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The Fox
Leotychides -- high born, young, strong-willed, devastatingly handsome -- Agisilaos --self-effacing, devious, power hungry --
Inextricably bound by ties of kinship, pitted against each other by bitter hatred and rivalry for a throne, their struggle is played out against a colourful tapestry of the Fourth Century, B.C.
Here is ancient Sparta and its people brought vividly to life by meticulous research and powerful imagination....
Triremes sail into battle, Spartan hoplites march undefeated until they meet the elite regiment of warrior-lovers known as the Sacred Band, the only men to match them, in a compelling drama of love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, culminating in a twist of fate that no one could forsee. See Dust Jacket.
Inextricably bound by ties of kinship, pitted against each other by bitter hatred and rivalry for a throne, their struggle is played out against a colourful tapestry of the Fourth Century, B.C.
Here is ancient Sparta and its people brought vividly to life by meticulous research and powerful imagination....
Triremes sail into battle, Spartan hoplites march undefeated until they meet the elite regiment of warrior-lovers known as the Sacred Band, the only men to match them, in a compelling drama of love and hate, loyalty and betrayal, culminating in a twist of fate that no one could forsee. See Dust Jacket.
- GenresHistorical FictionGreece
505 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1995
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87 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 19, 2017
How did this marvelous book slip under the radar??? The 500+ pages flew by for me and sometimes was heart wrenching. From the first sentence I was immersed in the story of Leotychides, a 4th century B.C. Spartan prince. Now an old man, having been Philip II's mercenary general of 21 years, one evening he attends a dinner in the Macedonian palace where there are Greek guests. Philip brings up the Siege of Mantinea and an Athenian refers to Sparta's "cruel destruction" of that town. Philip then charges Leotychides to write down the Spartan side of the story, since Leo had fought there. The Athenians have only heard one side so far. The novel is Leo's memoir and apologia for the Spartans. He starts from his formative years in the agoge [Spartan educational system] with his "flock brothers" [classmates] and older boys; his power-hungry, ambitious uncle Agisilaos usurps his throne and steals his inheritance; he participates in battles and skirmishes: from the Corinthian War through the war between Sparta and Thebes. The last conflict had been instigated by Agisilaos and ends in Sparta's decline and final ruin, starting with her defeat at Leuctra. "Sparta was supreme when Agisilaos became king and he has brought her low." Ironically, both main characters become mercenaries in foreign lands but each meets a different end.
I felt much of this novel was character-driven; Leotychides especially was sympathetic. Agisilaos was certainly one I "loved to hate" for his hubris and his assuming powers of life and death at his whim. Besides the fictional characters there were many from history. The late traitorous Alcibiades casts a long shadow across the story, as well as the still-living Lysander. Our narrator says: "Perhaps the tragedy of Sparta and Thebes" [was] "Epaminondas, a great leader of an unworthy people pitted against [Agisilaos], an unworthy king of a great people" . That king's nephew, the other Spartan king, Kleombrotos, leads the Spartan army. Battle scenes and skirmishes were well written and emphasized people's reactions, although vivid descriptions abounded. The author avoided the usual negative Spartan stereotype. Writing style was fabulous.
The "Fox" of the title refers to the old legend about the Spartan boy who had stolen a fox and hidden it under his cloak next to his skin. Rather than having the theft revealed, the boy suffered the pain of the fox's gnawing him to death. The author uses the fox as metaphor several times throughout the novel.
Most highly recommended. One of the best historical novels set in any era I've ever read!
I felt much of this novel was character-driven; Leotychides especially was sympathetic. Agisilaos was certainly one I "loved to hate" for his hubris and his assuming powers of life and death at his whim. Besides the fictional characters there were many from history. The late traitorous Alcibiades casts a long shadow across the story, as well as the still-living Lysander. Our narrator says: "Perhaps the tragedy of Sparta and Thebes" [was] "Epaminondas, a great leader of an unworthy people pitted against [Agisilaos], an unworthy king of a great people" . That king's nephew, the other Spartan king, Kleombrotos, leads the Spartan army. Battle scenes and skirmishes were well written and emphasized people's reactions, although vivid descriptions abounded. The author avoided the usual negative Spartan stereotype. Writing style was fabulous.
The "Fox" of the title refers to the old legend about the Spartan boy who had stolen a fox and hidden it under his cloak next to his skin. Rather than having the theft revealed, the boy suffered the pain of the fox's gnawing him to death. The author uses the fox as metaphor several times throughout the novel.
Most highly recommended. One of the best historical novels set in any era I've ever read!
February 25, 2019
Why is this book not better known? That’s the question I kept asking myself as I read it. I’m familiar with Kindle Unlimited’s free ebook selection and while there are plenty of decent books on there (and a few older Classics) there aren’t any real masterpieces. Yet that’s what this book is: a masterpiece. A book capable of hurling you back into the bloody war-torn years when Spartan dominance was brought low and the once-mighty master of Greece was reduced to a small kingdom in the Peloponnese.
This is the story of Sparta. The city-state has gotten a bad rap over the years (largely because so much fascist ideology has been misappropriated from it) but this book really shows the reason for the powerful attraction that men felt for the Spartan way of life. For centuries it was viewed as the ideal Greek state, and while it had many enemies (and made many more in the period this book covers) even they were never able to hide their admiration of it. Because unlike the talkers (*cough* Athens) the Spartans lived their ideals. And on the whole these ideals were those of the other Greek states.
