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The King Must Die

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I first read this book about 30 years ago and I have reread it several times since then. I generally don't reread books, so for me to do so as many times as I have with this one says a lot for the book. Before I read this, I was mildly familiar with the Theseus legend. After reading this book, I became extremely interested in the legend, particularly in the true-life palace at Knossos. The book gives some excellent background in the religions of the old matriarchal societies in which, each year, the king was sacrificed to the earth mother to ensure good crops for the next year. The theories on the bull dance which are based upon the findings at the palace of Knossos are excellently done. And the connection with Theseus belief that he is descended from the god Poseidon and so many things coinciding either with earthquake or something to do with the ocean prove that Mary Renault never left out any parts of her story when considering events that would take place. The research done for this book is great, and if you're like me it will lead you to do further research on your own. I recommend that you purchase this book and also its sequel The Bull from the Sea. You won't be going wrong!

Although on the surface this book is about Theseus and the legend of his life prior to becoming King of Athens, the book is much more fundamentally an adventure tale featuring all of the most desirable male adolescent fantasies. If you read it as the latter, you will be thrilled. If you read it as historical fiction, you will be disappointed because the potential to develop the historical side is clearly subordinated to the adventure tale.

The classical story about Theseus features his slaying of the Minotaur. In this book, by contrast, the central theme is Theseus fulfilling his fate, as decreed by the gods. The primary backdrop is the conflict between "the old religion" of Mother Dia and "the new religion" of the Sky Gods (all sired by Zeus). Theseus brings about a reconciliation between the two sets of beliefs by honoring both, while rejecting the practice of routinely sacrificing the king (Kerkyon) as a fertility offering.

The book has enough material in it to be four books. The first story is about Theseus as a young man growing up with his mother, Aithra, without knowing who is father is in the household of his grandfather in Troizen. The second story starts with his finding that he is the son of the King of Athens and continues through his becoming King of Eleusis. The third story starts with leaving Eleusis to meet his father, King Aigeus, and continues through writing his name on the lot that selects him as a bull dancer slave as tribute for the Cretans. The fourth story begins with his leaving Athens for Crete through his return. Although each of these stories is exciting and interesting, the fourth one is the best.

Bull leaping entailed running toward and grasping the two horns of a live Cretan bull and performing gymnastic feats, like one does today by vaulting using a pommel horse. Naturally, it was a lot more dangerous than vaulting is. Theseus revels in the danger and excitement. He also feels committed to keeping his fellow slaves from Athens alive, in a team that he has named the Cranes, for a dance that they do in the bull ring.

Some of the many adventure themes that will resonate with young male readers include being specially selected by the gods for an exalted purpose, being the unknown son of a king, being sought out by powerful and beautiful women, unlimited sexual access, being a popular hero with other males, successful conquests of animals, leading successful battles with men, and being invincible in all endeavors. I cannot remember a book with so many of these themes packed into one.

Placing the book in these ancient times gives you a fresh perspective on our own world. What are the proper roles for men and women in society? How should they relate to one another? What is the role of piety? What is the purpose of life? How can we contribute to one another? If you ask and answer these questions after you finish, you will have gotten much benefit from the book as well as much pleasure from the adventure tales in it.

Take the bull by the horns to accomplish more!

I first read this book when I was a teenager and I have re-read it many times over the past 30+ years. (Last year I had to buy a new copy because the pages in my old paperback were starting to tear.) Every time I read The King Must Die I feel as if I have stepped back in time to Minoan Crete and Mycenean Greece. Ms Renault's use of language is masterful and her characterization of Theseus is completely believable. One of the aspects of this novel I have always found most interesting is the struggle between the patriarchal and matriarchal societies and their religions. Personally, I enjoyed this book more than its sequel, The Bull from the Sea, but that is just my personal opinion.

I am really interested in ancient mythology, so when my Latin teacher suggested that I read this book, I jumped at the chance. I love the way that she gives Theseus a new light. She doesn't just show him as the hero, but she makes him seem like a real person. I have yet to read anything else by her, but I am definitely going to continue.

I remember very well when I first saw this book. I was 5 years old and ill, lying in my parent's bedroom. The cover intrigued me. Six years later I actually started to read it and I have read it over and over after that, while it never becomes boring and more surprises are noticeable every time. It is simply my favourite book. The style may be slow and formal (at least in my Dutch translation it is), but the whole book would be ruined if it were not. It is exactly the style that makes it so impressive and lifts it up from a simple adventure story to a great work of literacy.

The style is very different than Mary Renault's other books, which might irritate people who have read other books by her, but this is not surprising, considering the book plays some 1000 years earlier than her other books.

The very few and controversial facts about Theseus' life have been wonderfully melted together in an extremely ingenious way. Mary Renault has clearly made a tremendous effort doing research, drawing conclusions, some of which have been proven right in the years since it has been written.

Concluding, if you are interested in Minoan Greece, this book cannot be missed. If you are not, you might become after reading this book.

Age. 14, and I *didn't* read this for school. I found the Alexander books to be much better. Alexander is charismatic and magnetic, even 2000 years after his death. Theseus is just a MORON. Also, first person narrative isn't my cup of tea. Despite those two grudges I hold, Mary Renault still managed to keep my interest and enjoyment throughout the hold book.

That said, you will enjoy this book after the first hundred pages or so in which Theseus rants about his childhood. Read it for Crete. You won't be able to put it down once the ship sets out from Athens, and you won't be disappointed.

Readers of all ages interested in romance, historical fiction and Greek mythology will love this novel! My second time reading it was as captivating as the first. Renault retells the myth of Theseus adding a human touch and a sense of irony throughout. We see that he is really a man; savvy, and possessing extraordinary luck - he is a very likeable persona. He is somewhat of a womanizer, though this can be overlooked; for him to be any other way would be an anachronism. The story is realistic and touching - it will satisfy any intelligent reader with a taste for all types of fiction. Don't miss the sequel!

i just read this again i think for the first time since high school (about 35 years ago) and it is a splendid book. her writing is intense and lyric and it would be the unusual student who would grasp the depth of her characterization of theseus. for anyone who enjoys historical fiction and who hasn't heard of or read renault, he/she is in for a special treat.

This is the retelling of the legends of Theseus from the obvious point of view. Mary Renault spins a tale of avarice, love, and hubris, the chief ingredients to any epic story featuring a Greek hero. Theseus starts off as a very likable toddler who fancies himself the brother of a sacred bull and the child of Poseidon. He remains likable throughout his young years, developing an astounding modicum of leadership, genius, and tact. He also becomes a chauvinistic womanizer, but somehow, we like him, all the same.

Theseus' grasp on feminism is tenuous. In fact, he almost actively fights against it, being a harbinger of the end of mother worship and matriarchy in the area. Renault does a wonderful job portraying Theseus' vacillation between equality and misogyny. It is with utmost determination that Theseus learns to count on female warriors/athletes as equals in stamina and intelligence. Regardless, he follows tradition in claiming attractive women as war booty.

Theseus does not remain likable throughout the story. He becomes irascible and quick to judge later on in the story, faults which come back to haunt him in his elder years.

Although the pacing occasionally plods, this is an excellent book. The first half is the more action-packed and exciting of the two, but the doomed fate foreshadowing reaches its denouement in the much darker second half. After all, we already know the king must die.

The King Must Die is my favorite book. Ever. I first read it when I was 14 and have reread it every few years since. I never tire of it. It's influenced my thought processes and my own writing and I always recommend it to writers who ask "Where do you get your ideas". By reading writers as wonderful as Ms. Renault!