Reluctant Goddess: Kleopatra And the Stolen Throne [Paperback]

Dharma Windham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2006

Kleopatra lives in an age full of magic, when the Egyptian gods and demons still roamed the earth, but her idyllic teenage life is devastated when her father is forced from the throne. With only a single loyal sword-bearer, she escapes from an Alexandria in the throes of a bloody revolt and undertakes a perilous journey through a kingdom cracking at the seams. As she dodges hired assassins and demonic attack, her beloved Egypt is on the brink of destruction. Egypt awaits the rise of one who can reverse the foretold end of its reign and restore order, and the gods have their hopeful eyes on young Kleopatra. Bringing to life the actual historic events, people, and places of ancient Egypt, this book explodes with action, mystery, and intrigue, leaving the reader wide-eyed and breathless.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dharma Windham, a self-taught scholar of Hellenistic and Egyptian Magic and Religion, lives with a life partner and a cat on the beach in Southern California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 498 pages
• Publisher: Infinity Publishing; First Edition edition (March 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0741430924
• ISBN-13: 978-0741430922
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,146,162 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars From BookReview.com, April 15, 2006

By 

WitchDr (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reluctant Goddess: Kleopatra And the Stolen Throne (Paperback)

In an epic tale of Gods and Goddesses, Kings and Princesses, author Dharma Windham has created a novel of excitement, romance, magic, and morals. It is an in-depth look at Egypt and royalty wrapped up in an entrancing story of heroism, justice and bravery. The characters come to life complete with natural urges, rude behaviors, human flaws and deep desires. The plot twists and expands like an ever-changing force of war.

Young Kleopatra, the third youngest daughter of King Auletes Ptolemy, studies in the Great Library with Sosogines of Heliopolis, as well as in the Gymnasion, throwing lances and running, under the guidance of her loyal Sword-Bearer, Timoxenos. She is a well-rounded princess who learns to speak Egyptian in order to understand her father's people. One to help the poor and save the oppressed, she is destined for greatness.

Her training does her well when at age 15 she is forced to leave the palace in Alexandria as her father is forced from the throne. She is safely ensconced for a while, under the care of Memnes, the high priest of Heliopolis, as her father travels to Rome in hopes of raising an army. What evil has overthrown the King? None other than Kleopatra's sister, Berenike.

As Kleopatra escapes from hiding place to hiding place, her sister's army searching for her, she develops her skills and is blessed by the Gods and Goddesses with talents and powers beyond her imagining. With Timoxenos ever by her side, she faces daimons, evils and days of war. As an initiate in Hermetic Magic, Kleopatra learns that the great evil in Egypt is not just her sister but also the Lord of Chaos, Seth-Typhon. Will the great Phoenix, Hermes, and Wedjoyet be able to help her? Even they realize that only the Goddess of Ten Thousand Names can save Egypt.

Not your usual work of fiction in these days and I was truly satisfied reading the tale of the "Reluctant Goddess."

Reviewed by: Heather Froeschl

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Swiftly carries readers through countless twists and turns of fortune, June 9, 2006

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reluctant Goddess: Kleopatra And the Stolen Throne (Paperback)

Reluctant Goddess: Kleopatra And The Stolen Throne by Dharma Windham is a novel of Kleopatra who was in her youth when her father's throne was stolen by her brother and a group of hostile Egyptian priests and court counselor. Kleopatra's narrow escape provides an experience giving her a passion for saving her deteriorating country from its inept and exploitative overlords. Deftly intertwining real places, people, and occurrences of the era, Reluctant Goddess swiftly carries readers through countless twists and turns of fortune as the aspiring young queen must escape from hired assassins and survive the relentless efforts toward her demise with only the faith of the Gods to provide her with inspiration to reclaim her birth-right name as Queen of Egypt. Skillfully written, Reluctant Goddess is very strongly recommended as a romanticized story of one of the last of the Greek Pharaohs of Egypt -- the young queen Kleopatra.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So far, the best read of 2006!!!, May 24, 2006

By 

Xia (North Hollywood, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Reluctant Goddess: Kleopatra And the Stolen Throne (Paperback)

Reluctant Goddess: Kleopatra And The Stolen Throne is not only a great read but it offers the reader a vibrant new look at the legendary Egyptian Queen, Kleopatra-considered to be one of the most powerful and beautiful women who ever lived. Windham's Kleopatra leaves behind the Hollywood version of this renown queen and gives a more accurate portrayal of the adventurous young woman behind the myth. The author accomplishes that rare feat of using historical research and weaving it with nonstop panoramic action. His characters are shockingly real and vibrant with all their human foibles and accomplishments, and the family dynamics are better than anything you could find on Desperate Housewives. Reluctant Goddess, while Windham's first book, foretells of many adventures yet to come.