The first half of the tale is a somewhat inspirational coming-of-age story as the boys become men. This part is all about the infamous agoge, the Spartan education that started at age seven when the sons were sent to live in the wild to learn obedience and survival and continued through their twenties until they reached full citizenship at thirty. It is suitably brutal, but it also builds powerful bonds that cannot be broken. By the time you’re taken out of your childhood flocks and set up as soldiers at 18 you’re basically family. And you will spend the rest of your life among a band of brothers, attuned to your manner and sharing the same background and instincts as you. Brothers for life. You can feel the thrill that comes from knowing you’re part of an invincible band of warriors. All loyal, all brave, all of one mind.
Our hero, Leotychides is most definitely a part of this brotherhood but he’s also something more. His father is one of the two kings of Sparta. Or rather, the man acknowledged as his father is. His real father was Alcibiades the Athenian, who impregnated his mother while selling out his countrymen before scarpering off to sell them all out to Persia. Leo is an interesting character. He’s full of the impulsiveness and stubborn pride of his birth father but Spartan to his core; enough so that he uses all his hard-won discipline to tame himself and his ambitions. Leo has a whole host of problems rising from his status as rightful king and his illegitimacy that keep him from getting boring, but his most distinguishing characteristic is his determination to serve his duty and be the best. He never questions his inflexibility in maintaining Lycurgus’ laws, but by the end I think it’s clear that his greatest strength is secretly his greatest weakness.
But this book is not about Sparta’s glory but Sparta’s fall, and all the ominous hints and subtle indications that things are not all right start to really pay off in the second half. Friends start dying. Hard. And for a book where you can’t remember half the names you encounter it’s surprisingly painful when the flock starts dying off. It’s not one big thing either, just a slow chipping away of lives in a neverending war that Sparta can’t really afford. You know that by the end Leo will die alone and unhappy in his Macedonian exile, but you really don’t want to witness the events that place him there. It’s harsh. The Fox of the utterly uninspired title is actually much deeper than it sounds. It is the fox of the famous Spartan legend: the one of the Spartan boy who was caught with a fox under his cloak and proudly endured its gnawing teeth as it ate him alive rather than admit to his theft. Well, the fox is eating away at Sparta’s innards now and all Leo can do is endure. But he will do so. Because he is Spartan.
One thing that this author really gets is Greek Love. It’s an oft mocked part of Greek life, but it was never just a sexual thing but a whole host of different relationships like mentorship and rivalry all tied around an almost worship of youthful beauty both physical and mental. Most authors get hung up on the sex part and either hold it up as an example of how weird the Greeks were or sideline it. But here it’s celebrated as a Greek would celebrate it. Couples match up for lifelong relationships, but not in a sort of anachronistic gay marriage sort of way. They are fierce guardians of each other’s excellence, always willing to rebuke or drive on the other to succeed. Parts of it are alien and more than a little disgusting to us, but the book really makes you feel it the way the Greeks did. And the love these characters feel for each other is very powerful.
The characters are very well drawn, although it’s worth pointing out that there are an awful lot of them. Even with the character list at the beginning it’s hard to remember who everyone is. There are 43 names that start with ‘Α’ alone! You grow up with these characters from youth, and it is impressive that the children feel like versions of their adult selves while still seeming childish and not-fully-formed. All the characters are likable, which is impressive given how easily they could be seen as monsters from another context. Sphodrias, one of the nicest characters, who’ll do anything for a friend, take rebukes well, and forgive insults with ease, is also comically eager to pit himself against the best the enemy has. Like the rest he doesn’t really see much difference between doing this in athletic matches or on the battlefield and as a result he loves being at war and proving himself. Can’t you just imagine how this would seem to someone on the opposite side of the battlefield? For all their admirable qualities, Spartans have little pity for weakness.
One of the best things about this book for me is the character of Agesilaus. The man is the main antagonist of the piece and it would have been so very easy to make him just an outright villain. But he’s not. He’s not even particularly malicious, though he can be treacherous and crafty. What he is is misguided. Sincerely misguided. He dreams of glory and victories which Spartan society is not designed to achieve. And to get there he’s willing to take shortcuts. Worse still, he’s selfish of glory and far too eager to aid his friends with gifts or positions of great importance. Since the king’s generosity to his friends was one of Xenophon’s main refrains in his Hellenika this criticism seems very barbed. And as Leo admits freely, Agesilaus has his good qualities as well.
The only real problem I have is that it identifies most of the negative aspects of Sparta as Agesilaus’ innovations. There’s some sense to this. Xenophon is our main source for Sparta and he was a partisan of Agesilaus, so any norms Agesilaus invented he might well list as traditions of long standing. But the negative aspects he gives Spartans line up so well with the earlier accounts of Herodotus and Thucydides (neither of whom was rabidly anti-Spartan) that it seems hard to credit that they weren’t present earlier. Specifically, the general paranoia about outsiders, spies, and internal threats, the secret police, and the domineering interference in the internal affairs of other Greek states. While I have no problem with the view that Agesilaus intensified these issues and ruled poorly (his obsession with Thebes was real, and shared by Xenophon, though Id’ve loved to see the book give a real reason for it) I can’t believe he created them out of whole cloth. Or that he was alone in his aggressive imperialism. Sparta always seemed torn between what could be termed war and peace parties. And for all of Leo’s harping on about how Sparta is anti-imperialist, with ambitions confined solely to the Peloponnese, Sparta was already interfering in Athens and the north by the 6th century. Essentially, Sparta could afford to be anti-imperialist now since she had already made herself the dominant power.
Aside from that the only real problem is that the book is too damned long. I’ve said that before, but this is a really lengthy book that doesn’t need to be. This is the only aspect of the book that really screams debut novel. There are so many sections that could be trimmed down or eliminated. The final chapter, for example, is thirty pages listing all the mercenary bands Leo joined up with before he ended up at Philip’s court in Macedon (not a spoiler, we know this by the introduction). There was no need for this as it adds nothing to the tale beyond dragging it out right at the point where it ought to draw to a close. I read Game of Thrones in a day. This took me two.
