An Arrow's Flight : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: A unique blending of Greek mythology and gay culture
Review: The seige of Troy by the Greeks has been going on for 10 years without any clear signs of ending. An oracle soon gives Odysseus the information he needs to conclude this messy debacle: Neoptolemus, son of the fallen Achilles, will lead the Greeks to victory. The only problem is trying to find Neoptolemus.

Unaware of what the Fates have chosen for him, Neoptolemus, who goes by Pyrrhus because of his red hair and is tired of hiding his sexuality, escapes his boring life on the isle of Scyros and moves to the big city. Strapped for cash, he decides to put his godlike good looks to some use and becomes a go-go dancer and hustler in the gay part of town. But even then, he longs for something more than just a sea of faces all wanting him and him not caring one way or the other. He is found by Phoenix, trusted eunuch of Achilles, who tells him of the oracle's prophecy and offers the opportunity to change his life: to achieve victory in Troy.

There's more to the prophecy than Pyrrhus is told, though. He has to obtain Heracles' bow from Philoctetes who was exiled by Odysseus to the island of Lemnos after being bitten by a snake and contracting an incurable illness. Once the two meet, Pyrrhus must confront his feelings for Philoctetes and decide once and for all who he is and what he wants from life.

"An Arrow's Flight" is a unique blending of Greek mythology with modern gay themes. At first, I was a bit thrown, as all the ancient Greeks I remember from my school days are now using computers, watching TV, using charge cards, etc. It takes some getting used to. The story itself helps to overcome this; it's well-written with very strong, thoroughly developed characters. Pyrrhus grows and changes by the end of the story, finally accepting himself and understanding who he is. A fine, compelling novel.

Rating:
Summary: A unique blending of Greek mythology and gay culture
Review: The seige of Troy by the Greeks has been going on for 10 years without any clear signs of ending. An oracle soon gives Odysseus the information he needs to conclude this messy debacle: Neoptolemus, son of the fallen Achilles, will lead the Greeks to victory. The only problem is trying to find Neoptolemus.

Unaware of what the Fates have chosen for him, Neoptolemus, who goes by Pyrrhus because of his red hair and is tired of hiding his sexuality, escapes his boring life on the isle of Scyros and moves to the big city. Strapped for cash, he decides to put his godlike good looks to some use and becomes a go-go dancer and hustler in the gay part of town. But even then, he longs for something more than just a sea of faces all wanting him and him not caring one way or the other. He is found by Phoenix, trusted eunuch of Achilles, who tells him of the oracle's prophecy and offers the opportunity to change his life: to achieve victory in Troy.

There's more to the prophecy than Pyrrhus is told, though. He has to obtain Heracles' bow from Philoctetes who was exiled by Odysseus to the island of Lemnos after being bitten by a snake and contracting an incurable illness. Once the two meet, Pyrrhus must confront his feelings for Philoctetes and decide once and for all who he is and what he wants from life.

"An Arrow's Flight" is a unique blending of Greek mythology with modern gay themes. At first, I was a bit thrown, as all the ancient Greeks I remember from my school days are now using computers, watching TV, using charge cards, etc. It takes some getting used to. The story itself helps to overcome this; it's well-written with very strong, thoroughly developed characters. Pyrrhus grows and changes by the end of the story, finally accepting himself and understanding who he is. A fine, compelling novel.

Rating:
Summary: Fun, Surprising, Gay Fiction That Avoids The Expected Cliche
Review: This was one of my favorite books of recent memory. Merlis is immediately in a class with Hollinghurst and Neil Bartlett for me, on the basis of this literary, and literate update of Greek tragedy that successfully tosses Homer and Sophocles into a gay coming of age story unfolding on the brink of the imminent and unexpected AIDS crisis. Worth the read just for the presentation of Odysseys as a cunning trial lawyer. As a lawyer myself, a former Classical Civ. major, and a gay man, I assumed I would either love or hate this book, and was delighted when it turned out to be true love.