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Children of Tantalus: Niobe and Pelops (Tapestry of Bronze) Paperback – December 5, 2010

by Victoria Grossack (Author), Alice Underwood (Author)
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 17 ratings
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*Book 1 of the Niobe Trilogy*Princess Niobe of Lydia is intelligent, unconventional, and determined to chart her own course in life – despite her parents’ wishes. Niobe’s brother Pelops, who narrowly survives death at the hands of their father Tantalus, is charismatic, ambitious, and utterly ruthless.Together they will change the history of Hellas – and the world.
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Previous page
  1. Book 1 of 6
    Tapestry of Bronze
  2. Print length
    238 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    December 5, 2010
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.54 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1456368907
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1456368906
  8. See all details
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The Amazon Book Review
The Amazon Book Review
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.

Editorial Reviews

Review

The most amazing part of the series is how the authors retell the myths in such a way as to work for modern audiences.... definitely worth reading by fans of fiction and Greek mythology. -- NS Gill, About.com Ancient History

"Grossack and Underwood have an unfailing ear for dialogue and drama ...inevitable comparisons to the work of both Robert Graves and Mary Renault, but Grossack and Underwood consistently manage a wit and breadth all their own...Very strongly recommended." -- Steve Donoghue, Historical Novels Review Online

"A fresh discovery for this reader. A world...as compelling as Tolkien's but more rooted in actual history...in the spirit of Graves's I, Claudius." --Bob Mielke, The Copperfield Review

About the Author

Dartmouth graduate Victoria Grossack leads an international life, with homes in Switzerland and Arizona and a professional career in the financial industry that has spanned the Atlantic. She is fluent in German and French (and English of course) and has an MBA. Her last full-time position was as a Senior Vice President in New York City for a reinsurance company, but she is currently writing full-time and living with her husband who is a professor at the University of Arizona. Her writing has been published in Contingencies, Woman's World, I Love Cats, and The Journal of Actuarial Practice. She was a regular columnist for Fiction Fix, writing monthly articles that have been used in several writing classes. She teaches writing courses at Coffeehouseforwriters on historical fiction, creating characters, and the levels of structure in fiction. She also tutors mathematics, as solving problems in algebra and geometry make a nice break from creative writing.

Alice Underwood studied classics at The University of Texas and Princeton University while earning her degrees in mathematics. Her passion for antiquity has taken her from the shadowed catacombs of Princeton's libraries to the ruins of Pompeii and the sunny shores of Crete and Santorini. Her work has been published in Consortium, Networks, and The Journal of Actuarial Practice. Currently an Executive Vice President at one of the world's top insurance brokerage firms, Alice lives and works in New York City.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (December 5, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 238 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1456368907
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1456368906
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.54 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 17 ratings

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  1. Alice Underwood

    Alice Underwood

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    Alice Underwood studied classics at The University of Texas and Princeton University while earning her degrees in mathematics. Her passion for antiquity has taken her from the shadowed catacombs of Princeton’s libraries to the ruins of Pompeii and the sunny shores of Crete and Santorini. These days, Alice splits her time between Austin, TX and New York City.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Victoria Grossack

    Victoria Grossack

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Victoria Grossack is the solo author of several novels. The most recent is HUNTERS OF THE FEATHER - about a crow who tries to save the world.

    She has also written several mysteries. The first is THE HIGHBURY MURDERS: A MYSTERY SET IN THE VILLAGE OF JANE AUSTEN'S EMMA - a consequence of all her readings and re-readings of Jane Austen's works. Victoria had so many requests for more books in the style of Austen that she also wrote: THE MERYTON MURDERS: A MYSTERY SET IN THE TOWN OF JANE AUSTEN'S PRIDE & PREJUDICE and THE MANSFIELD PARK MURDERS: A MYSTERY SET IN THE ESTATE OF JANE AUSTEN'S MANSFIELD PARK. She has also written a contemporary mystery called ACADEMIC ASSASSINATION.

    Victoria has also written six novels with Alice Underwood. These are part of the "Tapestry of Bronze" series, novels set in Bronze Age Greece and combining myth with historical fact and what can be gleaned from archaeological digs. The novels are: JOCASTA: THE MOTHER-WIFE OF OEDIPUS, ANTIGONE & CREON: GUARDIANS OF THEBES, CLYTEMNESTRA: THE MOTHER'S BLADE and the Niobe trilogy: CHILDREN OF TANTALUS, THE ROAD TO THEBES, and ARROWS OF ARTEMIS.

    Victoria was also the "Crafting Fabulous Fiction" columnist at Writing-World.com for years and she organized her work to create the book CRAFTING FABULOUS FICTION: LEVELS OF STRUCTURE, CHARACTERS & MORE. If you are interested in the craft of storytelling, this book is for you!

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
17 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Kernos
5.0 out of 5 stars Must Read Greek Mythic Fiction
Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2012
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What a pleasant surprise! Though originally published in Greek by a major publisher, this 1st book of a trilogy has been self-published in the US. Do not let that put you off. The novel is the best written, edited and produced such book I have read. I only found one possible typo in the entire book, unusual even from top publishers.

The book is a novelization of the myth of Tantalus and his children Pelops, Broteas and Niobe. Pelops and Tantalus are father and grandfather of the great House of Atreus, so important in ancient Greek literature. The myths are relatively straight-forward, though of course there are variations and name confusions. The author has chosen the currently most accepted forms of the myth, eg placing the kingdom of Tantalus in Lydia. It will be interesting to she what choices Grossack makes in the following novels, eg who does Niobe marry, what happens to her children, will Pelop's curse come true, etc.

