Customer Reviews

Reluctant Goddess: Kleopatra And the Stolen Throne

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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

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.

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.

Ancient Egypt has always exerted a powerful influence over the minds of modern readers, no more so than during the last flowering of its independent existence under the rule of the Greek pharaohs of the Ptolemaic dynasty. The last in that notable line is perhaps the best known. Alas, Kleopatra has, courtesy of Hollywood, become the embodiment of romantic tragedy. Dharma Windham has shown us the other, more personal side of the young princess of Egypt during her formative years, before events conspired to thrust her upon the stage of world history. In this challenging task she has succeeded admirably, brilliantly combining historical fact with a sympathetic understanding of the personalities caught up in this mighty drama of Egypt's final decades of independence. For this she is to be congratulated, as readers will now have the opportunity to gain a more balanced view of a truly remarkable woman the modern perception of which has been grossly distorted by the hostile (male) propaganda of a later age. In this glorious historical novel Dharma Windham offers a lavish, lushly detailed retelling of the fabled Kleopatra with a dose of sensuality thrown in for good measure. If you like early Anne Rice, this is the book for you! It left me gasping for more! More! A real page turner from beginning to end! My toes are still curling!!!

If you liked Mists of Avalon, and/or are enthralled by Egypt, strong women, and ancient history this is the right book for you. It's magickal and mystical--with Gods and Goddesses, and rich in historical detail thaty is livley and entertaining--and accurate. In the past the story of young Kleopatra's rise to queenship has been limited to "she sexy, she wrapped herself in a rug and was delivered to Caesar, married him and had a kid and then after his death married Marc Anthony" you know the Liz Taylor movie version. This book gives a far deeper picture, going into the manipulations of the court and Kleo's family, her escape from alexandria and the battles she fought. It's NOT bring! And it's got some pretty sexy scenes, too! A GREAT READ!!!

Right from the start, this story grabs your attention. As I learned about Kleopatra and the people around her, I had no idea what I was in for. This is not a kids book. Be prepared for anything and everything to happen.

After the setup, this story takes a sudden turn for a great adventure story. Coming of age, then coming into her own... Her travels through the desert, meeting with gods and daimons, battling it out... It's a page turner.

I don't read a lot of books, as they usually bore me. I feel lucky that someone encouraged me to read this one, however. The Reluctant Goddess has an element of history combined with drama and magic. Dharma's description of Alexandria in the time of the Greeks is enthralling. This is not ancient Egypt. This is Egypt in the time of the Greeks. There is no cursed mummy stalking around a tomb. This is the story of a royal family and all the twisted things they do to each other. It's also a story of faith, devotion, and inner strength.

I don't want to fill my review with spoilers, so I won't continue describing it. My advice: Buy it. You will not be disappointed.