Aktor uncovers a vast alien control room — the Oculus of Ilion — containing holographic star maps and cryo-pods of beings claiming to be the “gods” who inspired Greek myths. The Aeolians are human collaborators trying to activate a planet-killing device left behind. Aktor leads an underground slave rebellion using scavenged alien tech.
"Slaves of Troy" has become a favorite among intermediate-to-advanced piano students looking to bridge the gap between classical performance and jazz improv. Tim Richards Slaves Of Troy
Slaves of Troy could be Book 1 of the Gods of Bronze trilogy: Aktor uncovers a vast alien control room —
Richards excels at the translation of mythological concepts into hard science fiction. Here is how the magic of the Iliad becomes the tech of Slaves of Troy: Richards excels at the translation of mythological concepts
“March, march, the oar and loom / Weave the shroud inside the tomb / Hector’s son, Astyanax / Thrown from the wall – no turning back.”
Is it okay to betray a friend if it means a child lives? Slaves of Troy asks this question a dozen times. It rejects the heroic "death before dishonor" trope. As Briseis says in the novel’s most famous line: "Honor is a luxury for the well-fed. The hungry only care about tomorrow."
Composed in the style of Tim Richards
(For solo piano or small ensemble – blues-infused, modal, with dramatic shifts)