Requiem for Athens by David S. Alkek

I received a copy from the author in exchange for an unbiased review.

Have you ever wondered what it was like in the time of ancient Greece? Not just a bullet-point presentation of facts, but what possibly drove some of history's great events? David Alkek explores the time of Alexander the Great in such a fashion, giving an overview of the lives of great philosophers such as Aristotle; great artists like Phidias.

Although historical fiction, all events within REQUIEM FOR ATHENS seem plausible. I felt throughout that I was watching through a crack in time - witnessing events as a carefree observer. I enjoyed that Alkek didn't develop the characters too heavily, because they are not made-up figures. Each man and woman's character speaks for itself, through triumph and tragedy. REQUIEM reads easily enough, and I enjoyed the following of different characters' lives.

Studies of Greek and Macedonian customs, politics, and morals are delved into as part of the storyline. There are a few 'graphic' scenes regarding how women dressed and their roles in society, so this is not a book intended for children. I could have done without those descriptions, but they are easily skipped over if you wish.

Overall, I would read more historical fiction from this author, as he seems to do his homework. I only wish history books were this interesting! Happy reading.