The Last King of Lydia

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It was a stroke of genius to set this in the time and place of the invention of currency, putting an interesting spin on the old story "does wealth make you happy". I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Croesus and Cyrus, the Conqueror and the conquered in an uneasy alliance. Just look at this comparison of the teaching of Solon which saves Croesus’ life: In Herodotus it’s the gloomy “Count no man happy until he is dead. Set in the Eastern Mediterranean in the 6 th century BCE, this novel, as the name suggests, follows the life of Croesus (the last king of Lydia, in present-day Turkey).

However, the format of the book is not implied or even conventional: it is not an action-packed thriller, although there is action in it; it is not a book of political intrigue (thank God), yet political intrigue features; and it is certainly not a murder mystery or fantasy story. On the surface, the book is an enjoyable adventure set in an ancient world, but the message of the book goes much deeper.Almost all the characters and their stories can be found in Herodotus: Solon, Cyrus, Harpagus, Adrastus and the rest. The written style is very simple, objective and unemotional, at times almost matter-of-fact, most unlike that of Hilary Mantel, another comparison made in the publicity.

It deals with the sort of intimate themes that would appeal to a child and, while it’s bigger than your average children’s novel, it’s not too long. This book probably isn’t for everyone, but it has forced me to re-examine my own perception of life and the meaning *waves hand around randomly* of it all. For his debut novel, Tim Leach steers clear of the familiar Greek and Roman legends and instead concentrates a lesser-known character, King Croesus of Lydia.This book is both a look at the history of the final days of and empire, and a small story about one man. Life is full of pleasures we shouldn’t turn down just because we worry they aren’t permanent or profound. I also feel that the language is quite light; I found myself going from page to page quite fast, when what I really wanted was to savor each page, to delight in the rich descriptions of an ancient world.

There aren't a lot of novels that cover this period, so while I do applaud the author's efforts, I think the story fell flat. Characters talk out their motivations, their longings, and their regrets, and it is these conversations that are the heart of the story, despite the epic conquests and and empire-spanning travels that serve as the backdrop. It is, instead, a book that examines deep, sometimes philosophical issues such as the lust for power, wealth, happiness, immortality and freedom.If you absolutely hate anything remotely like spoilers, you might want to stop reading now, although I don't think these will qualify as plot revealers. Important events are seen from the perspective of unexpected characters which gives the book so much more depth. Sure, Herodotus’ stories are fairly short, but they’re well told (even by modern standards Herodotus is pretty accessible) and I’m not one of those people who believes that bigger is inherently better. has been a terrific year for books, and The Last King of Lydia deserves to sit right at the top of the pile.