In ancient Greece and across the Mediterranean, kingdoms strive for dominance. The great powers of Carthage and Egypt look on with avarice as the might of the Greeks is spent warring between themselves, oblivious to external dangers.

In ancient Greece, where myths and legends intertwine with reality, the sacred grounds of Olympia become the stage for an epic tale of honor, betrayal, and redemption. When young Pelops, a priest devoted to peace, rescues wounded soldier Koroibos from a battlefield, their unlikely friendship sets in motion events that will change the course of history.
 

The Gods demanded blood. He gave them a game.

Experience the legendary birth of the Olympic Games in this stunning new Illustrated Edition, featuring exclusive artwork by Ekaterina Mironova.

Greece, 776 B.C.E. The land is drowning in the blood of civil war. Brother fights brother, and the whims of the gods dictate the rise and fall of kings.

Pelops is a man apart. The son of a warrior-priest, he was born to kill but chooses to heal. Rejecting the sword, he devotes his life to the peaceful sanctuary of Olympia. But peace is a fragile thing in a world ruled by steel.

When a brutal ambush shatters his sanctuary and steals the woman he loves, Pelops is forced into a conflict he tried desperately to avoid. He cannot outfight the Spartan armies or the Carthaginian raiders—but he can challenge them.

To save his friends and unite a fractured nation, Pelops must engineer a new kind of battle. One fought not on the battlefield, but on the track. One where the prize isn't land or gold, but honor.

Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles, Steven Pressfield’s Gates of Fire, and anyone who loves history brought vividly to life.