couple of times, but they do start to wear thin over time, and it can occasionally make an otherwise epic tone come off more like a soap opera.
Speaking of the protagonist (and everyone in the book always is), he's not the most compelling guy. He's a perfect everyman who makes no mistakes (the only problems he faces are from circumstances either of his birth or far outside his control; very infrequently does he actually make choices, though there are one or two big swings) and has no weaknesses except his oft-repeated lack of skill with a sword (though this never seems to be a problem for him, because he's amazing with every other weapon and at warfare in general). Fortunately, he's constantly getting into interesting adventures where he fights and/or befriends much more compelling people. My personal favorite was his servant Kephalos.
I'm focusing mostly on the negatives here, but I did really love this book. There's a lot to recommend it if you're a fan of the genre. Especially Kephalos.
February 5, 2021
Por dónde empezar? Agradezco el día en que por azares de la vida di con un libro de Nicholas Guild (gracias Kindle). Los 2 libros que he leído de él me han parecido maravillosos.
Algo que destaco muchísimo es que aborda temas no tan usuales en la novela histórica; hablar de Filipo II, padre de Alejandro Magno o en este caso, abordar una historia que tiene como escenario el Imperio Asirio, hacen que sea una apuesta más que interesante.
El Asirio, nos cuenta la historia y vida de Tiglath Assur, destinado a la grandeza de la mano del dios Assur, hijo de reyes y heredero del legado del gran Sargón. A través la narración de su vida en primera persona, Tiglath nos acerca a la vida en Asiria, cuna de héroes y heredera de la gran civilización Mesopotámica.
Guild logra tejer una historia plagada de intrigas por el poder, personajes memorables, batallas sangrientas y ante todo de una trama muy interesante que no aburre en ningún momento.
He de confesar que también me generó mucho estrés Tiglath y su tendencia a ser (casi) siempre correcto y fiel a lo que él cree son los designios divinos, a pesar que uno quisiera que dejará de ser tan correcto y asumiera una posición más fuerte. Me recordó un poco a Ned Stark jaja.
El final lo deja a uno en un cliffhanger tan cruel que agradezco que haya una segunda parte.
Acabo de comprar el segundo porque no aguanto no saber que sigue.
Algo que destaco muchísimo es que aborda temas no tan usuales en la novela histórica; hablar de Filipo II, padre de Alejandro Magno o en este caso, abordar una historia que tiene como escenario el Imperio Asirio, hacen que sea una apuesta más que interesante.
El Asirio, nos cuenta la historia y vida de Tiglath Assur, destinado a la grandeza de la mano del dios Assur, hijo de reyes y heredero del legado del gran Sargón. A través la narración de su vida en primera persona, Tiglath nos acerca a la vida en Asiria, cuna de héroes y heredera de la gran civilización Mesopotámica.
Guild logra tejer una historia plagada de intrigas por el poder, personajes memorables, batallas sangrientas y ante todo de una trama muy interesante que no aburre en ningún momento.
He de confesar que también me generó mucho estrés Tiglath y su tendencia a ser (casi) siempre correcto y fiel a lo que él cree son los designios divinos, a pesar que uno quisiera que dejará de ser tan correcto y asumiera una posición más fuerte. Me recordó un poco a Ned Stark jaja.
El final lo deja a uno en un cliffhanger tan cruel que agradezco que haya una segunda parte.
Acabo de comprar el segundo porque no aguanto no saber que sigue.
June 4, 2009
I don't know why I continue to read this book. I guess it's because it is about Sumeria which is one of my favorite subjects and this may be the only novel on the subject - not counting Gilgamesh 8*)
Amateurish writing, pedestrian, predictable plot about a king who is "noble and good and in every way worthy of being a king." Of course he is also a mass murderer, pederast, torturer, and slave trader. But that at least is honest for the period.
Too bad there's not a Patrick O'Brian for Mesopotamia.
Amateurish writing, pedestrian, predictable plot about a king who is "noble and good and in every way worthy of being a king." Of course he is also a mass murderer, pederast, torturer, and slave trader. But that at least is honest for the period.
Too bad there's not a Patrick O'Brian for Mesopotamia.
July 26, 2012
"The Assyrian" is the story of the fictional son of Assyrian kings Sennacherib.
