Breaking The Foals

by Maximilian Hawker

Hektor’s life of privilege is forever changed when a man, allegedly possessed by the sun god, inspires revolution among the oppressed townspeople of Wilusa – the historical Troy of myth. For Hektor, son of Bronze Age Wilusa’s despotic ruler, social equality contradicts every principle he has been indoctrinated into believing. But his principles and obsession with duty is alienating him from his young son, Hapi, with whom he has a fractured relationship. When the ‘possessed’ man saves Hapi’s life, Hektor is compelled to question the foundations upon which his father has constructed his life as he rebuilds his relationship with his child through the breaking of a foal. Wilusa collapses into political violence as the commoners rise up, and Hektor must decide whether to defend the people, but lose his identity, or remain loyal to an irrational, dangerous father.  Breaking the Foals  is a breathless gallop through an ancient world carved out by tradition, stained with blood and immortalised in the lives of heroes and villains.

Genres: Greek Mythology, Historical Fiction, Historical

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2018

About the author

Maximilian Hawker is a 30-year-old writer who lives in Croydon, South London, with his wife and two daughters. He is author of the novel Breaking The Foals, published with Unbound in April 2018. An alumnus of Kingston University, he has a postgraduate degree in English Literature and has worked in education, editorial and design. Currently, he works in frontline children's social care for Croydon Council, providing a service for care leavers and also runs a YouTube channel for looked after children and care leavers called formeR Relevant, which he aims to eventually promote at a national level. He has had poetry and short stories - occasionally nominated for awards - appear in publications run by Dog Horn Publishing, Kingston University Press, Arachne Press and Rebel Poetry, among others. He also aims to see the word 'asparagi' added to the English Dictionary, as its absence troubles him.

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highly original and moving story about Hector of Troy, who is more accurately portrayed in this tale as Hektor of Wilusa. By falling back on his years of research Maximilian Hawker creates a world of which I knew precious little, yet one which I instantly found to be highly credible and enticingly exotic as I read his novel. The protagonist is formidable and at all times human, navigating his way through an intriguing, dangerous, fast-shifting world in which everything he holds dear is at stake. To avoid spoiling the story I’ll only go as far as to say that Hektor’s journey is as psychological as it is physical, and that all of the other characters in this novel are as convincing and well-portrayed as its protagonist. At all times I experienced a perfect balance between plot, literature and historical detail. A very moving narrative, only made possible by Maximilian Hawker’s vision and magical prose. The love drips off every last word in this yarn. Max is just a tremendous talent and I’ll keep an eye out for all of his future literary ventures. Thanks also to Unbound and The Pigeonhole for making this story available pre-publication.

[Marquise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Initially, I thought I was probably going to be the only disagreeing voice on this highly-rated book that purports to retell the real story of Hector, Prince of Troy not as he's known from myth but in a purely historical context. It's been a month since, and it looks like I'm still the lone dissenter.

To start with, anyone who picks up this novel expecting to find the plotline of Homer's The Iliad represented here should abandon that idea before starting to read it, because Breaking the Foals is nothing like the epic poem. Nor will you find Homer's Prince Hector here either. Reworking the Troy legend without the mythology, without the gods, demigods, and without the war with the Achaeans is a gamble, for most likely anyone looking for a Trojan War retelling is searching for one precisely because they want their Homeric fix and will expect to find familiar elements even if the story is new. Very few will be familiar with the "real" city of Troy, called Wilusa, or with its culture, language and beliefs. I personally don't mind a gods-less 100% historical retelling stripped of all traces of the supernatural like I know some other Homer enthusiasts do mind, but there's a modicum of accuracy and plausibility to be achieved for me to consider it a good retelling. Unfortunately, that's precisely where this novel failed espectacularly: it's neither.

Let's start with historicity. Why on Earth is Maximilian Hawker having Wilusans from two millennia before Christ use the 19th century American slang word "okay"? I just can't believe how many times I have to repeat this over and over, because it seems more and more authors simply don't bloody care for a minimum dose of respect for historical accuracy and have Japanese people from the Shogunate saying "okay," Englishmen from the Tudor era saying "okay," etc., etc., etc. And now I find "okay" in a novel about a royal prince of Troy! It's unbelievable. Years of research and writing, the author says. And this is what he has to show for such supposed hard work?