It is a genuine shame that the author never wrote any more books because I loved this one. It really brought Sparta to life, for good or bad, and illuminated a period not often shown in literature. It’s not a particularly pleasant world. In every city but Sparta you can reasonably expect to be driven out of your home by factionalism at least once in your life, if you’re not killed. And even Sparta’s not immune by the end. But it is a fascinating one. This book is well worth reading. But be prepared for a long road.
This is the story of Sparta. The city-state has gotten a bad rap over the years (largely because so much fascist ideology has been misappropriated from it) but this book really shows the reason for the powerful attraction that men felt for the Spartan way of life. For centuries it was viewed as the ideal Greek state, and while it had many enemies (and made many more in the period this book covers) even they were never able to hide their admiration of it. Because unlike the talkers (*cough* Athens) the Spartans lived their ideals. And on the whole these ideals were those of the other Greek states.
The first half of the tale is a somewhat inspirational coming-of-age story as the boys become men. This part is all about the infamous agoge, the Spartan education that started at age seven when the sons were sent to live in the wild to learn obedience and survival and continued through their twenties until they reached full citizenship at thirty. It is suitably brutal, but it also builds powerful bonds that cannot be broken. By the time you’re taken out of your childhood flocks and set up as soldiers at 18 you’re basically family. And you will spend the rest of your life among a band of brothers, attuned to your manner and sharing the same background and instincts as you. Brothers for life. You can feel the thrill that comes from knowing you’re part of an invincible band of warriors. All loyal, all brave, all of one mind.
Our hero, Leotychides is most definitely a part of this brotherhood but he’s also something more. His father is one of the two kings of Sparta. Or rather, the man acknowledged as his father is. His real father was Alcibiades the Athenian, who impregnated his mother while selling out his countrymen before scarpering off to sell them all out to Persia. Leo is an interesting character. He’s full of the impulsiveness and stubborn pride of his birth father but Spartan to his core; enough so that he uses all his hard-won discipline to tame himself and his ambitions. Leo has a whole host of problems rising from his status as rightful king and his illegitimacy that keep him from getting boring, but his most distinguishing characteristic is his determination to serve his duty and be the best. He never questions his inflexibility in maintaining Lycurgus’ laws, but by the end I think it’s clear that his greatest strength is secretly his greatest weakness.
But this book is not about Sparta’s glory but Sparta’s fall, and all the ominous hints and subtle indications that things are not all right start to really pay off in the second half. Friends start dying. Hard. And for a book where you can’t remember half the names you encounter it’s surprisingly painful when the flock starts dying off. It’s not one big thing either, just a slow chipping away of lives in a neverending war that Sparta can’t really afford. You know that by the end Leo will die alone and unhappy in his Macedonian exile, but you really don’t want to witness the events that place him there. It’s harsh. The Fox of the utterly uninspired title is actually much deeper than it sounds. It is the fox of the famous Spartan legend: the one of the Spartan boy who was caught with a fox under his cloak and proudly endured its gnawing teeth as it ate him alive rather than admit to his theft. Well, the fox is eating away at Sparta’s innards now and all Leo can do is endure. But he will do so. Because he is Spartan.
One thing that this author really gets is Greek Love. It’s an oft mocked part of Greek life, but it was never just a sexual thing but a whole host of different relationships like mentorship and rivalry all tied around an almost worship of youthful beauty both physical and mental. Most authors get hung up on the sex part and either hold it up as an example of how weird the Greeks were or sideline it. But here it’s celebrated as a Greek would celebrate it. Couples match up for lifelong relationships, but not in a sort of anachronistic gay marriage sort of way. They are fierce guardians of each other’s excellence, always willing to rebuke or drive on the other to succeed. Parts of it are alien and more than a little disgusting to us, but the book really makes you feel it the way the Greeks did. And the love these characters feel for each other is very powerful.
The characters are very well drawn, although it’s worth pointing out that there are an awful lot of them. Even with the character list at the beginning it’s hard to remember who everyone is. There are 43 names that start with ‘Α’ alone! You grow up with these characters from youth, and it is impressive that the children feel like versions of their adult selves while still seeming childish and not-fully-formed. All the characters are likable, which is impressive given how easily they could be seen as monsters from another context. Sphodrias, one of the nicest characters, who’ll do anything for a friend, take rebukes well, and forgive insults with ease, is also comically eager to pit himself against the best the enemy has. Like the rest he doesn’t really see much difference between doing this in athletic matches or on the battlefield and as a result he loves being at war and proving himself. Can’t you just imagine how this would seem to someone on the opposite side of the battlefield? For all their admirable qualities, Spartans have little pity for weakness.
One of the best things about this book for me is the character of Agesilaus. The man is the main antagonist of the piece and it would have been so very easy to make him just an outright villain. But he’s not. He’s not even particularly malicious, though he can be treacherous and crafty. What he is is misguided. Sincerely misguided. He dreams of glory and victories which Spartan society is not designed to achieve. And to get there he’s willing to take shortcuts. Worse still, he’s selfish of glory and far too eager to aid his friends with gifts or positions of great importance. Since the king’s generosity to his friends was one of Xenophon’s main refrains in his Hellenika this criticism seems very barbed. And as Leo admits freely, Agesilaus has his good qualities as well.
