Le bouclier du tonnerre

Troy #2

by David Gemmell

The second novel in David Gemmell’s bestselling Troy trilogy. Interlacing myth and history, and high adventure, this is epic storytelling at its very best.

War is looming, and all the kings of the Great Green are gathering, each with their own dark plans of conquest and plunder.

Into this maelstrom of treachery come three travellers: Piria, a runaway priestess nursing a terrible secret; Kalliades, a warrior with high ideals and a legendary sword; and his close friend Banokles, who will carve his own legend in the battles to come.

Together they journey to the fabled city of Troy, where a darkness is falling that will eclipse the triumphs and personal tragedies of ordinary mortals for centuries to come.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Mythology, War, Historical Fantasy

674 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

David Andrew Gemmell was a bestselling British author of heroic fantasy. A former journalist and newspaper editor, Gemmell had his first work of fiction published in 1984. He went on to write over thirty novels. Best known for his debut, Legend, Gemmell's works display violence, yet also explores themes in honour, loyalty and redemption. With over one million copies sold, his work continues to sell worldwide.

Reviews

[Petrik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great read but might’ve worked better if I’m not binge reading it.

Shield of Thunder is the second book in the Troy trilogy by David Gemmell and in the case of this book, I think I’ll start my review with the parts I didn’t like. Binge reading this book immediately after the first book was quite an odd experience. Not only the book starts with the characters sailing to Troy again just like the first half of the first book, after all the time I've spent reading Helikaon and the other characters that I'm starting to get familiar with, the first of of the book—with the exception of Odysseus—had the narrative centered on two new main characters, Kalliades and Banokles. It took me quite a while to get used to Kalliades and Banokles and part one of the book honestly almost made me put the book to my DNF pile. I was honestly super bored with the first 120 pages and the sudden changes in the main characters reminded me a lot of The Desert Spear by Peter V. Brett. Plus, there was also a non-explained time skip in which pivotal events have occurred off-screen.

“Nothing of real worth can ever be bought. Love, friendship, honour, valour, respect. All these things have to be earned.”

Luckily though, because the storytelling structure was similar to The Desert Spear, once the book entered part two and the main character started appearing again, my experience became significantly better. This of course doesn’t mean that Kalliades and Banokles were thoroughly boring. It’s just that in my opinion the first section of the book should’ve been intertwined with Helikaon, Andromache, Hector, and Achilles storyline instead of forcing the readers to read only Odysseus, Kalliades, and Banokles POV for more than 100 pages. That said, part one of the book really did help in fleshing out Kalliades and Banokles characters for the later section of the novel. Gemmell really put a lot of emphasis on friendship and love in this installment and he was able to do that because of Kalliades and Banokles friendship.

“I may be stupid, as you say, to believe in honour and friendship and loyalty without price. But these are virtues to be cherished, for without them we are no more than beasts roaming the land.”

In the matter of prose, Shield of Thunder was once again extremely well-written just like the first book. As events have started to escalate, Gemmell also portrayed the horror and tragedy that can come from war with many talents. Take a look at this passage for example:

“There is a darkness in you. In all of us, probably. Beasts we keep chained. Ordinary men have to keep the chains strong, for if we let the beast loose then society will turn upon us with fiery vengeance. Kings though...well, who is there to turn upon them? So the chains are made of straw. It is the curse of kings, Helikaon, that they can become monsters. And they invariably do.”

There were some exceptional passage and scenes like the one above. Not to mention that Hector and Achilles also have a more important role in this installment; I loved Gemmell’s retelling of Hector. However, I do wish that some of the battles didn’t happen off-screen. Gemmell is a pretty damn good author in building momentum. The emotions and tensions before a battle is going to happen was so damn real and well-written but the executions of the action scene itself were mostly pretty short or happened off screen which disappointed me a bit.

Overall, I did have a great time with Shield of Thunder despite a few issues. The set pieces have been placed and everything should be leading towards the tragic Trojan War in the next and final book of the trilogy. I will read the conclusion of the trilogy pretty soon.

You can buy the book with free shipping by clicking this link!

You can find this and the rest of my reviews at Novel Notions

[Stephen · Rating 5 out of 5]

As you can see above, the math for this one is quite simple. This is book two of one of the best Heroic Fantasy series I have ever read. This sequel to the wonderful Lord of the Silver Bow is the middle installment of David Gemmell's Troy trilogy in which he superbly re-imagines the events leading up to and including the Trojan War. It is brilliant, original and terrifically entertaining.

