Challenge Corner discussion

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

I do like how each scene connects to the next. Patroclus gets the die. Conversation about the die where his character is revealed. He ends up killing a guy over the die and gets exiled. I wonder why the author chose die instead of any other item. Also it keeps occurring. In games etc.

I love the implication of "The choices of the dead were said to have the power to make the living mad. I must not hear him speak" Could be a book alone.

After reading this book, I would love to explore ideas like, 'what we present as our achievements and failures are often how we are perceived but they arent a good measure of character are they?'

There are too many adjectives for my liking. Maybe because the names are quite difficult for me but being able to associate those names with adjectives and remember them is quite difficult. It seems to be a matter of tell more than show.

Sheepy wrote: "After reading this book, I would love to explore ideas like, 'what we present as our achievements and failures are often how we are perceived but they arent a good measure of character are they?'"

Wonderful take, i believe that it is quite easy to twist and turn narratives when we hold the power to give and take information.

Sheepy wrote: "There are too many adjectives for my liking. Maybe because the names are quite difficult for me but being able to associate those names with adjectives and remember them is quite difficult. It seem..."

I think adverbs too. I think I prefer more non-vague or more specific descriptions. It is quite fun when I think of myself in his place, in a new world. Specifically what I am surrounded with. I love this line "We sat on its oakwood benches, at tables that were scratched from years of clattering plates."

I kind of love how we know the character's name only in the third chapter. He has never had to use his name? Been called by his name? Even in the throne room. It is such an interesting detail because his name and the way Achilles pronounces it is emphasized many times.

I’m hoping to start this in the next couple days.

beginning now

Struggggling to get into this. I just am having alot of trouble.

Ch 1-6
I feel kind of sorry for patroclus so far. He is hated pretty much by his father. He kills the boy accidentally who is bullying him and then is kicked out of his home and ends up having to live with Achilles who had beat him in the Olympics. It has been pretty slow so far. Not bad writing just slow.

So does his mom send Achilles to training after the kiss because patroclus is beneath him, he is a man not a woman or because he needs to train? I can’t tell which of the first two but it’s obviously spiteful. Anyone else have an opinion?

So at the end of 15, starting to think it’s the same sex relationship that Achilles mom and now Odysseus have. Problem with. I was thinking that the Greeks were much more open with their sexuality? No?

In chapter 26, I don’t even know what to say. I wish we could go back to Periclus being scared of playing dice. Now we have. Plague of some kind. Of course that’s going to be descriptive writing for no reason, I have never DNC but I am really considering but have come this far. Did you guys finish it?

ok..finished. This was just not my cup of tea. I guess there was a reason I never read Homer. I liked the writing style just hated the characters and the subject. Glad to be done, but I made it.