The entirely of the novel has this too-modern-for-its-times speech, and in general the setting is so shallow that you only know it's ancient Wilusa because the text says so, because what's shown on page is so generic it can be taken for practically any walled city from pre-gunpowder times. I couldn't just read and tell myself, oh, it's Troy all right. It's simply not recognisable from the text, and the fact that it's nothing like the familiar Homeric epic doesn't help with assuming on one's own that it's Wilusa without being told.

Then there's the plausibility of the plotline. In this novel, Hektor of Wilusa is a horse tamer prince with existential conflicts stemming from his fraught relationship with Priam, his father, and Hapi, his son. Doesn't sound implausible so far, right? And then, as it unravels, the issues that defy belief being to surface:

- First, Hektor is Priam's only son and heir, and yet, he's still unmarried and has no legitimate children at his age. How come that'd happen in an age when people married much younger and a royal's duty was to produce as many heirs to the throne as possible? Hektor should've been married for political reasons long ago when the novel starts. In the myths, he's already married and has a child.

- Second, when it's said Hektor is the only son, turns out he's not just the only male child but the only child of his parents. Really?! The queen can have no more children, fine, but for the fact that in that time they could have taken more than one wife, taken concubines, etc., and so Priam should've had more children by other women, unless he were infertile, which isn't the case. The plot needed Hektor to be an only child and so he is, screw Homer and all ancient sources with their dozens and dozens of children of Priam and Hecuba.

- Third, Queen Parta (who'd be Hecuba from myth) is the only wife of Priam. Again, why? An infertile queen in those times is in a precarious position and wouldn't remain the only wife either. Oh, but having this bitchy and cruel woman, who hates and mistreats poor little good boy Hektor is good for drama, and the plot needs it. Why she'd hate her own son, her only one, I can't fathom.

- Fourth, and perhaps the most laughable plot point: Hapi is Hektor's bastard son by a street prostitute. What? A royal prince of Troy, who is unexplainably unmarried in his prime, could get no better in life than go lose his virginity to a common street whore? Yes, that's completely credible. No court lady and no palace servant would ever dream of looking flirty at him, must be whores only because we all know men in times past had to go début sexually at brothels or they'd not get any. And of course, since he's such a good boy and decent man, he totally takes charge of said street whore's whelp and raises it himself at the royal palace, never stopping for a second to question its paternity, because there's of course no question that a street whore with numerous clients, any of which could've fathered the child, is to be trusted if she claims the kid is Hektor's, full stop.

- Fifth, turns out that the kindly Priam from "The Iliad," who loves Hector and all his sons including that feckless Paris, is here a bad father and a bad king. People in Wilusa are starving, so they rise up in arms for truth, justice, freedom, reasonably priced love and a hard-boiled egg. Er... I mean, because Priam is a tyrant, really, and such an oppressive one that he causes a revolution led by a religious loony. Not that revolts by the hungry populace didn't happen in the ancient world, but those weren't the oh so modern social-justice-mindful popular revolutions to depose a king and hand power over to a council of the people with the connivance and complicity of the crown prince. Yes, Hektor aids the revolution to depose his father, gives up on his rights to the throne in favour of the People's Council Of Soviet Socialist Wilusans. Er... all right, I'll stop with the sarcasm, you get the point.

- Sixth, at some point, Priam seems to finally realise he should have his heir married and with a wife pumping out heirs by the handfuls, so he arranges a marriage to a certain Luha (that'd be Andromache for those who only know the myths, I guess). But, turns out ancient princesses apparently could tell their intended they wouldn't marry them if they were the last man standing, no matter what Daddy the King told them and to hell with diplomacy and treaties. Seriously, for a writer that flaunts his research, Hawker sure has a very skewed view of what noblewomen could and couldn't do when it came to arranged marriages. Predictably, this marriage fiasco will be one reason more for Luha's dad to besiege Wilusa later. Of course, Hektor will pay with his life in the end, and that's not even a spoiler.

And so on, and so forth; it's a headache to list every single example. Inaccurate and implausible would be more than enough for the low rating, but the writing isn't good to balance it all either. The author's prose presents weird usage of certain words, that sound hilarious. For example, he uses "detonate" to mean to explode as in an emotional or verbal outburst: "he detonated" in place of he burst out or screamed or yelled, etc. Anyone knew people "detonate" like dynamite and bombs?

[Jeanette Heidenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking The Foals is a perfect example of how historical fiction can make history come to life. Set in ancient Troy, or Wilusa, as it was known to contemporaries, the story follows divine heir to the throne, Hektor, and his son, Hapi, during a time of civil unrest. Although the names of some of the characters are familiar from the Greek legend of the fall of Troy, this story is firmly based on research into the historic city of Troy, Turkey and the Hittite culture, rather than on legend. This is one of the two aspects that made the story so compelling to me — the opportunity to learn about an ancient culture while being entertained by a great story.

