Condition: Very Good. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Ages 8-up. Gilgamesh the King by Robert Silverberg, 1984 | Online Research Library: Questia Read the full-text online edition of Gilgamesh the King (1984). That's actually it's one slight failing, IMO. There, Enkidu, the “uncivilized” beast from the forest, shows the evil Gilgamesh through friendship what it means to be human. Paperback or Softback. It's interesting to see how these things are worked in in a feasible way. To temper his excesses, the gods create Enkidu, Gilgamesh's equal, who becomes his greatest friend. Buy a cheap copy of Gilgamesh the King book by Ludmila Zeman. In Gilgamesh, science fiction Grand Master Robert Silverberg gives us a vivid portrait of a courageous, lusty, sometimes reckless ruler of men. That was the … His journey takes him on a quest to find immortality, because he has always feared death. Gilgamesh, half-god and half-man, in his loneliness and isolation becomes a cruel tyrant over the citizens of Uruk. Description: 24 … Is this bronzepunk? Gilgamesh the King Yet it often happens that that which is held forth to one as utterly impossible turns out to be no more than extremely difficult, or even merely inconvenient, in the actuality. He falls in love with Shamhat, a singer from the temple, and he follows her back to Uruk. Get this from a library! To impress them forever he … Read this book on Questia. Lawrance's version of Homer's Odyssey, although with more modern prose than the latter. Lawrance's version of Homer's Odyssey, although with more modern prose than the latter. It tells the tale of how he overworked his people to build a great kingdom, his friendship with the wild man Enkidu who was sent by the gods to distract him, his battles with the goddess Inanna, the earliest account of the great flood, and his journey seeking immortality. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. Reviewed in the United States on December 10, 2019. Welcome back. The “Epic of Gilgamesh” is an ancient epic Sumerian poem about the exploits of Gilgamesh, the greatest king of Uruk in Mesopotamia. These independent … Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. 'The epic tale of Gilgamesh, the legendary god-king of Sumeria who discovered the … Well-written. This is a very well written, and while I have a few minor quibbles, little of them have to do with the writing or the story itself. I don't know, but I liked it. This very nearly is the type of book I was looking for for years. It is a beautiful re telling of a small part wonderfully illustrated. While it deals a lot with the capriciousness of the gods and has plenty of fantasy elements these are all dealt with as would be by ancient society and all have a rational interpretation. To see what your friends thought of this book. Much of the novel is based on the Epic of Gilgamesh written some 4500 years ago. The Epic of Gilgamesh exerted substantial influence on the Iliad and the Odyssey, two epic poems written in ancient Greek during the eighth century BC. He falls in love with Shamhat, a singer from the temple, and he follows her back to Uruk. The epic tale of Gilgamesh, the legendary god-king of Sumeria who discovered the secret of eternal life, has enflamed the imaginations of countless generations. The fullest extant text of the Gilgamesh epic is on 12 incomplete Akkadian-language tablets found at Nineveh in the library of the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal (reigned 668–627 bce). The first book in the trilogy of children's books written and illustrated by Zeman: Gilgamesh the King (1991), The Revenge of Ishtar (1993), and The Last Quest of Gilgamesh (1995). It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Much like Mary Renault, Silverberg took what history of the true Gilgamesh there is and the Epic itself, and imaginatively fashioned a first-person narrative that gives the more mythic and magical aspe. The focus is more on the character of the protagonist. Beyond that, there are many universal things in this story in terms of the huma. An engaging retelling of the story/myth of Gilgamesh. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. As the King of Uruk, he oppresses his people and burdens his city. I am far from disappointed. