The Shadow of Ararat

This book is awsome. i rarely read novels but Thomas Harlan knows how to write a book. Using so many characters and uniting the plot was brilliant. I'm still not done but I'm about to order the second book in the series. I recomend this book for any history buff to just kick back and enjoy the glory of war.

Some people will hate this book because of major character shifts while others will like it for the broad sweeping battle fantasy that it is. When you write a fantasy based on a major war you need to show several different view points and you need to see several different things and perspectives. In fact I would have preferred a view point character from the persian perspective.The characters are all different and very unique. Even the female leaders manage to come across as strong and independent and the male characters are also strong. Usually one or the other is week or over blown but we see a good balance. I enjoyed reading this book alot.I would like to point out that this is not an easy book to read with several different character shifts and many different sub plots but if you can keep it all straight in your head you will enjoy this book to its fullest and sink into the alternate history.

Being the latest in a long line of reviews I only want to add that the complex mix of history and mythology made for a wonderful read. Although a little slow at the begining, the story soon picks up to an exciting pace. I found myself turning page after page excited to see what would happen next.

The Shadow of Ararat is one part historical novel, two parts adventure story. This book is a lot of fun, and the reader quickly finds out that anything goes. Thomas Harlan's staggering creativity and attention to detail help him build a rich and complex backdrop for this exciting story. He creates a cadre of complex and compelling characters, then breathes life into them with lots of action, surprising plot twists and a spellbinding story. The book gets better and better as it goes along; it almost seems to pick up momentum by the page. You will NOT be bored by this novel. I can't wait for the next installment.