Date: Tue, 21 Jan 2003 12:10:50 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Straight 
Subject: Re: (urth) Reading the Soldier books

On Mon, 20 Jan 2003, James Wynn wrote:

> I gotta respectfully disagree with this. This is no more true than that one
> needs to know a lot about Sun mythology and symbolism to enjoy the "New Sun"
> or (the "Long Sun"), or to know about world Serpent mythology and classical
> references to enjoy the "Long Sun".

I agree that you probably don't need to know a lot about Greek Myth to
appreciate the books, but I think you'll find the plot *much* easier to
follow if read up a little on the history of the Persian and early
Peloponnesian wars (especially focusing on the role of Sparta and their
relationship with their slaves). I found the one of the major events of
Arete totally incomprehensible until someone clued me in to the historical
event it is based on.

Here's a few good links:

http://www.atrium-media.com/bibliotheca/greekhistory/thermopylae.html
http://joseph_berrigan.tripod.com/ancientbabylon/id28.html
http://ancienthistory.about.com/library/prm/blevilempired.htm

-Rostrum


--