Search found 121 matches

by ScottOden
Sat Mar 17, 2007 11:13 pm
Forum: Alexander the Great in the Media
Topic: 300
Replies: 97
Views: 44456

I agree Marcus..it never even opened in the Southern U.S...they knew it was a lost cause there. Not exactly true. I live in the Southern US (North Alabama) and I saw Alexander on opening day at the theater. The general consensus among my friends (most of whom are not Alexander-o-philes) who saw it ...
by ScottOden
Thu Mar 15, 2007 2:14 pm
Forum: Alexander the Great in the Media
Topic: 300
Replies: 97
Views: 44456

I've seen 300 twice, now. It's a fun movie -- visually stunning, great music, full of carnage and fighting and other bits of hoplite-y goodness. But -- and this is huge -- it is filled with historical inaccuracies. The movie is not based on Herodotus, or even on Pressfield's superior Gates of Fire ....
by ScottOden
Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:18 am
Forum: Alexander the Great in the Media
Topic: Alexander Revisited (The Final Cut) DVD
Replies: 58
Views: 22663

Lamb's Alexander falls into the same category as the upcoming film 300 , based on Frank Miller's graphic novel: it uses history as a basis then quickly strays off into fantasy. That said, I have a soft spot for Lamb's work -- especially his fiction (he was one of the 1920's and 30's pulp writers who...
by ScottOden
Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:04 pm
Forum: Book reviews
Topic: The Afghan Campaign
Replies: 32
Views: 10402

Hi Amyntoros :) That's not the way I interpreted the book, I'm afraid. I had little impression of shading or coloring of the "truth" through a character's eyes. The events I described are told as they happen, not especially filtered through the eyes of our wonderful Macedonian protagonist ...
by ScottOden
Fri Jan 19, 2007 7:49 pm
Forum: Book reviews
Topic: The Afghan Campaign
Replies: 32
Views: 10402

While I can't speak to Pressfield's intent, I can only reiterate the one thing that always bothers me regarding the common refrain of "did it happen/it didn't happen this way": he's not writing history. 'Historical Fiction' is called such because it's set in the past, not neccessarily beca...
by ScottOden
Sat Aug 05, 2006 3:49 pm
Forum: Book reviews
Topic: Memnon Released
Replies: 7
Views: 3097

Thanks Amyntoros! Actually, I did shorten one Persian name: Ariobarzanes, one of the sons of Artabazus; his brothers call him 'Ari'. Mainly I did it to speed the narrative along (meaning, I was feeling lazy and hated typing 'ariobarzanes' over and over ;) ). Otherwise, I refrained from using nicknam...
by ScottOden
Fri Aug 04, 2006 3:07 pm
Forum: Book reviews
Topic: Memnon Released
Replies: 7
Views: 3097

Ditto what Marcus said, Dean -- Happy Birthday!

Enjoy your holiday, Marcus!

Best,

Scott
by ScottOden
Fri Aug 04, 2006 3:04 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: How Did The Ancients Shave ?
Replies: 11
Views: 4582

Egyptians: The Sado-Masochists of the Ancient World

Just be glad you weren't born in ancient Egypt. Not only were the men clean-shaven, but males and females both routinely shaved their heads and removed body hair with tweezers! That stings just thinking about it! As I understand it, a master could strop an impressive edge onto a bronze razor, equal ...
by ScottOden
Fri Aug 04, 2006 5:28 am
Forum: Book reviews
Topic: Memnon Released
Replies: 7
Views: 3097

Memnon Released

Hi All, I'm pleased to announce that my second novel, Memnon , is now available in hardcover from Medallion Press (via amazon or your local bookstore). The short synopsis: Born in the shadow of giants, Memnon of Rhodes (375-333 BCE) rose from humble origins to command the whole of western Asia in a ...
by ScottOden
Wed Aug 02, 2006 3:31 pm
Forum: Book reviews
Topic: Steven Pressfield's new Alexander novel
Replies: 55
Views: 47004

The Afghan Campaign

Hi All, Having just finished Pressfield's The Afghan Campaign , I thought I'd add my 2-obols' worth . . . I found it to be an excellent book. Gritty, brutal, an honest look at what it takes to be a soldier in an insurgent-style conflict. It's been mentioned before that the story is a thinly-veiled d...
by ScottOden
Sat Jul 08, 2006 7:03 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Alexander's Body
Replies: 2
Views: 1817

Thanks, Andrew! I'd hoped I wasn't crazy or something, or picking up references created by modern novelists. Now, all I need is to find Aelian online . . . :)

Congrats on your books, by the way. They're on my TBR pile.

Best,

Scott
by ScottOden
Sat Jul 08, 2006 6:07 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Alexander's Body
Replies: 2
Views: 1817

Alexander's Body

Hi All, After Alexander's death, did some bit of folklore arise that whomever possessed his body would benefit from it, as in having some of his luck rub off on them? I seem to recall reading something to this effect, but I can't remember if it was part of a novel or what. I searched the myths secti...
by ScottOden
Sat Jun 24, 2006 6:03 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: To what extent did ATG believe that he was a God?
Replies: 39
Views: 12817

By the way, do you have a publication date for Memnon yet? :) Hi Amyntoros, I'm still looking around for the papyrus containing the bit about the oracle (though I think it's located in one that was found with the Turin Judicial, but I don't have a name for it yet). There's a great resource online w...
by ScottOden
Sat Jun 17, 2006 9:49 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: To what extent did ATG believe that he was a God?
Replies: 39
Views: 12817

I did know that there is an inscription from this pharaohGÇÖs reign which describes how the barque was used to answer questions, and even tells how the priests prepared themselves before delivering an oracle. This survives as part of a record of a plot by harem women against Ramses. Unfortunately, ...
by ScottOden
Fri Jun 16, 2006 5:52 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: To what extent did ATG believe that he was a God?
Replies: 39
Views: 12817

Siwa

The oracle at Siwa doesn't have the great antiquity that you might think. Though inhabited since Neolithic times, the Oasis only came under direct control of the Egyptians during the 26th Dynasty (664-525 BCE). It's unclear exactly when the worship of Amun was introduced to the area, though it likel...