The 1st novel is basically a retelling of Pelops death and resurrection in Lydia, his obsession to build an empire of his own, his banishment from Athens, and the events surrounding his marriage to Hippodamia. A possible foretelling of events to come in the sequels concerns the curse of Myrtilus, food for tragedy. Additional subplots involve Pelops intimacy with a certain older ship captain and Niobe's fascination with a handsome bard. What does the future hold?

Trough all of this Niobe provides a firm foundation on which Pelops can stride and in many ways the novel is the telling of Niobe's story, much neglected in ancient literature. The author creates a compelling character in Niobe and believable additions to the myths. I am looking forward to the sequels.

Children of Tantalus: Niobe and Pelops is a novel all lovers of mythic fiction will want to read.
2 people found this helpful
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Patricia
5.0 out of 5 stars Dying to get the next book!
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2017
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Dying to get the next book! I love the character of Niobe, a bit too smart for most of the men of her day (or, let's face it, like that doesn't happen in our day). Her father wants to marry her off, but she has this idea that she should love her husband. Meanwhile, her brother Pelops has all the talent and ambition to rule, but unfortunately is the second son. And - just another day in family life - his father tries to sacrifice him to Zeus. So Niobe and Pelops leave their native Lydia for Greece. We see Pelops reaching for his dream in this book, but there is just the slightest hint of a dream for Niobe... The authors do a fabulous job of drawing, not only the primary relationships, but also all the complicated relationships among the other Greek characters, so we really feel immersed in their world, and the historical detail is wonderful. The book flies by and leaves you wanting more! I'm getting The Road to Thebes RIGHT NOW!
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Sue
5.0 out of 5 stars Imitating a Mad Father
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2013
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An exciting story in which Niobe and her brother, Pelops, leave Lydia to escape from their dangerous father, King Tantalus, whose sanity is questionable. Tantalus is both cunning and treacherous; Pelops and Niobe realize they will have to use these traits to survive in the barbaric west. This book, along with the entire Tapestry of Bronze series, definitely gets five stars!!

Tidbit for those who wonder if these characters are real: the Peloponnesus, the southern peninsula of Greece, is still called after Pelops more that three thousand years later.
3 people found this helpful
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Barb
4.0 out of 5 stars EDUCATION ON The GODS.
Reviewed in the United States on July 20, 2014
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Certainly a change in genre for this reader, yet nevertheless interesting. Well done as author incorporates the history of this time period with passion and intrigue.
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Mamabird
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2013
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This book has something for everyone--romance, adventure, intrigue! I have always loved the Greek myths and the authors bring them to life so colorfully I can hardly put their books down! These ladies never fail to write a captivating story. They're a great duo! I cannot wait to start reading the next book!
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Carol Lindsay
4.0 out of 5 stars Yup, buy it.
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2014
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OK, I'm stuck. I'll be buying the rest of the series.
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J C Holland
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding read
Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2013
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A simple story with magic that transforms the book into one that is hard to put down. I read this in four ays
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Jeri George
4.0 out of 5 stars Very Good Book
Reviewed in the United States on September 26, 2014
This was a very good book, I am reading the second one at this time. I love Greek characters and the times. If you are the same, then you will love this book as I do.
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Top reviews from other countries

Iset
4.0 out of 5 stars Well woven tale from Greek legend
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 7, 2012
Verified Purchase
Let me be straightforward at the very first. Children of Tantalus is a good book - competently written, interesting setting, good premise, interesting characters... It doesn't do much wrong, if anything, and it is certainly enjoyable.

I am probably Children of Tantalus' ideal target audience. I grew up loving the tales of Greek myth and legend, and have pursued the subject of ancient history into adulthood - with a particular interest in the Bronze Age Aegean and Near East. I was familiar with the legend of Pelops ahead of time, but not so familiar with Niobe's tale, so I didn't go into the book knowing exactly what would happen or with particularly established ideas about what I thought should happen. Indeed, I chose the book knowing I'd be interested in its setting and subject matter.

Other reviewers have mentioned their surprise that certain snippets included in the story were in fact true to history. For me it was the reverse experience. It was obvious to me that co-authors Victoria Grossack and Alice Underwood had done their research because I recognised specific artefacts I've seen, places I've been, and textbooks I've read. They don't dominate the story though - which is as it should be - they remain in the background. For me these were no surprise therefore - more of a sense of relief and pleasure that historical accuracy is adhered to.

The prose. It's well-written, competent, treading that neat middle road between flowery language and clipped functional prose. I particularly liked an analogy that Pelops makes in his mind between the way a queen moves and long mornings in bed. Once or twice I felt that a bit of dialogue had a slightly modern feel - nothing really glaring though ("till" versus "until"; "given" versus "given to").

The characters, particularly Pelops and Niobe. I liked how they have history, how their growth and development builds upon that history and their experiences - and they're not just cardboard cut-outs. They also behave in a grey manner rather than simplistic black or white - they make ambiguous decisions, take bad as well as good actions, or at least actions that can interpreted as both good and bad in the same breath. I didn't quite find myself feeling that worried for them though - but that may be because this book does evoke the sense of a building storyline and more to come (it is book one in a trilogy), and I strongly suspect that tension will be ratcheted up a notch in the next instalment. One almost has the sense of quivering on a precipice.

Looking forwards to the next book!
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Ernie
3.0 out of 5 stars Too close to the myth
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 13, 2019
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The plot was an intelligent and authentic rationalisation of the myth/legend of Tantalus, but unfortunately this was a myth/legend I was already familiar with, which robbed the story of any dramatic tension for me.
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H Green
4.0 out of 5 stars Please see my review of The Road to Thebes
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 17, 2013
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I have reviewed this book together with the Road to Thebes. Please read both together as they form a pair.
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