Achilles has become a symbol of the flawed heroism which has found its echo in the mythologized history of Antiquity, to the epic figures of speculative and popular fiction today. This Life of Achilles is dominated by the Trojan Wars, where the clash of empires, romance and bloody war reflected the role of humankind as playthings of the gods.

The story of Achilles up to the fall of Troy, a legendary warrior, a hero in history, a leader whose influence lives on in the mythologies of antiquity.

With a new introduction, this life of the warrior leader Achilles focuses on the ten-year siege of Troy, but also gathers accounts of the early life of Achilles as portrayed by authors from classical times through to late Antiquity and the modern era. It features the epic events of the Trojan wars: the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles; the adventures of the noble Hector; the games and impersonations played by the gods of Ancient Greece who use humankind as shadow puppets in their own conflicts; the death of Patroclus; the final reconciliation of Achilles and Agamemnon; the death of Hector and the touching final scenes with aged King Priam, who seeks to recover the body of Hector, his son, the ideal warrior.

FLAME TREE 451: From myth to mystery, the supernatural to horror, fantasy and science fiction, Flame Tree 451 offers a healthy diet of werewolves and mechanical men, blood-lusty vampires, dastardly villains, mad scientists, secret worlds, lost civilizations and escapist fantasies. Discover a storehouse of tales gathered specifically for the reader of the fantastic.