A Fair Wind for Troy

ISBN 014031718X - The back cover says ages 8-12 and I wasn't entirely sure about that - Greek mythology that an 8 year old can follow? Having read it, I'm still not sure, but Gates did a pretty good job. Pokemon proved that 8 year olds who can't remember to brush their teeth CAN remember large numbers of strange names and details; that ability will serve them well with the Greek Myths series. King Tyndareus' daughter, Helen, is a beauty beyond compare. Every man seems to want her for his wife and giving her to one is bound to cause trouble with others. With some advice from Odysseus, Tyndareus allows Helen to choice her own husband, but first all the men must take an oath. They swear that they will not try to take Helen away from the man she chooses and that, if any man does, they will help him to get her back. The oath is taken and Helen chooses Menelaus, her brother-in-law. After ten years, Helen is bored with her marriage and not particularly fond of her daughter. In Troy, years earlier a baby boy was born to King Priam and Queen Hecuba. A seer told them that the baby would cause the ruin of Troy and, to avoid this, they agreed he must die. They turned him over to a shepherd who chose to raise him instead, without telling the king. As a young man, he is called to decide who is the fairest of three goddesses - as a bribe, Aphrodite promises him Helen. When the two finally meet, it is the beginning of the the end of Troy. Several stories begin and seem to just be forgotten, only to eventually get woven into the overall tale. This makes it hard to get focused at first, but don't give up. Once the story gets rolling, it picks up speed all the way to the end. I've always found Greek mythology makes my head spin but Gates, writing for kids, finally made it something I could follow!