Cosmic Roots and Eldritch Shores, May 2022

“Tyrian Purple” by T.R. Frazier

Reviewed by Seraph

Be careful what you wish for. This is the theme that echoes throughout the shores of Tyre to the marble halls of Rome. The story follows Kroisos, a young boy from a small dye-making town in Tyre during the height of Rome. Disgusted and worn of making the smelly dye, he begs Apollo to let him live amongst the rich who wear the dye he makes. He soon gets his wish, but not as one of them. From the time he is made a slave in Rome to the time he returns to the shores of his home, nothing quite goes as he had wished, but a hand is guiding his path. The themes presented are as old as time itself, and the threads of myth woven throughout are subtle but powerful, both things I always appreciate in writing. However, it ended up feeling rushed. Not so much that the story itself was diminished, but enough so that it felt like the power of the resolution was drained. Wisdom and Freedom (especially that gained through misfortune and great effort) are powerful concepts that can resonate strongly, but here they just kind of quietly slip by.