Well, while I`m in the process of writing a Tom Holt Biography (me and my big mouth), I thought I may as well review this as it`s the only currently listed Tom Holt without a review, and I for one have no idea why as it`s a cracking read.. Let me explain further (but first I`d like to point out this will only be a short review most of the points about this series I`ve already made in my Walled Orchard Review, So I really recommend reading that one too, So I didn`t just want this review to be a rehash of that one)..

Actually before I do that, I should point out if you have a newer edition of "The Walled Orchard" you already have Goatsong as the two books where combined (they where intended to be one book in the begining but you know how these publishers can be.)

So depending on the versions you have this is the prequel to the story "The Walled Orchard". And as stated in my Walled Orchard Review this is Holt at his funny, tragic, somewhat off-the-wall best, this is absolutely delightful, whether it`s read alone, or directly before reading the second there's no denying this is pure quality

The story is narrated by Eupolis of Pallene, comic playwright in Athens at the time of Aristophenes, Pericles, Euripedes etc. He is a waspish old man, full of snide remarks about the great men of the time, the Athenians in general, democracy, Thucidides, and anything else that comes to mind.

Born 38 years after the battle of Salamis established Athens as the preeminent Greek power, Eupolis spends his youth mainly in the company of his father's goats working as a goatherd, and this is the story of his boyhood, where from age nine onward, he warbles childish poems to these animals, and even writes a play called The Goats in honor of its chorus and first audience. It's also a story of his growing up, his remarkable marriage, and his life as a writer of comic verse in Athens. It is hilariously funny, ghastly grim, trag
ic, and a delightful experience. Holt really puts you back in the Athens of the period his view of one of Western history's greatest periods is hard-edged and debunking, although leavened with irony and also suprisingly a love story (that of Eupolis and his bad-tempered wife Phaedra.) but the tale is so strong, the passion of the piece so prevailant you can almost smell the Athens air. and without giving away too much I really must say The last paragraph is almost perfect as the end of a rambling account by an old teller of tales.

As I said in my review of Walled Orchard this is a book (a series even) that`ll make you laugh so hard you`d be advised to wear a protective girdle. Yet, this book is not all about jokes. Behind the jokes, there's a strong message here, that deals with the absurdity of the Peloponnesian War while giving a powerful insight into the human condition, For me this book is yet another that reafirms that Tom Holt is a genius of a writer.

Also, something I thought of as I was writing this review is It's difficult to read this and "The Walled Orchard" and not have a sneaking suspicion that there really was a Eupolis of Pallene, and that Holt is indeed his reincarnation.