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. I will re-read someday! The epic tale of Gilgamesh, the legendary god-king of Sumeria who discovered the secret of eternal life, has enflamed the imaginations of countless generations. It is a modern retelling of the Gilgamesh story and not, in my opinion, especially insightful as regards the milieux of the original. Please try again. The Gilgamesh that Robert Silverberg describes is a combination of Leonidas (as portrayed by Gerard Butler in 300), Conan (as portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Ted Nugent: he is an alpha male with an attitude, a manly man of testosteronian power and ursine manliness, with a steaming hot side order of god-like virile manly manness. While it deals a lot with the capriciousness of the gods and has plenty of fantasy elements these are all dealt with as would be by ancient society and all have a rational interpretation. Gilgamesh, half-god and half-man, in his loneliness and isolation becomes a cruel tyrant over the citizens of Uruk. Unable to add item to List. ), Everything I expected - epic, mythic, historic! A dream-like quality, mythic, primitive, primal, intimate, compelling and surprisingly real. Quite an accomplishment! True to the ancient epic. It is the majestic tale of a man haunted by gods, tormented by his pas. Book Description Gollancz, London, 1985. Overview. Silverberg is good writer and does a very readable adaptation, although I admit I'm not familiar with the source material. Gilgamesh, half-god and half-man, in his loneliness and isolation becomes a cruel tyrant over the citizens of Uruk. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Having read several translations of the Epic of Gilgamesh (the Andrew George one is very good), I have wanted to read Silverberg's novel for years. The Mesopotamian epic about a tyrannical king who finds his humanity and embarks on a quest for immortality here takes shape as a trio of books: Gilgamesh the King, The Revenge of Ishtar and The Last Quest of Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh was first inscribed in cuneiform writing on clay tablets by an unknown author during the Sumerian era and has been described as one of the greatest works of literature in the recounting of … All in beautifully written prose. And when we cease to fear death, there is no death. The gaps that occur in … Walter Burkert, a German classicist, observes tha… Somehow, though, I always thought I would be disappointed. (To give fur, Gilgamesh lived approximately 5000 years ago, in the Tigris-Euphrates valley of what is now Iraq, in 2800 BC. Gilgamesh the king is a retelling of the Gilgamesh story without the fantastical elements. Very different in style from his SF novels but also very enjoyable. There, Enkidu, the “uncivilized” beast from the forest, shows the evil Gilgamesh through friendship what it means to be human. That's actually it's one slight failing, IMO. Silverberg abandons genre elements in this novel, but the bronze age world of Gilgamesh is as alien as any Majipoor novel. According to Barry B. Powell, an American classical scholar, early Greeks were probably exposed to Mesopotamian oral traditions through their extensive connections to the civilizations of the ancient Near East and this exposure resulted in the similarities that are seen between the Epic of Gilgamesh and the Homeric epics. Be the first to ask a question about Gilgamesh the King. Having read several translations of the Epic of Gilgamesh (the Andrew George one is very good), I have wanted to read Silverberg's novel for years. Prime members enjoy FREE Delivery and exclusive access to music, movies, TV shows, original audio series, and Kindle books. I prefer these legends to be retold using more formal, "mythic" language, as Lawrence does. There, Enkidu, the "uncivilized" beast from the forest, shows the evil Gilgamesh through friendship what it means to be human. The literary history of Gilgamesh begins with five Sumerian poems about Bilgamesh (Sumerian for "Gilgamesh"), king of Uruk, dating from the Third Dynasty of Ur (c. 2100 BCE). This modern version really helped me understand these old peoples' way of thinking, how natural phenomena connected with their religious beliefs, and how they explained them. Martin Puchner, professor of English and Comparative Literature at Harvard, therefore, calls Gilgamesh the ‘writer-king’ in his book The Written World (2017). A masterful retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh from SF Grandmaster Robert Silverberg. More personal that either the Iliad or the Odyssey, yet it expresses similar values. Silverberg researched the subject well, and managed to bring to life the old myths of Gilgamesh, who went looking for eternal life. Silverberg has a wide ranging historical knowledge, so he is pretty accurate in his depictions, and the few departures I believe are probably a conscious choice. Re "Gilgamesh the King": My long attention span 3 year old is smitten with this book and has requested it twice a day for a week. The kids loved this trilogy