Nicholas Guild paints a vivid portrait of a time mostly known from wall panels and surviving antiquities.
The main character, Tiglath Ashur, comes through as a very real person, with hopes, dreams, loves, and with many strengths and weaknesses. An interesting and engaging character.
A word of warning, though. Nicholas Guild pulls no punches when it comes to the punishments of the era, and is such an be extremely graphic.
Nicholas Guild paints a vivid portrait of a time mostly known from wall panels and surviving antiquities.
The main character, Tiglath Ashur, comes through as a very real person, with hopes, dreams, loves, and with many strengths and weaknesses. An interesting and engaging character.
A word of warning, though. Nicholas Guild pulls no punches when it comes to the punishments of the era, and is such an be extremely graphic.
June 18, 2015
A wonderful read, the kind of story that you can't help but fully invest yourself in. The author did his research into culture of that time, and I loved the detail he used to describe it. He has a way of leaving words of wisdom and insight into human nature to conclude stories that is rings with truth.
June 2, 2018
Storia avvincente,, molto avventurosa e piena di intrighi; avrei però gradito un protagonista con meno scrupoli superflui e meno ingenuo; insomma che si fosse battuto per ottenere quanto gli spettava!!!
October 14, 2022
The following is an essay I wrote reviewing this book and its accuracy:
The Assyrian: Beautiful Story With Weird Sex Stuff
It is a classic tale: brothers, once bound tightly by love, turned into hated enemies by the world. I enjoyed Nicholas Guild’s The Assyrian immensely. The story, though over five-hundred pages long and twenty-six hours on audiobook, is tightly knit and engaging. Every moment, sentence and chapter work towards driving the plot forward, save for the sex (which will be addressed later). The story itself follows Tiglath Ashur as both narrator and main character. He is a son of the real Neo-Assyrian king Senecherib, half brother to his successor Esarhaddon, and potential father of Esarhaddon’s successor Ashurbanipal. Tiglath tells the story of his life from its beginning, starting with the friendship he had with his brother and the love he developed for the lady Esharhamat in childhood. These two things prove to be the most influential forces in his love and, ultimately, his greatest conflict. Through military campaigns and political plots, Tiglath and Esarhaddon stay dearly beloved and fiercely loyal to each other, that is, until the question of succession falls to them. The story is fundamentally driven by the characters, and how their personalities shape the world that they live in. Esarhaddon’s brash, stubborn nature paired with his superstition and willingness to please make him susceptible to manipulation, just as Tiglath’s strong commitment to his morals and loyalties paralyze him when he is forced to choose between them. Ultimately, I was touched by how human the story is. It does not become so focused on its rich historical background that it loses empathy or lively emotional connection. It is intensely intimate, and the reader is left feeling as if they know Tiglath as well as they know themselves.
Set in Neo-Assyria under the rule of Senecharib, much time is dedicated to detailing life in this ancient world. The imagery is vividly written and communicates the society that the characters live in effortlessly. It is clear that Guild has done his best to maintain historical accuracy, despite limited information. The depiction of Nineveh matches much of the descriptions given by Herodotus, though he is known for his embellishments. Historical details such as the ongoing conflict with the Elamites, or the destruction of Babylon under Senercherib and the rebuilding of it under Esarhaddon are included and elaborated upon (Haywood 46-47). Even little details stand out, such as the enduring use of Sumerian cuneiform for royal and religious purposes. However, it is not perfect. One of the most interesting historical inaccuracies, in my opinion, is the way in which certain modern moral values are imposed on the characters. Tiglath acts as both a character in his own right and as an audience surrogate. I assume that this is the reason he is written with such a distaste for the more brutal events described. Many other characters refer to this as a “delicate Ionian stomach” and cite his mixed Greek heritage as the reason he has a profound dislike for draconian punishments such as flaying or boiling alive. The other Greek characters also display this aversion. Kephalos, Tiglath’s Greek slave, is written as clever and loyal to his master and friend, helping the both of them gain a significant amount of wealth and remaining one of Tiglath’s most trusted friends throughout the book. He too, has a distaste for violence. The Greek characters act as a middle ground between Neo-Assyrian culture and the modern reader. It is only the three Greek characters (Tiglath, Kephalos, and Tiglath’s mother Merope) that have noticeable objections or strong emotional reactions to harsh public executions, and are therefore in alignment with the audience. However, by trying to ease the reader into the rules of this ancient society by giving them a character that shares some of their moral values, Guild also alienates the audience from the Neo-Assyrian characters and their culture. The choice is an understandable one in writing for a modern audience, but does deduct from the historical accuracy.
