'Mary Renault is a shining light' HILARY MANTEL

'Mary Renault's portraits of the ancient world are fierce, complex and eloquent' MADELINE MILLER

The sequel to The King Must Die. The Bull from the Sea continues the story of the hero Theseus after his return from Crete.

Having freed the city of Athens from the terrible tribute demanded by the ruler of Knossos - the sacrifice of noble youths and maidens to the appetite of the Labyrinth's monster - Theseus has returned home to find his father dead and himself the new king. But his adventures have only just begun: he still must confront the Amazons, capture their queen, Hippolyta, and face the tragic results of Phaedra's jealous rage.

Piecing together fragments of myth and ancient history, this thrilling retelling of the legend of Theseus brings to life a world in which heroes battled monsters and gods strode the earth.

'An important and wonderful writer . . . she set a course into serious-minded, psychologically intense historical fiction that today seems more important than ever' Sam Jordison, Guardian