and appreciated the message of friendship that it presents. The pictures and written words are great. Beyond that, there are many universal things in this story in terms of the human condition - loneliness, loyalty, fear of death, friendship and betrayal, and more. Don't think I am up to more of the series. In answer, another kind of man, Enkidu, is sent to earth to live among the animals and learn kindness from them. Gilgamesh The King retold and illustrated by Ludmila Zeman 1992 Categories/Genres for this class fulfilled by this book: Traditional Literature Estimate of age level of interest: Grades 2-7 … Faithful rendering of the times and culture. This book is supposedly written and illustrated for children. This book is complete in and of itself. Great books to introduce kids to stories from other parts of the world. This is the story of Gilgamesh, King of Kings, who brought back knowledge from before the flood - who loved and lost his companion Enkidu and had to find out why we die. Silverberg’s book is a novelization of the epic with some liberties taken, particularly the int. Gilgamesh the king. Pretty much enjoyed the story and the audiobook version. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2018, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2014. The artwork was lovely. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. This is a novelization/memoir style telling of the Epic of Gilgamesh that's totally NOT GAY. Gilgamesh lived approximately 5000 years ago, in the Tigris-Euphrates valley of what is now Iraq, in 2800 BC. All events can be explained rationally, but the book does a very good job of depicting some of the cultural beliefs of the S. This is a very well written, and while I have a few minor quibbles, little of them have to do with the writing or the story itself. Gilgamesh, half-god and half-man, in his loneliness and isolation becomes a cruel tyrant over the citizens of Uruk. It was enjoyable to read Zeman's interpretation of Mesopotamian myths. About Gilgamesh the King Gilgamesh, half-god and half-man, in his loneliness and isolation becomes a cruel tyrant over the citizens of Uruk. Overview. To impress … i had no idea what this was when i picked it up. It's well illustrated as well. But Silverberg, in giving us Gilgamesh's story before the events of the epic and the epic itself, in Gilgamesh's voice, makes this ancient king's story emotional and immediate and soliciting of our empathy. A thrilling retelling of the ancient Epic of Gilgamesh from the Hugo and Nebula Award–Winning author of Lord Valentine’s Castle. Don’t neglect teaching the fairy tales, the myths, the fantasies...within these tales lie worthy lessons and here your children can meet and conquer some of life’s biggest conundrums. The story is simplified for young readers, calling the main female character a temple singer instead of a temple prostitute. For this earliest known literary epic presents the, obviously, age-old and universal truths of the need for and joy companionship, the responsibilities of duty, the pain of loss, and the shock of mortality. A truly amazing re-telling of the oldest saga on record. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, Children's Ancient Civilization Fiction (Books), © 1996-2020, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. If this doesn't sound like the epic as you remember it, well, technically it is not, but the liberties the author has taken with the story make for better reading for the preschool set! The Epic of Gilgamesh was … I finally, due to the glories that is Kindle, got around to it. An ancient heroes epic adapted with a nice flow to it story wise. Perhaps my biggest quibble with the book is that any innovation in Sumerian culture is ascribed to the efforts of Gilgamesh, which may also be an intentional choice on the part of Silverberg, to show how vain and narcissistic Gilgamesh can be. We’d love your help. I was quite impressed. Tablets whose dates ranged from 1700 BC to 700 BC have been found throughout Mesopotamia and even beyond, indication of the durability and the extent of this saga. To impress them forever he orders a great wall to be built, driving … After we finished reading this story, we immediately decided to order the two other books in the series. Tv shows, original audio series, and he follows her back Uruk. Ill and lies on his bed weeping because death will part him from Gilgamesh things in this story an. See what your friends thought of this book on Questia stories from parts. I always thought i would be disappointed by his pas writer and does a very readable adaptation, although admit. 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