Born in early 525 AD in northwest Arabia, Jayida is secretly raised as a boy for her safety. In defiance of al-‘ayn, the evil eye, she grows up as Jonder and soon becomes known for perceptiveness and bravery. But her meeting of Khaled, whose father is the reason for her unusual upbringing, turns her world upside down. Will she risk revealing her true identity and win his love? And whose lives must be sacrificed when her fame finally draws her into ‘Antarah’s quest, the mixed-race badawi-Aksumite poet of the Banu ‘Abs, whose last challenge is to capture her to win his own beloved ‘Ablah?
This is the timely retelling of a little-known tale of Sirat ‘Antar. Set in the 1500-year-old historical context of Arabian tribal poetry, Roman-Persian-Himyarite-Aksumite relations, and climatic and plague events recorded worldwide, this colorful era is once more revived.
620 pages, Paperback
Published July 20, 2023
REVIEW
In 2013, I began writing reviews for the many historical fiction books I had read. So far, I’ve penned over 700 reviews, and have read the works of a plethora of excellent authors some of whom I am in awe of for their abilities to draw me into the tale they’re telling. I was immediately drawn into Jayida and the remarkable tale of her life. The time and setting were new ones for me, but the further I traveled in 6th-century Arabia, the more fascinated I became. The breadth of the story; the compelling narrative; the unexpected plot twists; the mingling of so many religious and cultural beliefs…the list goes on. The prose is sublime, and the poetic strands that hold the tale together are beautifully entwined. To this humble scribbler, Jayida is reminiscent of Guy Gavriel Kay’s The Lions of Al-Rassan…Jayida is quite simply one of the best novels I have read. Not only does the tale keep the reader turning the pages, but it is also a lesson in the history of the land called The Cradle of Civilization and the oral tradition that kept that history alive. I highly recommend Jayida…prepare to plumb the depths of human emotions as you traverse the wadis and desert. 5 Stars
1030 C.E.: Harald, the second son of King Cnute—ruler of Engla-lond, Danmark, and Norvegr—with his wife Selia, attempt to live as landholders in Mercia, away from the constraint and intrigues of his father’s court.
However, on a rare visit, Cnute tells Harald he’s being sent to the Kingdom of Dublin to meet with their Norse-Irish allies. Harald’s mission is to coordinate an invasion of the northern Welsh kingdom of Gwynedd to replace King Rhydderch who is growing too powerful on England’s borders.
Harald is reluctant to be involved in his father-king’s affairs of state, and not just because his beloved wife, Selia, is unwell. Harald cannot refuse to go and assures Selia he will not have to take part in the fighting.
Once on his journey, Harold is not drawn to his Norse-Irish allies but comes to respect the foe he must kill.
Will Harald carry out his father-king’s commands to unseat a strong and just rule, or will he tread a more righteous road, which will destroy the life he and Selia have built together?
REVIEW
A rousing tale replete with an array of characters who beckon the reader in, and refuse to let go. Formidable, and believable are the participants, as the author paints the pages with the intensity of the conflicts; both in the battles and in the internal emotions of the players. In short, it is a hard book to put down, and that is why this humble scribe gives it 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“You should have trusted me. You should have given me a choice.”
AD 370, Roman frontier province of Noricum. Neither wholly married nor wholly divorced, Julia Bacausa is trapped in the power struggle between the Christian church and her pagan ruler father.
Tribune Lucius Apulius’s career is blighted by his determination to stay faithful to the Roman gods in a Christian empire. Stripped of his command in Britannia, he’s demoted to the backwater of Noricum – and encounters Julia.
Unwittingly, he takes her for a whore. When confronted by who she is, he is overcome with remorse and fear. Despite this disaster, Julia and Lucius are drawn to one another by an irresistible attraction.