Beginning several years after the events of Lord of the Silver Bow, this book continues the build up to the final battle for the City of Troy. Many of the best characters from the first book are around including Helikaon (aka Aeneas), Odysseus, Gershom (aka...that would spoil the surprise but when you learn you will have bricks dropping from your bowels), Andromache and Hektor. In addition, there are a whole host of new kick-ass participants. We have Peria, a fugitive priestess with a dark secret (oh how we love the dark secret). Plus we have new favorites Kalliades and Banokles, two larger than life heroes villains warriors in the grand Gemmell style. Finally, Achilles finally joins the cast in a BIG BIG way.


The breadth of the story gets broader and depth of the characters continues to deepen. The writing is blood pumping and the plot is pure octane of the highest caliber. This series is quickly becoming one of my favorite series of all time. Gemmell was a master of this kind of story and this is him at the absolute top of his game. If you like well written epics with H.E.R.O.I.C. characters and N.A.S.T.Y. villains, than this series will leave you happier than Peter Griffin on Red Bull.


5.5 to 6.0 stars. HIGHEST POSSIBLE RECOMMENDATION!!!

[Anish Kohli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Humph…
Tell me, have you read a book that has seen you at a loss for words? An experience so rich, you couldn’t possibly explain?
This is that.

I had heaped praise on the author for the Lord of the Silver Bow and quite honestly did not hope for anything better in this book. But it was delivered, and in style.
The book has mostly the same characters with a few strong characters being introduced. All the characters compliment each other in ways most apt.
Hector, a great warrior, unmatched in skill and power, hateful of everything the war brings. A level headed man with compassion to guide him.
Achilles, a might hero, only one to challenge the great Hecktor, driven by thoughts of Blood and Glory. Relentless and a brute.
Banokles, a carefree fighter, full of life, living in the present.
Kalliades, a fearful soldier, a strategist and a resigned soul.
Kalliope, a woman of will, driven by love and love alone.

This book stands in stark contrast to what the 1st book was. It has no clear lead character. No great epic war sequence. No heroes rise or fall. No great love. No great enmity.

Then what does it have?

It has the thing that I cherish the most. STORY-TELLING.
Imagination so vast, so vivid, it is not possible to say it isn’t real.
Words? No, gems. Polished gems. Writing so smooth, silk would feel coarse in comparison.
Characters so life like, they pull you in & capture you.
Different stories, of men and women, trying to understand what they live for, stand for and would die for.
Stories of greed and lust for power. To be Supreme. To reign over all. Stories of all that it is to be Human.

This is the story of how and why the Trojan War was fought. The answer to which is put forth very eloquently by the author:

It is the curse of kings, that they can become monsters. And they invariably do.
This book takes your hand and leads you to the battlefield where the final battle of Troy will unfold. It tells you of all the reasons why it should have happened the way it did.

Kings do not reign long if they let other Kings piss on their shoes.
What happens when wisdom has run its course?

There is a darkness in all of us. Beasts, we keep chained. Ordinary men have to keep the chains strong. Kings, though....
What happens when for want of petty reasons, pride and ego, bonds deeper than family were forfeit?

You are all so sad. I’m not. All the people I love…are with me…
What happens when a troubled soul stares death in the eye? They accept death. They welcome it. In their final moments, alongside with a few loved ones, the world seems complete. Beautiful. Serene. It is their sweet release.

Killing off characters in most gruesome ways is easy. But to grant a tattered soul it’s release and to have the reader understand this, that is ingenuity. To make the reader’s heart ache, for the death of a character, for love lost, is the mark of an author.

I have fallen in love with David Gemmell. This book is right there at the top with anything else for me. It has seen me mad when I thought Helikaon has been killed. It saw me elated to know he was alive. It brought me sadness when Kalliades lost hope. It saw me fraught with despair when Kalliope died. It saw me proud when Banokles rose to the occasion.

This book, is the reason why I read, why I have reverence for the written word.

Word after word after word, is POWER

Ever since I started reading, I have believed that books are magic in their own right. You get to touch greatness, feel the elation, know deepest despair, hold love close, see battles waged, lives lost and bonds forged. Books transport you to a world of their own choosing and for a while, just a while, you are lost to the reality of this world. You are free to roam the pastures and lands and hill and mountains and seas and oceans.

Books like these, authors like David Gemmell are not just authors. They are magicians. They are Saviors. They save many a soul from themselves. Give them a place where they can lose themselves to be found again, to break themselves to be made strong again.

The world would be a sadder place without stories.

I was saved not so long ago by Christopher Paolini and his magic. Then I was not quite capable to thank him. Neither am I now. But this book has reminded me of just how much a story can impact you. How many faces have these people lit up with a smile. How many people they have instilled with hope and will. How many hearts they have touched. How many minds have they kept sane.

This trilogy will stay with me, a reminder of what true magic is.

Take a bow, Mr Gemmell. May your soul rest in peace.

