LINES OF THE DAY

". . . But the past does not exist independently from the present. Indeed, the past is only past because there is a present, just as I can point to something over there only because I am here. But nothing is inherently over there or here. In that sense, the past has no content. The past -- or more accurately, pastness -- is a position. Thus, in no way can we identify the past as past." p. 15

". . . But we may want to keep in mind that deeds and words are not as distinguishable as often we presume. History does not belong only to its narrators, professional or amateur. While some of us debate what history is or was, others take it into their own hands." p. 153

Silencing the Past: Power and the Production of History (1995) by Michel-Rolph Trouillot

Monday, April 20, 2020

Let's Get Out of Here, Far, Far, Far Away: Son of Ishtar; Bronze Age Historical Fiction

     . . . .  Son of Ishtar (2019) by Gordon Doherty.

www.gordondoherty.co.uk

It appears to be self-published. If so, it’s still a professional and sophisticated production, well copyedited, and better written than quite a few other Ancient World historical fictions put out by trade publishers.

Son of Ishtar is the first volume in Empires of Bronze series, featuring the Hittite Empire, starting in 1313 B.C. Presumably there will be other empires in the following books, advertised as Egypt, Assyria and Ahhiyawa – the latter seemingly a loose confederation of Achaean states and Mycaneae. At the Hittite High King’s court we meet an arrogant Egyptian delegation's ambassador, who pays the expected price, the same price the Egyptian pharaoh had extracted needlessly from a Hittite delegation. (Egyptians are not the heroes here -- apologies, Egyptologist amigas / amigos!). In contrast there is a Trojan delegation led by their king, with whom the High King shares real friendship. About all of which, and others, we’ll presumably learn more, if in These Days, there are any following books, that is. Sigh.

Someone, whom I don’t know, and who wasn’t me, has observed:
Quote:…the bronze age was over before most of the Bible was written, so our world view of antiquity generally misses the 1800-odd years when bronze was the major metal.

This is the first fiction I have been able to immerse in, in a long time.

More about Son of Ishtar here:

https://www.ancient.eu/article/1443/author-interview-son-of-ishtar-by-gordon-doherty/


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