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The Other Alexander (The Bow of Heaven, Book I) Paperback – September 8, 2011

by Andrew Levkoff (Author)

4.1 279 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The Bow of Heaven

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The final chapter of The Bow of Heaven trilogy, Blood of Eagles, is now available!

2014 HNS Indie Award, Shortlisted
2012 Readers Favorite Silver Award, Historical Fiction
2011 eLit Book Awards Gold Award, Historical Fiction

In the greatest, foulest city in the world, love, mayhem and betrayal await the slave, Alexandros. Given as a gift in 86 BCE to the richest man in Rome, he soon discovers that intrigue and murder stalk the house of his master. Alexandros can solve the crime, but if he does, the worst punishment may prove to be his own.

Alexandros is astute, well-educated and brimming with caustic wit, but he can't seem to remember the golden rule of slavery: keep your head down and your mouth shut. No wonder more than one person in the house of Marcus Crassus wants to see this former Greek philosophy student dead. Through accident and intervention, Alexandros manages to survive, but is he willing to take the proffered hand of the one ally he wants desperately to despise - his owner? Every boon and advancement accepted from Crassus is an acknowledgment that his former life is gone. Yet how can he resist? Crassus is a good man, for a Roman.

At last, Alexandros realizes that accepting his condition is the only way to recoup the little freedom left him. He willingly opens his eyes to his new life ... and immediately falls in love with Livia, a fellow servant he's never allowed himself to see. But romance for a slave is a fragile thing, especially when tragedy befalls the Crassus household in the guise of Gaius Julius Caesar and his insatiable ambition.

Alexandros has won the ear of Crassus, but can a slave keep a master of Rome from making a choice that could topple the foundations of an empire?

Editorial Reviews

Review

EDITOR'S CHOICE
Beautifully written and thrillingly good Roman historical novel ... crisp plotting and absolutely infectious narrative drive. The world of Republican Rome is brought entirely alive in these pages. Enthusiastically recommended. -- Historical Novel Reviews Online

"The Other Alexander is superb: a beautifully-crafted, electrifying example of just how good historical fiction can be. Don't miss it." - Open Letters Monthly

Thoroughly researched, beautifully written, and cleverly staged, The Other Alexander is a
unique and engaging look at Rome in the first century before the Common Era. Superb. - Foreword Clarion Reviews

"Readers of Steven Saylor or John Maddox Roberts, accustomed to paying $25 for their latest in hardover, can download The Bow of Heaven, as good as anything either one ever wrote, for $3 in about ten seconds. Enthusiastically recommended." - Historical Novel Society

"The Other Alexander mines a surprisingly deep vein when it places Crassus at the center of the tale. You'll see a side of these famous Romans that you won't find in the standard history books and the read is way more fun." - Judith Starkston, author of Hand of Fire

From the Author

The Other Alexander is the first book in the epic trilogy, The Bow of Heaven. Alexandros, a young Greek philosophy student, is wrenched from a life unlived to submit to the will of an empire - as a slave of Rome. In a world without choice, he must use his cunning and wits to gain the trust of one of the most powerful men in the Republic.

Yet no matter how high he climbs, or how deeply he falls in love, Alexandros' life is still bound to the will of another. When his master becomes blinded by revenge, the fates of both owner and owned become slaves to a terrible choice. A choice which will threaten the very life of the empire one has ruled, and the other has been forced to serve.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Peacock Angel Publishing LLC (September 8, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 368 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0983910138
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0983910138
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.1 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 0.82 x 7.99 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #7,816,270 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #288,069 in Historical Fiction (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.1 279 ratings

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Andrew Levkoff

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Andrew Levkoff grew up on Long Island, New York, got a BA in English from Stanford, then put that hard-earned degree to dubious use in the family packaging business. After a decade of trying to convince himself to think 'inside' the box (lots of them), he fled to Vermont where he attempted to regain his sanity by chopping wood and shoveling snow off his roof for 8 years. Like a fine cocktail, he was by then thoroughly chilled; what could be better after this than no sunshine for 13 years. That's right - Seattle.