[William Gwynne]

Only half an hour left on the audiobook now. First half confused me a bit with the narrative decisions, but the second half has been absolutely brilliant. Looking forward to seeing where our characters finish, but I'm worried for them!

***

It has been quite a few months since I finished the first instalment of this Trojan retelling, but I really enjoyed being back with this group of characters. A tale that has been told so many times, but still appears fresh because of the way Gemmell explores it.

The first half of this book confused me, as we are separated from the majority of our major characters that we grow to know in the first instalment. The new characters were crafted well, but this distance from the first instalment took me a while to adapt to.

But, when we are reunited with those characters, at around the halfway mark, this series again rose to lofty heights that I loved. Gemmell is fantastic at crafting compelling characters, and one of his many strengths is exploring internal conflict, which he utilises in Shield of Thunder oh so well.

Full Review to Come

[Terence · Rating 3 out of 5]

In what should be a happy time with the heir to Troy getting married, knives are being sharpened as enemies prepare for war. Hidden plots and plans unfold in the intrigue laden Shield of Thunder.

For a book series about a massive looming war it sure takes a long time to get to it. From the beginning of Lord of the Silver Bow all the readers and characters knew a war was coming between Troy and Mykene yet there was only build up to the impending battle in book one. Surely The Shield of Thunder with a cover picture of The Trojan Horse would focus on the war itself...nope. The first 330 or so pages were more build up to the war. This time period revolved around Hektor and Andromache's wedding yet we don't even see the wedding in all that time. After that point there is a big time skip and the war has finally begun. Now being a war whose point of view would you expect to see? Warriors of course. Well we get a little of that, but then large point of view sections from a 3 year old boy and 2 queens. It's all quite frustrating to say it nicely. If not for Odysseus and Bankoles then I don't know if I could have finished this book.

The Shield of Thunder is the third book I've read by David Gemmell and I'm starting to notice some patterns such as instant inexplicable love interests, constantly shifting point of views, random point of views, and the seriousness of war. I'm quite appreciative of the seriousness of war, but I find I've grown tired of the love interests and the way he makes use of point of view characters.

The characters themselves largely feel flat to me. I don't feel as though I'm in their head experiencing emotions with them as much as I feel I'm being told about them having emotions by a third party. There is quite the emotional disconnect that only felt to be bridged by Odysseus and Banokles. I enjoyed my time when the two of them were point of view characters because they felt and behaved like real people constantly unlike the remaining cast of characters.

I have found the retelling interesting to some degree as Paris and Helen are barely even involved. Apparently Helen is a plain and dull woman rather than the woman so beautiful men died fighting in a war over her. I didn't mind the focus on Helikaon in the first book, but he's largely absent in this book due to a festering injury caused by an assassin. Hektor and Achilles are largely forgettable even though they are still fearsome warriors and leaders of men. I think one of the parts of the retelling I like least is Priam being a scumbag rather than a fairly good man and great king.

All in all Shield of Thunder was a long plodding book that was mainly a disappointment. I'm not sure at this point if I'll finish the series.

2.5 out of 5 stars

[Bookwraiths · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Bookwraiths Reviews

Book I of this series started off slow but really picked up speed as it reached its conclusion, so I started book two very excited to see where Gemmell was going with it. Unfortunately, Shield of Thunder really failed to deliver.

As soon as you begin this book, you will notice that Gemmell has skipped forward in time. No big deal really except for one important fact: a tragic event has occurred, which has left one of our main characters dead or dying. (I suppose the author might have done this to build suspense or tension, but it had the affect of annoying me more than anything else.) And so, with this former main character in limbo, the focus of Shield of Thunder shifts to a brand new character, Piria, and two, minor characters, Kalliades and Banokles, from book one.

Immediately, our new stars take center stage, uniting in tragic fashion before their backstory is revealed. Unfortunately, from this intriguing beginning, the story takes a big nosedive as the three journeying by sea to Troy (IF this sounds like deja vu after reading Book I I understand completely.), and even Odysseus' presence or the hopeless love of one of the companions for the other can't make this sea trip any better than the one in Lord of the Silver Bow. Honestly, if not for the constant interludes with Andromache in Troy itself, the book would have floundered from the start, but once again the city of Priam comes to the rescue, as the politically charged wedding games of Hektor and Andromache liven things up with political machinations, emotional fights, and the dramatic return of an old character.

By the end of the wedding games, Shield of Thunder was right back on pace, rushing forward not only toward the beginning of the Trojan War but also toward the emotionally charged completion of Piria, Banokles and Kalliades' quest. But, alas, Gemmell once again crushed my hopes for this novel. Let me explain.

