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Archive-title: Book: Heraclea – A Legend of Warrior Women
Book Review: “Heraclea : A Legend of Warrior Women” by Bernard Evslin
Copyright 1978 ( out of print , but I can tell you how to
find it … )
Book Rating : PG18
Bernard Evslin is an expert on Greek and Roman mythology , and some
of his academic works and fictional novels are still in print.
“Heraclea” is a retelling of the legend of Hercules , with a mighty
heroine in the role of Hercules.
Of both divine and mortal ancestry , the frail yet feisty teenage
girl Palaemona is transformed into the powerful , 9 ft. giantess
Heraclea. During her Herculian labors , she fights enemies both human
and monstrous.
Another Greek myth retold by Evslin is the origin and fate of the
Centaurs – retold in a way that is sure to appeal to fans of amazons!
The illustrator is Lucy Martin Bitzer , who has duplicated the white
on black look of old Grecian pottery. Her line is minimal and fluid ,
and her naturalistic, pre-steroid sense of anatomical porportion is a
refreshing alternative to the “L.H. Art/Eric Stanton” types of
amazon women. ( Variety is the spice of life … )
This is a little charmer of a book , especially for fans of tall,
strong women. There’s no explicit sex , but if you use your
imagination , this book is full of subtley suggestive passages. In
fact , there’s more sensuality and romance in Evslin’s text than there
is in a lot of the x-rated amazon fiction I’ve read. ( Also, I notice
that the x-rated stuff is more impact intensive … ).
How To Find It?
I found my copy in a remainder stack at a local bookstore. Used
bookstores file it in their Mythology section. However – you can read
it for free ! I’ve seen “Heraclea” in my local library – in the Young
Adults section! So, if you think you can borrow it with a straight
face , do it , and enjoy!
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