The King and the Slave
Leach’s previous novel The Last King of Lydia dealt with the fall of Croesus, from fabled king of riches to a slave in the service of Cyrus, King of the Persians. Both Cyrus and Cambyses, his half-blind son who takes the throne after his father’s death, find his advice useful and perhaps also find it satisfying to have a former king waiting on them. Sadly for many, Cambyses becomes a Nero-like figure who is cruel, sadistic and prone to giving orders for the execution of subordinates and anyone who even hints at disagreeing with him in any way, shape or form. He arranges for the murder of his brother and marries his sister.
I previously knew very little about Cambyses but was intrigued to look up details about his life. The novel is evidently based on detailed historical knowledge, and the time and place are clearly evoked. Cambyses’ army, while struggling through the desert, descends into cannibalism as the soldiers suffer the torments of hunger, and there are overall quite a few gruesome moments. It is an interesting tale, filled with historical detail and strong characterisation. The themes of moral responsibility and the nature of friendship add depth, which delineates the world during a time most novelists do not cover. Unusual, literary and very much worth reading.