The other aspect that really spoke to me was Hektor’s internal struggle to accept his role as divine heir when it means sacrificing his role as parent. Indeed, Hektor’s internal struggle is what drives the story. This choice by author Maximilian Hawker is pure genius, because Hektor’s struggle to choose between duty and love, between fate and free will, between tradition and justice, makes him human and very relatable. And that in turn makes it easier to understand the culture and society described so well in the book.

I had the privilege of reading this book on an interactive reading platform called The Pigeonhole, with the author available to answer questions about his creative process and the research on which he based the story. This added another invaluable dimension to the book and my learning experience, and I hope future readers of Breaking The Foals will get to benefit from Maximilian’s thoughts in interviews about his writing process. He really has done remarkable work in creating this beautiful piece of literature.

A well written historical novel can also serve as a mirror, helping us understand ourselves better. It was clear from the discussions we readers had in the comments, that this was very much the case with this book. More than once did we reflect on scenes that had moved or appalled us, only to come to the conclusion that the same things are still happening today.

Finally, I want to commend the author for the beautiful language in the book. There is a lyrical feeling to it, that brings an atmosphere of an ancient saga to the story. I found myself reading some of the text out loud, just because I liked the sound and the taste of it. I wasn’t the only reader calling for an audiobook version in the comment section.

I can warmly recommend Breaking the Foals to anyone who loves historical fiction, but also to anyone who wants to follow a very relatable story of the struggles of a single parent yearning to find balance in life.

[Paul Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't remember exactly what triggered my interest as a teenager about Troy, but I do remember checking Schliemann's book on his Trojan excavations out of the Monteith Branch of the Detroit Public Library.  Thus began my lifelong affair with ancient times. When I entered Wayne State University a few years later, I chose Classical Civilization as my area of study and immersed myself in the mythologies and histories of ancient Greece and Rome, including Homer's Iliad. Since then I've read more than a few historical fiction tales of The Trojan War, e.g. Hand of Fire by Judith Starkson, the Odysseus series by Glyn Iliffe, the Ilium and Olympos duo by Dan Simmons. The one common factor in all of them is that they all see the tale from different perspectives; a trait they share with Breaking the Foals.  This tale brings to life a Troy that existed prior to the city of Homer. Indeed it is one school of thought that Homer's Iliad was based on a series of events that happened in this corner of Asia. Wilusa was a Bronze Age vassal to the Hittite Empire at the time of this Priam and Hektor; albeit the more powerful of the various cities in the region. The author has pieced together a marvelous tale integrating the time and tenor of Bronze Age Asia Minor with elements of Homer; elements that are presented in a manner to make them less mythological and more historical.  The plot develops around Hektor, the dutiful son and right hand man of Priam, the representative of the Sun God on Earth, and the growing discontent of the populace of the lower town with the "deserving" in the upper town.  Hektor finds himself torn about his duties especially as his son, Hapi, is not one of the "deserving" being born to a prostitute mother. The tense atmosphere with the lower town subjects, plus a rather unfortunate set of events; earthquake, a rather unhappy neighboring city, and the general feeling that Priam has lost the favor of the gods lead to an exciting climatic conclusion.  The reader is presented with believable characters, wonderful descriptions, and an entertaining telling of a story that is at once familiar yet different enough to rouse the historically curious.

5 stars.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

This book was very, very well written, it made the story come to life and I felt at times as though I was living and sharing the lives of the characters. It is an extremely well planned out piece of work and I loved it.

I wasn't sure where the book was going to go after the first few pages but it soon picked up pace and the story started to really develop. The author's passion for this period of history is evident, along with the research he has completed to write the story, It really does make the story come alive. I am aware of the story of Troy and Hektor but this took that to a new level for me - I thoroughly enjoyed it.

No hesitation at all in giving the story 5 stars - one of the best historical fiction stories I have read so far in 2018!

[Laurence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing historical fiction. Took me off guard. A strange and wonderful journey.

[Alexandra Turney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original and entertaining historical fiction. I don't usually go for historical fiction (or at least, not this historical), but I really enjoyed reading about Wilusa - the real Ancient Troy. The unusual choice of setting made the story feel fresh and unpredictable, and the descriptions of city life and landscape were so vivid that I always had a clear image of the place. You know you're reading a good book when reading feels like travelling...

