This is a companion review to Lion of Macedon.
Dark Prince takes us back to the David Gemmell reconstructed world of ancient Greece. There are a whole heap of goings-on that occurred in Lion of Macedon that led to certain events in Dark Prince, but to tell you them would ruin Lion of Macedon for you, so I won't.
Anyway, this is rather a strange book. It retains some of the feel of Lion of Macedon but is completely different in many aspects. A significant portion of the novel is spent in an alternate reality Greece where mythical creatures such as centaurs and minotaurs still roam the Earth. There is also an evil Phillippos of Makedon to contend with.
Alexander is an extraordinary child in many aspects. He has an extreme constitution and a very high intelligence for one supposedly four years old (in the first third of the book). Actually, despite the possession of the Chaos Spirit, I did still struggle to deal with the adult-like conversations and concerns of the toddler Alexander.
The book improved for me greatly when the setting resumed in the Greece we knew from Lion of Macedon.
Still, in all, this novel had what one expects from a David Gemmell. Heaps of battles, the odd love scene, sword fights a-plenty, revenge, betrayals...
If you pick up this novel expecting an historically accurate re-telling of the Alexander myth, then this is not the novel for you. But, if you are looking for a rousing tale of friendship and loyalty set in a similar world to the ancient Greece we know and love, and a familiar David Gemmell world, then you will not be disappointed.
In my opinion, this sequel does not live up to the heights of Lion of Macedon though. However, it had a satisfying ending that tied together loose strings very nicely.
