Alexander and the Butcher - Softcover

Riker, Chris

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798227573780

Publisher: Chris Riker, 2024

Synopsis

Ambitious actor and general horse's ass Matt Wilder dreams of making it big with his latest role, playing Alexander the Great on television in 1963. He's willing to sacrifice his friends, his morals, even his family for stardom. All he needs is a little magic. He visits a sketchy seer whom he calls Frau Bonkers. She agrees to send him back to meet and study the real Alexander.

Matt figures it's a quick trip. He figures wrong.

Matt finds himself in the body of a slave named Sophos, caught in the middle of an ancient battle. He must use his wits and dubious training as an actor just to survive. He quickly demands to return to the life he knew. On the other end of the time tunnel, however, Frau Bonkers has passed out drunk. He is trapped in 331 BC Persia.

Matt finds support in his brother-in-law and fellow slave, Leto. He also dares use knowledge from the future to help advance his goal of getting in the good graces of King Alexander.

His real break comes as he uses his equestrian skills and finds himself riding the greatest horse of all time: Bucephalus. Impressed with Sophos/Matt's handling of Bucephalus, Alexander enlists Matt to fight at Gaugamela.

The two men forge a love-hate relationship. At turns, Alexander is charming, even seductive, then just as suddenly cruel and narcissistic. After accidentally maiming Bucephalus, Alexander orders Sophos/Matt to act as his butcher and kill the proud animal. Sophos/Matt embarks on a series of choices and adventures which will cost him dearly. He will be a prisoner, a lover, a king, and both witness to and shaper of history.

ALEXANDER AND THE BUTCHER follows the history we know, but cleaves much closer to Alexander the man than any dusty text dares. If he can survive, Matt will learn hard, visceral lessons about his hero and himself.

About this title

About the Author

CHRIS RIKER is a father, author, and journalist. He grew up in Rhode Island and now makes his home in Georgia with his wife, Ping. He has always loved books, from science fiction and fantasy to historical novels and biographies. Building on a background in broadcast news, including a five-year stint at CNNI, he is now focused on telling stories with strong characters and moral resonance. Chris Riker's premiere novel, Come the Eventide, focuses on a world after the fall of civilization and a dolphin named Muriel who is trying to save mankind from extinction. It is available now on Amazon and Audible. His second novel, Zebulon Angell and the Shadow Army, follows a hard-living Uber driver from Atlanta who happens upon a sex pill, leading to intrigues and adventures that take him inside the haunted tomb of China's first emperor. Goody Celeste offers a trip back to the summer of 1969, as a beautiful young witch named Cece helps a teen Paul and his friends learn about life and confront a dangerous stranger. He has a number of FREE short stories on his own site.

Edition details

• Publisher: Chris Riker
• Publication date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798227573780
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 302