TITLE: The Warrior’s Pilgrimage (The Adventures of Remus, Book 1)
AUTHOR: Frank Schildiner
103 pages, Frank Schildiner (publisher), ASIN B08RZDG9K6 (Kindle, print release forthcoming)
DESCRIPTION: (from Goodreads): In the days before the rise of Rome, two mighty champions of mankind appeared among the ancient tribes of Latinium. Their names: Romulus and Remus. Only half of their story remains. The true tale of the forgotten twin, Remus, is one of power, slavery, horror, and heroism. Remus shall battle warriors, horrors from the days of ancient myths, and a giant from the mysterious lands of the East. THE WARRIOR'S PILGRIMAGE tells the first story of Remus, the lost brother of King Romulus of Rome. All profits from this book shall St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for the treatment of pediatric cancer.
MY RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
MY THOUGHTS: Frank Schildiner’s love of the sword-and-sandal genre is clearly on display in the first book of this planned series focusing on the exploits of Remus, the oft-forgotten twin brother of the founder of Rome. Schildiner has crafted a loving tribute to the Italian Peplum film genre of the 1950s and 1960s (personified by Steve Reeves), the Ray Harryhausen stop-motion fantasy films of the 1970s and 1980s, and the Roman mythology upon which those films were based.
As a novella, this “origin” story for Schildiner’s version of Remus is action-packed, moving from one fight to another, from one minor menace to another, with the speed of the movies it is emulating. The fight scenes are wonderfully written and varied in length and in adversaries. But the book isn’t all fights. There is plenty of time for Remus to be introspective, questioning why his personality and goals differ so from his older twin and what his role in the world is if not to be co-ruler of a new nation.
Remus is guided on his path, in the very best Harryhausen tradition, by representatives of the gods – in this case primarily priestesses of Athena and Hecate. The priestesses have abilities granted to them by their patrons but are also constrained in what they can accomplish themselves, which is where Remus comes in. And of course, there’s always the question of whether the priestesses’ agendas match what their patron deities want.
The classic elements of the Romulus and Remus myth are all here: a pre-birth prophecy about their greatness sentences them to death by abandonment. They are rescued by a shepherd, raised unaware of their regal origins. Remus is taken as a prisoner by the local king the brothers are destined to overthrow, is rescued by his brother, and then the brothers fight, and Remus is killed.
But Schildiner tweaks the classic elements to fit the type of story he’s telling. Instead of being suckled by a she-wolf before being rescued and raised by shepherds, the twins are rescued quickly and adopted by a human community separated into animal clans that include wolves and horses. Romulus and Remus are trained in different philosophies within the same community, leading to Remus being more peaceful and thoughtful (but not a pacifist) and Romulus being more confrontational and emotional. It’s no surprise that their differing personalities, along with the prompting of gods and adopted parents, lead to a parting of the ways.
Schildiner spends a fair amount of time showing us Remus’ gladiatorial enslavement before confronting the biggest problem with making Remus the hero of his own story. The classic Romulus and Remus myth usually ends with the brothers disagreeing about how Rome will be ruled and Romulus killing (in some cases, “sacrificing”) his brother for the good of the Empire (or just because he’s an egotistical, controlling ass). Schildiner’s inventive twist on this moment occurs about halfway through the novella, allowing his Remus to continue beyond the traditional myth and hopefully have many more adventures through the growing Latin world and beyond.
During his enslavement, Remus is trained by a group of women warriors with ties to the Amazons of legend. They sadly disappear from the story once Romulus rescues Remus from the arena. I really hope we’ll see them again and learn more of their history in future installments. Or maybe they’ll get a novella or two of their own. The priestesses are equally intriguing, their agendas pushing Remus towards being something greater than he could have imagined.
Through the priestesses, Schildiner makes it clear that while Remus has the potential to be a force for good in the world, there’s no whiff of Destiny to be smelled. Schildiner neatly challenges the “chosen one” trope: Remus isn’t the only tool in the gods’ arsenal, and if he falls there will be someone else to do what needs to be done to judge the world towards safety and away from chaos. It’s a refreshing twist on an over-used trope.
Schildiner’s Remus combines the larger-than-life physicality of Peplum-era Hercules, Maciste, Ursus, and Goliath, with the thoughtful leadership of Harryhausen’s Jason, Perseus, and Sinbad. His supporting cast of strong women and comical sidekicks, series of brutish controlling antagonists, and intermittently involved gods enhance the story.
In short, A Warrior’s Pilgrimage is a great start to a hopefully long series of adventures set in the classical world, perfect for lovers of Roman mythology, Peplum or Harryhausen movies, or solid adventure tales with supernatural elements.