The Assyrian

They were brothers, best friends, rivals in love. But, though it seemed that nothing could come between them, only one of them could become master of the dazzling Assyrian Empire that stretched from the Mediterranean to the western borders of India; only one of them could lay claim to the unimaginable riches and power of that Empire; only one of them could know the love of Esharhamat, the woman they both desired. Seven centuries before Christ, the young Assyrian princes Tiglath Ashur and Esarhaddon were forced to compete fiercely against each other, despite a friendship that had endured since childhood. Through the eyes of Tiglath, violence, sex and the never-changing nature of men and women are woven into a breathtaking tapestry of the greatest Empire the world had ever seen.

Set in ancient Ashur (called Assyria by Greeks), this absorbing epic novel dramatically portrays two royal half-brothers whose childhood camaraderie later gives way to acrimony and violence. Tiglath and Esarhaddon, sons of aging King Sennacherib, grow up amicably and share rigorous military training. Their friendship dissolves when the king's priest proclaims the gods' decree that Esarhaddon will be the next monarch. Resentful of Sennacherib's preference for Tiglath and not eager to assume his prospective duties, Esarhaddon dreads his fate, while noble Tiglath unhappily refrains from usurping the throne out of a concern for his country's well-being. Even more disturbing to Tiglath, however, is the certainty that his lover, comely Esharhamat, must become the future sovereign's bride. Reeling with grief, Tiglath leaves Ashur to become a seasoned conqueror worthy of his compatriots' homage, yet a momentous clash between him and Esarhaddon still awaits. Guild (The Berlin Warning masterfully describes court intrigues and the feverish panorama of the battlefield, but the book's abundant merit lies in its timelessness and universality. This story of a passionately moral man torn among amorous longings, the seductiveness of power, fraternal emotion and cognizance of his nation's welfare holds many contemporary implications. Major ad/promo.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In a quick moment of bravery, indicative of the man-to-be, young Tiglath Ashur stays the hand of the priest who is about to make him a eunuch. Assyrian law in the 7th century B.C. required that all sons of a king but one be castrated in order that there be no question of the succession. Tiglath Ashur and his brother Esarhaddon are close friends from childhood. They share games, secrets, initiation into the warrior's world, and even the same woman, until the question of succession arises. Tiglath, the natural leader, is the popular hero, but treachery places Esarhaddon on the throne, thus replacing brotherly love with hatred. This sprawling epic of unbridled ambition is overlong with battles, tortures, and debauchery. Homeric similes and metaphors and careful detail do, however, re-create a little-known historical period. A map would have been helpful. For larger fiction collections. Joan Hinkemeyer, Englewood P.L., Col.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.