But their intensifying bond is broken when Lucius is banished to Rome. Distraught, Julia gambles everything to join him. But a vengeful presence from the past overshadows her perilous journey. Following her heart’s desire brings danger she could never have envisaged…
REVIEW
Having followed the Roma Nova series from the beginning, I was hoping that the author would go back to the roots of the portentous move away from Rome. Julia Prima is just what I hoped for; a tale that takes us to the very beginning. Oh, and not just any old tale, my fellow readers. Tightly wound, and full of tense action from another one of the author’s trademark female character who defies the status quo. A tale of survival and searching, of a love that cannot be denied, of the progeny who will bring in the new age. It is also one of those page turners that keeps the reader guessing as to what’s going to happen next. I’m certainly looking forward to the next episode. 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Alison Morton writes award-winning thrillers featuring tough but compassionate heroines. Her nine-book Roma Nova series is set in an imaginary European country where a remnant of the ancient Roman Empire has survived into the 21st century and is ruled by women who face conspiracy, revolution and heartache but with a sharp line in dialogue.
She blends her fascination for Ancient Rome with six years’ military service and a life of reading crime, historical and thriller fiction. On the way, she collected a BA in modern languages and an MA in history.
Alison now lives in Poitou in France, the home of Mélisende, the heroine of her latest two contemporary thrillers, Double Identity and Double Pursuit. Oh, and she’s writing the next Roma Nova story.
A Celtic warrior princess is torn between her forbidden love for the enemy and duty to her people.
AWARD-WINNING APOLLO’S RAVEN sweeps you into an epic Celtic tale of forbidden love, mythological adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. In 24 AD British kings hand-picked by Rome to rule are fighting each other for power. King Amren’s former queen, a powerful Druid, has cast a curse that Blood Wolf and the Raven will rise and destroy him. The king’s daughter, Catrin, learns to her dismay that she is the Raven and her banished half-brother is Blood Wolf. Trained as a warrior, Catrin must find a way to break the curse, but she is torn between her forbidden love for her father’s enemy, Marcellus, and loyalty to her people. She must summon the magic of the Ancient Druids to alter the dark prophecy that threatens the fates of everyone in her kingdom.
Will Catrin overcome and eradicate the ancient curse. Will she be able to embrace her forbidden love for Marcellus? Will she cease the war between Blood Wolf and King Amren and save her kingdom?
REVIEW
An intriguing tale steeped in Druidic mythology coupled with the complexities of life in Britannia under the ever growing greed of Roman domination. Defeating a curse, juggling love and loyalty, learning the dark secrets of her abilities, Catrin faces impossible tasks with resolve. A definite page turning story that has the reader drawn into the depths of her despair as she negotiates the treacherous path laid before her. Wonderful characters set into an exciting tale rich in detail that keeps you guessing. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Award-winning author, Linnea Tanner, weaves Celtic tales of love, magical adventure, and political intrigue in Ancient Rome and Britannia. Since childhood, she has passionately read about ancient civilizations and mythology. Of particular interest are the enigmatic Celts, who were reputed as fierce warriors and mystical Druids.
Linnea has extensively researched ancient and medieval history, mythology, and archaeology and has traveled to sites described within each of her books in the Curse of Clansmen and Kings series. Books released in her series include Apollo’s Raven (Book 1), Dagger’s Destiny (Book 2), and Amulet’s Rapture (Book 3). Skull’s Vengeance (Book 4) is anticipated to be released in late October 2022.
A Colorado native, Linnea attended the University of Colorado and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry. She lives in Fort Collins with her husband and has two children and six grandchildren.
She’s hunting arms smugglers. But who is hunting her?
One dead body, two badly injured operatives and five crates of hijacked rifles.
In Rome, former French special forces intelligence analyst Mélisende des Pittones is frustrated by obnoxious local cops and ruthless thugs. Despite the backing of the powerful European Investigation and Regulation Service, her case is going nowhere. Then an unknown woman tries to blow her head off.
