Salammbô (English)
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Publisher Description
Salammbô (1862) is a historical novel by Gustave Flaubert. It is set in Carthage during the 3rd century BC, immediately before and during the Mercenary Revolt which took place shortly after the First Punic War. Flaubert's main source was Book I of Polybius's Histories. It was not a particularly well-studied period of history and required a great deal of work from the author, who enthusiastically left behind the realism of his masterpiece Madame Bovary for this melodramatic, blood-soaked tale.
The book, which Flaubert researched painstakingly, is largely an exercise in sensuous and violent exoticism. Following the success of Madame Bovary, it was another best-seller and sealed his reputation. The Carthaginian costumes described in it even left traces on the fashions of the time. Nevertheless, in spite of its classic status in France, it is not widely known today among English speakers.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Druillet offers a new science-fictional take on Flaubert's 1862 protoheroic story involving the Punic Wars, creating a staggeringly vibrant but roundabout tale. In a cosmic landscape, Sloane betrays and kills his own crew aboard his space ship while looking for his friend Yearl. Sloane then finds himself in Carthage, hoping to conquer it after glimpsing the face of the beautiful Salammb , sacred virgin of the city. After interrupting a feast where Salammb is present, Sloane becomes involved in a war between unpaid mercenaries and their employers in Carthage that ultimately leads to both his and Salammb 's deaths. But the returning Yearl promises future resurrection. Despite Druillet's eye-catching use of high-contrast colors and masterfully intricate line work, the story is unfortunately marred by wordiness and excesses of world-building. The intricacy of Flaubert's original plot is lost and often unreadable due to the sheer volume of information and needless story components. Though visually stunning, this book ends up at war over the importance of detail and accessibility.
