• Age: 10 to 14
• Grade: 5 to 9

Arrow through the Axes concludes the “Odyssey of a Slave” trilogy that began with the Red Maple–nominated Torn from Troy, retelling Homer’s Odyssey. The slave Alexi, now free of his Greek captors, infiltrates the Greek strongholds of the Bronze Age in search of his sister. In so doing he participates in the stories of Orestes, son of Agamemnon, as he seeks revenge for his father’s murder, and of Telemachus, son of Odysseus, who lands on Ithaca, the home island of Odysseus, just in time to witness the arrival of a mysterious stranger. As Alexi comes to understand the damage that the Trojan War has visited upon its victors, both he and the reader are forced to confront an unpleasant truth, while Alexi must decide where his allegiance really lies. Re-casting the Odyssey as a YA adventure, this trilogy brings ancient mythology to life in a way that traditional retellings cannot. We see what life would have been like for Bronze-Age warriors as Bowman interweaves adventure, ritual and historical detail into a realistic and compelling narrative. Readers who have experienced pop mythology, and now want to dive deeper, will find Arrow through the Axes especially satisfying, but all readers will enjoy this powerful excursion into the classic mythology that shaped western culture.

Patrick Bowman was born in Ottawa and grew up in Toronto. After writing software for twenty years, he slipped the corporate bonds to become a full-time children’s author. The trilogy, “Odyssey of a Slave,” grew out of his long-time interest in the Greek classics. Torn from Troy, the first volume in the trilogy, received rave reviews from the schools. Patrick lives in Toronto with his wife and two daughters. For more information about Patrick Bowman and his work, visit patrickbowman.ca.

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• Nominated, Best Books for Kids & Teens