In addition, though fantastic at developing a military epic, Guild does not show much skill in writing female characters. In the book, there are very few women that do not have sex with Tiglath, the most prominent of which being Merope, his soft-hearted mother, and Naq’ia, the scheming mother of Esarhaddon. Both of them are written with very little nuance, one is characterized by love for her son, and the other is characterized by a hunger for power along with hatred of anyone standing in the way of her son. These seem to be their only character traits. Every female character outside of these two is either a prostitute, only exists to have sex with Tiglath, or both. Even his own half-sister pursues him sexually, and successfully at that. Esharhammat, though the most prominent of female characters, likewise does not escape from this ill characterization. Her presence in the narrative is centered around being a love interest for Tiglath, as well as a source of conflict since she is destined to wed the king and therefore ends up marrying Esarhaddon. The only personality trait she is given besides being passionately in love with Tiglath is a fondness for cats, and even that is brought up rarely. Unfortunately this lack of skill in writing female characters makes the book much harder to enjoy.
The other complaint I would lodge against The Assyrian is the weird and poorly written sex scenes. I would not have been able to tell the difference between sections of this book and internet fanfiction written by a fourteen year old child. The sex is as poorly described as it is strange, and I was left with the suspicion that much of it was written to satisfy certain sexual fantasies held by the author. That being said, I make this accusation with no prior knowledge of Nicholas Guild or his work, and am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. However, the scenes speak for themselves. The work could have been significantly improved if the female characters were not constantly subjected to degradation, sexual assault and weird sex acts. Though some of it may be needed for the sake of historical accuracy, the frequent presence of these scenes make reading sections of the book uncomfortable and unpleasant.
I would love to see a creative work of this caliber featuring a female Assyrian main character. Rich description of this society is clearly possible, but the female perspective was entirely overlooked in The Assyrian. A story involving, say, a priestess of Ishtar or royal woman who enjoyed status and respect in the Neo-Assyrian period would be incredibly interesting. In The Assyrian, a great example of a character with such potential is Shaditu. She is a daughter of Senercharib’s and is one of his favorite children. Due to this, she can get away with pretty much anything, and is clever in how she wields this extraordinary amount of power. Yet she uses her abilities almost exclusively to have highly descriptive and gratuitous sex, even with her own half-brother. If she were written with any goals or aspirations outside of titillating the male characters and male audience, she could have been an incredibly dynamic and powerful character. Instead, she is no more than an obstacle for the main character to have sex with and then move past. I would highly enjoy a creative work written from her perspective, or a character like her, who is able to wield power in an oppressive time for women and uses said power for bigger things than satisfying sexual appetites.
Overall, The Assyrian was an incredible read. It has an immersive ancient history experience, large-scale battles, political intrigue, romance, friendship, and a heartbreaking brotherhood at its core. I assign it a score of seven sacrificial goat entrails out of ten and would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the aforementioned things, granted they have ample time to consume it (plus a strong stomach for violence and uncomfortable sex scenes). I know that when I have time to spare, I will be seeking out its sequel to let my thoughts become one with Tiglath Ashur’s once again.