One, the epic quest of Piria had been the major plot line in the book from page one. Gemmell spends chapters explaining it, making it heart-rending, and setting up a climatic ending to it. Then, when Piria, Banokles and Kalliades are moments away from completing it, things just . . . fizzle out. I won't explain how, but Piria's story just ends. No other way to say it. Boom it is gone, and you sit there and ask yourself why Gemmell spent all this time building this up to just snuff it out like a candle flame. Big letdown.

Second, Gemmell skips forward in time again. The first time it was between book one and two, so I can live with that even though I didn't like it. Here, however, there is no reason for the time skip. One minute, there is a looming war between Mycene and Troy, and the next it has been going on for years. We hear about all these huge battles that have taken place. Characters talk about Hektor's victories and Odysseus' strategic brilliance, but what we actually read about is Kalliades and Banokles' struggles. And, while I did like both characters, Kalliades spends more time waxing philosophical on his inability to love anyone rather than actually fighting.

Third, Gemmell has this annoying habit of giving you a character, feeding you a backstory then never returning to him. The Egyptian, Gershom, is a prime example. Book one starts off with him getting lots of page time; we get a detailed backstory with some plot issues twisting around. Then in Shield of Thunder Gershom goes poof! and disappears. Oh, he makes some appearances, but nothing related to his backstory. And he isn't the only character treated this way by the author. It is beyond irritating.

So while Shield of Thunder is an okay read, I can't say I really liked it. Honestly, Gemmell barely keeps his Trojan War epic afloat with this one.

[Agnieszka na grzbietowisku · Rating 5 out of 5]

To było cudowne! Mistrzowskie dzieło pełne historii, jednocześnie pięknych i tragicznych. Autor tchnął życie w starożytną Troję, Trację i Dardanię, zbudował coś, w co jestem w stanie w pełni uwierzyć. Poruszająca, podnosząca na duchu, a jednocześnie malująca obraz okrucieństwa i narastającej spirali nienawiści.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

No question that David Gemmel was a brilliant writer and his second book in his Troy series is a riveting read full of action, wonders, sense and sensuality. It brings the Bronze Age to life in a very plausible way, as the story of the young King of Dardania Helikaon and his frustrated love for the beautiful Andromache. But the bulk of the book follows the adventures of two renegade Mykene warriors, Banokles and Kalliades, who rescue the mysterious and troubled beauty Piria. While I found the minimization of Helen of Troy as a plain and mousy character lacking significance difficult to digest as this is the essence of the Iliad, and likewise the emasculation of Hektor, the added dimensions made up for these disappointment's. The character of Gershom who we find out will be a major player in another historic saga is quite astounding. The battle scenes are gory and the cruelty of some of the generals and kings of the time is quite disturbing. But the passions and exploration of inner are equally well delivered. All in all a great installment in this historic fantasy thriller.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Halo, czy ja moge prosić audio 3go tomu na wczoraj????

[Read By Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first two thirds of this book are utterly fantastic, I was supremely invested in every scene. This book largely focuses on three bit characters from the first book and that seems like a questionable decision at first, but I immediately loved their dynamic and what they brought to the story.

The struggles in Troy and the problems between Priam, Agamemnon, and Odysseus is so well done. This is probably my favorite depiction of Odysseus to date, I just find Gemmell doing great things with him. And of course we have to talk about Andromache, who is an absolutely phenomenal character and I honestly don't know how I can adjust to other Troy retellings now that I find this version of Andromache such an absolute badass. She's just fantastic in every scene. There are other great characters in this but l'll leave it as a surprise.

In general, Gemmell absolutely Excels with character and dialogue. The dialogue here isn't particularly witty like in other series I love dialogue for (Martin, Lynch, Abercrombie, etc) but it does a lot with a little. Every conversation feels like a conversation that would actually happen, which is hard to do. Each one also makes me appreciate the characters involved a little more, either positively or negatively.

Once again, this book isn't particularly action focused. It's slightly more than the first book, but still not that much. There's a chapter that is named after a battle that makes you think it's gonna be a big deal, but then the actual battle lasts for like a page. Gemmell does write fight scenes well, but I feel like people who don't love action scenes as much would love this series, because once again, Gemmell does a lot with a little (seemingly his strong suit).

The book reaches an emotional climax and a pretty good plot climax about two thirds of the way through, and I feel strongly that it should have been the end of the book. It was the highpoint of the novel in all ways, and the stuff that came in the final part of the book was still very good, but there was a time skip and it introduced new characters, locations, conflicts and relationships, after spending 2/3s of the book building up to a bunch of great things that I absolutely loved. I wasn't really interested in reading about new characters and a different sub-conflict right after.

However, because Gemmell is great, he still wins me over. These rando characters I wished he had saved for next book (and to be clear, there are still major characters from the first half involved, they are just interacting with new people) ended up getting me invested, and their little mini-arcs in the last third of the novel had me invested. Once again, a lot with a little.