The only real problem I have is that it identifies most of the negative aspects of Sparta as Agesilaus’ innovations. There’s some sense to this. Xenophon is our main source for Sparta and he was a partisan of Agesilaus, so any norms Agesilaus invented he might well list as traditions of long standing. But the negative aspects he gives Spartans line up so well with the earlier accounts of Herodotus and Thucydides (neither of whom was rabidly anti-Spartan) that it seems hard to credit that they weren’t present earlier. Specifically, the general paranoia about outsiders, spies, and internal threats, the secret police, and the domineering interference in the internal affairs of other Greek states. While I have no problem with the view that Agesilaus intensified these issues and ruled poorly (his obsession with Thebes was real, and shared by Xenophon, though Id’ve loved to see the book give a real reason for it) I can’t believe he created them out of whole cloth. Or that he was alone in his aggressive imperialism. Sparta always seemed torn between what could be termed war and peace parties. And for all of Leo’s harping on about how Sparta is anti-imperialist, with ambitions confined solely to the Peloponnese, Sparta was already interfering in Athens and the north by the 6th century. Essentially, Sparta could afford to be anti-imperialist now since she had already made herself the dominant power.
Aside from that the only real problem is that the book is too damned long. I’ve said that before, but this is a really lengthy book that doesn’t need to be. This is the only aspect of the book that really screams debut novel. There are so many sections that could be trimmed down or eliminated. The final chapter, for example, is thirty pages listing all the mercenary bands Leo joined up with before he ended up at Philip’s court in Macedon (not a spoiler, we know this by the introduction). There was no need for this as it adds nothing to the tale beyond dragging it out right at the point where it ought to draw to a close. I read Game of Thrones in a day. This took me two.
It is a genuine shame that the author never wrote any more books because I loved this one. It really brought Sparta to life, for good or bad, and illuminated a period not often shown in literature. It’s not a particularly pleasant world. In every city but Sparta you can reasonably expect to be driven out of your home by factionalism at least once in your life, if you’re not killed. And even Sparta’s not immune by the end. But it is a fascinating one. This book is well worth reading. But be prepared for a long road.
August 19, 2018
This great book which was originally published in the year 1995, has now been reissued in 2018 by the editor/publisher C.N. Posner.
At the beginning of the book you'll find a wonderful Glossary of Names, historical and fictional, and Terms concerning this tale about this remarkable warlike Greek world and its history.
The story is based on the life of Leotychides, the illegitimate son of King Agis II of Sparta and his wife Queen Timaea, while he is supposed to be the son of Alcibiades, who about that time from 415-412 BC was an ally of Sparta before moving back to Athens.
Although the book contains a lot of names and characters, and the Ancient Greek World was certainly a complex world, don't let these factors put you off but instead lets embrace them and enjoy this marvellous book to the full.
Storytelling is of a very good quality by the author, the characters are really very believable, while the story itself is fast-paced and events and times are action-packed.
What follows in this fantastic book is the life-story of Leotychides, from young boy to full manhood with all his achievements on the battlefields and that will end on his deathbed at the Macedonian court of King Philippos (Philip II), and not to forget all the political intrigue within Sparta during the Kingship of King Agisilaos of Sparta, who's Leotychides's uncle , with all its loyalties, treachery, betrayals, and murders in the end of certain rivals.
Also very important to note are the wars within, against other Greek City States, such as Athens, Thebes ,Corinth and others, and without against their archrival, the Persian Empire.
Very much recommended, because this fabulous book deserves to be read and admired, and that's why I like to call this tale: "A Truly Well-Worth Epic Spartan Read"!
Note: I was given this ARC by the editor/publisher in exchange for an honest review!
At the beginning of the book you'll find a wonderful Glossary of Names, historical and fictional, and Terms concerning this tale about this remarkable warlike Greek world and its history.
The story is based on the life of Leotychides, the illegitimate son of King Agis II of Sparta and his wife Queen Timaea, while he is supposed to be the son of Alcibiades, who about that time from 415-412 BC was an ally of Sparta before moving back to Athens.
Although the book contains a lot of names and characters, and the Ancient Greek World was certainly a complex world, don't let these factors put you off but instead lets embrace them and enjoy this marvellous book to the full.
Storytelling is of a very good quality by the author, the characters are really very believable, while the story itself is fast-paced and events and times are action-packed.
What follows in this fantastic book is the life-story of Leotychides, from young boy to full manhood with all his achievements on the battlefields and that will end on his deathbed at the Macedonian court of King Philippos (Philip II), and not to forget all the political intrigue within Sparta during the Kingship of King Agisilaos of Sparta, who's Leotychides's uncle , with all its loyalties, treachery, betrayals, and murders in the end of certain rivals.
Also very important to note are the wars within, against other Greek City States, such as Athens, Thebes ,Corinth and others, and without against their archrival, the Persian Empire.
Very much recommended, because this fabulous book deserves to be read and admired, and that's why I like to call this tale: "A Truly Well-Worth Epic Spartan Read"!
Note: I was given this ARC by the editor/publisher in exchange for an honest review!
July 24, 2019
Historical fiction book with places & people that existed and events that actually happen and at times this reads like nonfiction.
I can't read a book about Sparta without screaming this so....
Anyway, this is a book for all history buff readers.
Otherwise, stay away.
There are too many pages and characters. Just glossary with characters is over 20 pages long so beware.
2,5
I can't read a book about Sparta without screaming this so....
Anyway, this is a book for all history buff readers.
Otherwise, stay away.
There are too many pages and characters. Just glossary with characters is over 20 pages long so beware.