The Assyrian: Beautiful Story With Weird Sex Stuff
It is a classic tale: brothers, once bound tightly by love, turned into hated enemies by the world. I enjoyed Nicholas Guild’s The Assyrian immensely. The story, though over five-hundred pages long and twenty-six hours on audiobook, is tightly knit and engaging. Every moment, sentence and chapter work towards driving the plot forward, save for the sex (which will be addressed later). The story itself follows Tiglath Ashur as both narrator and main character. He is a son of the real Neo-Assyrian king Senecherib, half brother to his successor Esarhaddon, and potential father of Esarhaddon’s successor Ashurbanipal. Tiglath tells the story of his life from its beginning, starting with the friendship he had with his brother and the love he developed for the lady Esharhamat in childhood. These two things prove to be the most influential forces in his love and, ultimately, his greatest conflict. Through military campaigns and political plots, Tiglath and Esarhaddon stay dearly beloved and fiercely loyal to each other, that is, until the question of succession falls to them. The story is fundamentally driven by the characters, and how their personalities shape the world that they live in. Esarhaddon’s brash, stubborn nature paired with his superstition and willingness to please make him susceptible to manipulation, just as Tiglath’s strong commitment to his morals and loyalties paralyze him when he is forced to choose between them. Ultimately, I was touched by how human the story is. It does not become so focused on its rich historical background that it loses empathy or lively emotional connection. It is intensely intimate, and the reader is left feeling as if they know Tiglath as well as they know themselves.
Set in Neo-Assyria under the rule of Senecharib, much time is dedicated to detailing life in this ancient world. The imagery is vividly written and communicates the society that the characters live in effortlessly. It is clear that Guild has done his best to maintain historical accuracy, despite limited information. The depiction of Nineveh matches much of the descriptions given by Herodotus, though he is known for his embellishments. Historical details such as the ongoing conflict with the Elamites, or the destruction of Babylon under Senercherib and the rebuilding of it under Esarhaddon are included and elaborated upon (Haywood 46-47). Even little details stand out, such as the enduring use of Sumerian cuneiform for royal and religious purposes. However, it is not perfect. One of the most interesting historical inaccuracies, in my opinion, is the way in which certain modern moral values are imposed on the characters. Tiglath acts as both a character in his own right and as an audience surrogate. I assume that this is the reason he is written with such a distaste for the more brutal events described. Many other characters refer to this as a “delicate Ionian stomach” and cite his mixed Greek heritage as the reason he has a profound dislike for draconian punishments such as flaying or boiling alive. The other Greek characters also display this aversion. Kephalos, Tiglath’s Greek slave, is written as clever and loyal to his master and friend, helping the both of them gain a significant amount of wealth and remaining one of Tiglath’s most trusted friends throughout the book. He too, has a distaste for violence. The Greek characters act as a middle ground between Neo-Assyrian culture and the modern reader. It is only the three Greek characters (Tiglath, Kephalos, and Tiglath’s mother Merope) that have noticeable objections or strong emotional reactions to harsh public executions, and are therefore in alignment with the audience. However, by trying to ease the reader into the rules of this ancient society by giving them a character that shares some of their moral values, Guild also alienates the audience from the Neo-Assyrian characters and their culture. The choice is an understandable one in writing for a modern audience, but does deduct from the historical accuracy.
In addition, though fantastic at developing a military epic, Guild does not show much skill in writing female characters. In the book, there are very few women that do not have sex with Tiglath, the most prominent of which being Merope, his soft-hearted mother, and Naq’ia, the scheming mother of Esarhaddon. Both of them are written with very little nuance, one is characterized by love for her son, and the other is characterized by a hunger for power along with hatred of anyone standing in the way of her son. These seem to be their only character traits. Every female character outside of these two is either a prostitute, only exists to have sex with Tiglath, or both. Even his own half-sister pursues him sexually, and successfully at that. Esharhammat, though the most prominent of female characters, likewise does not escape from this ill characterization. Her presence in the narrative is centered around being a love interest for Tiglath, as well as a source of conflict since she is destined to wed the king and therefore ends up marrying Esarhaddon. The only personality trait she is given besides being passionately in love with Tiglath is a fondness for cats, and even that is brought up rarely. Unfortunately this lack of skill in writing female characters makes the book much harder to enjoy.
The other complaint I would lodge against The Assyrian is the weird and poorly written sex scenes. I would not have been able to tell the difference between sections of this book and internet fanfiction written by a fourteen year old child. The sex is as poorly described as it is strange, and I was left with the suspicion that much of it was written to satisfy certain sexual fantasies held by the author. That being said, I make this accusation with no prior knowledge of Nicholas Guild or his work, and am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. However, the scenes speak for themselves. The work could have been significantly improved if the female characters were not constantly subjected to degradation, sexual assault and weird sex acts. Though some of it may be needed for the sake of historical accuracy, the frequent presence of these scenes make reading sections of the book uncomfortable and unpleasant.
