Aornos

by Avalon Brantley

Aornos is a mind-staged hallucinatory tragedy in the classical vein—a shadowy, spiritual, sorrowful tale. Set in Greece during the Archaic Period, the play is a stark and somnambulistic voyage along the ancient limites between being and not, where former forms wander embodied in their own uncertainty, full of reflections, and the shadows of their own old thirsts. Rarely—if they seek it—the living may go there, sink like lead to where Acheron leads, and plumb the deeps of Love and Death where the distinction of the two may no longer be discerned. It forbids, and so invites; come, sail with us to Aornos!

Genres: Literature

Hardcover

First published October 1, 2013

Reviews

[Forrest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take the Greek tragic formula, insert a dose of the weird, drench it in existential anguish, then hone the tale to perfection with exact phrasing and exquisite timing - that's all that Avalon Brantley has done here. That, and nothing else. Perfection.

[Benjamin Uminsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first introduction to any of Avalon Brantley's work. As it so happens, we have quite the unique piece in front of us with AORNOS. This work happens to be a greek tragedy in the form of a play, wonderfully honoring the classical traditions.

I suppose you really don't see many contemporary authors attempting these kinds of works, so its quite novel. Novelty aside, I found this play to be highly compelling, and quite moving in its pathos.

I would be very curious to see this play acted out by a professional troupe, and to see the set design by a number of unique scenes, particularly the Sybil's grotto, which was deliciously rich in description.

Our play begs the question, how far would you go to fulfill love. Brantley answers this question by delivering a devastating blow at the end, as our protagonist, Alektor, fully enters the abyss and is submitted to the most horrific of realizations and psychological torments in his quest to find his lost love. Well done... and viciously delivered by our author.

I highly recommend this one, both as a weird tale and a beautifully woven play told in the classical tradition.

I am very eager to see more from this newly published author.

[Vultural · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brantley, Avalon - Aornos

Orpheus myth in the character of Alektor, pining for his bygone beloved, Philomena.
Though barely a slip of a tale, the word choice, as expected, is superb.
Dionysus, who acts as chorus and our guide, has the juiciest lines.
Alektor himself comes across as impulsive, over-earnest, and a bit dim.
The narrative unfolds, and there are turns which I guessed and I imagine you will, too.
Aornos is brief and I read it twice, each time going through it as if it were a play on the stage.
The first telling, I let the characters act as if they were from a Kenneth Branagh enactment.
Next, I went for dell’arte melodrama, characters declaring and projecting, over the top at times (think “Horse Latitudes” by The Doors.)
Neither way was especially gripping. To be honest, the whole thing feels like an academic exercise.
For those curious about this author, Aornos might not be the best entry point.

[Des Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I need say no more. The ending is perfect, with plot twists (that I shall keep to myself) regarding the earlier sacrifice and Alektor’s love. It is a genuine original masterwork, with much to provoke philosophies of thought and gales of Aristophanic laughter.

The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.

[Kulchur Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

classical tale set in Archaic Greece befittingly told in the form of a play, a Greek tragedy. Alektor, a love-struck youth in the classsical Orphean mode, complete with threnodies and lyre, quests to petition the gods to return his dead love, Philomena, from the underworld. Brantley’s embedding the text with Greek syntax, and Dionysus as the chorus, adds authentic Hellenic atmosphere to this tale of love and idealism, sacrifice and materialism.

Although a slim book, Zagava Books have outdone themselves with the production; a hardcover bound in crushed silk with a die-cut pinhole revealing the illustrated endpapers.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a word: brilliant.