The very end of the book felt cliffhangery in a way the first book didn't (which I maintain could be read and appreciated as a standalone, if one chose), so this book should probably be read close together with the final book.

9/10

[Pulek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Panie Gemmell jak tu Panu oddać sprawiedliwość? Mogę dać tylko 5 gwiazdek i wychwalać do końca swoich dni. Jak Pan jednocześnie pięknie i emocjonująco przedstawiasz mity, jak żywe i złożone tworzysz postacie, jak wszystko jest wspaniałe przemyślane ❤️❤️❤️

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This, the second of three, does not end on a highnote. As a matter of fact, things are pretty darned dire just about everywhere one could conceivably look.

I reduced this down to four stars since my previous reading, mainly because I'm older now, and I have decided that I intensely dislike horsing around with many points of view. That's not to say that this wasn't well-written; it very much is, as a matter of fact. But this is my rating and I'm sticking to it :)

One artistic choice in this book has always really puzzled me. A major event occurred offstage, and it was a big one. I wonder why he chose not to show it. It was referred to, danced around, commented on, etc, but we only had glimpses well after the fact. Apparently it occurred immediately after the first book ended. I've always been curious as to the why behind that decision. Since Mr. Gemmell is no longer with us we will never know.

I will be reading the next here shortly.

[Anthems · Rating 5 out of 5]

Muy bueno, asombrosamente bueno.

Y más teniendo en cuenta que es un libro "puente", nada conclusivo, y que pierde, inevitablemente, la frescura de la que goza su antecesor.
La nota es de un 4,5 estrellas. Se lleva las 5 en el redondeo por ser entretenimiento de calidad. Gemmell fue un grande, una terrible pérdida para la literatura.

El libro es coral, con multitud de "points of view" (qué fuerza tiene el inglés, madre mía, que Reverte me perdone). Sorprende que ningún personaje aburra, que todos tengan voz. La armonía del conjunto es perfecta. Nada sobra, todo engrandece la historia. Especial mención al dúo Calíades y Banocles, que cobran especial relevancia en el libro: absolutamente geniales, dos personalidades antagónicas pero que se combinan a la perfección.

Nada más que añadir, en realidad. Bueno sí, que lo leáis, a todos los que os guste la historia clásica, la geografía y mitología helénica, la épica y la heroicidad, los libros repletos de diálogos, de acción, de romance, y, en general, de diversión y ocio desatado y despreocupado, aquí tenéis un manjar muy nutritivo. Que no os de pereza el formato "trilogía", se lee en tres sentadas.

[Nikola Pavlovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

U svim trilogijama druga knjiga je realno opasnost po samu sebe :) Medjutim David Gemel je iskusan pisac, ovo je njegova predzadnja knjiga u zivotu i definitivno zna sta radi. Radnja je i vise nego dobro postavljena a karaktere koji su vec izgradjeni uspeva da nadogradi i ucini jos drazim i zanimljivijim. D

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this book in 2007, and its the 2nd volume of the amazing "Troy"Trilogy.

Into this 2nd volume new figures will enter this ancient world of the Great Green, namely the Priestess Piria, with a terrible secret of her own, the formidable fighter, Kalliades, with a legendary sword, Banokles who will make his own legend to come, and not to forget the legendary storyteller, Odysseus.

These new characters will join the likes of Helikaon, Andromache, Hektor and many more who all made their presence felt in the first great telling of Troy, and with all its beauty and evil.

All across the Great Green forces are gathering, friends and enemies alike, to make ready for the inevitable war that is to come, and so await their chances for plunder and conquest.

In this ancient world full with love and hate, friendship and animosity, forces are getting ready for the inevitable final reckoning that is to come in the last volume, after this wonderful portraying of Troy and its heroes and the state of preparedness they are making for the war that is to come.

Highly recommended, for this is a most compelling addition to this great trilogy, and that's why I like to call this episode: "A Superb Trojan Sequel"!

[Mehrshad Zarei · Rating 5 out of 5]