The story of Hektor, torn between his duties and his love for illegitimate son (as well as his growing unease at the suffering of Wilusa's less privileged citizens) is in many ways an archetypal plot which feels familiar. However, the strong charactersisation and the originality of the setting mean that you're always engaged in the story, never quite sure what will happen next. It might be easier to guess the actions and motivations of a more modern hero, but given that Hektor is very much a product of his time (and social status), his decisions are never easy to predict.

I think the main strength of Breaking the Foals is the way it mixes contemporary-sounding dialogue and an easy narrative style with meticulous research and authentic characters and historical details. It's entertaining and accessible without being too modern - I can believe that men like Hektor thought and acted in the way portrayed here. Without wanting to give too much away, the treatment of Hektor's half-sister, Kaluti, is sadly believable.

I'd recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the ancient world and fans of historical fiction. But also, more generally, to anyone who enjoys a good story...

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Think about aspects of the Trojan War, then think again. Politics, social hierarchy, family life, gender issues, and much more all link to a 21st century social conscience.
The writing is wonderful, imagery delightful, prose is reminiscent of epic poetry, in such descriptive paragraphs it’s easy to loose oneself in the tale. A superb storyline set in ancient times with a hero
and villains, created with such believable characters that bare tragedy and horror it’s so easy to live and love with them. The plot is the heartbeat of the story and the threads along the way tie together at the end. Quite a masterpiece and I was lucky enough to read this book alongside, the author and other readers on Pigeonhole before publication date.
I’m certainly looking out for Maximilian Hawker in Literature. ‘Breaking the Foals’ is worthy of a school set text.

[Gail Wylde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! The writing is superb, the characters are hugely likeable (or unlikeable as the case may be) and the story kept me fully engaged. This book was way out of my comfort zone, I had heard of Hektor and Troy but that was about it. This is a book you must read.
I read this book on Pigeonhole alongside the author so I must say a big thank you to them both.
Highly, highly recommended.

[Di Paterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Breaking the Foals on The Pigeonhole, along with Maximilian Hawker, and loved every minute of it. Forget everything you think you know about the Troy myth, and immerse yourself in this epic tale about freedom, love and duty.

Max's writing is beautiful. His descriptions are wonderful, and he gives the feel of epic poetry in prose, so suitable for his subject matter. Hektor is an imperfect hero, constantly questioning his place in society, and conflicted by expectations, duty and his own desires. But a hero he is, and this tale of his journey to self-fulfilment is a must read, and while it is set in a time long gone, its message is as relevant today as it ever was.

[Amy Bruno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming May 31st for Blog Tour.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew very little of the history of this part of the world but having read Maximillians' enthralling book I feel so much better informed. His tale satisfies on so many levels, the spirit of place, the anguish of rulers of the time and on a domestic level the concerns and joys of being a father. The use of evocative and poetic language reall draws the reader along.
I feel bereft now it has ended and will have to savour it a second time!!

[Carole Rae · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was drawn in the cover and title. When I read the summary, I was extremely intrigued to read this.

The story follows Hektor who has lived a life of privilege in the city of Troy. His father is an irrational and dangerous man who has made life for the common folk really hard. Things happen and Hektor must decide what side he is on. All the while he is trying to do right by his son Hapi.

This was a really interesting tale for sure. It was a people story but mixed with the intrigue and violence of the time. I really liked the blend. It was so interesting to see the fabled Hektor in this light. Very different then from the Hektor we all know from the epic poem. I liked him there (ya...I was the one rooting for Troy ;D) and I liked him here too. This version was a more realistic version.

There were some parts I scratched my head at like some word choices, but they didn't bug me overmuch. It's hard to be 100% accurate for historical books (trust me...I know - been there) especially when it comes to some slang words that are sooooo commonplace now.

Also, I really wished this had been longer. I felt there was so much more that could've been added! I would've liked to see more in the epilogue. Maybe there be another book? I want to see what happens next!

That ending. Sighs. So sad! Can't say much without spoilers, but oooo the feels.

I did love the added bits with the son and the horse. It oddly worked so well and I'm sure there is some symbolism there if one is to really think about it.

Overall, I did like this book. It was interesting and the ending did get me there. I do wish this had been longer. I feel like there is so much more story to tell! Also, a few little hiccups along the way, but all-in-all a good read especially if you're looking for something different. I'll stamp this with 3 stars.

