Outside the golden city of Troy, Prince Hektor leads the Trojan cavalry in daring raids against the forces led by his young rival, the peerless warrior Achilles. Meanwhile, burning for vengeance after the brutal murder of his wife, Helikaon commands the Trojan fleet, sowing misery and death among the Mykene navy and supply ships. But even these mighty efforts are of scant avail against the hordes of battle-hardened Mykene infantry, the Myrmidon soldiers of Achilles, and the cunning strategies of Odysseus, compelled against his heart’s urgings to aid the cause of Agamemnon.

Now, before the gates of Troy, Hektor and Achilles will find themselves inexorably drawn into a battle of champions that will decide the fate of the innocents trapped within the city walls. There, as King Priam slips into madness, Andromache–wife of Hektor, lover of Helikaon, mother, warrior, and priestess–must navigate a maze of treachery and danger to save her children and her city from the massacre about to unfold.

“If Hollywood wants to find a new book-based, war-filled fantasy franchise that repeats the success of The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia . . . it may want to look to Gemmell for inspiration.”—Wall Street Journal

“Unexpected twists and turns . . . This imaginative retelling breathes new life into [this] tale of intrigue and deception.”—Booklist

“Strong characterizations and sturdy plotting evoke the horror of the conflict, and the story’s mythic power.”—Publishers Weekly