The Armour of Achilles

The Armour of Achilles

Book Three in The Adventures of Odysseus

The Armour of Achilles

The siege of Troy is in its ninth year. The Greeks, with Achilles at their head, have inflicted numerous defeats on the Trojans, but Troy itself still stands.

Odysseus, Eperitus and their men have become hardened soldiers. Tired and bitter about the war, Odysseus just wants to return home to his island kingdom of Ithaca. But while Agamemnon is still determined to revenge himself upon Troy for the theft of Helen by Paris, then Odysseus is held by the oath that he himself created – an oath that cannot be fulfilled until Troy is destroyed.

When Achilles argues with Agamemnon and withdraws from the fight, all hope of victory seems lost.  The resurgent Trojans, led by Hector, seize their chance and drive the Greeks back to their ships.  Only Achilles can save them.  And only Odysseus knows how to bring him back to the fray…

Reviews

Media

‘Glyn Iliffe’s entertaining and action-packed Odysseus novels put the flesh on the bones of the Greek big hitters without compromising the integrity of the magical myths which have inspired poets, playwrights and storytellers for generations. Iliffe’s wide classical knowledge and his gifts as a novelist allow him to recreate in bold, panoramic detail an ancient and alien society in which chivalry, brotherhood and allegiance to the all-powerful gods were the guiding principles. The Armour of Achilles is in itself an epic feat…a thrilling adventure full of bloody battles, vibrant characters and the heart-stopping romance that makes ancient Greece so universally appealing. Dazzling drama on a grand scale…’ –Pam Norfolk, Lancashire Evening Post

‘In the third of the series, following King of Ithaca and The Gates of Troy, Odysseus and his men long for home while Agamemnon still rages for the theft of Helen.  Trapped by the oath they swore to avenge this dishonour, the Greeks must stay, though their tyrannical leader is faced with mutiny.  Meanwhile Odysseus’s right-hand man Eperitus, the protagonist from the first book, is honour-bound to kill the man who murdered his daughter.  The story ends with the place where European literature begins, with Achilles and Agamemnon fighting over women and pride.  This is another gripping and thrilling tale from the new demi-god of the genre, one which fans will relish getting stuck into’ — Ed West, The Catholic Herald

‘If I’d been Achilles, my armour would have consisted of a little piece of metal that fitted over my heel, but that wouldn’t have made for such a ripping swords-and-sandals treatment of The Iliad as this, Glyn Iliffe’s third novel, which finds the Greeks bickering at the beach before Troy, desperate to get in before reinforcements — the dreaded Amazons — arrive. Iliffe is more a storyteller than a classicist, and his story is propelled by a very modern sensibility’ — Toby Clements, The Telegraph

Blogs etc.

‘To be honest I read the David Gemmell telling of the Trojan War and was very impressed with his writing style, so for me, an author has a lot to live up to when presenting a series based on the same source material if they’re going to make headway with myself as a reader. What Glyn’s writing does is take the key elements and brings it to the modern audience through the eyes of Eperitus who works wonderfully well. Add to this a cracking overall arc and an author who believes in working the story up so that the reader gets not only the glory but the true horror of this type of battlefield and this was a story that overall was very impressive. Finally add to the mix a great sense of pace which when backed with Iliffe’s own writing style made this a book to stand out. I’ll eagerly await future instalments’ –Falcata Times

‘If you have always fancied reading the original Iliad written by Homer, but like me find the poetry hard to read, then look no further than this series by Glyn Iliffe. It has all the important details of The Iliad with very little deviation from the original story, unlike some other more accessible versions. Eperitus’ storyline is intertwined with Odysseus’ journey, meaning there is no straight line to follow, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat right up to the end of the book. There is plenty of deceit, greed, betrayal, revenge and madness for the reader to enjoy which will leave you craving the next story in the series. If Greek Mythology is an interest of yours or you just enjoy reading about the Classics, and want to read an excellent edition of The Iliad with all the most famous of Greek Heroes and Kings, then The Armour of Achilles might be for you’ –Edinburgh Book Review

