''Last of the Amazons'' is a 2002 novel by

Steven Pressfield Steven Pressfield (born September 1, 1943) is an American author of historical fiction, non-fiction, and screenplays, including his 1995 novel ''The Legend of Bagger Vance'' and 2002 non-fiction book '' The War of Art''. Early life Pressfie ...

that recounts the legend of

Theseus Theseus (, ; grc-gre, Θησεύς ) was the mythical king and founder-hero of Athens. The myths surrounding Theseus his journeys, exploits, and friends have provided material for fiction throughout the ages. Theseus is sometimes describe ...

and the

Amazons In Greek mythology, the Amazons (Ancient Greek: Ἀμαζόνες ''Amazónes'', singular Ἀμαζών ''Amazōn'', via Latin ''Amāzon, -ŏnis'') are portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends, such as the Labours of Hercules, ...

, set before the threshold of recorded history, a generation before the

Trojan War In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and has ...

. The novel's theme is the conflict between the nascent

Greek civilization The culture of Greece has evolved over thousands of years, beginning in Minoan civilization, Minoan and later in Mycenaean Greece, continuing most notably into Classical Greece, while influencing the Roman Empire and its successor the Byzantine ...

and the savage but free Amazons of the Eastern steppes, between men and women, and between love and hate.Alt URL
/ref> The novel covers Theseus's travels to the lands of the Amazons, his elopement with their war queen Antiope, and the war pursued by the Amazons to recover their queen and honor, which leads them to the walls of Athens and to eventual oblivion as a people. Most of the story is told through a series of interlocked flashbacks and recollections by an Athenian girl, Bones; her governess, the captive Amazon Selene; and Bones's uncle Damon, Selene's lover. In 2002, the year of its publication, the novel was

optioned In the film industry, an option is a contractual agreement pertaining to film rights between a potential film producer (such as a movie studio, a production company, or an individual) and the author of source material, such as a book, play, or s ...

for adaptation as a feature film by

James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...

, but nothing eventually came of it.

References

2002 American novels American historical novels Novels set in ancient Greece Works about women in war {{2000s-hist-novel-stub