<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
I'm still reading "Soldier of Sidon" having just reread "Mist" and "Arete".<br />
I hope to review it for "Ultan's Library". I'm enjoying it very much but<br />
tend to agree that it seems to lack the depth of the other two Soldier<br />
novels and of Wolfe's work in general.<br />
<br />
One obvious difference between "Sidon" and the other two Soldier novels is<br />
the lack of a specific historical narrative. "Mist" and "Arete" are<br />
remarkable in that they combine a story of gods and goddesses with a very<br />
specific historical context, namely the aftermath of the Persian invasion.<br />
These books do for ancient Greek history what the Greeks themselves did for<br />
their pre-historical age of myth. I guess that Wolfe's approach is not<br />
unprecedented, but it is unusual and makes the two novels a fascinating<br />
hybrid of fantasy and historical novel.<br />
<br />
While I'm sure that the depiction of life in Egypt and Nubia given in<br />
"Soldier of Sidon" is well researched and historically accurate, the novel's<br />
narrative does not depend on an understanding of any actual historical<br />
events beyond a generalised knowledge of Egypt's gradual decline in power<br />
and its domination by the Persian Empire.<br />
<br />
This lack of a specific historical narrative is one obvious way in which<br />
"Sidon" is simpler than its predecessors.<br />
<br />
I need to think more about all this before I write my review...<br />
<br />
At the moment, the question that is occupying me is, "What makes<br />
Latro/Lucius different from other fantasy heroes?" Or, to put it another<br />
way, "Is Latro a Lupine Conan the Barbarian?"<br />
<br />
In many ways, Latro is a classic (as well as a Classical!) super hero. He<br />
has super powers: he can see the gods, he's a superb warrior, and he's<br />
pretty well irresistible to women. He has a crucial vulnerability: he<br />
forgets everything. He swashbuckles his way round the ancient world,<br />
fighting battles, getting into dangerous scrapes, tangling with the purposes<br />
of the gods and bedding exotic women (Amazons, Egyptian dancing girls!) as<br />
he goes.<br />
<br />
On this last point, Wolfe has devised a wonderful strategem to surmount the<br />
problem of how you have a basically good and morally upright hero who still<br />
has lots of love affairs. He forgets, so of course he is not culpable even<br />
though he serially unfaithful to his wife back in Italy!<br />
<br />
I also like the way that Latro manages to be a wish-fulfilment figure for<br />
his author in that he is both a super-soldier and, of necessity, a copious<br />
writer, writing feverishly nearly every day, just like his creator...<br />
<br />
More anon!<br />
<br />
Nigel<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: #DDDDDD; padding: 8px; margin-top: 10px; color: black; font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt"><img src="http://i.msgtag.com/aqio/dqtqaDjvxtvks/mjBmuzBAxqhCykB.gif" alt=" " border="0" id="MSGTAGImage"/><a href="http://msgtag.com/?s=r">MSGTAG</a> has notified the sender that this message has been read.<br /></div>
</body>
</html>