Since 2006 he has been taking the cure in Arizona, where his skin has darkened to a rich shade of pallid. Here it was that he finally realized, under the heading of hopefully-better-late-than-never, that he needed to return to his first love - writing. Andrew lives in Phoenix with Stephany and their daughter, Allison, crowded into close proximity by hundreds of mineral specimens they have collected while rockhounding. "They're just a bunch of rocks," says Allison. Ouch."

You can find Andrew at his website and blog: andrewlevkoff.com.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5

279 global ratings

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Carole Rae

Book Review: The Bow of Heaven

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2012

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When Andrew Levkoff asked me to read this and review this, I was so excited! As many may know, I love historical novels and when I read the description I was even more excited! However, it took a while for me to get absorbed into the story. The beginning was a little slow (even though a whole bunch was going on) and I felt detached from Alexander, the main character. Once the story progressed and I got further into it the harder it was to get away from it. I wanted so badly to see what would happen next!

As the story progressed, I began to really like Alexander and I began to understand why he was the way he was. I found a lot in common with this poor guy. I mean I've never been taken from my life to become a slave in a foreign place against my will. However, I could relate to a lot of his inner thoughts and feelings. Gotta love a book that you can relate to the main character. ^.^

I also really liked HOW Andrew Levkoff wrote the story. It was like a memoir from the older and wiser Alexander. There was a lot of foreshadow and clues as to what would happen in the next chapter and even in the next book, but just only enough to want you continue reading. His writing flowed well and I felt like I was really in the story as a slave or just a fly on the wall.

The only thing I didn't like was the big skips in time. I know Book One had many years to cover, but I felt like I missing out on major events. I may not have liked these skips, but I COMPLETELY understand the need for them. Without skipping uneventful years, the story would have dragged and been a million pages long. So yes, it was necessary and I'll stop my whining.

All-in-all, I really enjoyed this book and I can't wait to read the next one in the trilogy! It was such an entertaining book and I would recommend this book to anyone who has the slightest interest in history and historical books. There is also a taste of romance, intrigue, action, and adventure. Out of five stars, I grant this one 5 stars. Woot woot! ^.^

Favorite Character(s): Alexander (I could really relate to him and I just liked him a lot), Crassus (which is odd, I'm usually just neutral to him), and Lady Tertulla

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Caesar (an ass), Nestor (gah, what a weasel) and Livia (it was a love-hate thing. Sometimes I liked her, sometimes I wanted to kick her)

Favorite quote(s): "I am most comfortable on the outskirts; being at the center of anything unnerves me, the center of attention in particular" - chapter IX, Alexander

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happy reader

The Bow of Heaven

Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2012

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At $2.99 WOW, a good read. Great characters...great time period...great story! You will find yourself thinking about the life of Alexander long after you put the book down. He's one of those poor, awkward, but unusually intelligent underdogs that you can't help but to cheer for. If you're looking for a weekend read--this is it! A hot latte, a comfy spot and this book...enjoy. Now my Kindle, it gets frozen and acts up a lot--and it's brand new--but that's another story.

3 people found this helpful

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Jeffery

Good but not great

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2015

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The set up and the idea of the book is very good: A smart young man studying at the Greek Academy is taken as a slave when Rome conquers Athens. The author gives us an inside look into the house of a powerful Roman. I wish there had been some better suspense woven into the narrative. Months, and even years pass in just a couple of pages, leaving the reader clueless about the course of interesting events. It's almost as if the book was condensed.

In my opinion, Mary Renault remains the top writer of historical fiction placed in the ancient world.

Reviewed in the United States on November 17, 2011

Verified Purchase

Bow of Heaven is a great read, whether you have an interest in this period of history or not. The character development, writing, and story flow are superb and I had a hard time putting it down. When finished, I immediately began searching for Book II which I have learned is currently in being written. I will purchase it immediately when available.

