Mary Renault Novels: The Persian Boy; Fire From Heaven

[Lucky]

Perhaps there are guys here who like to read but never came across the two novels mentioned above. These are two of the best gay novels you could ever read.

The Persian Boy: Published in February, 1998, author Mary Renault.

Amazon sums up thus: The Persian Boy traces the last years of Alexander’s (the Great) life through the eyes of his lover, Bagoas. Abducted and gelded as a boy, Bagoas was sold as a courtesan to King Darius of Persia, but found freedom with Alexander after the Macedon army conquered his homeland. Their relationship sustains Alexander as he weathers assassination plots, the demands of two foreign wives, a sometimes-mutinous army, and his own ferocious temper. After Alexander’s mysterious death, we are left wondering if this Persian boy understood the great warrior and his ambitions better than anyone.

Fire from Heaven: Amazon sums up thus: Alexander’s beauty, strength, and defiance were apparent from birth, but his boyhood honed those gifts into the makings of a king. His mother, Olympias, and his father, King Philip of Macedon, fought each other for their son’s loyalty, teaching Alexander politics and vengeance from the cradle. His love for the youth Hephaistion taught him trust, while Aristotle’s tutoring provoked his mind and Homer’s Iliad fueled his aspirations. Killing his first man in battle at the age of twelve, he became regent at sixteen and commander of Macedon’s cavalry at eighteen, so that by the time his father was murdered, Alexander’s skills had grown to match his fiery ambition.

These two novels are love stories as well as excellent historical fiction about Alexander the great as he conquers the world, well, a part of it. They are so well-written as to make you feel present at the events described, including the intimacies of the lovers. Even though they were written and popular 20 or so years ago, they are timeless gay stories that you won't regret reading, assuming that you like to read.

Renault has written several other novels, but these two are the place to start, or so I see it.

[TotallyOz]

I did read the Persian Boy but only because a friend gave it to me. I agree, it is a great book!

I have not read the other one but will order it! Thank you.

[Lucky]

Fire From Heaven is an immaculate love story. Your heart will be touched, believe me.

[MsGuy]

Second Lucky's endorsement of Renault's novels. Of the two, I preferred The Persian Boy but both are very sweet love stories mixed in with a more or less historical take on Alexander.

LOL, poor Hesphaistion had to suffer through quite a bit of blue ball before the course of true love finally ran true, but then I suppose most of us have had some experience with that.

[Lucky]

MsGuy, what are you currently reading? As much as I like these two novels, I have read both twice and don't think a third will be a good use of my time. Same with The Front Runner- I loved the novel, read it 2 or 3 times, but don't see any benefit in reading it again. BTW, I am not inferring that Patrica Nell Warren wrote as well as Mary Renault, but her novel sure was good for its time.

And why is it that women write such good gay male novels?

[MsGuy]

Lucky, at present I am reading Miss Seeton Undercover by Hamilton Crane, as daft an English murder mystery as I have ever run across.

As to why women can write decent gay novels, why I suppose it's because they always put in a bit of romance, lol. For instance in Fire From Heaven, Renault has Hesphaition woo and pursue his beloved for years, always holding himself in check until Alexander finally gives him his all.

[Lucky]

MsGuy, the only author whom I have recently read who can write better than Mary Renault is the crime novelist James Lee Burke. Centered, usually, in New Iberia , Louisiana, Burke's detective Dave Robicheaux takes on evil and stares it in the face, all while describing it in lush detail and beautiful prose.

Unfortunately, most of my recent reading have been books by popular authors who have come out with this year's issue. Too many of them are living on past laurels and need to come up with something new.

English murder mysteries can be difficult to enjoy, but I do like Ian Rankin's Scottish detective series. I'll take a look at Miss Seeton Undercover. Maybe I'll actually do it under the covers!

[Pete1111]

On 8/31/2013 at 7:55 AM, TotallyOz said:

I did read the Persian Boy but only because a friend gave it to me. I agree, it is a great book!

I have not read the other one but will order it! Thank you.

Here I go again responding to an old post.  Sorry

But it's Mary Renault!

My first sample of Renault's writing was The Last of the Wine, which a friend gave to me to read, about ancient Athens, and the love between Lysis and Alexias, champion athletes, who served in the cavalry and were friends and students of Socrates.

Publishers in the 1950s were not easily persuaded to included sex scenes between men.  However IMO there are places in the book where she gives symbolic clues it is happening, for anyone willing to admit it.  Some readers will not.

Some tidbits about her.  She left England behind as many gays and lesbians that could afford to did back then, and settled with her partner in Cape Town.

In college J.R.R. Tolkien was her professor.  I wonder if that had any influence on the direction her writing went, especially The King Must Die.

It is a remarkable and to some a shocking book, what goes on in this story, back in times of antiquity where the matriarchy still held power.  I loved this book.

Lastly, Mary Renault was JFK's favorite author.  

[PeterRS]

Also loved The Persian Boy. Read it probably 40 years ago and so will return to it. Having been to Iran and especially the stunning ruins at Persepolis, I am surprised that Alexander was such a Persia-phile. After all, he was the one who stole all its wealth and then burned it to the ground. That he accepted Bagoas as a gift is also unusual since the Greeks as a whole did not accept eunochs other than as occasional servants.

Interesting too that before Alexander Bagoas had been the lover of Persia's Darius III. He has been described as "a eunuch of exceptional appearance and in the very flower of boyhood." That is generally interpreted to mean he was around 15 when presented to Alexander. Clearly an experienced boy!!

Renault had many gay fans due to her novels. Yet she disliked the gay rights movement and later in life spoke openly against it.

 

[Pete1111]

 

 Renault and her partner had a circle of gay friends in Cape Town.   

She was an old school Brit that lived a very spartan life early on.  I can understand how someone like her would shy away from being outspoken.  She didn't have a taste for politics and movements.

Times change.  I  recall 30+ years ago some older gays would poo-poo the idea of gay marriage.   For them, that was going overboard!

That Renault wrote about love between two men or two women back then was enough for me to hold her in high regard.  Getting some of the material published during those times was a worthy fight that she thankfully pursued.

[Lucky]

@PeterRS, thanks for reviving the thread. Memories!

[Pete1111]

Mary Renault's birthday was this weekend.  Born in 1905.

 

                                    "Truly your journey has been blessed and here it ends."