nicanical
The hearts of men are alike wherever you go. The rest is scenery.
A wonderful inaugural offering from Ferdia Lennon.
Glorious Exploits starts out like a slice of life but quickly becomes not that. Lampo, the narrator, and his friend Gelon are unemployed potters in ancient Syracuse. In the aftermath of the Sicilian Expedition and Athenian defeat, nearby quarries are filled with Athenian prisoners of war.
Gelon and Lampo get the curiously ambitious idea to stage a play with the Athenian prisoners acting. The duo's pursuit of this singular goal takes them through ups and downs, across the paths of a diverse supporting ensemble, to tell a story about compassion, sympathy, and patience.
I admire the balance of the composition—the overall optimistic and persevering tone tempered with some somber moments. Glorious Exploits is well-paced, with chapters kept to digestible lengths. Scenes blend the right amounts of dialogue, action, and reflection. And Lennon makes some discerning stylistic decisions, like having Lampo sound like a Cockney dockworker (which works remarkably well).
Also, the cover with the googly eyes got me by the bubu.
The hearts of men are alike wherever you go. The rest is scenery.
A wonderful inaugural offering from Ferdia Lennon.
Glorious Exploits starts out like a slice of life but quickly becomes not that. Lampo, the narrator, and his friend Gelon are unemployed potters in ancient Syracuse. In the aftermath of the Sicilian Expedition and Athenian defeat, nearby quarries are filled with Athenian prisoners of war.
Gelon and Lampo get the curiously ambitious idea to stage a play with the Athenian prisoners acting. The duo's pursuit of this singular goal takes them through ups and downs, across the paths of a diverse supporting ensemble, to tell a story about compassion, sympathy, and patience.
I admire the balance of the composition—the overall optimistic and persevering tone tempered with some somber moments. Glorious Exploits is well-paced, with chapters kept to digestible lengths. Scenes blend the right amounts of dialogue, action, and reflection. And Lennon makes some discerning stylistic decisions, like having Lampo sound like a Cockney dockworker (which works remarkably well).
Also, the cover with the googly eyes got me by the bubu.