As Mel and fellow investigator Jeff McCracken attempt to get a grip on the criminal network as well as on their own unpredictable relationship, all roads point to the place she dreads – the arid and remote African Sahel – where she was once betrayed and nearly died. Can Mel conquer her fear as she races to smash the network and save her colleague’s life?
REVIEW
When it comes to creating strong female lead characters, Alison Morton is at the top of my list of authors who possess that ability. Melisende is tough, gritty, extremely capable, and yet vulnerable to the emotional twists and turns put in her path. Double Pursuit is a taut, non-stop thriller, much in the tradition of the author’s Roma Nova tales. This is the second book in the series, but it is sufficiently built upon the first one so that I had no trouble following the plot as it referred back. The characters are a nice blend of conflicting personalities, so that even the good guys have problems with each other. 😊 The story line keeps the reader on their toes: there be some surprises in there, shock induced page turning surprises. So, my peeps and fellow readers, it is the opinion of this scribbler of reviews that you can’t go wrong with this series. I’m certainly going to rectify my having not read the first volume. 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
ALL THE AUTHOR’S ROYALTIES FROM THIS BOOK SERIES WILL BE DONATED TO PARKINSON’S DISEASE RESEARCH. The Blue Book of Viroconium is the second novel in the Pendragons book series. Following on from the Pendragon’s victory over the Saxons at Badon, Prince Owain again finds himself fighting a major battle with the Saxons, though this time he must also fight a two-pronged attack from within his own lands. Gwen, with her family threatened by an unseen assassin, sets off alone into the Middleland Forest to find the killer she knows she is unlikely to defeat, and yet she has no choice but to search out and confront the most wicked of creatures. Gal, now a Red Cloak, is set to marry Seren but, lurking in the forest stalks the most dangerous of men, who will stop at nothing to make Seren his own. A less martial novel than The Black Book of Badon, The Blue Book of Viroconium introduces the reader to the most shocking of sorrows, tragedy follows almost all of the major characters but there is hope for the Pendragon and his friends: the arrival in Viroconium of a golden child will change the lives of all who meet her; a cousin of Owain returns to take his rightful place in the heart of Celtic Briton; on the Isle of Mona a man takes the mushroom drink and makes a realization only the Merlin can understand. This book might well be the most turbulent of the five novels in this series, but it is the most compelling, more so because one of the main characters meets the saddest and most horrific of deaths. A love story, a tale of murder and magic and mystery, a tragedy intertwined with triumph, this book plays with the emotions of those willing to read it.
REVIEW
As with the first volume in the Pendragons series, The Blue Book continues the imaginative telling of the Arthurian legend. Overcoming overwhelming odds, and a multitude of problems, this episode is one of perseverance and faith. It is also, as becomes the violent nature of the age, a tale replete with the sadness and grief associated with that violence. Yes my fellow peeps and travelers along this journey, there is much sadness. I will say no more about that other than to highlight one of the many interesting characters in this tale, Rohanna. A more vile, wicked creature, and yet still a somewhat enticing one, is hard to imagine. On the opposite end of the spectrum is the Christian priest/warrior Illtud, an immediately likeable sort, a more pure rendition of a Christ follower than many of the ‘my way or it’s hell for you’ priests. The Pendragon has a lot on his plate, most of it not too appetizing. It will take all his courage, fortitude, and a trust in his abilities to survive everything coming at him. And of course, his Red Cloaks.
The Boschloper Saga, Book 2 In 1687, the English Colony of New York is in dire financial straits. The flow of beaver pelts, the life’s blood of the colony, has slowed to a trickle. In response, New York’s governor grants licenses to Albany traders to enter French territory and divert the furs of the Far Indians from Montreal to Albany. Although only recently married to Laurentje, Sean O’Cathail joins the small group of adventurers who have the courage to face the savage wilderness. However, the governor of New France learns of their plans, and the traders must avoid capture by the French and their savage allies. Optimistic that they can avoid detection, Sean and his fellow boschlopers begin to cross the Great Lakes. But, when they are surrounded and captured, Sean finds that his adventure is only just beginning. He will need all his wits and the help of Kai, the beautiful Mohawk woman who was once his lover, to survive and return home.
