A Hero’s Welcome (Heroes of Troy) by Daniel Kelly takes us back to the days of Homer and the greatest of all Greek battles, the 10-year siege, and the eventual destruction of Troy. Troy has fallen but some of the valiant defenders -- Achilles, Hector, and the son of Priam, Aeneas -- have escaped the destruction and are leading a small group away from Troy, seeking a sanctuary where they can rebuild and ultimately seek their revenge for the destruction of their civilization. The victorious King Agamemnon is just desperate to return home to his wife and children in Mycenae, who he has not seen for ten long years. Caught in a violent storm, Agamemnon and a few men are shipwrecked and must somehow find their way home. Back in Mycaenea, though, trouble is brewing for the returning, conquering hero. Queen Clytemnestra has taken a lover, Aegisthus, son of the previous king, who has sworn to destroy Agamemnon and wipe his family line from the pages of history. The scene is set for a bloody and ruthless battle for power, as all these forces head for a date with destiny.

A Hero’s Welcome (Heroes of Troy) is truly a Greek tragedy of an epic nature. Author Daniel Kelly has created a cast of characters composed of many of the mythical figures of Greek tragedy and takes them on a journey that will captivate readers from start to finish. I particularly enjoyed the differing arcs the story took, focusing not just on Agememnon’s journey back to his homeland, but also on the refugees from Troy seeking a new home, Clytemnestra’s treachery, and Oreste’s (Agamemnon's son) ascent to manhood and the test of his courage. There is plenty of fast-paced action and blood and gore for the action junkie looking for his fix and yet, like all great Greek tales, the heart of this story is about love – love of homeland, love of family, and a deep, passionate love of the heroic nature of Greek men of the time. I did enjoy the close camaraderie and loyalty of the soldiers for their leaders and their king. There is an innate lesson to be learned from this story about the values that Greeks, especially held so dearly – courage, blind loyalty, family, the concept of the “greater good”, and brotherly love between soldiers. Like all good tragedies, some good men must die but ultimately, we shall see the power of good over evil triumph despite the inherent weakness of human nature. This is a cracking good read, one I enjoyed immensely and one I can highly recommend.

A Hero's Welcome (Heroes of Troy) by Daniel Kelly is a captivating story for fans that enjoy tales of ancient Greece and legendary narratives. I have read many tales of Troy and I am a fan of the Netflix series, Troy, and this novel got me fascinated with the characters and engrossed in the plot. This story is the sequel to The Fall of the Phoenix and it follows compelling historical characters after the fall of Troy. With the fall of Troy, everyone follows a unique path: Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae, faces the rough tides of the seas on his return home, is stranded with his crew, and has to travel a treacherous path. After being away for ten years, will he reunite with his wife, Clytemnestra, and his children? Priam, the King of Troy, and the survivors of the war are on a desperate journey, intent on destroying the Greeks. Aeneas leads the refugees in the hope of finding safety after the fall of Troy, but Achilles’ son, Pyrrhus, who never had the opportunity to join the war, is out to prove himself by tracking down the remnants of Troy's survivors and destroying them. Will Odysseus be fast enough to warn the refugees and to provide the protection they need?

Daniel Kelly brings to live historical and legendary characters that readers will love, and amongst them, stands tall the figure of Agamemnon, a great king and fighter; a man who deeply cares about his people, even his slave, Cassandra, whom he is desperate to save when she is in grave danger. The writing is gorgeous, the plot is written with ingenuity, and the characters are complex and real. The author weaves themes of intrigue, the quest for power, survival, politics, and love into the story in a way that keeps the reader following the characters and the paths they take. This is an imaginative rendition of the aftermath of Troy, a story that explores the paths of heroes of the war. Agamemnon is the central character and readers will love to follow his path back to his city and to his wife. It is surprisingly engaging and set in a world that will excite readers; the story is filled with action and suspense, with moments that are emotionally tense and a denouement that reflects the author’s masterly craft. A Hero's Welcome (Heroes of Troy) is the work of pure genius and an engrossing narrative with excellent writing and characters that readers think about long after putting the story down.

A Hero's Welcome is yet another enthralling installment in the Heroes of Troy series written by Daniel Kelly. After fighting for a decade in the war against Troy, Agamemnon and his surviving men brave turbulent seas to return home to Mycenae. However, his wife Clytemnestra has other plans as she has taken Agamemnon's old enemy Aegisthus as a lover, who seeks to ambush Agamemnon upon his arrival. She also banishes his loyal guards from the fortress and sends their son Orestes to Sparta, where he finds his betrothed, Hermione. Unbeknownst to Clytemnestra, Aegisthus sends assassins after Orestes to eliminate Agamemnon's lineage. Meanwhile, Aeneas and the last remaining refugees of Troy seek a place to recuperate. Amongst them are two men named Remus and Romulus, whose true identities must remain hidden.

Daniel Kelly's rendition of the aftermath of the battle of Troy on its heroes and villains is compelling and entertaining. Each character in the story oozes personality, and their conflicting emotions make them all the more captivating. Agamemnon feels like a real war veteran who is as capable of crushing a man's skull with his hammer as feeling hurt by a slave's rebuke. The plot moves quickly, and multiple POV characters portray the various factions involved in the narrative. The action scenes are described in vivid detail, and they paint quite a picture, making for plenty of thrilling moments. Anyone interested in Greek mythology and the repercussions of the Trojan war on some of its key players should check out A Hero's Welcome.