[Maria Rivas-mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tragedy is inevitable in this story of Hektor for the end was revealed centuries ago in the Iliad. The strength of this book lies in the brutal realism of a time and a place which are not well known to the average reader beyond Homer’s epic tale of glory and passion and heroism. Like the hero of Greek mythology, Maximiliam Hawker’s Hektor is absolutely cognizant of his responsibilities and duty to Wilusa/Troy. However, interaction with a still innocent Hapi - his son in the book - makes him increasingly questioning of the status quo. The reality of the injustices inflicted on the people of the ‘lower town’ is driven home when a soldier’s spear brutally cuts short the life of a young commoner who dared to taunt the king. Breaking the Foals is a journey to awareness and a journey of love. By making him more human with his fears, doubts, failings, and infinite love for his son, Hawker has made Hektor a hero in the 21st century mold.

[Janne Janssens · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Whether the gods have ordained our survival or extinction, we can do nothing but fulfil the role that has been set before us. And if we die, and if anyone remembers who we are, then we would have them remember that there is nothing special about us (...) save for how we embrace each other as special."

Ebook provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

My heart breaks every time I have to give a book a bad review... But nobody can benefit from an unfair review, not the author and not the reader. However, It is not entirely due to the author's writing talent that I only rate 2 stars.

'Breaking The Foals' is not a retelling of the mythology around the legendary Hector of Troy. This story is based on historical facts. I do not have enough knowledge about this history to have any comment on whether the content is historically correct or not.

'Breaking The Foals' has very good elements.
The main plot in which tuhkanti (prince) Hector plays the hero to save Wilusa (Troy) from downfall is well supported by a subplot about a father's love for his son, shown through their care and love for horses.
Furthermore I want to give an applause for not having written any romance and I didn't even miss it.
And that ending... That was a very well written fighting scene and the epilogue felt just right.

However, despite the fact that I liked the end, I would have dnf'ed this book if I didn't receive it as an arc via Netgally. The reason why is because I didn't feel much, in any scene. I wasn't moved by any character's words or actions. Maybe because I had trouble getting a clear image of the characters. Consequentely I was never eager to continue reading, because I felt no connection with any character.
But I seem to be one of few people to not extremely like this book. So maybe it just wasn't for me. Because I do believe that the book has everything to be good. Just not good enough for me.

[Neonila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not really sure how to feel about this book. Hector is one of my favorite mythological/historical figures, and although this takes a different take on things that what you'd expect, it was still a decent read.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was seeing Hektor's struggles to deal with his responsibilities and the heavy weight of his place in the kingdom. It is clear that he'd do everything for the ones he loves, mainly his son, Hapi, and you can't help but to feel for him. The historical atmosphere in addition to the very good writing makes for a very good book. One that I can't say is my cup of tea, though.

Although I enjoy historical fiction and the story was decent, I didn't enjoy this as much as I'd think I would, which is disappointing. But I'd still urge anyone else who's interested in something like this to give it a chance.

[Natasha Sheldon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on historical fact rather than mythical fiction, Breaking the Foalsputs an original spin on the story of Troy. Rather than rely on the legend recounted by Homer in his Illiad, author Maximilian Hawker instead turns to history and archaeology to piece together the historic Troy — the Anatolian city of Wilusa, known today as Hisalik or "the fortress."

Although the characters of King Priam and Hector remain, Hawker's cast of characters is otherwise entirely his own as he vividly reimagines what befell Wilusa. The result is a story that is compelling, moving and believable.

The central character of Hawker's story is not Helen or Paris but Hector, Prince of Troy. A military leader and notable horse breeder, Hector is torn between his duty to his city, his father and his young son. These often conflicting roles are what drives the story forward. Nor does Hawker confine the drama to the lofty beings occupying the acropolis of Troy. Instead, he gives an equally pivotal role to the characters ignored by Homer: ordinary people of Wilusa.

To say more would be to give away the plot. So I will end by saying I highly recommends Breaking the Foals to anyone fascinated by the legend of Troy but yearning for an original take. Hawker seamlessly blends the historical facts with his imagination to create a well crafted, beautifully written story full of action and emotion.

If you'd like a real feel of what life would have been like in the real Bronze Age "Troy", you'll be hard-pressed to find a better read.

[Stacey Woods · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was able to finish it, but sadly not my cup of tea this time.

Thanks to the author for a review copy...

[Heidi]

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this

DNF'ing @ 18%

I always have trouble keeping up with character details, and I found myself a bit lost with the names and titles being thrown around.