باردیگر شاهد قلم تحسین برانگیز دیوید گمل بودم
این کتاب پر از استراتژی ها و فلسفه زندگی و جنگه
نثرش فوقلعاده قویه جهان داستانی بسیار حرفه ای پرداخته شده و کتاب پر از جزئیاته. مثلا شخصیت هایی که در جلد قبل خیلی کمرنگ دیده میشدن حالا
در کنار شخصیت های جلد قبلی حماسه می آفرینند و
جایگاه با ثباتی در داستان ایجاد میکنن و بعضا میمیرن
 این نکته نوید   شخصیت پردازی های قوی رو میده
با اینکه کتاب اول شخص نیست نویسنده مارو با تمام روحیات و تفکرات و خلق و خوی شخصیتاش آشنا میکنه.
باید بگم که واقعی یا رئال ترین داستانی بود که خوندم
جنگ واقعا همینطوره که در این داستان بهش پرداخته شده. چون جنگ های بزرگ حرف از یکسال یا دوساله
تموم شدنشون نیست و این حتی میتونه دلیلی بر پایان به ظاهر ضعیف کتاب باشه که وسط نا کجا تموم میشه
و خیلی چیزها مشخص نمیشه و کتاب تموم میشه و حدسم بر اینه که کل جلد بعد در جنگ باشه.
کاملا مشخصه کتاب همچنان برای جلد بعدش شخصیت های جدیدی در این داستان پایه گذاری میکنه که اکثرشون کودک هستن و همین نکته هم نشون میده جنگ همچنان ادامه داره  و طولانی تر از این حرفها خواهد بود و سرنوشتش رو قطعا همینا رقم میزنن.
روابط بین شخصیت ها رو که میبینم به این میرسم که چقدر این داستان ها به زندگی واقعی نزدیکه با این که کتاب هیجان و غافلگیری های زیادی نداشت و با اینکه خوندنش یک ماه طول کشید من خیلی دوسش داشتم
و دارم.

این کتاب گره ی علاقه من به حماسه رو محکم تر بست

و در نهایت نمره ام به این کتاب ۴.۷۵

پ.ن: شباهت های مثال زدنی بسیاری به نغمه آتش و یخ داشت که نام نمیبرم.  :)

[Georgiana 1792 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secondo capitolo dei fatti dell'Iliade rivisitati da Gemmel e narrati in modo molto razionale dal punto di vista storico, quasi a voler dare una spiegazione logica alla leggenda. Sia Priamo che Agamennone vorrebbero essere l'uomo più potente della terra, e le loro macchinazioni causano la formazione o la rottura di fragili alleanze. Oltre ai protagonisti che rimangono fissi dal precedente romanzo, Elicaone (Enea, qui un po' in sordina), Andromaca, Ettore e Odisseo, ci sono nuovi personaggi di spicco a sostituire Argurio, Laodice e gli altri che sono morti o meno influenti in questo capitolo. In particolare Calliope - la sorella di Achille, amante di Andromaca sull'Isola di Tera - Calliade e Banocle. Ho apprezzato particolarmente i giochi in onore delle nozze tra Ettore e Andromaca, con Achille umiliato (e forse per questo pieno di rancore verso Ettore).

[Debby Kean · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's brilliant, and sad... Goodreads is so thoroughly American that the only edition they have is an E-version, so unfortunately, you can't see the awesome cover art enjoyed by my paperback Corgi edition, and the art conveys the atmosphere of hope, fear and deep history that suffuses this book.

[Stjepan Cobets · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating 4.7

The historical fiction novel Shield of Thunder (Troy, #2) by David Gemmell is a well-written book that simply draws the reader in. The story is set during the Trojan War, but here the Heroes are depicted as ordinary people struggling with their feelings, rather than as some mythical creatures. The author has perfectly infused the mythical story of Troy with the spirit of that time, which can be seen at every step, so that you feel like a traveler walking through ancient Greece and its city-states.

The continuation of the story announces the inevitable war; all the kings of the Great Green Sea gather, and each of them has their own dark plans for plunder and conquest. Three travelers enter this whirlpool of lies: Pirija, a runaway princess hiding a dark secret, Kaliad, a warrior of firm principles with a legendary sword, and his friend Banoklo. They all travel together to the fairy-tale city of Troy, but the darkness that descends over that part of the world will affect all people; the tragedies of ordinary mortals and bloody victories and battles will intertwine. Troy will, after all, become a mythical story in which the true truth, humanity, and heroism may be lost. All participants of that time will discover the truth about themselves because there are too many hidden lies and deceptions buried in this story.

If you like historical fiction related to the Greek myth of Troy, then this is a great book for you.

[Michelle, the Bookshelf Stalker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes books are so well written, the characters come so alive, that I can read the book as quickly as I can watch a movie. That was the case with this book. David Gemmell was a genius. He was a puppet master, carefully laying out his characters, their dialogue, their moves, so that the story comes together beautifully at the end. I'm not going to do a full review since if you already read book 1, you most likely plan on reading this book or already read it.

However, if you haven't read book 1, please do so.

[Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Разкошно продължение, което по нищо не личи, че е средна книга. Въпреки очаквано познатия сюжет действието е интересно, не липсват изненади, героите търпят развитие и най-сетне изскачат повечето от познатите персонажи от Илиада и митовете. А Троянската война даже не е започнала in earnest.

[minyard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Epicka kontynuacja serii o wojnie trojańskiej, po raz kolejny opowiedziana z zupełnie zaskakujących perspektyw.

