Herc

DEBUT Rogerson’s first novel is a fresh retelling of the story of Hercules, son of Zeus, told in a new way. Rather than focused upon Hercules himself, this title showcases the people who knew him throughout his life. In pieced-together narratives, Hercules’s family, friends, enemies, and lovers share their part in the story of the demigod. The narrative is coherent despite being told from various contradictory perspectives. His lover Hylas remembers him as a hero, while his wife Megara recalls him in a less favorable light. By weaving together his life from the voices of those who knew him, the author breathes life into the side-characters of the Hercules myth who have been otherwise left in the shadows of the great demigod’s story. Rogerson succeeds in giving each narrator a fleshed-out characterization and a distinct voice. And though readers never hear directly from Hercules himself, he becomes a more complex character through their stories.