I would love to see a creative work of this caliber featuring a female Assyrian main character. Rich description of this society is clearly possible, but the female perspective was entirely overlooked in The Assyrian. A story involving, say, a priestess of Ishtar or royal woman who enjoyed status and respect in the Neo-Assyrian period would be incredibly interesting. In The Assyrian, a great example of a character with such potential is Shaditu. She is a daughter of Senercharib’s and is one of his favorite children. Due to this, she can get away with pretty much anything, and is clever in how she wields this extraordinary amount of power. Yet she uses her abilities almost exclusively to have highly descriptive and gratuitous sex, even with her own half-brother. If she were written with any goals or aspirations outside of titillating the male characters and male audience, she could have been an incredibly dynamic and powerful character. Instead, she is no more than an obstacle for the main character to have sex with and then move past. I would highly enjoy a creative work written from her perspective, or a character like her, who is able to wield power in an oppressive time for women and uses said power for bigger things than satisfying sexual appetites.
Overall, The Assyrian was an incredible read. It has an immersive ancient history experience, large-scale battles, political intrigue, romance, friendship, and a heartbreaking brotherhood at its core. I assign it a score of seven sacrificial goat entrails out of ten and would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the aforementioned things, granted they have ample time to consume it (plus a strong stomach for violence and uncomfortable sex scenes). I know that when I have time to spare, I will be seeking out its sequel to let my thoughts become one with Tiglath Ashur’s once again.
October 12, 2024
3,5⭐️
No puedo darle más nota a este libro por diferentes razones. Pese a tener algo muy positivo a favor, como que está escrito impresionantemente bien para mi gusto, con tufo a película de hollywood de los años 50 y que profundiza muy bien y mucho en la historia de la época con una ambientación muy chula... hay cosas que no puedo pasar por alto. Primero el trato a las mujeres. Sé que en este período las cosas no fueron precisamente agradables pero de ahí a que todas las mujeres de la historia (quitando a la madre) fuesen rameras, (ya sea x oficio o x disfrute), malvadas e intrigantes y asesinas es demasiado. Por no hablar de que el escritor se recrea en situaciones que a mí ya se me hacían cuesta arriba.
Otro punto que me ha desquiciado ha sido el no entender las acciones del personaje principal, van en contra siempre de sus pensamientos y eso me ha hecho no comprenderlo y estar en tensión continua.
La sorpresa final ha sido que la historia no cierra y hay una segunda parte... que ahora mismo no sé si voy a leer porque Tiglath Asur me desquicia por momentos.
No puedo darle más nota a este libro por diferentes razones. Pese a tener algo muy positivo a favor, como que está escrito impresionantemente bien para mi gusto, con tufo a película de hollywood de los años 50 y que profundiza muy bien y mucho en la historia de la época con una ambientación muy chula... hay cosas que no puedo pasar por alto. Primero el trato a las mujeres. Sé que en este período las cosas no fueron precisamente agradables pero de ahí a que todas las mujeres de la historia (quitando a la madre) fuesen rameras, (ya sea x oficio o x disfrute), malvadas e intrigantes y asesinas es demasiado. Por no hablar de que el escritor se recrea en situaciones que a mí ya se me hacían cuesta arriba.
Otro punto que me ha desquiciado ha sido el no entender las acciones del personaje principal, van en contra siempre de sus pensamientos y eso me ha hecho no comprenderlo y estar en tensión continua.
La sorpresa final ha sido que la historia no cierra y hay una segunda parte... que ahora mismo no sé si voy a leer porque Tiglath Asur me desquicia por momentos.
May 9, 2025
Esta novela tiene dos partes diferencias en mi opinión. Cada parte se corresponde con dos mitades más o menos equivalentes de la narrativa. En la primera se llega a la situación que en hipótesis va a desencadenar el enfrentamiento más o menos visible entre los dos hermanastros que son los protagonistas esenciales del libro y en la segunda las fases en que dicho enfrentamiento se va materializando. Se otorgo 4 estrellas ya que me parece, con independencia de la crudeza de bastantes pasajes de la narrativa donde las torturas y demás aspectos violentos están desarrollados hasta extremos rara vez leídos en novelas similares, hay en el fondo un asunto no plenamente convincente con relación al origen del motivo real del enfrentamiento porque su carácter "divino" no parece muy lógico, amén de una serie menor de pasajes no plenamente congruentes que dejan a esta novela como entretenida.
