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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
My first Mary Renault read!
Historical fiction focusing on the childhood of Alexander the Great. This zooms in on the animosity between his mother and father, and how he is dragged into their conflict time and time again. He is shaped by this enmity, and it will make him into the man who defied every expectation and cemented his name in history.
Mary Renault has a wonderful writing style. She really has such a skill, and that is on full display in Fire from Heaven. Her prose is smooth and powerful, but not over-the top. She uses this really well to craft unique characters with their own ambitions and hidden desires, with believable prose that works fantastically on a surface level but also exploring the subtext, which was perfect for the political machinations and interactions.
However, whilst many of the case were complex and well-developed, Alexander the Great as a child is shown as basically being... perfect. Which, for me at least, does not fit with the mass-murderer we know of history. We may want to read about him, but that is not because of his morality. However, in Fire From Heaven, he is just wonderful with everything he does. Sadly, that detracted from the story for me, especially in the latter half, where it became apparent this trend was not going to change.
Aside from that though, it was an engaging and intriguing read with a close analysis of character and political machinations that hooked me. I will definitely be reading more my Mary Renault!
Historical fiction focusing on the childhood of Alexander the Great. This zooms in on the animosity between his mother and father, and how he is dragged into their conflict time and time again. He is shaped by this enmity, and it will make him into the man who defied every expectation and cemented his name in history.
Mary Renault has a wonderful writing style. She really has such a skill, and that is on full display in Fire from Heaven. Her prose is smooth and powerful, but not over-the top. She uses this really well to craft unique characters with their own ambitions and hidden desires, with believable prose that works fantastically on a surface level but also exploring the subtext, which was perfect for the political machinations and interactions.
However, whilst many of the case were complex and well-developed, Alexander the Great as a child is shown as basically being... perfect. Which, for me at least, does not fit with the mass-murderer we know of history. We may want to read about him, but that is not because of his morality. However, in Fire From Heaven, he is just wonderful with everything he does. Sadly, that detracted from the story for me, especially in the latter half, where it became apparent this trend was not going to change.
Aside from that though, it was an engaging and intriguing read with a close analysis of character and political machinations that hooked me. I will definitely be reading more my Mary Renault!
very rarely do i read a book and spend most of the time mourning the fact that i will only be able to read it for the first time once
my immediate response upon finishing (i then told people to read it)
my immediate response upon finishing (i then told people to read it)
adventurous
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
https://cdnbookworm.blogspot.com/2025/03/fire-from-heaven.html
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
challenging
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is the Alexander of the past. The Alexander of Plutarch, the Alexander Julie's Caesar cried over. Alexander the golden child, the general, the conqueror, the god king larger than life. He is more than human, characterised as almost perfect, a prodigy with a sharp mind and short temper. Heavily romanticised but it works so well.
I loved it. This is my 5th book by Mary Renault and by now I know what to expect. I don't go to Mary Renault for a nuanced portrait of a hero of past. I don't expect any comments on the lives of women and slaves. Mary Renault is good at what she does because she writes like an ancient Greek man herself. She does not question the conventions of the time, she does not insert a character with modern views, she works with the society of the time and goes with it. This is definitely not to everyone's taste but does make for a great story.
And by god does it work. I really felt like I was there with Alexander and his friends in the mountains of Macedon, the palace of Pella, the battlefields of Attica. I love her writing style, archaic as it may be at times, her intense devotion to detail and "historical accuracy" (in regard of the ways of life, maybe not necessarily in regards to the actual character of Alexander).
I loved it. This is my 5th book by Mary Renault and by now I know what to expect. I don't go to Mary Renault for a nuanced portrait of a hero of past. I don't expect any comments on the lives of women and slaves. Mary Renault is good at what she does because she writes like an ancient Greek man herself. She does not question the conventions of the time, she does not insert a character with modern views, she works with the society of the time and goes with it. This is definitely not to everyone's taste but does make for a great story.
And by god does it work. I really felt like I was there with Alexander and his friends in the mountains of Macedon, the palace of Pella, the battlefields of Attica. I love her writing style, archaic as it may be at times, her intense devotion to detail and "historical accuracy" (in regard of the ways of life, maybe not necessarily in regards to the actual character of Alexander).
Fire From Heaven is a deep and compelling on the early years of Alexander the Great.
What it suffers from is pacing; wallowing in some scenes, jumping out of and through others without warning, referencing facts and characters obscure and unexplained. In this it does a poorer job of holding me as a reader than brilliant works like I, Claudius or the early books of the Masters of Rome series. Too often in the first half or so, Fire From Heaven meanders, relying on the certain interest because the story is about Alexander the Great, instead of telling it in a way that would fascinate regardless.
That said, the core story of Alexander's upbringing and troubled family life is excellent once it picks up steam. Renault comes off as an expert on this subject matter, threading the story with details that make ancient Greece come to life. And she is without doubt a skilled author.
Anyone who enjoys historical novels, especially those that keep very close to the truth of their subject matter, ought to enjoy this trek through the lesser-known details of Alexander's life. I learned much and enjoyed the journey.
What it suffers from is pacing; wallowing in some scenes, jumping out of and through others without warning, referencing facts and characters obscure and unexplained. In this it does a poorer job of holding me as a reader than brilliant works like I, Claudius or the early books of the Masters of Rome series. Too often in the first half or so, Fire From Heaven meanders, relying on the certain interest because the story is about Alexander the Great, instead of telling it in a way that would fascinate regardless.