2,5
September 2, 2022
The Fox di M.N.J. Butler è un affascinante romanzo storico ambientato nell'antica Grecia. Attraverso le gesta del protagonista Leotychides, l'autore porta il lettore in un viaggio straordinario attraverso gli ultimi giorni della grandiosa città di Sparta. Leotychides stesso è il narratore, di conseguenza lo stile della narrazione è quello di una raccolta di memorie. Seguendo la storia della sua vita, il lettore entra in contatto con la quotidianità spartana, con usi e costumi del tempo, con il modo di parlare ed altri cenni storici interessanti. Vediamo il protagonista costruire amicizie durature e diventare un uomo in un periodo di instabilità politica e incertezza verso il futuro. Il punto di svolta avviene quando viene a sapere che potrebbe essere un figlio illegittimo del re, e di conseguenza non sufficientemente degno di salire al trono. Nel tentativo di dimostrare il contrario, il giovane Leotychides si persuade di dover diventare un guerriero, e comincia l'addestramento militare.
Il titolo è molto interessante, e racchiude una storiella piuttosto conosciuta tra gli spartani. In questa storia, un ragazzino di tredici anni sgattaiolò fuori di casa e trovò una volpe. Pensò che sarebbe stata una buona idea rubarla, e se la nascose sotto la cappa per evitare che qualcuno scoprisse il suo furto. Il problema era che la volpe, in un tentativo di fuga, cominciò a mordicchiare la sua carne. Ma il coraggioso ragazzino, piuttosto che rivelare il suo segreto si lasciò uccidere dalla volpe. Per questo motivo gli abitanti di Sparta usavano dire che c'è sempre una volpe sotto il mantello di ogni spartano.
La scelta di mostrare il punto di vista di qualcuno che ha vissuto il declino della gloriosa città sulla sua pelle, fa sì che il lettore possa ripercorrere i fatti in prima persona, e questo è a dir poco fantastico. Sembra come ascoltare degli aneddoti avvincenti da un vecchio amico, anche se in questo caso si tratta di un vecchissimo amico, poiché viene dal passato. Ho apprezzato davvero tanto i dialoghi profondi tra i personaggi e le digressioni vagamente filosofiche qua e là. Una stimolante immersione totale nella cultura dell'epoca. Oltretutto, l'accuratezza delle informazioni è impressionante. Proprio ben scritto.
Sfortunatamente, non posso dire che questo sia stato "il libro" per me. Infatti, ho trovato diversi ostacoli nella lettura. Per dirne una, la lettura risulta molto lenta all'inizio. Ma la cosa più complicata è stata tenere a mente l'incredibile moltitudine di nomi. Erano veramente tanti. E alcuni di essi appartenevano a personaggi piuttosto marginali che apparivano all'improvviso nel bel mezzo di una scena, trovandomi piuttosto disorientata. Chiaramente mi rendo conto che è esattamente per questa ragione che l'autore ha messo insieme una lista contenente tutti i nomi citati nel libro, realmente esistiti o fittizi. Tuttavia, considerato che io ho letto questo libro in formato digitale, sarebbe risultato piuttosto scomodo saltare tra le pagine ogni volta che incontravo un nuovo nome per andare a vedere chi diavolo fosse. Questo è comunque l'unico aspetto negativo che mi sento di sottolineare.
Detto ciò, consiglio comunque caldamente la lettura di questo libro (magari affiancato da una lista stampata dei nomi), specialmente agli appassionati di storia, ma in generale a chiunque sappia apprezzare una lettura coinvolgente.
January 21, 2019
Leotychides is an aging general in King Phillippos' army. One night a past battle comes up in discussion with a one-sided opinion. King Phillippos mentions to Leotychides his Spartan account of things would bring enlightenment to the populous. The Fox by M.N.J. Butler is the memoirs of Leotychides' Spartan life. For the most part, The Fox read as a historian would tell it. I genuinely believed a Spartan was giving his account of life in military service. Leotychides begins his tale as a young prince taken to live in a flock with other boys. The boys receive an education and train as warriors for Sparta. As he dictates a life that begins as that young prince, the journey covers several decades of the trials in his life through war, friendship, and love.
The sights and sounds described in the narrative painted a picture so vivid it transformed me to the ancient world. I have read several novels that mention ancient Sparta and their people. This one seems the most immersive. Granted most of those novels did not focus entirely on the classical world, but it is a rarity to feel so enveloped there.
Representation of loyalty Spartans felt for one another was prominent in the text. The men belong to the flock, and the flock is faithful to Sparta as he addresses early in the tale. Your background did not matter because all men are equal. I have always admired the Spartan's commitment to one another.
Informative as The Fox was the narrator perspective seemed pretty dispassionate. At one point a child in their flock is sick. When he whimpers, the boys presume he is dying and wished for it, solely because they needed sleep. Mentioned in passing, he could just as likely been describing a training technique. Selection of the fittest was at play here, and empathizing became difficult. With little that encouraged me to feel for them, The Fox took longer to read. I need an emotional connection for the tale to engross me. Although Leotychides life was interesting, it did not draw me in.
Additionally, too many characters inhabit this novel to implement to memory. Some of them have similar names making things more challenging. As it was, heavy exposition on backgrounds and political roles with little action to associate characters continuously interrupted my flow. Constantly backtracking to refresh my memory grew tedious.
Getting a look inside Spartan life and politics was fascinating. The Fox would be an excellent novel for those who have an interest in historical fiction. This book did not have any editing issues that stood out to me. Perhaps what I needed to embrace his biography is a more narrow focus on Leotychides' life.
The sights and sounds described in the narrative painted a picture so vivid it transformed me to the ancient world. I have read several novels that mention ancient Sparta and their people. This one seems the most immersive. Granted most of those novels did not focus entirely on the classical world, but it is a rarity to feel so enveloped there.
Representation of loyalty Spartans felt for one another was prominent in the text. The men belong to the flock, and the flock is faithful to Sparta as he addresses early in the tale. Your background did not matter because all men are equal. I have always admired the Spartan's commitment to one another.
