I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Traveler and hero Diomedes returns for his lost love, only to find himself dealing with the avatar of Aphrodite and a need for redemption for his past in author Gregory Michael Nixon’s “Diomedes in Kyprios”.

The Synopsis

This is a historically-based novel with authentic, mythic, & fictional characters interacting across the extraordinary panorama after the Fall of Troy and the Hittite Empire during the Bronze Age Collapse. Diomedes leads his Akhaians (Achaeans) to the Isle of Kyprios (now Cyprus) to meet his lost love, Lieia, the ex-queen of the Hittites. Kyprios is where the Peoples of the Sea have gathered before their final assaults on Canaan and Aigyptos (Egypt). But Diomedes unexpectedly meets the avatar of the Goddess Aphrodite at her Temple in Paphos, the city of her birth. Will she take him from Lieia? Will his wanderings end, or will he head back to sea to seek redemption from the past in the further unknown? Aphrodite must also deal with the beautiful, impetuous youth, Adonis, who swears he would die for her.

The Bronze Age Collapse was a time of such chaos that empires fell, royalty was overthrown, palaces and temples were destroyed, and the hierarchy of the gods was doubted, yet people’s self-reliance emerged like never before, and the ancient Great Goddess of the Cycles of Time, who had been suppressed, began to regain her former dominance.

The Review

This was a powerful and compelling read. The author did an incredible job of infusing great detail into the narrative, exploring the ancient cities and states of the old world before they became what we know today, from Kyprios being Cyprus to Aigyptos becoming Egypt. The imagery in the author’s writing style brought these ancient cities and their peoples to life perfectly, and the evolution of Diomedes and Lieia as characters really took off, giving them each new role and path to explore. Seeing Diomedes adjusting to life after the first book’s events and trying to become a creator more than a destroyer was such a great story, and the compelling journey of Lieia as Aphrodite’s avatar was mesmerizing. 

The balance of genres in this book was really what brought the whole story together. The emotional connection and story between Diomedes and Lieia were great uses of romance. At the same time, the military action and adventure of the narrative added depth to the fantastic historical fiction storytelling of the book, allowing readers to feel embedded into the conflicts that would follow, including an attack on the Sea People from what would be the Ancient Egyptians. 

The Verdict

Thoughtful, engaging, and thrilling author Gregory Michael Nixon’s “Diomedes in Kyprios” is a must-read historical fiction novel. The twists and turns that follow and the rich infusion of mythos capture what makes history and mythology so vibrant and exhilarating to many people worldwide. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

I have been writing all my life, beginning in our small town in Saskatchewan. Most my adult life was spent as university professor, so my publishing to this point had all been academic (but still accomplished). As an avocation, in my off hours I studied the Mycenaean era of Ancient Greece, as well as theories of myth & ritual and the mythic mind. Once I retired, I returned to a novelistic venture I had been dreaming of since reading Homer’s Iliad at 15 years old: bringing to life the further adventures of the hero, Diomedes. When at last I dedicated myself to novel writing two years ago, my dream was reinvigorated. However, my characters insisted on entering the Hittite Empire, probably because its capital, Hattusa, came down in flames only a few years after Troy (Ilios). I followed their wishes and brought Hittite royalty into my tale, including Suppiluliuma II, the last of the Great Kings. I immersed myself in Hittite studies, and finally this unusual book emerged — an historical fiction with a strong portrayal of mythic consciousness at the time of the Bronze Age collapse..