Product Description

While Trojan prince Paris returns to Troy with Helen, the Achaean fleet mistakenly attacks Mysia, then is scattered by a storm. High King Agamemnon gathers the army again, but for the fleet to sail, the gods require the life of Agamemnon's eldest daughter, Iphigenia.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1044959 in Books
• Published on: 2004-07-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. This second volume of Shanower’s award-winning series offers readers an intense retelling of the saga of the Trojan War using multiple literary and historical sources as a springboard. Shanower is the rare talent who can adapt such a well-known work and not only make the dense material accessible, but utterly compelling. Each panel drips with detail and epic scope, yet the characters are never lost in the fray. The Greeks of yore are refreshingly depicted as ethnic in appearance, and a mind-boggling amount of research has been expended on the story and visuals. This collection opens with Paris, Prince of Troy, returning home with Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, as his stolen paramour, unconcerned that she is wed to a king who is determined to reclaim her. Paris’s father, Priam, reluctantly welcomes Helen to his land. Meanwhile, the inexperienced warrior Achilles leads a bloody assault on an island which he mistakenly believes to be Troy. Bitter sibling rivalry, obsessive lust, full-scale battles, simmering homoerotic tension, and drama and intrigue on every page combine to create a stunning addition to the literature of the Trojan War.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up–If you have fans of A Thousand Ships (Image, 2001), then read no further: just order this book immediately. Shanower has mastered the history, archaeology, literature, and mythology of the Trojan War, and is busy distilling the results into seven graphic novels. He understands human psychology, dramatic pacing, narrative structure–and he can draw. Sacrifice begins by recapitulating the story thus far. Paris sails back to Troy, just as self-regarding and shortsighted as when he left. Thrilled with his own prize (Helen), he has no understanding of the political complications. Priam does, but he is swayed by the machinations of Helen and by Hecuba's generosity. Not only are the major characters (Achilles, Klytemnestra, Odysseus) complex, but even a minor player like Telephus is carefully developed. Shanower's graphic decisions are admirable, and some pages (like the tormented Agamemnon's recitation of his family history) are brilliant. There's more sensitive material in this volume: incest, nudity, violent death–all in the sources–but no one will be checking out Sacrifice for its few dicey scenes. This work demands close engagement and thoughtful response: it makes the Trojan War both unbelievably distant in a vivid historical past, and compellingly present in our own age.–Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
Gr. 8-up. The second installment of Shanower's black-and-white graphic-novel retelling of the Trojan War takes up the story, begun in A Thousand Ships (2001), as Paris and his fleet arrive in Troy. Helen's beauty; Kassandra's dire predictions; Achilles' desire for adventure and his homosexuality (discerningly depicted); and Mycenae's response to the threat of war provide the synergy in this episode, and Agamemnon's sacrifice of Iphigenia unfolds with heartbreaking determination. Extension of a single image (the wind is a monstrous, hissing presence spreading across several panels), and changes in perspective keep the eye as busy as the mind in attending to both the narrative and the metaphor of the classic myth. The denouement, placing Odysseus on the beach, wondering aloud if anyone will recognize him when he returns home, is an excellent cliffhanger to prepare readers for the next volume of this retelling. An appended glossary and genealogical charts will help those new to Greek mythology, and a page-long preface recaps the first volume. Francisca Goldsmith
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Customer Reviews

Builds on the excellence of the first vol.
Here is the long awaited second volume of "Age of Bronze," the massive graphic novel covering the entire Trojan War story. The first collection carried the story to the launching of the first armada against Troy, while this one deals with the catastrophic results. The expedition is lost, mistakenly attacks friendly territories, and regroups... but what will the Greek army have to do to earn the gods' favor for a second assault?

As great as the first part of the story was, this one impoves on it considerably. Its fascinating to really *feel* the characters slowly come to realize the immensity of the struggle. The bravado of the first part is gradually turning to weariness, caution, and fear as the stakes become higher, and the sacrifices needed become greater. Characterization is impressive all around, and Cassandra's story is fully modernized and absolutely chilling. But its also fascinating to see how Shanower fearlessly takes on some of the classics of literature to tell his own story. The central part of "Sacrifice" is identical with Euripides's masterpiece, "Iphegenia at Aulis." Dangerous drawing so clear a comparison with such a classic, yet Shanower succeedes brilliantly, not simply rewriting it, but fitting it into the larger story.

This is not a good starting point -- anyone not reading vol. 1 will probably be lost -- but this volume is highly recommended, and not just for people who love mythology or graphic novels. Make no mistake... this is excellent literature.

Wow!
This book is the second in a series by author and illustrator Eric Shanower. This series combines the Classic stories surrounding the Trojan War with modern archaeology, and uses a graphic novel format to bring those ancient stories to life. Everyone is here: Ajax, Paris, Odysseus, Menelaus, and (of course) the radiant Helen. This book begins with Helen's arrival at Troy, Kassandra's prediction of the destruction of Troy, and follows through to the story of the sacrifice of Agamemnon's daughter, and the preparation for the sailing of the Greek armada.

This is a wonderful graphic novel, one that really brings the old stories to life, and puts them together to form a complete and logical whole. I really liked the way the author used our present knowledge of ancient architecture and clothing to make the stories seem so realistic.

Now, I don't recommend this graphic novel for younger or more sensitive readers. If you are familiar with the Classical stories, you know that such topics as rape, incest, and homosexuality are an integral part of the story. As such, any book that deals with these stories *must* deal with these topics.

But, even with that in mind, I must say that this is an excellent book. If you are a fan of the ancient Greek and Roman stories, and would like to see them in a modern format, then this is the book for you. I am very glad that I read this book, and can't wait for the next one to come out!

Even Homer would get a kick out of this
This and the preceding volume of the projected seven-part series are an enjoyable, readable retelling of the story of the Trojan war with a brisk pace and well developed characters. Shanower does not limit himself to the material in Homer's works; he ranges throughout classic literature to tell the many interwoven stories that make up this greatest of all the epic tales. He tells the tale in a naturalistic manner: encounters with gods are depicted as dreams, and the supernatural events in Homer are rendered realistically. He adds credibility to many of the inexplicable aspects of the Homeric version. For example, whereas in Homer the Greeks have no motive for fighting a ten-year war other than to recover Helen, Shanower describes Troy's command of trade routes to the Black Sea and makes it clear that Agamemnon and his allies are after power and wealth, not just a runaway wife. Shanower adds dimension to many of the Homeric characters, especially Paris, whom he portrays as egotistical and foolish, and Agamemnon, who becomes an aggressive but canny politician. Although the violence is tame compared with superhero comic books, the characters are adults who do adult things, such as have sex with each other, and if you don't think children should see that sort of thing, don't buy this for them. (The sex is not explicit and the nudity very limited.) The dialog is not given an "ancient" or "classic" tone; rather, the characters speak in what would pass for everyday English. Although the drawings are black and white, they have a cinematic flair-Shanower changes the perspective from frame to frame to keep each page visually interesting. The many carefully rendered details of clothes, buildings, and everyday life give the story an even greater sense of realism. As I was reading it I thought, "This is really the way it might have happened."