The Persian Boy traces the last years of Alexander's life through the eyes of his lover, Bagoas. Abducted and gelded as a boy, Bagoas is sold as a courtesan to King Darius of Persia, but finds freedom with Alexander the Great after the Macedon army conquers his homeland. Their relationship sustains Alexander as he weathers assassination plots, the demands of two foreign wives, a sometimes mutinous army, and his own ferocious temper. After Alexander's mysterious death, we are left wondering if this Persian boy understood the great warrior and his ambitions better than anyone.
I read it the second time. The first time was some 20 years ago and I lost the copy. The moment I saw it, I picked it up and I am glad I did. None of the sheen has worn off even after so many years. Simple language recounting of the life of Alexander The Great as observed by his chief eunuch boy - Bagoas. It is as much a story of Alexander as it is of the boy from Persia. Well fleshed our characters, well researched history, in-depth details of customs of each region make the book a delight t...