‘The recently published third novel is The Armour of Achilles, telling how the Trojan War was conducted, including the intervention of the legendary female warriors the Amazons. As you would expect, there are plenty of big characters, bloody battles, scheming intrigues involving gods and mortals.  Odysseus is wise and wily, his wife Penelope spirited but utterly faithful, whereas the beautiful Helen is flirtatious and unreliable, Achilles gifted but sulky, Ajax big, strong and dim.  Iliffe knows his stuff and is able to bring these mythical beings to life.  It is all a bit like a wordy comic book but none the less most enjoyable.  I look forward to reading others in the series.’ — Chris Alderson-Smith, Clipston Bookworm

‘The Armour of Achilles is the third in what I assume is to be a quartet of books retelling the story of the Trojan Wars and the quarrels between the Greek heroes of Iliad fame – Menelaus, Helen, Paris, Odysseus, Achilles et al.  The story started when Helen left Menelaus and ran away to Troy with Paris, and by this book the war has reached the stage where the Greeks are encamped outside the walls of Troy some ten years later. Now we have reached the point where the Greeks sack Lyrnessus, and the book largely follows the events portrayed in The Iliad. The romantic element provided is between Eperitus and Astynome although the author himself admits that this didn’t actually happen and there is no evidence of the bitter feud between Eperitus and his father. But it all adds to the story and makes the central characters more human rather than simply icons of myth, legend and history…  I enjoyed this book. The characters were well portrayed and came across as human beings, and I look forward to reading the end of the story in the next instalment’ –Historical Novels Society

Readers

‘Like the first two books, Glyn Iliffe’s latest novel is full of action, adventure, peril and lots of gore. Based loosely on the Iliad and the Odyssey, Iliffe’s book follows the events of the 10th year of the Trojan War, and sees the arrival of the fearsome Amazonians, large scale battles for survival and the demise of more than one hero. There are two things in particular I enjoy about Iliffe’s writing. Firstly, the fictional character Eperitus remains the continuous conscience of the reader, judging friend and foe alike and allowing the modern reader to see the effect of ten years of war, whatever the era. Secondly, I appreciate how Iliffe accepts the era’s mythical gods as a reality, closely following the original stories and creating the idea of larger forces at work. Overall, a brilliant fun read!’ –Amazon 5-star review

‘The author is accomplished. He writes with intelligence and is definitely a cut above the usual rubbish that is released these days. What makes this story stand out is that it’s based on the old story, but you learn so much more about ancient Greece and the gods and how they all link together. If you are a fan of historical fiction, please, go out and buy the first, second and then this book! I can’t wait for the 4th and final instalment. Top marks to Glyn Iliffe for creating this beautifully written series. I have to say that I have enjoyed this series as much as the late, great David Gemmell’s efforts’ –Amazon 5-star review

‘Glyn Iliffe is a magnificent storyteller, and his series really breathes life into what has to be one of the most long and complex of mythological tales. Although the author occasionally veers off the traditionally accepted version of the story, it is infrequent enough to make his novels true to the plot; and his rich characters and exceptionally detailed takes on the different tales add something fresh and exciting to a story I am extremely familiar with. A must for anyone who is interested in the story of Odysseus and the Trojan War, I am thoroughly enjoying this series so far and highly anticipating the next instalment! Particularly looking forward to how the story of Philoctetes plays out in the next book, his story is sadly overlooked in many adaptations and Iliffe writes it (and the character) beautifully. Worth your time whether you are a fan of Greek Mythology or not, it is an excellent read’ –Amazon 5-star review

‘This is a tremendous book, as can be expected from an author whose writing is, if nothing else, fast, furious and thrilling. His research is clearly first class and, in my humble opinion, a MUST read. Thank you Glyn Iliffe, once again’ –Amazon 5-star review

‘Have read all three books in this series, all brilliantly written, great characters, fantastic stories. Like other comments about this book and the other two, they are difficult to put down, have one question though, WHEN WILL THE NEXT INSTALLMENT BE OUT!!!!, will be a struggle waiting on it, please hurry up Mr Iliffe and get pen to paper!!!’ –Amazon 5-star review

Where to buy 

The books are available to buy in Hardback, Paperback or Kindle format below:

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