For those, who have an interest in Roman History, Bow of Heaven provides a fascinating and unique interpretation of a prominent historical character as well as a behind-the-walls look at how the Roman familia may have functioned and the relationship that existed between master and slave. I have not seen this explored in such detail before. Presented from the point of view of the slave, the reader is given a fascinating look at the personal emotions of one forced into slavery and the unique relationship bonds that develop between master and slave.

Lastly, having an awareness of the level of influence achieved by individuals of this period who were slaves, Bow of Heaven provides a realistic example of how this may have occurred.

I definitely recommend this book.

One person found this helpful

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Marpa47

a young Greek with good prospects of taking a place in the world of ...

Reviewed in the United States on January 7, 2015

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Being a fan of ancient history, as it always seems to be a relevant insight into current events, This book was purchased as it seemed to be the kind of 'historical fiction' that would add to this body of knowledge. It was not disappointing in that regard. There were many details provided as an insight into the day-do-day life of the period and place; the historical events, namely the civil conflicts occurring which led up to the end of the Roman republic, and finally the insights into some the leading characters, participating on the stage of that drama, which were painted with vivid color and realism. The main character of the story, a young Greek with good prospects of taking a place in the world of academia of that part of the world who was snatched from this life and sold into slavery, was startlingly real, with a very caustic wit, but whose personality altered over time, again quite believably owing to circumstances of living within the most powerful, gigantic and brutal empire of the era, albeit within a household of privilege. This first of three books left me eager for the subsequent volumes of this series.

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Carol

A master wordsmith

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 25, 2015

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What a great read. I truly felt like I was reading an autobiography of a slave of Roman times. Mr Levkoff has the gift of transporting you through a time portal to give you a glimpse of Rome in the time of Julius Caesar. i can't wait to read the next instalment.

J.K. Currie

Slave and Master

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2015

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Young Alexandros, a student of philosophy in Athens, has the great bad luck to be enslaved by the armies of Sulla during the wars against Mithradates. He is brought to Rome, given to Sulla's general Marcus Crassus and begins his rise to indispensability in Crassus' household.

We read how Alexandros for all the respect in which Crassus holds him cannot expect freedom; we read much of the typical aspects of a slave's life, for example his attendance while master and mistress make love, perform their toilet and so on... We read how Alexandros sacrifices the chance of personal happiness as a slave because of doing his job so well and neglecting to turn a blind eye when perhaps he should have.

There is also Marcus Crassus - with Pompey and Julius Caesar one of the three most powerful men in Rome. Crassus is portrayed as a just and enlightened master and a man who enjoys making money but who is otherwise generous and fair-minded. A theme of the novel asks the question why such a man at the age of 60 might suddenly decide to invade the great Parthian Empire to gain military glory. The author's answer is ingenious and involves the philandering Caesar, who is portrayed convincingly and odiously in some terrific scenes. In Crassus' case, he turns a blind eye when perhaps he shouldn't have.

On the one hand a sprawling, undisciplined mixture which has the potential to frustrate and infuriate, on the other hand an imaginative and entertaining treatment of a number of interesting and worthwhile themes, my mental scoring for this novel ranged at times as low as two stars and at times as high as five. There are implausible aspects; there are surprising omissions; a period of 30 years is covered in about 300 pages. But in the end I liked it rather a lot, to say that for all its faults, I am actively looking forward to reading the second volume in the trilogy.

maggie

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 9, 2015

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Good read thanks

Sheila Tombe

great dry humour and well worth a read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2014

Verified Purchase

A witty take on the 'other' historical characters (as in, the other Boleyn), this novel adds the humour to be found in I, Claudius as well as a basic query into the nature of leadership versus slavery and servitude.

Mark O'Brien

Enjoyable

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 26, 2015

Verified Purchase

Easy and enjoyable read. Likeable characters, not too full of historical references but enough to keep interest flowing. Would definitely recommend

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