The anger of Achilles
(Book)

1190 BCE. Lyrnessus lies in blazing ruins. Achilles' Myrmidon army is in occupation supported by those of King Odysseus and Prince Aias. Only one person of royal blood has survived the onslaught - Princess Briseis. The princess has aroused Aias' lust and faces either dishonor or death. When Odysseus convinces Achilles to step in and stop Aias abusing her, Briseis accuses the Myrmidon general of conquering her city through treachery. Outraged by the slur on his unquestioned reputation, Achilles turns to Odysseus. The cunning King of Ithaka agrees to discover whether there is any truth in the princess' accusations and, if there is, who is really guilty of the treason which made the city fall. Odysseus must complete his mission within four days while the funeral rites for the royal dead are performed; a time limit dictated by the Trojan ally Prince Sarpedon, who will arrive with his vast army to annihilate them all in five days' time. Odysseus enlists the help of Brieis herself only to find that the more they uncover, the greater their deadly danger becomes: the mysterious murderer who has already slaughtered Lyrnessus' royal house as he betrayed the city is watching them in secret and will stop at nothing to cover his bloodstained tracks.