classical names and archaic phrasing that it is actually difficult to read rapidly." The Booklist rates the story as "[a] colorful, vigorous, and outspoken tale that will appeal to masculine readers of the author's historical and science fiction." Don Adrian Davidson calls it "[a] long, well-written, picaresque novel," that "is excepted from the classification of the straight historical novel only by the Conan-like stature of its hero." Robert Coulson, commenting on the Starblaze edition, states that it remains "[g]reat entertainment if you missed it the first time around ... Even if you read it then, the original edition wasn't embellished by Steve Fabian artwork, so you might want this anyway. ... the characters and the wry humor make it entertaining." Notes 1961 American novels Novels by L. Sprague de Camp Novels set in ancient Persia Doubleday (publisher) books Novels set in the 5th century BC