REVIEW
An engaging tale of the growing tension between the French and the British concerning the lucrative fur trade in colonial America. The rugged terrain and dangerous waterways provide the backdrop to Sean’s journey to French held territory seeking to make a fortune under the nose of the French and their Indian allies. All of the elements that lead to The French & Indian War in 1756 are forming in this account of early America. A tension filled narrative along with the lovely descriptions of the wilderness, and characters who invite the reader to hearken back to a time when the future of this land was uncertain. A definite page turner, this man enjoyed it and is looking forward to the next episode. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ariadne, high priestess of Crete, grew up duty-bound to the goddess Artemis. If she takes a husband, she must sacrifice him to her goddess after no more than three years of marriage. For this reason, she refuses to love any man, until a mysterious stranger arrives on her island.
The stranger is Dionysus, the new god of wine who empowers women and breaks the rules of the old gods. He came to Crete seeking vengeance against Artemis. He never expected to fall in love.
Furious that Dionysus would dare meddle with her high priestess, Artemis threatens to kill Ariadne if Dionysus doesn’t abandon her. Heartbroken, the new god leaves Crete, vowing to become better than the Olympians.
From the bloody labyrinth and the shadows of Hades to the halls of Olympus, Dionysus must find a way to defy Artemis and unite with his true love. Forced to betray her people, Ariadne discovers her own power to choose between the goddess she pledged herself to and the god she loves.
REVIEW
My first encounter with the Theseus/Minotaur/Ariadne/Knossos tale was way back in 1970. I was a Classical Civilization major in college, and the works of Edith Hamilton and Mary Renault were featured readings. In fact, it was The King Must Die by Mary Renault that was partially responsible for my lifelong love affair with the ancient world and the tales of it. In Ariadne Unraveled, the author has taken the myth of the Minotaur to a new level with the Dionysian part of the tale. As she explains in her notes, there is a lot of contradictory/confusing aspects to the myth, so the creation of this story is a fine example of taking advantage of those aspects and reworking them into a believable tale. I especially loved the capriciousness of the Olympians; Artemis, for example, her hatred of Dionysus; the lack of any kind of compassion for her priestess Ariadne… Yet despite the Olympian disdain for this upstart god, the love between Dionysus and Ariadne ( a highlight of the book) continues to thrive, even in Hades. Another aspect that I found interesting is the rather negative portrayal of Theseus….he’s not the same heroic figure from The King Must Die…in fact he’s a bit of a rogue – a nice alternate view of the upstart Athenian. So, my fellow readers, get ready for an enjoyably, imaginative tale. 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Zenobia Neil was named after an ancient warrior queen who fought against the Romans. She writes historical romance about the mythic past and Greek and Roman gods having too much fun. Visit her at ZenobiaNeil.com
King Arthur is a man smothered in myth and legend, and rightly so because we need diversion, stimulation and an extension to our imaginations and, it is because of the myths and legends that his name has survived and become a part of the collective British consciousness. But hidden within the mists of legend a real man once looked across the meadows, hills and valleys of Britain and, determined not to cede once piece of Celtic Britain to the Angles, Saxons, Frisians and Jutes, he was prepared to put his life on the line to protect those who could not protect themselves. Many novels have been written about the man who became known as King Arthur, and I’ve read most of them. So why did I choose to write a book series, and what makes my book different? The truth is that I wrote the first book in the series because I didn’t have any choice; I had been challenged to try and write by a friend, and once I began I could not stop, I loved creating the narrative and now that I have completed all 5 books in the series, I am so glad that I accepted my friend’s challenge. My book is different because after researching the subject for decades, I believe I know who King Arthur really was, where he lived and how his life might have played out. But this book is not about just one man, in my opinion the true hero of this book is Arthur’s