Początek drugiego tomu był dla mnie nie lada zagwozdką. Przez pięćset stron pierwszej części śledziliśmy losy bohaterów, którzy teraz poszli w odstawkę, by na pierwszy plan mogły wyjść postacie zdawkowo wspomniane w poprzedniej książce. Byłam, delikatnie mówiąc, zdziwiona, ale szybciutko rozwiane zostały wszelkie moje wątpliwości co do słuszności tej decyzji. Wybory narracyjne Gemmella to jeden z najciekawszych aspektów tej trylogii. W drugim tomie dalej śledzimy wydarzenia prowadzące do wojny trojańskiej, tym razem towarzysząc pozornie dziwacznemu trio bohaterów - dwóm mykeńskim wygnańcom i kapłance z Tery. Dużo większa jest tu także rola Odyseusza (świetnie wykreowana postać, prawdopodobnie jeden z najciekawszych wizerunków tego bohatera, z jakim się dotąd spotkałam). W dalszej części książki wracają również postaci znane nam z pierwszego tomu - Helikaon i Andromacha. Sieć politycznych intryg z każdą stroną wydaje się coraz bardziej rozrastać, a zbliżającą się wojnę czuć już w powietrzu.

Nie sądziłam, że te książki tak mnie pochłoną, ale śledzenie losów starożytnych herosów w wydaniu Gemmella jest doprawdy fascynujące. Tempo tej książki jest doskonałe, a finałowe sceny naprawdę zachwycają. Niezwykle podoba mi się złożoność tej opowieści, ukazywanie jej z najróżniejszych perspektyw oraz portretowanie postaci, które nie są ani czarne, ani białe, ale pełno w nich szarości, bo są po prostu ludźmi. Z niecierpliwością czekam na finał tej trylogii.

[Flying Monkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars!

Shield of Thunder delivers. Banokles is now one of my all time favorite characters. His story was captivating and sheer entertainment. Loved it.

[Iset · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s not too much I can add to my review of this, the second novel in the trilogy, without repeating what I said in my review of the first book. Gemmell’s writing quality is consistent throughout the series, and, like the first, this novel is packed with just as much adventure, tension, authentic detail and earthy characterisations. I liked the fact that Gemmell shifts gears here to three new lead characters – Kalliades, Banokles and Piria, who are barely more than mentioned in the first novel, and whose fates tie in with those of the previous book’s main characters. I mistakenly read this second instalment in the series first, and I don’t know if that had something to do with it, but I liked these leads even better than those in Lord of the Silver Bow. Argurios was fictional, but Andromache and Aeneas are well-known, if secondary, characters from the myth, and though Gemmell changes them around enough that you feel uncertain about their fate, with three fictional characters taking centre stage it really built up the anticipation for me, and the sense that literally anything could happen to these three characters that I had come to care about and I had no idea what lay in store for them. Just like the first book, I found this one to be a compelling page-turner, and the alterations to the legend that Gemmell makes in fact more historically accurate and a fresh new angle on the tale.

8 out of 10.

[Ahtims · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuation of Troy 1 [ Lord of the Silver Bow ], this book started off as interesting as its predecessor. Odysseus was focussed upon in more detail and I loved reading about him and listening to his tales of wit and wisdom. The other prominent characters were Kalliodes, who falls in love with Kalliope a.k.a Piria, the former lover of Andromache, who was a prominent character of the first book, and who is about to marry Hektor, the Prince of Troy. Kalliope is rescued from pirates by Kalliodes and Banocles, and these three in turn seek shelter with Odysseus in his ship, later reaching Troy, meeting up with the Trojan royals, and finally ending up with Odysseus's army in the great war of Troy. The latter quarter of the book focuses upon the so far neglected queen Helioptes, who is forever battling with her fears of the cruel Myreans, which unfortunately come true.
It was a good read, but the latter quarter somehow negated the initial charm and ease of flow of the book and the characters. The war starts, bloodshed occurs and things look grim.
Overall, an enjoyable book, recommended to Greek mythology fans.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I love it when I really like the first book in a series, and then the second book is even better! I will say it took a little while before some of the main characters from the first book reappeared in this one, but honestly I didn't mind it much because I genuinely liked the 'new' characters too (technically they were in the first book too, but very minor roles).

This series is full of interesting characters, betrayals, alliances, intrigue, friendships, redemption, and battles; it's awesome. My one and only complaint so far with this series is that there are some instances of insta-love. But since the romance is such a minor point to the plot, it doesn't bother me like it usually does in books that are entirely focused on the romance in the first place.

Sadly, the author died while writing the third book in this trilogy but his wife completed it for him. I'm interested to see how well she manages to pull off his writing style. I'll definitely be reading it.

