The Golden Wind

by L. Sprague de Camp

"A tale of high adventure, rich in historical lore and erudite in the telling. Of Mr. de Camp's ... novels, this may well be the most ambitious and quite possibly the best.”—Publishers WeeklyThe Golden Wind is the last of the five classic historicals de Camp wrote (both historically and chronologically).The novel tells of the early adventures of Eudoxus of Cyzicus and Hippalus in their original voyages from Egypt to India by sea.Eudoxus was a Greek navigator who is credited with exploring and mapping the Arabian sea for Egyptian ruler Ptolemy VIII, and Hippalus is, according to legend, the captain of Eudoxus’ ship during these explorations.Following the successful exploration of the route to India, Eudoxus decides to break the Egyptian monopoly on trade with India by sailing around Africa, and encounters a myriad of different adventures and misfortunes as their ship attempts to circumnavigate the great continent.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

288 pages, Hardback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Lyon Sprague de Camp was an American author of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction literature. In a career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, both novels and works of non-fiction, including biographies of other fantasy authors. He was a major figure in science fiction in the 1930s and 1940s.

Reviews

[Keith Currie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eudoxus of Cyzicus is virtually unknown today but in the Second Century BC this Greek adventurer opened the first direct sea route from Egypt to India and later attempted at least one circumnavigation of Africa. From the few paragraphs recorded in the pages of the Greek geographer, Strabo, L Sprague De Camp has constructed a lively and fascinating adventure story, laced with drama and intrigue.

In the 1950s and 60s De Camp wrote five loosely linked novels set in the ancient Greek world. This was the last written and is chronologically the last in sequence. In each novel the hero is a practical man of action; here he is a skilled mariner and explorer. In each of the novels there is a central quest. It is the central conceit of this novel that Eudoxus is motivated by the search for a cure of the physical affliction he suffers, but that discoveries of great importance to humanity as a whole are the result of his efforts. (For those interested his affliction is the same as King Aegeus suffers in Euripides' play Medea.)

A feature of all his Greek novels is how he combines historical plausibility with both humour and very convincing characterisation. This book is no exception: the portrayals of the honourable Eudoxus, a man perhaps too ready to forgive and forget, and his rival and foil, Hippalos of Corinth, carry real sensitivity and perception. I enjoyed this novel immensely and recommend it to anyone interested in the ancient world. Based solidly on historical fact, it is hugely entertaining.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fictitious memoirs of Eudoxus of Kyzikos to his son, Theon. This novel recounts Eudoxus's adventures and misadventures in India and in Africa. In India he's seeking a cure for a masculine affliction besides trade and in Africa he deals with cannibalistic tribesmen. We see his dealings with the shifty Hippalos the Corinthian. A light, silly, comedic novel and an easy read.

[Georgia]

So the book begins with this middle-aged guy bragging to his estranged son, whom he hasn't met for ten years, about how incredibly many whores he used to satisfy before realising that he was forty and all his friends are married with grandchildren and maybe he should settle down too.
I'm giving it ten more pages.

[Paul McDonagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched

I thought this book was well researched and the underline motivation for the main character to make his journey was hilarious too given his interactions with the Buddhist monk and Indian holy man.

[James Rickett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Historical fiction from an author better known for fantasy and sci-fi, and generally well done.

[Jason Micallef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this in 24 hours, it was that good!

Got a little far fetched towards the end but otherwise a very entertaining read.

[Brett]

Fantasy