Over the Wine Dark Sea
Over the Wine Dark Sea is a historical novel by H.N. Turteltaub (a pseudonym of Harry Turtledove), first published by Forge Books in November 2001. The book was reissued under the author's real name as a trade paperback and ebook by Phoenix Pick in 2013. It takes place in the years shortly after the death of Alexander the Great, and centers on a pair of Greek cousins from Rhodes, Menedemos and Sostratos, who work as sea-going traders. It is the first book of the so-called "Hellenic Traders" series of historical novels.
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| Author | H. N. Turteltaub |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Series | Hellenic Traders |
| Genre | Historical novel |
| Publisher | Forge Books (Tor) |
Publication date | November 2001 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 384 pp (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | 0-312-87660-2 (first edition, hardback) |
| OCLC | 45888895 |
| 813/.54 21 | |
| LC Class | PS3570.U758 O94 2001 |
| Followed by | The Gryphon's Skull |
Plot summary
The plot of the book centers around the cousins voyaging around the Greek parts of the Mediterranean Sea. They trade a great many things on their ship, the Aphrodite, including, much to the chagrin of many on board, peacocks.
During their voyage they encounter pirates, other traders and get caught up in conflicts between some of Alexander's former generals, including Antigonos.
Cultural references
The book contains several references to Classical Greek culture, including The Odyssey, The Iliad (both based on the author's own translations), Aristophanes, Sophokles, Sokrates, and Platon. For example, the eponymous "wine dark sea" is a standard Homeric epithet, routinely used as a reference to the sea in both epics.