The Revenge of Ishtar

by Ludmila Zeman

Book Overview

In this second volume in the Gilgamesh trilogy, Enkidu joins Gilgamesh in the quest to slay Humbaba, the monster who has attacked the city and caused great destruction, including the death of the beautiful singer, Shamat. Gilgamesh and Enkidu successfully slay the monster and in so doing, Gilgamesh attracts the attention of the goddess Ishtar. In rejecting her advances, he incurs her revenge and an attack by the Bull of Heaven. Enkidu manages to kill...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0887764363
• ISBN13: 9780887764363
• Release Date: April 1998
• Publisher: Tundra Books (NY)
• Length: 24 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 10.0" x 11.2"
• Age Range: 7 to 9 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 4

Customer Reviews

The Gilgamesh Trilogy - Gilgamesh for Kids

Gilgamesh the King The Revenge of Ishtar: "The city of Uruk had become the happiest place in the world....But the peace and joy did not last." When Shamhat, beloved of all who lived in Uruk, is killed, Gilgamesh gets Enkidu to promise to travel with him to seek revenge on the monster Humbaba, who is responsible for Shamhat's death. But completing their mission only brings more trouble as their success attracts the attention of Ishtar. Can Gilgamesh and Enkidu hope to prevail against the wrath of a goddess? Will Ishtar ever leave Uruk in peace? Written for eight to twelve year olds, this is the second book in a trilogy. The Mesopotamian styled illustrations add to the book's story. The author's note on the last page gives background information on Mesopotamia, the great forest, the story itself, the Game of Twenty Squares, and how this story came down to us. I take issue with one thing in this book. The author chose to use the name Ishtar, which we are more familiar with, rather than Ishtar's Mesopotamian counterpart, in the telling--and the title--of this tale. The Last Quest of Gilgamesh

Wonderful Book Series!

We really appreciate the beauty of this series of books as it covers "The Epic of Gilgamesh" in an appropriate and accessible way for our children. We love to use actual historic documents in our study if possible, but the actual epic is too uncomfortably graphic even for our older children, so we use these for everyone as we study Mesopotamia, Sumer and Babylon. There are not many books that cover these Near East cultures, which makes this set especially valuable. Along with "Our Young Folks' Josephus" as our history spine, "Science in Ancient Mesopotamia" and "Ancient Egyptians and their Neighbors: An Activity Guide (covering Hittites, Nubians, Mesopopotamians and Egyptians) this series helps considerably to round out our ancient history studies and to teach our children about one of the most ancient tales in the world in a beautifully engaging way.

Buy all three

My children and I are beginning a study of ancient civilizations and I bought the three Gilgamesh books to expand our coverage of ancient Sumer. These books are just amazing! The story itself is powerful but I wondered how the author was going to tone down some of the violence; not to mention the fact that Shamat was a prostitute in other versions. Ludmilla Zeman has brought this story to children with intensity and grace that comes as a complete surprise. I especially liked her painting of the chaste kiss between Shamat and Enkidu with the explanation that Shamat taught Enkidu to speak and together they explored the ways of love. Very tender. In her illustrations, Ludmilla Zeman has made an attempt to incorporate actual historical artifacts. These are all high-quality books in every sense and I cannot recommend them highly enough.