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The First Heroes edited by Harry Turtledove and Noreen Doyle
01/02/2006 . Source: Paul Hanley 
pub: TOR. 368 page hardback. Price: $25.95 (US), $35.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-765-30286-1. 368 page enlarged paperback. Price: $14.95 (US), $21.95 (CAN). ISBN: 0-765-30287-X. Buy from Amazon US - Buy from Amazon UK
nb: US titles may only be available from Amazon US, and UK titles from Amazon UK. check out website: www.tor.com
I have rather put off reading this book despite usually enjoying alternative history but when I finally got around to it, I enjoyed this book.
'The First Heroes' is an anthology of some 14 stories each written by a different writer. Most of these writers were well known to me, such as the late Poul Anderson, S.M. Sterling, Judith Tarr and Harry Turtledove, who is also one of the book's editors. Incidentally, all the stories are copyrighted 2004 so it would seem they were written specifically for this anthology. You will not therefore be irritated by finding numerous 'retreads' you have already read elsewhere.
The common theme is the Bronze Age but I was pleasantly surprised by the breadth of subject matter as the various writers interpreted it. One, 'The Matter Of The Ahhiyans' by Lois Tilton, is about the siege of Troy. The story is told from the viewpoint of a man sent as a spy by the King of the Hittites, a great power of the day, to keep his master informed about what was happening. The King wishes to be informed of developments so as to ensure there were no consequences unacceptable to the Hittite Empire such as the Greeks staying on after conquering the city and occupying its land for themselves. This was an interesting and enjoyable story, well told and refreshing because of the unusual viewpoint.
Ancient Greece and surrounding territories were what I had thought of as being associated with the Bronze Age. However, the stories not only range across the Middle East but also China during the same period, northern Britain and South America. They also dealt with events not just from the viewpoint of the gods and heroes of Greek mythology but from that of humbler folk such as bell founders.
In Brenda Clough's story 'How The Bell's Came From Yang To Hubei' at the court of a warlord in Bronze Age China around 200BC, an old bellringer and his apprentice are ordered to build a set of bells which will destroy a hostile army. The young apprentice is terrified because he knows the bells will have no magical powers but his master says not to worry as the task will take years. When the bells are finally ready they are deployed on the battlefield and a great victory is achieved. The pair are rewarded and despatched to a superior warlord to build even grander sets of bells for him. The lesson is that the bells' presence gave confidence to the warlord's troops in the battle who fought all the harder because of them.
Some of the stories are written to describe how great inventions, such as the chariot, were spread across the ancient world and the effect they had. Judith Tarr's story, 'The Gods Of Chariots' is set in ancient Uruk, supposedly the oldest city on Earth I believe. They are plagued by swarms of bandits from the desert who close in on the city at harvest time and loot the produce from the fields around. The king's sister, a living goddess at the temple, sets out with an escort and treasure to obtain the secret of chariots which rumour has it have been developed far to the North. With chariots, the outnumbered citizens of Uruk can out-manoeuvre the otherwise overwhelming tribesmen.
'Blood Wolf' by S.M. Sterling is a different sort of story. He has already written elsewhere about a modern day Nantucket suddenly moved 3000 years into the past. Whilst they should have the edge over apparently more primitive folk skill and cunning should never be overlooked. This is the tale of a Bronze Age warrior, Blood Wolf, coming to one of these modern settlements and how he fares. Very well done. I shall certainly look out the other existing books on this particular theme.
I never realised there was a Bronze Age in South America. I lived in Venezuela for 3 years and travelled around Central America. The temples and ruins just buried in the jungle are quite amazing but I always thought it was effectively a Stone Age culture all across the region albeit a highly sophisticated one. Apparently the Inca's of Peru were a Bronze Age civilisation when the Spanish encountered them. This is the tale of a disputed succession. Excellent.
I enjoyed this book. As always, the advantage of an anthology is you can read bits of it when you have a few minutes available without loosing the thread of the story which can happen when one is reading a novel. It is an unusual theme and the stories are well written and varied. Recommended.
Paul Hanley
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