Thessaly, 2: The Philosopher Kings (Hardcover)

from Sunyidean

The Philosopher Kings by Jo Walton My rating: 4 of 5 stars Clever and detailed, not to mention elegantly written, but ultimately the narrative is constrained by the very strictures it sets out to explore and (I felt) a little lacking in emotional depth, despite being in first person. I have a ...

from ehines

I didn't really think a follow-up was necessary. Or even advisable. But Walton being Walton, she pulls it of quite well. Not nearly as much a philosophical novel as the first. In the first novel setting up the scenario--the Gods decide to give Plato's Republic a go, with volunteers and, essential...

from

I was amazed by what Walton managed to pull off in The Just City. I can't imagine how she managed to convince a publisher to do a book that basically a extended set of debates about Plato's vision of a perfect society, but it worked, except for the conclusion that just scattered all the pieces. T...

from Herenya

This sequel to The Just City is set twenty years later. The city has splintered into multiple communities, all with different ideas of how best to structure a society in accordance with Plato's Republic. And unlike the early years of the city, they no longer have the assistance of Athena nor of m...

from cissa

I am apparently the odd one out, since I have not yet read "Just City" (it lurks in the depths of Mount TBR at the moment). Despite clearly missing all that background, though, this is an engaging and effective tale. There are enough references to important incidents in the first book that a savv...