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Quick answer: If you liked Glorious Exploits, read Madeline Miller's Circe and The Song of Achilles, then A Thousand Ships, Gates of Fire and Small Things Like These. All blend ancient history or myth with warm, human storytelling and a touch of humour.
Ferdia Lennon's 2024 debut is set in ancient Syracuse, where two Irish-voiced potters, Lampo and Gelon, decide to stage a Euripides play with Athenian prisoners from the war. It is funny, tender and raw. The books below offer similar ancient worlds, human voices and stories about art, friendship and war.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circe | Madeline Miller | Adult | witch of the Odyssey |
| The Song of Achilles | Madeline Miller | Adult | Trojan War |
| A Thousand Ships | Natalie Haynes | Adult | women of Troy |
| The Penelopiad | Margaret Atwood | Adult | wit and rage |
| Gates of Fire | Steven Pressfield | Adult | Thermopylae |
| Tides of War | Steven Pressfield | Adult | the Peloponnesian War |
| History of the Peloponnesian War | Thucydides | Adult | ancient account |
| Lysistrata and Other Plays | Aristophanes | Adult | ancient comedy |
| Medea and Other Plays | Euripides | Adult | Greek tragedy |
| Pompeii | Robert Harris | Adult | volcanic disaster |
| Mythos | Stephen Fry | Adult | witty myths |
| Small Things Like These | Claire Keegan | Adult | Irish quiet courage |
| Milkman | Anna Burns | Adult | Troubles-era Belfast |
| The Heart's Invisible Furies | John Boyne | Adult | Irish life |
| Hamnet | Maggie O'Farrell | Adult | historical grief |
1. Circe by Madeline Miller
The goddess Circe tells her story from exile to power. Lush and thoughtful.
Best for: witch of the Odyssey.
2. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Patroclus tells the story of his love for Achilles. Lyrical and heartbreaking.
Best for: Trojan War.
3. A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
The women of the Trojan War tell their own stories. Witty and sharp.
Best for: women of Troy.
4. The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
Penelope tells the Odyssey from the underworld. Short and sharp.
Best for: wit and rage.
5. Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield
A surviving squire tells the story of the 300 Spartans. Vivid and harsh.
Best for: Thermopylae.
6. Tides of War by Steven Pressfield
A novel of the war between Athens and Sparta. Dense and fascinating.
Best for: the Peloponnesian War.
7. History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides
The war between Athens and Sparta, told by a participant. Essential background.
Best for: ancient account.
8. Lysistrata and Other Plays by Aristophanes
Women stage a sex strike to end a war. Bawdy and funny.
Best for: ancient comedy.
9. Medea and Other Plays by Euripides
Euripides' most famous tragedy and others. Powerful and brisk.
Best for: Greek tragedy.
10. Pompeii by Robert Harris
An engineer in the Roman Empire faces the eruption of Vesuvius. Fast and clever.
Best for: volcanic disaster.
11. Mythos by Stephen Fry
Fry retells the Greek myths in a warm, funny voice. A good primer.
Best for: witty myths.
12. Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan
A coal merchant in 1985 Ireland discovers a secret and must act. Short, spare and powerful.
Best for: Irish quiet courage.
13. Milkman by Anna Burns
A young woman is stalked in a divided city. Unusual, funny and sharp.
Best for: Troubles-era Belfast.
14. The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
Cyril Avery's life is followed over seven decades. Funny and moving.
Best for: Irish life.
15. Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell
Shakespeare's family and the death of his son. Lyrical and moving.
Best for: historical grief.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Glorious Exploits: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For myth retellings choose Circe, The Song of Achilles or A Thousand Ships. For Greek history and drama pick Thucydides, Aristophanes or Euripides. For military fiction read Gates of Fire or Tides of War. For Irish voices try Small Things Like These or Milkman. Glorious Exploits is funny and moving, so these picks suit readers who like humour and humanity in history. The novel's idea is based on an ancient story, recorded by Plutarch, that Athenian prisoners in Syracuse were freed by reciting Euripides, which gives the book a real historical hook. If you enjoyed the humour of Glorious Exploits, A Thousand Ships and Mythos are the closest in tone. If you wanted more history, Thucydides and Pressfield fill in the background. If you loved the Irish voice, Claire Keegan and John Boyne offer more. Audiobooks are a great way to enjoy the narrator's voice. Short, chatty chapters make this novel a good choice for readers who find historical fiction heavy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Glorious Exploits about?
Two Syracusan potters stage a Euripides play using Athenian prisoners.
Who wrote it?
Ferdia Lennon.
When was it published?
2024.
Is it a comedy?
Yes, with moving moments.
Is it historical fiction?
Yes, set after the Athenian defeat in Sicily.
Do I need to know Greek drama?
No, but it adds enjoyment.
Is the narration modern?
Yes, the characters speak in a lively, colloquial voice.
What should I read next?
Try Circe or A Thousand Ships.
Do I need to know Greek tragedy?
No. The book explains what you need, and the story is about friendship and survival.
Is the ending sad?
It is moving and bittersweet.
Is Glorious Exploits a good book club pick?
Yes, it raises questions about art, war and friendship.
Is the humour dark?
It is warm and earthy, with some dark moments.
Is Glorious Exploits historical fiction?
Yes, set in ancient Sicily after Athens' disastrous campaign.