Informative as The Fox was the narrator perspective seemed pretty dispassionate. At one point a child in their flock is sick. When he whimpers, the boys presume he is dying and wished for it, solely because they needed sleep. Mentioned in passing, he could just as likely been describing a training technique. Selection of the fittest was at play here, and empathizing became difficult. With little that encouraged me to feel for them, The Fox took longer to read. I need an emotional connection for the tale to engross me. Although Leotychides life was interesting, it did not draw me in.
Additionally, too many characters inhabit this novel to implement to memory. Some of them have similar names making things more challenging. As it was, heavy exposition on backgrounds and political roles with little action to associate characters continuously interrupted my flow. Constantly backtracking to refresh my memory grew tedious.
Getting a look inside Spartan life and politics was fascinating. The Fox would be an excellent novel for those who have an interest in historical fiction. This book did not have any editing issues that stood out to me. Perhaps what I needed to embrace his biography is a more narrow focus on Leotychides' life.
October 23, 2023
The Fox follows Leotychides,a young Spartan prince,as he narrates his many battles as well as the issues of his legitimacy leaving him at the risk of losing the throne as well and his citizenry.It also goes along as everything is torn from him,not leaving him sour at the end,but rather as a genuine,humble and true protagonist in his own story as it plays out.
It boils down as an autobiography,starting off from his younger years to his old age.The narration is easy to follow and makes you go along smoothly with the main character.It goes down without missing a detail with the culture or even the time and place .It even makes you dare to think that the author was a time traveler who got this story straight from the source.A lot of points aren't spared,he unleashes everything with full force, not sparing his character.The rest of the characters appear to be at the right place and the right time and the places also fit on well with everything going on,each point and piece goes along beautifully in knitting this tale and building up Leotychides as he goes on with his journey.
It gets tough at some point,making you go back to check the glossary or the family tree.At times you lose track of some characters or some events and you have to go along rereading the paragraph and the chapter once more.The ending doesn't quite sit well,(though this purely Historical Fiction and deals with the real events.).It makes you ask why M.N.J Butler keeps giving Leotychdes a scare of his own lifetime.
M.N.J Butler deserves an applause for the The Fox,the culture and the religion of the Spartans shone out in this book.The wars and also the kingdoms at that point and at that time were also well covered and represented.The warriors were truly warriors and the main character will be a true guide to you when you start reading,it's much of a tour of the ancient world along with it's beauty and parts of its ugliness.I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of ancient culture,or anyone who wants to begin his week with something that leaves him shocked,excited and intrigued,with a dash of ancient warfare and a bit of humor.
It boils down as an autobiography,starting off from his younger years to his old age.The narration is easy to follow and makes you go along smoothly with the main character.It goes down without missing a detail with the culture or even the time and place .It even makes you dare to think that the author was a time traveler who got this story straight from the source.A lot of points aren't spared,he unleashes everything with full force, not sparing his character.The rest of the characters appear to be at the right place and the right time and the places also fit on well with everything going on,each point and piece goes along beautifully in knitting this tale and building up Leotychides as he goes on with his journey.
It gets tough at some point,making you go back to check the glossary or the family tree.At times you lose track of some characters or some events and you have to go along rereading the paragraph and the chapter once more.The ending doesn't quite sit well,(though this purely Historical Fiction and deals with the real events.).It makes you ask why M.N.J Butler keeps giving Leotychdes a scare of his own lifetime.
M.N.J Butler deserves an applause for the The Fox,the culture and the religion of the Spartans shone out in this book.The wars and also the kingdoms at that point and at that time were also well covered and represented.The warriors were truly warriors and the main character will be a true guide to you when you start reading,it's much of a tour of the ancient world along with it's beauty and parts of its ugliness.I recommend it for anyone who is a fan of ancient culture,or anyone who wants to begin his week with something that leaves him shocked,excited and intrigued,with a dash of ancient warfare and a bit of humor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2025
A Slog Through Sparta: "The Fox" Left Me Lost in the Labyrinth of History
Oh, where to even begin with M.N.J. Butler's "The Fox"? I went in hoping for an epic journey into ancient Sparta, a compelling tale of warriors and intrigue. What I got instead was a historical textbook disguised as a novel, a dense, arduous read that felt more like homework than entertainment.
My biggest gripe has to be the sheer overload of historical detail. Look, I appreciate good research, but there's a point where it stops enhancing the story and starts suffocating it. Every other page felt like I needed to pause, consult the glossary for some obscure Greek term, or try to recall which minor character with an unpronounceable name was related to whom. It broke any immersion I might have found. Instead of feeling like I was living alongside the Spartans, I felt like I was perpetually lost in a labyrinth of facts and figures.
And the pacing! "Slow" is an understatement. There were long stretches, particularly in the middle, dedicated to military campaigns and political machinations that dragged on endlessly. I kept waiting for a hook, a moment that would grab me and pull me back in, but it rarely came. It felt like the author was more interested in showcasing their extensive research than in telling a compelling story. I found myself skimming pages, something I rarely do, just to try and get to a point where something interesting happened.
Perhaps if you're a hardcore ancient history academic, you might appreciate the meticulousness. But for a casual reader like me, looking for an engaging piece of historical fiction, "The Fox" was an absolute chore. It's a shame, because the premise held so much promise. Unfortunately, it delivered more frustration than fascination.
Oh, where to even begin with M.N.J. Butler's "The Fox"? I went in hoping for an epic journey into ancient Sparta, a compelling tale of warriors and intrigue. What I got instead was a historical textbook disguised as a novel, a dense, arduous read that felt more like homework than entertainment.
