Author: Matthew L. Hunter
Published by iUniverse
ISBN: 0-595-34321-X

The following review was contributed by: *Mary Simmons:  Click Here To Read More Of  Mary's Reviews

Tackling some of today's most pressing issues through an ancient story,
'Jason and Medea: A Whirlwind of Ruin' tells a tale of love, adventure and
violence against a backdrop of philosophy and mythology.

Author Matthew L. Hunter prefaces his novel by acknowledging that many
readers will already be familiar with his title characters through film,
television and opera. He says the full myth is a dark tragedy, which he has
used to explore predestination, personal responsibility, racism, sexism,
crime, violence and ethics.

The book certainly delves into these murky waters, giving the reader a
chance to see humanity at its ugliest, most passionate and most loving.
Innocent men, women and children are murdered and betrayed while sympathetic
characters are the perpetrators of these crimes.
In a format Hunter calls a mind-play or a film to run behind the eyes,
'Jason and Medea' follows in the footsteps of the great Greek plays which
made the story famous.

Expanding on the substance of the myth - wherein Jason and his Argonauts
journey to Colchis to retrieve the Golden Fleece and win back the kingdom of
Iolcus from Jason's Uncle Pelias, which he ultimately succeeds in doing with
the help of Medea - Hunter fleshes out the tale in a way that allows readers
to come to their own conclusions about what motivates the characters in
their actions.

Full of adventure and intrigue, 'Jason and Medea' will bring different
reactions from different readers. As a woman, I was fascinated by the female
characters of Polymede, Hypsipyle, Chalciope and, of course, Medea. Hunter
explores their position as women in their time and expresses their feelings
eloquently.

This does not mean the male characters were any less fascinating to me -
they were, but in a less identifiable way. In his sexist, conceited
attitudes, Jason is a true egotist, who is always motivated to act for his
own selfish gain, whereas Medea lives for the man she loves, doing anything
to further his cause, even if it means hurting her other loved ones. When
his selfishness becomes evident to her, she still reacts in response to him,
choosing to kill his children and hurt him in the worst possible way rather
than choosing happiness for herself.

Once you get into the rhythm of the mind-play, you will be entranced by the
title characters and the supporting cast in this epic adventure. Without
trying to modernize the story or capitalize on and sensationalize its
violent aspects, Hunter hits on some key issues faced by every generation.
It will leave you wondering what you are capable of doing if placed in
severe circumstances.

Without hesitation, I recommend you get reacquainted with this tragic
romantic couple, Jason and Medea, as told in this version by Matthew Hunter.