The Assyrian (novel)

The Assyrian is a 1987 novel by Nicholas Guild [1]. Together with its companion sequel, The Blood Star, it tells the history of Tiglath Ashur, the fictional half-brother of Esarhaddon, a historical king of Assyria. The novels are notable for a consistently high moral tone and for the feeling of immediacy present in the many vignettes that offer pictures of everyday life and, not incidentally, a kind of travelogue of ancient Mesopotamia and the Mediterranean.

In this first chapter of the Tiglath Ashur's story, the author narrates the youth of the main character until the age of twenty-five. His love for Esharhamat, the woman who, according to a prophecy, will generate a great monarch: Ashurbanipal. But only the king could marry Esharhamat, and the gods prefer his brother Esarhaddon to get the crown. With descriptions of many battles and many ancient peoples, this book talks about wars, hate, revenge and overall, love. Guild uses language that transports the reader into the ancient time of the Assyrian empire, with vivid descriptions of the culture, food, clothing and life styles of the people of Assyria.