My biggest gripe has to be the sheer overload of historical detail. Look, I appreciate good research, but there's a point where it stops enhancing the story and starts suffocating it. Every other page felt like I needed to pause, consult the glossary for some obscure Greek term, or try to recall which minor character with an unpronounceable name was related to whom. It broke any immersion I might have found. Instead of feeling like I was living alongside the Spartans, I felt like I was perpetually lost in a labyrinth of facts and figures.
And the pacing! "Slow" is an understatement. There were long stretches, particularly in the middle, dedicated to military campaigns and political machinations that dragged on endlessly. I kept waiting for a hook, a moment that would grab me and pull me back in, but it rarely came. It felt like the author was more interested in showcasing their extensive research than in telling a compelling story. I found myself skimming pages, something I rarely do, just to try and get to a point where something interesting happened.
Perhaps if you're a hardcore ancient history academic, you might appreciate the meticulousness. But for a casual reader like me, looking for an engaging piece of historical fiction, "The Fox" was an absolute chore. It's a shame, because the premise held so much promise. Unfortunately, it delivered more frustration than fascination.
September 6, 2019
The Fox is a very educational read. Throughout the book you learn about the rules and traditions of Sparta, which are really interesting.
There are some complicated terms in the book, but luckily there is a glossary in the beginning of the book explaining every one of them. There are some really sad things in the book like Leo’s father never visiting him, but then there are also a lot of happy scenes like when Leo makes a new friend in the flock.
I found this to be a very hard/long read, because of all the terms in the book and then there is the fact that a lot of the names sounded the same, which can get confusing. There were also a lot of misplaced quotation marks that really took away from the reading.
What I liked most about the book was how much you can learn out of it. In this book you learn so much about Sparta and the people who live in Sparta. It is very educational, but with an interesting story line.
What I disliked most would probably be that the book starts out really boring, which is bad, because most people won’t continue reading if the first page doesn’t get their attention.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I would have rated it a full 5 stars if it weren’t for the misplaced quotation marks, which proves that the book was not professionally edited.
I would most definitely recommend this book to all fans of Sparta and historical fiction. If you don’t like historical fiction then stay clear of this book! Over all it was a good read and after a little more editing it would easily get 5 out of 5 stars.
Read more of my reviews here: https://divertinglibrarian.home.blog/...
There are some complicated terms in the book, but luckily there is a glossary in the beginning of the book explaining every one of them. There are some really sad things in the book like Leo’s father never visiting him, but then there are also a lot of happy scenes like when Leo makes a new friend in the flock.
I found this to be a very hard/long read, because of all the terms in the book and then there is the fact that a lot of the names sounded the same, which can get confusing. There were also a lot of misplaced quotation marks that really took away from the reading.
What I liked most about the book was how much you can learn out of it. In this book you learn so much about Sparta and the people who live in Sparta. It is very educational, but with an interesting story line.
What I disliked most would probably be that the book starts out really boring, which is bad, because most people won’t continue reading if the first page doesn’t get their attention.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I would have rated it a full 5 stars if it weren’t for the misplaced quotation marks, which proves that the book was not professionally edited.
I would most definitely recommend this book to all fans of Sparta and historical fiction. If you don’t like historical fiction then stay clear of this book! Over all it was a good read and after a little more editing it would easily get 5 out of 5 stars.
Read more of my reviews here: https://divertinglibrarian.home.blog/...
January 31, 2022
Amazing book! I loved every page of it! Fascinating look into Spartan culture at its moment of decline.
It was brilliant to write the book from the viewpoint of Leotychides, since he disappeared from record after Aegisilaos took the Eurypontid throne.
Speaking of which, I’m glad the author chose to take Xenophons account of Aegisilaos with the massive grain of salt that it deserves. In all, this felt like a very likely account of events and characters.
I do have some negative comments, though.
This book would have been made more readable with a heavier hand at the technical editing table. My main complaint was the quotation marks. They simply weren’t used correctly. Granted, it was the work of a second to figure out that a character was still talking, but it interrupted the flow. So, Reader beware: you’re going to have to read carefully and slower than usual!
In addition, the paragraphs often jumped forward in time with zero stylistic warning. Your brain will be jerked all over the place.
Once I understood these things, they no longer bothered me, and actually slowed me down so I absorbed and savored the scenes. Please don’t let my comments deter you from reading this fantastic book!
It was brilliant to write the book from the viewpoint of Leotychides, since he disappeared from record after Aegisilaos took the Eurypontid throne.
Speaking of which, I’m glad the author chose to take Xenophons account of Aegisilaos with the massive grain of salt that it deserves. In all, this felt like a very likely account of events and characters.
I do have some negative comments, though.
This book would have been made more readable with a heavier hand at the technical editing table. My main complaint was the quotation marks. They simply weren’t used correctly. Granted, it was the work of a second to figure out that a character was still talking, but it interrupted the flow. So, Reader beware: you’re going to have to read carefully and slower than usual!
In addition, the paragraphs often jumped forward in time with zero stylistic warning. Your brain will be jerked all over the place.
Once I understood these things, they no longer bothered me, and actually slowed me down so I absorbed and savored the scenes. Please don’t let my comments deter you from reading this fantastic book!
July 28, 2024
This story follows Leotychides of Sparta, starting right from the beginning when he learns who his father is and what the kingdom expects from Leotychides, and the rivalry against Agisilaos. The storyline switches back and forth between the present and the past, delving into his character’s journey. A couple of pages at the beginning list the characters featured in the book who have been grabbed from Greek history to create a fictional story.
