The Macedonian
In the north of Greece in the ancient kingdom of Macedon, a boy is born to a mother who despises him and a father who is indifferent. Though of noble lineage, Philip is the third son of his father, King Amyntas. With little chance of assuming the crown, he is sent to be raised among commoners. The boy thrives under the tutelage of loving foster parents yet keeps a distant but continuous relationship with his two royal brothers.
While still a young teen, Philip is sent off to be a hostage among the Illyrians. Amazingly, the old king there is Philip’s great-grandfather. The Illyrians are essentially a rough-hewn confederation of mountain tribes, and the hostage is attracted to their robust lifestyle. As a potential king, though, Philip is a target for royals among the Illyrians and back home. He narrowly avoids assassination and is sent by the elderly king back to Macedon. His oldest brother is now king, and Philip finds himself sent away again, this time to Thebes, the dominant military power in Greece. When the new king is assassinated by a rival, Philip returns again to help his weak remaining brother, who promptly is defeated and killed by an army of Illyrians. Philip, who has successfully led a small force of Macedonians against rebels, finds time to marry and becomes king himself.
The first half of this well-written and well-researched novel is basically a tale of royal intrigue and scheming amidst a setting of depraved debauchery. The second half soars as Philip brilliantly maneuvers politically and militarily on his way to command the entire Greek world when he will eventually become father to Alexander. Superb historical fiction!