lover, Gwen; she is the heart of the story, as well as being its soul, which at times is ethereal and ghostly, and also glorious because she is as much a warrior as any of the male characters are, and the balance to the story that she provides is essential to the massive climax of this first novel. This book is set at the cusp of the fifth and sixth centuries, when the ambitions of King Aelle of the South Saxons led him and his massive army to Badon, where he would fight the Pendragon for control of Britain. Many of the usual characters in the Arthurian Pantheon take their rightful places alongside the Pendragon, because some of the people in the myths and legends were real people so I felt I could not leave them out. I also created two or three new characters, purely for the fun of taking the story in different directions to make the read even more enjoyable. I hope that you enjoy these new characters, and also the novel way in which I have illuminated the so-called Dark Ages. What I can promise you if you read this book, is a fast paced thriller, a love story with a hint of Otherworldly magic, as well as the expected triumphs and tragedies you’d find in a novel about King Arthur and his lover, Gwenwyfar. I sincerely hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Kevin Bayton-Wood.
REVIEW
Whatever your thoughts are about the mythic Arthur, one thing you can admit, and admire, is the sheer number of versions of his story brought forth by creative minds. This book, and if it is any indication of the others, this series, is most certainly that – a creative version of the iconic Bear of Britain. It is also a compelling tale, drawing the reader in with superbly crafted characters; a virtual pantheon of the Arthur saga, friends and foes alike. It is also a tale of a love that evokes the gamut of human emotion; a point of contention within Owain’s mind; does he choose to fill his life with peace and tranquility with Gwen, or will the weight of his responsibility to his people threaten to keep them apart? I really enjoyed the ebb and flow of Owain’s predicament; the reluctant hero versus the joys of life with Gwenwyfar. Now it may seem a bit strange, but I kind of felt bad for the Saxon leader, Aelle. Here he is all convinced that he will soon be waist deep in Celtic blood, the Pendragon’s head on a spike, and be wearing a crown as King of all Briton. That is another box ticked off in the list of things I look for in a book; the action that takes place is exciting, visceral without being overly gory, and full of surprises. Yes my fellow readers, Aelle is in for a lot of disappointment. The question is, what will Owain do next? Responsibility or Gwenwyfar? Fortunately, the rest of the series is already written…won’t have to wait too long to find out how the author continues this very creative version of Arthur. 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The past calls to those who dare to listen… An invitation arrives; Abbey Coote, Professor of American Studies, has won an extended stay in an historic B&B, Pine Tree House. The timing is perfect. Abbey is recovering from an accident which left her abusive boyfriend dead and her with little memory of the event. But her idyllic respite soon takes a terrifying turn. While exploring the house, Abbey comes face to face with Mary Foss, a woman dead for 350 years. Through a time/mind interface, Abbey experiences the horrors of Mary’s life, living at the edge of the civilized world in the 1690’s New England. As Abbey faces her worst fears, she struggles to free them both from the past.
REVIEW
Let me start by saying thanks to the author for inviting me to read this marvelous story. The dual timeline drew me in, and left me in awe of the descriptive ability the author provides. Not only the amiable, historic, current day events and locales, but the eye opening detail of life in a beautiful, but savage wilderness in the late 17th century, It is a tale that incorporates a series of supernatural events that allows the past to be viewed by the protagonists in the present. As the book progresses we learn more of the brutal existence of a woman trapped by the societal norms of male and religious domination. It is also a tale of two tragic loves, and of the search for healing. I really enjoyed the steady flow of the book. Well it steadily gets a little more dramatic with each chapter, and compels the reader to keep on going. Great characters, an imaginative narrative full of surprises, and wonderfully crafted imagery, The Heron is a page turning delight. 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Historical Fiction reviews 