When the body of a young man is discovered on the slopes of Mount Lycabettus, it is intially assumed that a pack of wolves is responsible for his death. But Tramachus, an aspiring student at Plato's academy, has been murdered and Heracles, known as the 'Decipherer of Enigmas', is called in to help unravel the truth.
Meanwhile, in the footnotes of The Athenian Murders , a second story is emerging. The modern-day translator realises that there is a message hidden in the images of the original narrative. And the more he translates, the more clues pull together to reveal an astoniing truth, one that nears an eerie resemblance to his own life . . .

This is an astonishing book which works on many levels; crime fiction, historical, philosophical, literary theory. Above all I think the author, a psychiatrist, is 'playing' with his readers. Altough some parts in the middle seem to drag a bit, it is worth reading it all very carefully, because it does come together, in a surprise ending. On no account read the ending first, or mid way.

Ring
Mytilus
Mrsdanvers
Lafontaine
Laura0141
Angellica
Rillaith

Postal release to Mytilus today. Hope you enjoy the book :)

Arrived today. Thank you Mastulela!

I finished a book late last night, so I can start The Athenian Murders tonight. Excellent!

The Athenian Murders was an interesting read. I loved the concept of the translator commentating on the document he’s translating, which just happens to be a murder mystery.

I found each chapters reoccurring themes clunky at best and highly irritating at worst, which marred my enjoyment of the plot. I could see why the author did what he did, but it felt like being bludgeoned over the head.

I liked the loss of control (by all participants!) as the story drew to a close. There’s little I can say about this except read it for yourself!

Thank you Mastulela!

Received today, thanks Mytilus. On the top of TBR.

The twin storylines, that of the translator and the story within the book, was an interesting concept. However I felt that the author was trying too hard to address so many things - crime novel, philosophical discussion, historical context and the final twist in the tale.

Like mytilus I found myself irritated with the long discussion about the symbolism within the "translator's notes".

However I did think the ending was very clever and well hidden.

Having read this and "The Art of Murder" I shall look out for books by Somoza, a writer who is very different from the run-of-the-mill storyteller.

Now off to lafontaine.

Received with thanks.

This is an interesting book. When I say "interesting", I mean in the same sort of way that a dead fox is interesting - you probably don't want to look too closely, yet you can't draw your eyes away from it.

As one reads The Athenian Murders, there appears to be two plot lines - the text and the translator's notes. As the pages pass, however, one gets the impression that there is at least one other plot line there somewhere, just out of reach. Some of it is hinted at in the translator's notes, some is stressed repeatedly, but all are attempts to mislead or confuse the reader's perception of where their reality ends and their imagination begins. The end of the book leaves you feeling like you've just been the star of a Twilight Zone show and you've got the eerie tinkling theme tune in your ears!
I did find the naive, over-gushing tone of the translator's notes rather tiresome at first and I must admit having skipped or skimmed over them initially. I then had to go back and read more thoroughly once it became apparent that they contributed to the book in their own right.

I've given The Athenian Murders a 6 because that was my judgement of it after one read through. I get the impression, though, that this is one of those books that would benefit from two or more readings, as the reader will spot things or pick up on details missed on previous occasions.

Will post to next ring-member as soon as poss.

Arrived this morning.

thanks :)

I have a few rings to read before, but please give me a nudge if i'm holding it too long

I enjoyed reading this book, however, I did find parts confusing. I have to agree with LaFontaine that it would probably benefit from a second reading.

The book is now on its way to Rilliath

Thanks for sharing

Arrived safe and sound yesterday - another one that I've been really looking forward to reading, but which is behind a little bit of a backlog.

Hmm. Interesting. Not nearly on a par with The Art of Murder, whichw as a shame.... yet it was enjoyable, eventually. I found the eidesis in the first few chapters so overwhelming that it got in the way more than necessary, and I found the interruptions a bit clunky too - they seemed to be either midway through something, breaking the flow, or there wasn't one when I was hoping for one.

Nonetheless, a unique take on a novel with a good storyline in the main part of the book. Sorry though - I pretty much saw most of the twists coming a long way off... :/


Mastulela doesn't want this back, so I will see if anyone else wants to join in, and then RABCK it. (I have an american friend who *loved* The Art of Murder, so may send it her way!)

People interested in reading this after me:

WistfulDragon
IoJima
AliceF
CaterinaAnna
LindyB28
Dogsapples
...
My mate Illiane!

