The Honourable Thief

Reviewed By  Grasshopper2       August 18, 2018

 

Author  Megan Wilson Anastasios

Distributor:      Pan Macmillen
ISBN:                 9781760552626
Publisher:         Pan Macmillen Australia
Release Date:   July 2018  

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The Honourable Thief is a work of fiction but…” Specific historical events provided a springboard for the story.” Some of these events include the downfall of a famous archaeologist, war in Crete, where the people suffered greatly, and the continual war against antiquities theft.  Other influencing factors include art auctions and ongoing archaeological digs, and the wonderful stories of Homer.

Benedict Hitchens is the character we follow from Crete to Greece to Turkey and to London. As a young archaeology student, he was always passionate about Achilles and the stories surrounding him. When he arrived in Turkey and began to preside over digs, he showed a remarkable aptitude for unearthing rare treasures, and for being able to read the landscape. Money to expand his digs was always hard to come by, and so he decided to negotiate with characters dealing in the black market.

During his time in Crete, Ben met and married a wonderful girl who was by his side when he was fighting for the Resistance. Much later in Greece, Ben dealt with another woman, who trapped and betrayed him. She knew of his passion for information about Achilles and tricked him into leading the way to the hero’s tomb. Through a series of events, he came to the tomb, and with luck and persistence managed to gain entry. The greatest prize of all, Achilles’ shield, was still intact with the body of its owner. Ben took the shield, but all was not as it seemed. He was robbed and lost the treasure.

Benedict’s character is unpredictable, and not always likeable. For those who love stories of unearthed treasure and Greek Mythology, it is an interesting read, although somewhat implausible at times. The story weaves from country to country, and also weaves back and forth in time. The chapter headings give the place and the year of the action taking place. However, the story just misses the mark of being believable, and for those wanting a little more detail of the digs, it falls short.