"The Charioteer" is a historical novel written by Mary Renault, published in 1951. The book is set in ancient Greece during the 5th century BC and tells the story of a young aristocrat named Hippolytus, who becomes involved in a romantic relationship with his charioteer, Phaedrus.
The story follows Laurie Odell, a young officer wounded at Dunkirk. While recovering in a hospital, he forms a complex romantic attachment. The narrative charts his struggle between a past love and two very different potential partners: Andrew, a conscientious objector and innocent pacifist, and Ralph, a seasoned naval officer who introduces Laurie to a covert, urban gay subculture. the charioteer mary renault epub