The Last King of Lydia

Product Information

I give it points for being decently written, for the interesting choice of Croesus as subject matter, and for having the determination to try and be a deep, thought-provoking book – I just didn’t think the author pulled it off. It's a book of philosophy as much as history, about what we can and should do to be happy, and perhaps a little about second chances to bring happiness to others. I didn’t feel like I was getting the full, rich story, but snatched glimpses of Croesus’ life, the bare bones of the plot needed to keep it moving on but no real fleshing out of the world. As the novel progresses, Croseus comes to understand true happiness lies in the smaller things in life.

Engaging things happen, but it is clear that the events are less important than what those events mean or how they can be interpreted. But then all his riches could not remove the spear from his dying elder son's chest, could not bring his mute younger son to speak, could not make him as wise as his own chief slave, could not bring his wife's love back, could not prevent his army from being torn apart and his kingdom lost.The written style is very simple, objective and unemotional, at times almost matter-of-fact, most unlike that of Hilary Mantel, another comparison made in the publicity. The first chapter gives a strong sense of what's to follow: The guards had long since learned the way to make a royal prisoner docile.

However, the format of the book is not implied or even conventional: it is not an action-packed thriller, although there is action in it; it is not a book of political intrigue (thank God), yet political intrigue features; and it is certainly not a murder mystery or fantasy story. On the brink of what would be an awful way to die in the hand of an enemy, Croesus realized it is none of those. His story prompted many lines of inquiry that demanded further exploration outside of my reading time; it incites you to learn more.Important events are seen from the perspective of unexpected characters which gives the book so much more depth. He does some dreadful things, but is at times oddly innocent, at least in how he thinks about the world. This book probably isn’t for everyone, but it has forced me to re-examine my own perception of life and the meaning *waves hand around randomly* of it all. So long as you allowed a king the illusion of servility he would go with your calmly, even as you led him to his death. They were veterans of many wars of conquest, and they knew that a king bled and died like any other man.

For example, I had no idea that the conversation with Solon was reputed to have happened, having been recorded by Herodutus, or that the Lydians are credited with the invention of coinage. Through Croesus's life he sees what his failings as king had been and humbly learns from Isocrates, formerly his slave in Sardis, now also slave to Cyrus. Leach puts these words in the mouth of a 5th Century BC ruler, yet I’m not sure I’ve read a more apposite phrase to sum up what’s wrong with modern society. In fact, for many of the same reasons, I thought the book compared favorably to another recent fabulistic treatment of semi-mythological classical Greek material, Madeline Miller's "Song of Achilles," a lovely re-telling of the Iliad. Leach lets us examine a distinctive ancient period of grand gestures and empires, as well as the individual wisdom of characters we come to know and, despite all their failings, admire.On the surface, the book is an enjoyable adventure set in an ancient world, but the message of the book goes much deeper. Readers who revel in the material details of period costume, weapons and mores may be disappointed in this fabulistic treatment of the ancient king whose name became synonymous with wealth. This book is both a look at the history of the final days of and empire, and a small story about one man. The dreamlike manner of narration of events fits the story of Croesus, a historical/mythological figure. King Cyrus of Persia will destroy Croesus hopes and dreams and as he awaits his execution atop a pyre, his city being pillaged, his wealth gone and his wife and son dead.