That said, the core story of Alexander's upbringing and troubled family life is excellent once it picks up steam. Renault comes off as an expert on this subject matter, threading the story with details that make ancient Greece come to life. And she is without doubt a skilled author.
Anyone who enjoys historical novels, especially those that keep very close to the truth of their subject matter, ought to enjoy this trek through the lesser-known details of Alexander's life. I learned much and enjoyed the journey.
This was a really excellent look at the life and times of Alexander. The insights into the culture were what I really enjoyed, as in [b: The Persian Boy|67700|The Persian Boy (Alexander the Great, #2)|Mary Renault|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1404218341s/67700.jpg|509735]. However, in this one I got a little more mired in the politics. I wasn't always exactly sure who was acting, and why, or who was upset, and why, and why certain things were significant.
And I'm still confused about the snake. And Alexander's paternity. And his role in Philip's death. But it was fun to read, and maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention.
And I'm still confused about the snake. And Alexander's paternity. And his role in Philip's death. But it was fun to read, and maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention.
Alexander technique: boy, this is solid, scarf-waving stuff. Picked up in the bookshop after the British Library’s curiously bloodless exhibition on the man himself, Fire From Heaven actually justifies the oft-misused descriptor epic. Battles, politicking, the Freudian bits with ophidiophile mum Olympias, and plenty of man-on-man action of all sorts. I’m signed up for the trilogy.
I’ve been on a ancient Greece/Rome kick lately, since I’ve found that I can better enjoy historical fiction that isn’t set in the middle ages. After reading The Song of Achilles, this novel was recommended as one that fully embraces history as complex, especially regarding sexuality. Although this novel isn’t a romance, it’s a brilliant sketch of Alexander’s world, almost to a fault. It’s heavy on the war campaigns and light on the personal relationships. If you’re interested in the time period, I recommend giving it a go, but if you’d rather read a novel that gives a good sketch of Alexander as a person, you may need to look elsewhere.
Things I Liked
1. Hephaistion: Renault’s book brilliantly captures Hephaistion’s devotion to Alexander, wavering between fierce devotion and awful reverence. Although the focus isn’t entirely on Alexander and Hephaistion’s relationship, the fact that it was there was very much appreciated. I also loved the closeness of the characters despite Hephaistion’s unrequited love and Alexander’s reliance on his friend for emotional support.
2. Alexander’s Parents: I loved that Alexander was torn between his mother and father, even if their squabbles were somewhat petty or overdramatic. What I did appreciate was Alexander feeling like his loyalties had to lie with one parent over the other, and I think the effect it had on him is wonderfully played out.
3. Prose: Renault’s writing is very lyrical and full of beautiful descriptions here and there without feeling weighty.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Narrative Fluidity: The narrative jumps around from time to time, and Renault has a tendency to do so between paragraphs without offering a line break to give readers a heads up. Renault also holds back from using Alexander’s name too much, preferring to call him “the boy” and using pronouns to the degree that if there is more than one person in a scene, the pronoun references can become confusing. A little more support would have helped me follow the story more closely.
2. Alexander’s Characterization: Alexander is written as good at everything he does. While he does have some flaws, they’re not entirely detrimental, and I would have liked to see the character written a bit more humanly, with his own struggles, dislikes, and weaknesses rather than the best of everyone.
3. Focus on History: Don’t get me wrong - I love a historical novel that engages with complex political history. But in doing so, I prefer to have a story that shows readers both the political side and the personal one, and with this novel, it was largely political, almost like reading a history book. It was difficult to follow, with a lot of names and locations thrown together, detracting from the portrait of Alexander.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in Alexander the Great, ancient history, wars, political campaigns, empire, politics, and coming of age stories.
Things I Liked
1. Hephaistion: Renault’s book brilliantly captures Hephaistion’s devotion to Alexander, wavering between fierce devotion and awful reverence. Although the focus isn’t entirely on Alexander and Hephaistion’s relationship, the fact that it was there was very much appreciated. I also loved the closeness of the characters despite Hephaistion’s unrequited love and Alexander’s reliance on his friend for emotional support.
2. Alexander’s Parents: I loved that Alexander was torn between his mother and father, even if their squabbles were somewhat petty or overdramatic. What I did appreciate was Alexander feeling like his loyalties had to lie with one parent over the other, and I think the effect it had on him is wonderfully played out.
3. Prose: Renault’s writing is very lyrical and full of beautiful descriptions here and there without feeling weighty.
Things I Didn’t Like
1. Narrative Fluidity: The narrative jumps around from time to time, and Renault has a tendency to do so between paragraphs without offering a line break to give readers a heads up. Renault also holds back from using Alexander’s name too much, preferring to call him “the boy” and using pronouns to the degree that if there is more than one person in a scene, the pronoun references can become confusing. A little more support would have helped me follow the story more closely.
2. Alexander’s Characterization: Alexander is written as good at everything he does. While he does have some flaws, they’re not entirely detrimental, and I would have liked to see the character written a bit more humanly, with his own struggles, dislikes, and weaknesses rather than the best of everyone.
3. Focus on History: Don’t get me wrong - I love a historical novel that engages with complex political history. But in doing so, I prefer to have a story that shows readers both the political side and the personal one, and with this novel, it was largely political, almost like reading a history book. It was difficult to follow, with a lot of names and locations thrown together, detracting from the portrait of Alexander.
Recommendations: I would recommend this book if you’re interested in Alexander the Great, ancient history, wars, political campaigns, empire, politics, and coming of age stories.