This is a character-driven story, told from Leotychides’s point of view. There is no need to know the history of Sparta because the research conducted creates an informative story that provides readers with the knowledge they need to understand Leotychides and Sparta. On the one hand, there is a lot of history incorporated into the narrative. On the other hand, the abundance of information packed together means this is an extremely lengthy story. As a result, this is a very difficult read because the plot is scattered. Leotychides will discuss an instance that happened six years ago and another instance that happened two years after a different event. Therefore, despite the paragraph breaks, it isn’t entirely clear when the story takes place in the past and when Leotychides is back in the present. In addition, the communication between characters as the story goes on becomes rigid and reads more like a script than an immersive story. It might also help to know the history of Sparta before reading the book to understand the characters’ motivations. While there is a glossary, there are still a lot of characters to learn and follow in this slow-burn story.
I received a free review copy. Thank you to OnlineBookClub and author.
This is a character-driven story, told from Leotychides’s point of view. There is no need to know the history of Sparta because the research conducted creates an informative story that provides readers with the knowledge they need to understand Leotychides and Sparta. On the one hand, there is a lot of history incorporated into the narrative. On the other hand, the abundance of information packed together means this is an extremely lengthy story. As a result, this is a very difficult read because the plot is scattered. Leotychides will discuss an instance that happened six years ago and another instance that happened two years after a different event. Therefore, despite the paragraph breaks, it isn’t entirely clear when the story takes place in the past and when Leotychides is back in the present. In addition, the communication between characters as the story goes on becomes rigid and reads more like a script than an immersive story. It might also help to know the history of Sparta before reading the book to understand the characters’ motivations. While there is a glossary, there are still a lot of characters to learn and follow in this slow-burn story.
I received a free review copy. Thank you to OnlineBookClub and author.
July 8, 2019
Initially, this book peeked my interest, but my interest soon gave way to confusion. There were a great deal of characters, many with similar names, and with very little detail to distinguish them.
Despite being in the first person, I felt no connection to the main character. Scenes that could have been emotional and meaningful simply lacked impact. I felt like I was reading a history lesson as opposed to the story of a person's life.
That being said, it is clear that the author did a great deal of research into Greek history for this book.
Still, I can't say that I overly enjoyed the book.
Despite being in the first person, I felt no connection to the main character. Scenes that could have been emotional and meaningful simply lacked impact. I felt like I was reading a history lesson as opposed to the story of a person's life.
That being said, it is clear that the author did a great deal of research into Greek history for this book.
Still, I can't say that I overly enjoyed the book.
December 22, 2021
I've studied classical Greek history, so I have some context for the times and some of the historic figures. I wonder if persons without this background may struggle with the goings on in this world.
A great thing about the book is it's detailed and interesting take on the Spartans. We know that world mostly through Athenian eyes as Sparta left behind little literature. I loved the emersion into their world provided by this author.
A great thing about the book is it's detailed and interesting take on the Spartans. We know that world mostly through Athenian eyes as Sparta left behind little literature. I loved the emersion into their world provided by this author.
December 9, 2025
Narrated by a smart-mouthed Spartan with veiled insults, this is a story of boyhood adventure, generational secrets, and a lifelong journey toward healing and acceptance. As much as I enjoyed the story and the diction captured the setting without alienating today’s audience, the book had many minor errors and sometimes disruptive narrative detours that can be annoying. But once you get the hang of it, it adds texture to the narration.
November 30, 2018
I admit that I almost put this one down after about 50 pages. Thankfully, I stuck with it and the pace of the story picked up. The depth of historic knowledge expressed in this piece is simply fantastic. As my intro states, though, the book does start a bit slow as there is a ton of background info being introduced. The book moved well after this, and the storyline and premise were very solid.
August 31, 2020
You can read my review in Online Book Club: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
June 14, 2021
This is a well researched and presented historical fiction based in the era of the Heraklion dynasty. It chronicles the life of a Spartan warrior and features the Long War aka the Peloponnesian War.
September 22, 2021
An exceptional, historical fiction book that deserves to be read by many more! Read my full review here: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
January 9, 2022
A masterpiece!
Read
January 19, 2023As beautifully written as it is, it didn't connect with me and so I couldn't finish it...
January 12, 2021
https://wanderingwords391011469.wordp...
"The Fox is a 1995 historical novel by M.N.J. Butler, following the life of the Spartan prince Leotychides from his youth to his old age. The first thing to be said about this novel is just how obscure it is. At the time of writing this review, The Fox has 37 ratings on Goodreads and only 12 reviews. If it weren’t for the folks over at historicalnovels.info then I probably would never have even heard of this book. Indeed, I can find next to no information about the author themselves; where they’re from, whether they have written any other novels, or even what their full name is. I can’t even uncover any information about the original publisher of the novel. In my opinion, such mystery only serves to add to the novel’s charm."
Read my full review over on my blog.
"The Fox is a 1995 historical novel by M.N.J. Butler, following the life of the Spartan prince Leotychides from his youth to his old age. The first thing to be said about this novel is just how obscure it is. At the time of writing this review, The Fox has 37 ratings on Goodreads and only 12 reviews. If it weren’t for the folks over at historicalnovels.info then I probably would never have even heard of this book. Indeed, I can find next to no information about the author themselves; where they’re from, whether they have written any other novels, or even what their full name is. I can’t even uncover any information about the original publisher of the novel. In my opinion, such mystery only serves to add to the novel’s charm."
Read my full review over on my blog.
March 27, 2020
Thank you Online Book Club for giving me a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review.
You can check out my review here!
https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
You can check out my review here!
https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
June 10, 2019
Review by Kister Bless -- The Fox by M. N. J. Butler - OnlineBookClub.org https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
June 14, 2019
Please see this link for full review: https://forums.onlinebookclub.org/vie...
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews