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The King Must Die
  
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The King Must Die (Library Binding)

by Mary Renault (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)

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Product Description

Book Description

The story of the mythical hero Theseus, slayer of monsters, abductor of princesses and king of Athens. He emerges from these pages as a clearly defined personality; brave, aggressive and quick. The core of the story is Theseus' Cretan adventure. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.


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One of the most enduringly popular historical novels of our time, the story of young Theseus is a spellbinding blend of myth and imagination set in ancient Greece. 2 cassettes. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

39 Reviews
5 star:
 (21)
4 star:
 (8)
3 star:
 (5)
2 star:
 (3)
1 star:
 (2)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.1 out of 5 stars (39 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most helpful customer reviews

 
4.0 out of 5 stars Theseus saga of Greece retold without the myths, May 3 2002
This review is from: King Must Die (Paperback)
For fans of ancient Greek myths this is well worth reading - I loved it and it is very compelling read. It is told in first person style by Theseus himself and Renault has clearly done her research on the period and on Ancient Greek and Cretan culture and legends.

The book de-mythologises the story of Theseus and carries it off with great conviction. No longer is the god of the sea, Poseidon an active participant in the tale, but rather the myth of his parenting of Theseus explained in a convincing manner. In this same way the other vital keys to the tale have mortal and plausible explanations.

For those who don't know the myth, the story of Theseus is explained in the notes, as are the basis for many of her selections for what Theseus looked like, and the art of bull jumping which was popular in Cretan art in this period. While I do enjoy the Greek myths it was a nice to read something that gave a possible explanation to the stories.

Renault writes well, and I would certainly be interested in following up any more of her novels.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Book :), Mar 29 2002
By Jen (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: King Must Die (Paperback)
I read this book for my Themes In Literature class (a fancy title for a mythology class), and I must say that out of all the books I've ever had to read for school, it is one of my favorites (along with The Giver). I tend more towards Science Fiction and Fantasy books, so I really enjoyed being handed this book. Greek and Roman history intrigues me. This rendition of the Theseus myth brought the story more to life for me and caught my fascination.
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5.0 out of 5 stars the emotional connection, Dec 26 2001
By Jack Kirven (Charlotte, NC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: King Must Die (Paperback)
there are many reviews of ms. renault's work here already, so i will keep this very brief: the reason mary renault is my favorite author is that she can bring the emotional and human quality of her characters to the surface. she makes these long dead people with strange names come alive. she gives them a quotidian life. she makes them human, and humane. true, her knowledge of the ancient greeks is encyclopedic. true, her descriptions are wonderous, but her deep empathy for the people in her novels is what separates her from other historical writers. she also handles homoeroticism/homosocial behavior with a sweetness and sensitivity that demonstrates the value of the delicate bonds that men should be encouraged to explore and nurture. her compassion for the human experience is sometimes overwhelming.
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 		 Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful book that stole my eyes.
The King Must Die is a wonderful book.I like how it tells about the ancient times.Especially when it has talks about kings. Read more
Published on Aug 8 2001

5.0 out of 5 stars Fresh as ever.
My old paperback copy of this wonderful novel (with a list price of fifty cents!) quotes the Chicago Tribune: "Miss Renault's skill in making the past vivid has never been... Read more
Published on Jul 9 2001 by editor@historical-novels.com

4.0 out of 5 stars Journey Everlasting
The King Must Die gives some excellent background in the religions of the old matriarchal societies and considering when all the events would have actually occurred, Renault's... Read more
Published on Jun 14 2001 by amelia

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding tale.........
After having had this book in my library for years, I finally picked it up and began to read. And, then, I didn't stop. Read more
Published on Jun 12 2001 by nto62

5.0 out of 5 stars earthly, beautiful and well-crafted
First published in 1958 and Renault's second historical novel, The King Must Die is, I think, among her finest. Her language is beautiful and the story well-crafted. Read more
Published on Nov 29 2000 by silo1013

5.0 out of 5 stars Take The Bull by the Horns
Although on the surface this book is about Theseus and the legend of his life prior to becoming King of Athens, the book is much more fundamentally an adventure tale featuring all... Read more
Published on Oct 29 2000 by Professor Donald Mitchell

2.0 out of 5 stars A modernized "Cliff Notes" version of the ancient tale
The author's work came up frequently by amazon.com's recommendation service, as historical fiction is my favorite entertainment-reading genre. Read more
Published on Aug 14 2000 by americanexpatworkingmom

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected
I read this book because it was required reading for my class. The story was interesting and descriptive, but often confusing. Read more
Published on Aug 13 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my all time favorite books!
I first read this book about 30 years ago and I have reread it several times since then. I generally don't reread books, so for me to do so as many times as I have with this one... Read more
Published on Jul 31 2000 by Barbara J. Webb

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Novels of the 20th Century
I first read this book when I was a teenager and I have re-read it many times over the past 30+ years. Read more
Published on Jul 27 2000 by Deborah M. Grant

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