[Eduardo Schimitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Gemmell, a master storyteller.
Such a good book, I'm speechless.

[Barry Mulvany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as the first but still very good.

We start off shortly after the events of the first book. Things haven't quite come to a head yet, war has not been officially declared, but things are looking more ominous. Andromache and Hektor are due to be married so all the great and mighty on the great green have been invited to the wedding, each with their own agendas at it.

So after spending the first book getting to know our main characters, Gemmell proceeds to ignore them for the first half of the book and focus on two soldiers who had a little bit of time at the end of the previous book, a girl who had barely a mention and Odysseus. We do go back to the other characters after a while but it is a little disconcerting at the beginning. However like the great the storyteller that he is, Gemmell soon makes you care as much about these characters as the others and you forget all about how new they are.

Things definitely take a turn for the dark in this book. There is even more mention and incidents (very brief) of rape and slaughter. This could be a turn off for some people, I think it's handled well in that it is not glossed over and has consequences but honestly I can't say for certain. At one stage there is zero difference between the 'good' guys and 'bad' guys, they are both doing exactly the same thing and as I mentioned in the first book, I would really not like to be an ordinary person at this time period in our world.

The sadness is even more pronounced now, especially in the second half. Gone are the tales round the camp fires, and friends have found themselves on opposite sides of the conflict. We all know how this trilogy is going to end so I know it's not going to get any better but I still can't wait to find out how Gemmell is going to do it. Though these are dark books, there are always moments that shine and that helps. A great middle entry, though not quite as good as the first.

Please see this and other reviews at https://barrysbloodybooks.home.blog/

[Shima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gemmell always does well to avoid second book syndrome, of course still the second book is always a little ways behind the awesome introduction first book and epic ending last one.
What Gemmell does is dependent on his great strength as a writer, his characters.

In the second book he immediately introduces new characters, making you care for them and interested in their stories. Then just as the rush from the new characters is starting to wear off, The reader receives some news from the old and much beloved characters of the first book, so you'll continue reading with new strength, Thirsty for news from your favorite characters.

I'm not gonna lie it's a method than can be annoying. The author is practically baiting you with these little snippets. "Just read about the new characters a little bit longer and soon you'll hear about Helikaon, or Andromache or..." But there is no doubt that it's also effective. By the time we actually do get to hear about old characters, we've grown to love the new ones as well.

This book continues with the aftermaths of the battle between Mykene and Troy. We get to watch the brewing tensions and secret conspiracies explode into full fledged wars, while old, dark secrets are revealed causing surprising shifts in sides and putting friends against each other.

Gemmell does war like no one else. He makes it seem like a living, growing organ. You know in books how sometimes you look at the strategies and war fare and suddenly see some huge solution just sitting there? Or how it's so easy to keep track of everything and everyone and it's obvious right from the start who's on who's side and who is going to lead a last minute battle and who is going to break through a siege?
There is none of that with Gemmell, there is messy battles, there is luck, there is heavy choices to be made with terrible consequences. He makes characters you love, and who love each other face off in battle, and you get to watch the choices they make from each side. You can see small battles from different sides of the world make a bigger picture and you can feel the tide of war changing. It's something else.

[Mihir · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read Fantasy Book Critic's article The Trojan War - A Reinterpretation: "The Troy Trilogy" by David and Stella Gemmell

Mini-review of SHIELD OF THUNDER: In the second book “Shield of Thunder” the reasons for Andromache’s betrothal to Hektor are laid bare & they are not what the reader will expect. In this earlier 1/3rd of the book we are introduced to 2 minor characters from the end of the 1st book namely Kalliades & Banokles who after the events in the climax of “LOTSB” have been left bereft. While traveling as pirates they come across a girl named Piria who wants to travel to Troy for reasons unknown. Their path converges with Odysseus in a strange way & later lead on to Troy where the great games are on as a part of Hektor’s marriage to Andromache.

We are also reintroduced to Helikaon who is now married but has been befallen by a great calamity thanks to a certain character from the previous book. We are also given a glimpse of Achilles & David Gemmell has written a rather different first meet between Hektor & Achilles & whilst traditionalists might not be pleased, readers will enjoy the encounter. We also get to see Paris & Helen albeit quite differently from what we expect, both being minor characters .

Gershorm also has to face his past to save the life of his friend. The second book in a trilogy is often the hardest to write and least liked book in a trilogy, however SOT manages to heighten the stakes as set by LOTSB with the introduction of new POV characters & gives us a rather excellent reason for why the Trojan War will be fought. Somehow David Gemmell manages to outshine his previous effort & set the stage for the final book where we know what’s going to happen but yet the reader will be curious to see how it all pans out & of course see the epic battle between Achilles & Hektor as well.