≡ PDF Free The Just City Thessaly Book 1 eBook Jo Walton

The Just City Thessaly Book 1 eBook Jo Walton

Download As PDF : The Just City Thessaly Book 1 eBook Jo Walton

The Just City Thessaly Book 1 eBook Jo Walton

Plato's Republic described his perfect city. He called it The Just City. But it was just a philosophical 'what if'. Until now. In this book, Apollo wishes to learn why a certain mortal, Daphne, would rather be turned into a tree than have sex with him. Somehow he can't seem to grasp humanity. In order to understand that, Apollo decides to live a mortal life - from beginning to end. And he convinces Athene to be a part of the experiment. Because he doesn't just want to live a mortal life - he wants to live the best possible mortal life. And to do that he needs Plato's Just City.

Set on the island of Thera in the Mediterranean a few hundred years before the volcano explodes, Athena gathers 10,000 10 year olds from various times (Some of this will be familiar to those who have read The Republic. Fear not if you haven't though because through conversations among the characters, you will understand the why of these numbers) and about 300 masters (again this will make sense. But essentially the masters are famous and non-famous people from throughout time who prayed to Athene) to teach the children. And of course one of the children is Apollo who retains all his memories but none of his powers. Will the city succeed? Or will Plato be proved wrong? And will Apollo learn why Daphne rejected him?

The Just City is a great story full of lots of details from antiquity and the Renaissance, and is of course full of lots of philosophical debates. Debates that will continue in the sequel, The Philosopher Kings. This is the kind of book that will make you want to learn more about ancient Greek history and culture. It might even make you seek out arete.


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The Just City Thessaly Book 1 eBook Jo Walton Reviews

An interesting perspective on Plato's perfect republic Athena, goddess of wisdom, gathers people from different times and places around the world on a secluded island, to help her with an experiment build Plato's republic as it is described in the famous writing. We witness the birth of the actual city though the eyes of Apollo (who is living as a normal child, having given up his immortality for this life), Simmea, an ugly brilliant slave girl and Maya, a Victorian scholar who gets a shot at her dream life, free of the harsh reality of being a woman in her time. The reality of actually building Plato's republic, the questions, the numbers, the choices, the things unsaid, the discrepancies- all create a wonderful captivating story. And the arrival of Sokrates and his questioning even the robots - brilliantly done.
Another home run by Jo Walton. I highly recommend the book, the following has some spoilers though many are contained in the book cover, if you dont like any spoilers this might be a good place to stop reading. The basic plot line is explained elsewhere, but Athena populates her city with 300 masters (generally philosophers thru history) who will serve as teachers for over 10,000 10 yr olds (bought in slave markets around the Med). As the cover mentions once someone is in the just city they can leave only by death or by being a god. Good discussion on slavery and robots who become sentient. We see the way views changed thru the centuries from the Masters. Also is Plato's Republic a good blueprint for a utopia (I think one is forced to concede no unless we really want to turn over everything to the elites-most of the children are assigned (condemned) as irons or manual labor. That is those children fortunate enough to make it past being exposed for not being good enough at birth. Socrates is rescued at death (unhappy also since he had already made his decision to drink hemlock) and has an interesting debate with Athena who eventually admits that she is not sure how the just city will work out and in will need to be enacted or tried out to see what happens kind of like Nancy Pelosi -- we have to pass it to see what it will be like. So I guess the gods are no better than our current flock of politicians. Anyway a lot of good thought in this book, and true to its Socratic roots, not so much answers as questions this book is well worth the read and I have already bought, though not read, the second one in the series
Jaw-dropping. It delighted me, made me laugh out loud, and chilled me down to the core. A truly extraordinary work of fantasy, badly underrated. However, it may be the case that the ideal reader does need a substantial Classical education. The more you know about ancient philosophers (not just doctrines, but personalities), the more you will get out of this remarkable novel.

Trigger warning one of the central themes is autonomy, and one of the ways in which the abrogation of autonomy is explored is rape, which is repeated and pervasive in the novel. May not be appropriate for victims.
Plato's Republic described his perfect city. He called it The Just City. But it was just a philosophical 'what if'. Until now. In this book, Apollo wishes to learn why a certain mortal, Daphne, would rather be turned into a tree than have sex with him. Somehow he can't seem to grasp humanity. In order to understand that, Apollo decides to live a mortal life - from beginning to end. And he convinces Athene to be a part of the experiment. Because he doesn't just want to live a mortal life - he wants to live the best possible mortal life. And to do that he needs Plato's Just City.

Set on the island of Thera in the Mediterranean a few hundred years before the volcano explodes, Athena gathers 10,000 10 year olds from various times (Some of this will be familiar to those who have read The Republic. Fear not if you haven't though because through conversations among the characters, you will understand the why of these numbers) and about 300 masters (again this will make sense. But essentially the masters are famous and non-famous people from throughout time who prayed to Athene) to teach the children. And of course one of the children is Apollo who retains all his memories but none of his powers. Will the city succeed? Or will Plato be proved wrong? And will Apollo learn why Daphne rejected him?

The Just City is a great story full of lots of details from antiquity and the Renaissance, and is of course full of lots of philosophical debates. Debates that will continue in the sequel, The Philosopher Kings. This is the kind of book that will make you want to learn more about ancient Greek history and culture. It might even make you seek out arete.