The Etruscan

Rating:
Summary: His greatest historical epic
Review: As a Finnish reader, I am more than delighted to get a chance to praise our nation's all-time greatest writer for an international audience. The Etruscan is maybe Waltari's best historical epic, if we do not count The Dark Angel. Waltari's style is unique, full of stylized hooks and deep human attitude. He might seem cynical to some, but in fact it's just that basic Finnish melancholy speaking... here in the north we can't look at the world without seeing its faults. In Waltari's books, highly intelligent feeling is always present as well as reader-friendly easiness. I recommend, I truly do!

Rating:
Summary: man needs his rocks
Review: Even if the book tells about a man who lived ages ago, all could've happened yesterday. If you find this book, read it - it opens an another door, once again...

Rating:
Summary: A Gripping Story With Amazing Depth
Review: Few books have made me think as much as "The Etruscan" by Mika Waltari. Although some of the characters might have been a bit two dimensional, the engrossing story and the vividness of details more than make up for it. In addition, one can feel a strong subtext of spiritual seeking and devotion to a faith akin to Christianiaty, even if it is camouflaged in the beliefs of an era long before Christ. All in all, some of the topics that the book raise such as the power of the gods, free-will versus fate, and self-determination, are bound to keep the reader thinking long after finishing the book.

Rating:
Summary: A Gripping Story With Amazing Depth
Review: Few books have made me think as much as "The Etruscan" by Mika Waltari. Although some of the characters might have been a bit two dimensional, the engrossing story and the vividness of details more than make up for it. In addition, one can feel a strong subtext of spiritual seeking and devotion to a faith akin to Christianiaty, even if it is camouflaged in the beliefs of an era long before Christ. All in all, some of the topics that the book raise such as the power of the gods, free-will versus fate, and self-determination, are bound to keep the reader thinking long after finishing the book.

Rating:
Summary: A Gripping Story With Amazing Depth
Review: Few books have made me think as much as "The Etruscan" by Mika Waltari. Although some of the characters might have been a bit two dimensional, the engrossing story and the vividness of details more than make up for it. In addition, one can feel a strong subtext of spiritual seeking and devotion to a faith akin to Christianiaty, even if it is camouflaged in the beliefs of an era long before Christ. All in all, some of the topics that the book raise such as the power of the gods, free-will versus fate, and self-determination, are bound to keep the reader thinking long after finishing the book.

Rating:
Summary: The Etruscan shows us the Mediterranean in historical perspe
Review: If you loved Mika Waltari's celebrated novel "The Egyptian," you'll love this as well. He tells a similar story of a man destined to wander, and unaware of the secret of his birth--essentially the same plot as "The Egyptian," but Waltari is a skilled storyteller. He infuses this story with enough new elements to make it very interesting. My one objection to all of Waltari's stories is his two-dimensional portraits of women: they are either rapacious, treacherous and evil, like Nefernefernefer of "The Egyptian," or Arsinoe of this novel, or saintly and long-suffering heroines who usually come to grief because of the hero. If you can tolerate this element in his novels, Waltari delivers on a good story, and this one is no exception.

Rating:
Summary: Another good historical novel from Waltari
Review: If you loved Mika Waltari's celebrated novel "The Egyptian," you'll love this as well. He tells a similar story of a man destined to wander, and unaware of the secret of his birth--essentially the same plot as "The Egyptian," but Waltari is a skilled storyteller. He infuses this story with enough new elements to make it very interesting. My one objection to all of Waltari's stories is his two-dimensional portraits of women: they are either rapacious, treacherous and evil, like Nefernefernefer of "The Egyptian," or Arsinoe of this novel, or saintly and long-suffering heroines who usually come to grief because of the hero. If you can tolerate this element in his novels, Waltari delivers on a good story, and this one is no exception.

Rating:
Summary: Ancient Greece and Rome
Review: Mika Waltari's The Etruscan is one of the better books about ancient civilization that I have read. Dividing it's time between Ancient Greece, and Ancient Rome, the book reveals the story of Lars Turms, who can remember nothing of his life before being 'delivered to the earth from a thunderbolt.' Turms travels from city to city, seeking a place to call home, and all the while turning his back on his destiny.

Bewitched by the Goddess of Eryx, Turms falls in love with the mortal form that the Goddess inhabits, and spirits her away from the city to make her his wife. But, her heart and soul being ruled by position and wealth, Arsinoe betrays him time and again, until Turms finds himself alone and wandering, again seeking his place in the world.

Wars are fought, cities are overtaken, friends come and go, and wealth is gained and lost as Turms moves from city to city. But no matter what misfortunes befall him, Turms simply moves from one circumstance to the next, taking is losses and griefs in stride, praising the Gods when some small token of good fortune comes his way.

It is in the last 100 pages of the book that Turms' destiny is revealed. Though a wonderful conclusion to the story, it seems a bit slighted in terms of development and description, when the rest of the book thrives upon both and delivers them in abundance. The bulk of the book moves along at a meandering pace, such as a person with no particular destination might, but picks up in terms of pacing and content at the end. And while the climax of the book is exciting, it might have benefited from a bit more development.

Some of the characters suffer from this underdevelopment as well, save for Arsinoe, whose treachery and passion kept her an engaging read throughout the book. The rest of the characters, no matter what role they play in the story, all seem secondary, and pale in comparison to the hero and heroine of the tale.

Although Rome has never really been a subject of historical interest for me, as closely tied to the history of Greece as it is, I did find the explanation of ancient time, setting, custom, and tradition an entertaining read.

Rating:
Summary: Waltari's best novel
Review: The Etruscan is about a man who lives before the Romans crushed the Etruscan civilisation. It is a story about someone searching for, and eventually finding, their true spiritual identity.

You don't have to love historical fiction to enjoy this book. Waltari is such a stunning writer I'm amazed and disappointed that it's so hard to get hold of his work. His work is well plotted and full of surprises, but the key feature is his compassion for and understanding of human failings. He knew how to tell a story.

Rating:
Summary: The Etruscan shows us the Mediterranean in historical perspe
Review: This historical novel ties together the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean during the push of the Persians into Asia Minor and Egypt. The whole Mediterranean was living in fear that the Persians would conquer and destroy them. The story actually begins in the second chapter. The first chapter can mislead the reader much in the same way that Hawthornes' first chapter of The Scarlet Letter, The Toll House, misleads the reader into thinking that the novel is a textbook and not a novel. I recommend this book for anyone who will be visiting the Mediterrranean. It brings to life many ancient sites from the shores of Cyprus to Delphi, Barcelona, Asia Minor, Marseilles, Egypt, Sicily, etc. PS: I suggest eating Mediterranean Greek/Turkish food while reading this novel: hommus, dolma, olives, baba ganush, etc. They really get you in the spirit of the novel. ( :