First published 2007
At the Hissarlik excavation site in late 19th century Turkey, the enigmatic archaeologist Obermann drives his team to unearth fragments of an ancient past each day. Despite skepticism from fellow scholars, Obermann remains convinced he is uncovering the ruins of Troy itself. His powerful imagination reconstructs the legendary city piece by piece as he digs through the arid landscape. Meanwhile, his wife Sophia begins discovering hidden aspects of her husband's own past. As the excavation progresses, both historical truth and fictional reconstruction blur together in dangerous ways. The archaeological team faces harsh elements and Obermann's tyrannical leadership, but the greatest challenge comes when each person must confront what they refuse to see. Some discoveries suggest that Troy was not the Homeric city Obermann imagines, inhabited by very different people than the Greek heroes of legend. As illusions crumble, the team will not emerge unscathed from their encounter with Troy's legacy.
Genres: fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, archaeology, 19th-century, academia
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, thought-provoking
Tropes: unreliable-narrator
Setting: Hissarlik, Turkey
Period: Late 19th Century
288 pages · Paperback · ISIS Publishing