I don’t write fan reviews

Versione in italiano – QUI

I’m not in the habit of writing fan reviews, neither for the books I read nor (and above all) for those on Alexander the Great.

For the books I read because my favorite authors are a handful: Gregory David Roberts, Donna Tartt, Nicholas Guild, Frank Schätzing, Barbara Kingsolver, Tiffany McDaniel and J. R. R. Tolkien. These are the authors of what I consider to be masterpieces and I want to read everything they have published, all the others are a step below.

For those on Alexander the Great it happens that I write enthusiastic reviews but I always try to analyze all the possible elements in detail, because I have set up the site with a more serious approach and I keep the same line for everyone.

For Alexander the Great, I’m not fan of the authors of the novels, but of researchers and academics who highlight new aspects. I’m not a fan of novelists because no matter how much a novel can move me, it’s difficult for it to totally reflect my personal Alexander’s idea and, at least for now I haven’t found any to be one for, but academics because it’s thanks to them that I can deepen, refine and characterize more and more my idea of him. I’m fan in no particular order of Stoneman, Worthington, Heckel, Bosworth, Hammond, Pownall, Romm, Reames, Baynham, Ogden, Borgna, Coloru, Müller, Howe and many others. These people dedicate their lives to studying that period and the characters.

I can’t be a fan of someone who has read some books, maybe even less than me, and writes a book about Alexander the Great. I may like the book and I may even speak well of it, but not being a “fan”, for me it’s something else. At first I wasn’t of this opinion, but then I started reading the essays and discovered many nuances that I didn’t know… and who knows how many more I still have to discover! Reading continues!

However, if someone expected something different, perhaps hoping that I could make exceptions, he would be disappointed. As I have already said many times, Alessandro III di Macedonia was born from my passion for Alexander and Hellenism and I hope to be of help, in my small way, to enthusiasts like me, in finding information and updates.

For the tool to be valid I must try to keep it updated as much as possible and say what I think, because with the truth comes coherence and ease in expressing oneself. I don’t see the point in not being sincere: it doesn’t suit me, I would end up contradicting myself and thus I would lose credibility, because I’d be a weathervane ready to write everything down just to have… what? A free book? Yes, at most that because I don’t get paid for reviews and ads and I never will because it’s not a job, but a passion. But for a free book should I lose credibility and no longer be truthful and consistent with what I think? I do not believe. That’s why I will continue in this direction and continue on my path without being influenced by anyone.