Let me make this perfectly clear: I have NOT signed up to a ring. I'm not signing up for rings or rays this year. I am merely borrowing the book from Rillaith (many thanks!), and shall then return it to her so that she can start a ring.

Finished this at lunchtime today. An excellent book! I saw some of the twists, and the end bit was so obvious after I'd read it that I wasn't sure if I'd already guessed or was only half-way there. Thanks Rillaith, I'll get this back to you on Thursday.

RELEASE NOTES:

Posting shortly

Received this morning. No. 3 in TBR. Thank you for the pretty bookmark. :-)

Only got through a couple of chapters. I found the conceit -- or maybe its presentation -- too tedious.

Gratefully received in the post this morning: thanks!

Finally finished this last night (and sorry for the delay, to anyone who's getting impatient)...

Fabulous book and surprising... started out as a mystery story and ended up I shan't say where, via philosophy, small town politics and orgies :-)

Probably best read by people who have some familiarity with ancient Greek history and/or literature.

Passed it on to CaterinaAnna last night.

who has been terribly slow in making this JE to acknowledge receipt!

I agree that the eidesis, or rather the continual pointing out of it, did get in the way at first, but then I read some of that as the Translator trying to convince himself and others that it was there. Incidentally, was glad I didn't get up to look up what that word meant, or I would have been annoyed at the explanation when it came.

Maybe it is because I read so quickly, maybe it's because I'm lazy but I don't try to work out answers in books like this: I enjoy following the twists for their own sake, so I opt out of the 'I saw the ending coming' discussion, but well done those who did!

I enjoyed the multiple threads and the bleeding of one tale into the other, and thought that the psychology of that was intriguing.

Yes, it was clever-clever in some places, but it never got so bad or involved that it made my brain ache in the way that I remember one or two books (Foucault's Pendulum perhaps) having done in the past.

I'm not putting it on wish list 2, but I'd re-read it if it happened to cross my path again.

In negotation with LindyB28 about circumventing Christmas post ...

Received by hand from CaterinaAnna last Saturday - apologies for the delay in the appearance of the JE: I'm blaming the time of year!

I think that the idea of this novel is better than the idea itself. I don't think the mystery itself would have been worth reading were it not for the wonderful enacting of various ideas of literary theory within it. If we look back to authors in our own vernacular, then we can see the constant importance of the idea of the author and his presence in the text, c.f. Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde, Prologue to the Legend of Good Women, etc or Lawrence Sterne's Tristram Shandy.
Somoza's ideas work beautifully here since he constantly gives us enough text in either the main story or the footnote story to engage us fully in the particular reality created in each strand before reminding us, through the footnote device or the text's sudden engagement with the figure of the 'translator' to remind us of the fictive state of the narrative.
He situates the text clearly in various literary traditions. I noticed the influence of Euripides (the Bacchae and Hecuba are both recalled in the events of the Athenian narrative) and so was pleased to see him enlisted as a cult member in the final chapters. The blinding also echoes King Lear for a post-Classical reader, and this serves to remind us of the strong imaginative hold that literature continues to have.
I must admit that I'd guessed that Philotextus (surely a 'love of words' name?) was the author, after the conversation with Plato but this didn't spoil the final twists for me.

I think I could discuss this novel for a long time but perhaps I've written enough in this JE. I'll try to get this on to the next person soon.

Have just managed to extract this book from its tightly wrapped packaging - thank you LindyB28! I am looking forward to reading this and perhaps it will help me get in the mood for my next OU module starting soon which is "Exploring the Classical world".

I found this an intriguing book, and the occasional dreary bits in the story of Heracles just seemed to add credence to the feeling that it was an ongoing translation. I really felt as if the Translator was speaking to me becasue of the chatty style. The ending was most unexpected and the suggestion that everything that exists has 5 parts fascinated me, until I tried to apply it myself. All in all an enjoyable book, enough to make me want to read "The Art of Murder" by the same author - so going on my wishlist. This is the 3rd Spanish writer that I have discovered and enjoyed in the space of 12 months so may look out for others to try. It will now be on its way to illiane as soon as I've the address.Thank you for sharing it.

Just to explain why I still have this, I had trouble getting hold of illiane and she replied eventually by saying she wanted to drop down the ring. I've had to explain she is last in the ring and now I'm waiting to hear if she still wants it. If you want it back now rillaith do PM me.

Pleased to hear illiane still wants to read this - I have the details now so this will be going in the post to her today.

Received in the mail from dogsapples, with many thanks! Looking forward to reading it soon :)