Starfall
Phaeton and the Chariot of the Sun
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
A child of the sun seeks his father—and risks destruction for the thrill of speed
In the grazing fields outside the village, a griffin swoops from the sky to attack a lamb. To save the innocent creature, a boy called Phaeton hurls rocks at the assailant, taunting it to come after him instead. As the mythical beast charges, Phaeton turns and runs. The griffin is quick, but it cannot catch Phaeton. He is the fastest boy in the world, and he believes there is nothing he cannot outrun.
Phaeton is a child of Apollo, god of the sun. When he learns the nature of his birth, this proud young man embarks on an epic journey to challenge his father and claim his birthright. But even though his heritage is divine, Phaeton is only human. When he comes face-to-face with the might of the gods, he will learn that mortals are not meant to soar so high.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Cadnum (In a Dark Wood) once again displays his expertise as a storyteller as he refashions sections of Ovid's Metamorphoses into a trilogy of enchanting tales. In this first of three volumes planned, he relates the story of 15-year-old Phaeton, Apollo's half-mortal son, whose brazen request to drive his father's chariot across the sky inevitably leads to disaster for the world and his own untimely death. Throughout the story, the author takes care to preserve the spirit of the original text. He clearly defines the characters' flaws (Apollo's fatherly pride and rashness, Phaeton's overconfidence) and conjures images of Apollo's temple ("Columns rose up from the darkness, glowing gold and other precious metals pulsing with the subdued but tireless sunlight secreted within") and the god's powerful steeds ("The air shook as horses struck sparks with their hooves, nickered and thundered, eager to fly") that reflect the splendor evoked in Ovid's descriptions. Readers will feel Phaeton's trepidation as he journeys to meet his father for the first time, and they will understand the hero's mixture of excitement and dread as he loses control of the horses. While some poetic elements may be lost in translation, Cadnum compensates by humanizing classical figures and transforming lofty language into accessible, lyrical prose; he may well prompt enthusiasts to seek the original source. Ages 9-14.
