The Assyrian: A Review

Title: The Assyrian Author: Nicholas Guild Date Published: 1987 Genre: Historical Fiction Sequel: The Blood Star Summary The story is told from the first-person perspective of the protagonist, Tiglath Ashur, a fictional son of King Sennacherib and half-brother of Prince Essarhadon.  Tiglath was given the mark of the Blood Star of Ishtar on the day his grandfather Sargon was killed by the Kullumites. Sargon is here is not to be confused with the Akkadian king. Author is most likely referring to Sargon II. The people believed that the mark is a curse, and true indeed, it seemed that Tiglath was tricked by his gods. The story covers the first 25 years of his life through the voice of an old Tiglath who now lives in Greece.  The Prince grew up in the house of women along with his half-brother Esarhaddon and many others. It was there where Tiglath met the love of his life, Esharhamat who was fated to be the Mother of Kings and wife to the crown prince, or marsarru.  When they were finally taken out to assume their duties as members of the royal family, they found themselves in the House of War training to be soldiers of the king. At that time a marsarru was already chosen. He was killed however when Babylon was taken. The former marsarru's younger brother seems to have fallen out of favor with the king however. It was at that time that the king began to notice Tiglath's skills in warfare and administration. When the marsarru's brother died, Esarhaddon was next in line to the throne. This was to be the start of a bitter rivalry between the brothers. Esarhaddon was famous for lacking in the necessary skills to be the next king. This Sennacherib saw and was greatly dismayed. Nonetheless, since he was the king's son to his second wife, he had the right to claim the crown. But the king showed everyone that he favors Tiglath over the younger brother. Tiglath wanted no share in the power until he realized Esharhamat came with the throne of Assyria. She was to be the wife of the next king and therefore, marriage to her will seal that claim. After the sack of Babylon, the brothers grew apart from each other. Esarhaddon, poisoned by his mother's venomous words, grew dependent on healers and diviners to make his decisions. This included the rebuilding Babylon, for which the king does not approve. Tiglath, although warned by people closest to him, was strong in his faith in Ashur. He decided to leave Esharhamat and Esarhaddon because it was his belief that it was god's will. Tiglath had grown popular at that time and when he left Nineveh for a garrison at Amat, the tension grew. The threat of a civil war was imminent. All along Tiglath believed that this was what god wanted. He had already chosen to submit to the fate given to him by Ashur and decided he would only wait for the events to unfold. He found out later that his father, King Sennacherib, was killed by his half-brothers Arad Malik and Nabusharusur. This spawned a civil war in Nineveh where Tiglath was forced to send out his army and side with Esarhaddon. It was there where he learned the truth. In the end however, he realized he was blinded by his faith even if the gods already showed him that the path he took was wrong. All along he had been playing through Esarhaddon's mother's plans. He was cheated of his throne and of his woman.  Highlights One of  the most memorable episodes in the book are the battles fought by Tiglath, notably his exploits after he was assigned at Amat. He was shown fighting the Medes, Scythians and Cimmerians. The author also included a detailed description of Zoroastrianism from the protagonist's point of view. Notable also are the characters inspired by the real kings of old. Among those mentioned are Daiaukka and Khshathrita of the Aryans (Medes). The Hero Readers will find it easy to relate to Tiglath Ashur. As a child he was inquisitive and contemplative. He was aware of his role and duty as one of the king's sons, and was quite mature for his age, yet we can still see his childlike innocence and his love for adventure. As an adult he had great leadership and combat skills. But like everyone else he had weaknesses. He isn't detached from us like some god that we cannot understand. He was a victim of his love and kindness, and these earned him both friends and enemies alike. Near the end of the book, readers might find his persistence annoying but one cannot help but admire him for it. He was well aware of his family's and friends' warnings, but he trusted more in Ashur's will. His failure to interpret the visions given to him by Ashur when he visited Mount Epih was perhaps a contributing factor to this. The people of his kingdom loved him more than the marsarru Esarhaddon yet he refused to listen to them. It is easy to admire him for his will to remain truthful to his duties to his god, his kingdom and the love for his brother. The rest of the characters we see through Tiglath's eyes. The most influential people are Kephalos, his Ionian slave; Merope, his mother; Sinahiusur, his uncle and the king's turtanu along with a mysterious blind, holy man, Esarhaddon, Esharhamat and King Sennacherib. He also met good friends along the way, including the leaders of the nations he battled. ************************************ The story presented a different side of the Assyrians. They're well-known for their conquests and were hated by the people they subdued. The story however shows that its people were rich in culture and tradition like many other people from the Fertile Crescent. However, the author's depiction closely resembles that of the Romans. Except for the holidays, rituals and the methods of punishment, the reader can easily imagine Nineveh as another Roman province. His description of the surroundings however are vivid and realistic. The battle scenes are unforgettable. We are given first hand experience of a soldier, who is also the commander, in the battlefield. The glory, hatred and frustration of war are present. We are forced to contemplate how much is the worth of a man's life to save a kingdom from destruction. How each killing blow could mean tears to one soldier's wife and mother. The reader is not just a spectator, but a participant. The author's portrayal of Esarhaddon is far from the real king who had conquered Egypt. Some of the battles fought by Tiglath were led by Esarhaddon in real life. This is a must-read for people who love a little touch of history and romance. We can easily see ourselves in several parts of Tiglath's life and his sentiments about different issues from warfare to his relationships with other people. They are similar to our own as well. Tiglath regretted his actions but he was ready to accept the consequences even if the fault was not his own.