description Agent of Byzantium Overview
Agent of Byzantium is a 1987 fix-up novel by Harry Turtledove, built from linked stories about Basil Argyros, a secret agent of the Byzantine Empire. It is set in an alternate fourteenth-century history in which Byzantium remains a major power rather than following the historical course that led to its fall, and the stories send Argyros on missions across the empire and neighboring lands. The book is for readers who enjoy espionage plots framed by counterfactual history and Byzantine political culture.
help Agent of Byzantium FAQ
Who is Basil Argyros in Agent of Byzantium?
Basil Argyros is a secret agent serving the Byzantine Empire. The book follows his linked adventures in an alternate fourteenth century where Byzantium remains a major power.
Who wrote Agent of Byzantium?
Harry Turtledove wrote Agent of Byzantium. The 1987 fix-up novel brings together connected stories about Basil Argyros.
What is a fix-up novel?
A fix-up combines previously separate or linked stories into one book with a shared setting or character. Agent of Byzantium uses that structure to build Basil Argyros's larger espionage story.
How does the history in Agent of Byzantium differ from real history?
The premise keeps Byzantium powerful instead of following the historical decline that led to its fall. That change creates a world where a Byzantine secret agent can operate across a major empire.
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