Wearing the Lion
by John Wiswell

Reviewed by Galen Strickland
Posted July 7, 2025

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This book is about Heracles, the Greek demi-god of strength, in most aspects the same hero as the one the Romans called Hercules. His story has been told multiple times, with slight variations, with Wiswell taking it in other directions. I have not read much of either the Greek or Roman myths, and the little I have was decades ago. I recall Edith Hamilton's Mythology, which may have been an abridged version from a children's book club. Everything else, other than vague memories of Homer or some of the Greek plays, is from other media, all of which took liberties with the characters and stories. Heracles, whose birth name was Alcides, was the son of Zeus, King of the Greek pantheon on Mount Olympus. His mother was the human Alcmene, who gave birth to another son at the same time, but Iolaus' father was Alcmene's husband Amphitryon. In this book, Iolaus grows up to be the epitome of what everyone thinks of when they think of Heracles/Hercules. Tall, broad-shouldered, muscular, whereas Heracles is shorter, thin of limb, and pot-bellied, which is what mystifies everyone later when he performs his feats of strength and endurance.

Having little knowledge of previous versions, I can't say if this is unique in its humor, bawdiness, and profanity. Hera, Zeus' wife, uses the F-word a lot, along with almost every mention of Zeus being "my dipshit husband." Zeus favored Heracles, claiming he would become King of All He Surveyed, which infuriated Hera. One of the major things she objected to was the name bestowed on Alcides, since Heracles means "Hera's Glory." She did not want to be associated with Zeus' bastard child. The Twelve Labors were imposed on Heracles after he killed his sons, impelled to do so from a curse sent by Hera. In this book she sends one of the furies, one of the Gorgons, but her intent was for Heracles to die, not anyone else in his family. She wanted Heracles' name to be tarnished, for his memory to be reviled forevermore, mainly as a punishment for Zeus. Heracles had been a devoted follower of his "Auntie Hera," praying to her multiple times a day. He implores her to reveal the cause of the madness that took the lives of his sons. He accepted the punishments of the Labors as his due, but instead of defeating the Lion of Nemea, the Hydra of Lerna, the Ceryneian Hind, or the Erymanthian Boar, he befriended them instead. They became his found family, which he needed because he had destroyed his real family. I am sure the Boar in this book is unlike in any other version, but I won't elaborate.

I won't reveal much more at all, but recommend this book enthusiatically. Heracles inspired many imitators, some of them probably wanting to take the spotlight away from him and claim glory for themselves, while others wanted to distract the gods who they think are trying to destroy Heracles. Even when he is forced to accept the truth of the source of his crime, Heracles still embraces his guilt. After all, he must have been unworthy if he had displeased Hera. He forgives Hera, as his wife Megara had forgiven him. I don't think he ever forgave himself.

Related Link:
Wiswell's first novel, the award-winning Someone You Can Build a Nest In.

 

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