This second instalment in the story of the legendary hero begins with
Theseus' triumphant return from Crete after slaying the Minotaur.
Having freed the city of Athens from the onerous tribute demanded by the
ruler of Knossos--the sacrifice of noble youths and maidens to the
appetite of the Labyrinth's monster--Theseus has returned home to find
his father dead and himself the new king.
But his adventures have only just begun: He still must confront the
Amazons; capture their queen, Hippolyta; and face the tragic results of
Phaedra's jealous rage.
Piecing together the fragments of myth and using her deep understanding
of the cultures reflected in these legends, Mary Renault has constructed
an enthralling narrative of a time when heroes battled monsters and gods
strode the earth.