March 23, 2022
Es un libro denso muy bien documentado y que no es para todo el mundo porque hay partes que se te puede hacer muy desagradable por las escenas que narra, eso aprendes mucho de como funcionaban a mi me ha hecho conocer datos que desconocía completamente y eso me gusto, aunque tengo que reconocer que lo lo disfrute como me hubiera gustado por detalles del libro, se considera un libro histórico, y yo lo consideraría un libro de historia de la época que se desarrolla
April 6, 2022
Hace ya muchos años que lo leí, pero recuerdo perfectamente que me dejó un gran sabor de boca.
Además nos acerca a una cultura impresionante y poco conocida y narrada como la de Mesopotamia, cuna de la civilización.
Merece mucho la pena su lectura. Reúne todo lo bueno de la novela histórica.
Además nos acerca a una cultura impresionante y poco conocida y narrada como la de Mesopotamia, cuna de la civilización.
Merece mucho la pena su lectura. Reúne todo lo bueno de la novela histórica.
April 28, 2018
Questo romanzo mi ha sempre incuriosita perché mio padre l'avrà letto 3 o 4 volte. Adesso finalmente posso dire che mi è piaciuto!
Quando ti trovi davanti a libri del genere rimani affascinata: libri come questo non ce ne sono molti ed è un peccato che proprio libri come questo sono difficili da trovare, infatti lo si può trovare solo usato (come anche il suo seguito Ninive).
Scopriamo la storia di Tiglath Assur dall'infanzia ai quasi 25 anni narrata proprio da lui ormai vecchio. Non si può iniziare la sua storia senza poi leggere Ninive (cosa che farò al più presto!).
Tiglath Assur figlio del re Sennacherib e nipote del grande Sargon. Tiglath Assur fratellastro di Asarhaddon si innamora di Esharhamat futura sposa del re, Asarhaddon. Tiglath Assur figlio della greca Merope ha uno schiavo/medico Kephalos.
All'inizio la mole di questo romanzo spaventa un po', ma quando lo si inizia non si pensa più alle pagine. Anzi, è uno di quei romanzi che mi piace leggere con calma perché merita proprio di essere "assaporato".
Bello, bello e anche più che bello: capolavoro! Ti immergi subito nella capitale Ninive dell'impero assiro nel VII secolo a.C.
Ogni tanto tra i tanti libri che leggo mi fa tantissimo piacere leggerne uno più impegnativo, ma che mi lasci qualcosa di più.
L'assiro entra subito nella lista dei miei libri favoriti perché merita.
Tra le prossime letture: Ninive!
Quando ti trovi davanti a libri del genere rimani affascinata: libri come questo non ce ne sono molti ed è un peccato che proprio libri come questo sono difficili da trovare, infatti lo si può trovare solo usato (come anche il suo seguito Ninive).
Scopriamo la storia di Tiglath Assur dall'infanzia ai quasi 25 anni narrata proprio da lui ormai vecchio. Non si può iniziare la sua storia senza poi leggere Ninive (cosa che farò al più presto!).
Tiglath Assur figlio del re Sennacherib e nipote del grande Sargon. Tiglath Assur fratellastro di Asarhaddon si innamora di Esharhamat futura sposa del re, Asarhaddon. Tiglath Assur figlio della greca Merope ha uno schiavo/medico Kephalos.
All'inizio la mole di questo romanzo spaventa un po', ma quando lo si inizia non si pensa più alle pagine. Anzi, è uno di quei romanzi che mi piace leggere con calma perché merita proprio di essere "assaporato".
Bello, bello e anche più che bello: capolavoro! Ti immergi subito nella capitale Ninive dell'impero assiro nel VII secolo a.C.
Ogni tanto tra i tanti libri che leggo mi fa tantissimo piacere leggerne uno più impegnativo, ma che mi lasci qualcosa di più.
L'assiro entra subito nella lista dei miei libri favoriti perché merita.
Tra le prossime letture: Ninive!
June 11, 2020
4.5 Gran novela histórica
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