Gilgamesh the King
| Gilgamesh the King | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Cover of first edition (hardcover) | |
| Author | Robert Silverberg |
| Illustrator | dt3456 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fantasy novel |
| Publisher | Arbor House |
Publication date | 1984 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
| Pages | 320 pp |
| ISBN | 0-87795-599-9 |
| OCLC | 10849752 |
| Dewey Decimal | 813/.54 19 |
| LC Class | PS3569.I472 G5 1984 |
Gilgamesh the King is a 1984 fantasy novel by Robert Silverberg presenting the Epic of Gilgamesh as a novel.
Plot introduction
The novel is told from the point of view of Gilgamesh, and is primarily ambivalent about the supernatural elements of the epic. Most of the events are portrayed in a fairly realistic manner, and the reader is left undecided as to whether certain events are coincidence, or divine intervention. Gilgamesh is a giant among men and an amazing warrior, even since he was very young. When the king of Rurk (his father) dies, Gilgamesh is exiled by the recently crowned Dumuzi, jealous of his skills and power. In neighboring When in time Dumuzi dies, Gilgamesh comes back to the kingdom to be proclaimed.
Silverberg afterwards wrote a number of stories for the fantasy anthology series Heroes in Hell describing Gilgamesh's posthumous adventures in the underworld, including the award-winning novella "Gilgamesh in the Outback."
External links
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