Review: Tamer of Horses by Amalia Carosella

Title: Tamer of Horses
Author: Amalia Carosella
Publisher:  Thorskona Books (October 3, 2016)
ISBN: 9781535240499

Pages: 375 pages

How I Read It: eARC

Genre: historical fiction, fantasy, mythology, romance
My Rating: 4 cups 

Synopsis:
More than two decades before the events of Helen of Sparta...

Abandoned as a baby, Hippodamia would have died of exposure on the mountain had it not been for Centaurus. The king of the centaurs saved her, raised her as his own, and in exchange asks for only one thing: she must marry the future king of the Lapiths, Pirithous, son of Zeus, and forge a lasting peace between their peoples by giving him an heir. It would be a fine match if Pirithous weren’t more pirate than king and insufferably conceited, besides. But Hippodamia can hardly refuse to marry him without betraying every hope her people have for peace.

After the death of Dia, queen of the Lapiths, tensions are running high. The oaths and promises protecting the Lapith people from the Myrmidons have lapsed, and the last thing Pirithous needs is to begin his kingship by making new enemies. But not everyone wants peace on the mountain. There are those among the centaurs who feel it comes at too high a price, and Peleus, King of the Myrmidons, lusts for the lush valley of the Lapiths and the horses that graze within it. Pirithous needs a strong queen at his side, and Hippodamia will certainly be that—if he can win her loyalties.

But no matter their differences, neither Hippodamia nor Pirithous expected their wedding banquet to be the first battle in a war.

My Thoughts:

"Her dark hair was crowned with a wreath of white wildflowers, but even so, she had not lost the stray bits of leaf and stick, the disarray a reminder of her upbringing. A wild creature, born of the mountain and the wood, only waiting to be tamed by her king."

I loved Carosella’s previous two books, Helen of Sparta and By Helen’s Hand, so snapping up the ARC of Tamer of Horses as soon as it became available was a total no-brainer for me. The first two books reimagined the well-known tale of Helen and the lead up to the Trojan War, complete with the author's own unique twist upon the story. Taking place some 25 years prior, Tamer serves as a prequel to those books but can easily be read as a stand alone as well.

Although most everyone is familiar with the story of Helen, this book tells the story of one of the somewhat lesser known side characters of the Helen books, King Pirithous of the Lapiths, and his Centaur–raised bride Hippodamia. As an extra treat for readers of the previous books, King Theseus of Athens is once again present and plays a significant part in this story, and we also get to meet his first wife Antiope, the Amazon Queen.

Carosella’s writing is immersive and exceptionally readable. Her knowledge of Bronze Age Greece and Greek mythology is obvious and she does a marvelous job interpreting and fleshing out the classic myths and filling in any gaps that exist in those tales. Her characters are engaging and she truly brings the time period to life. I did feel there was a bit too much sexual/romantic angst at the beginning of this book, which slowed things down somewhat, but once the war with the Centaurs began the story picked up steam quickly, and I was completely engaged from that point on.

As Carosella states in the author’s note: “To be frank, I couldn’t imagine Pirithous taking just any woman as his wife. She had to have been exceptional and unique. Exceptional enough that decades later, he would accept nothing less than a daughter of Zeus for his second wife…” And, indeed, the author has succeeded in creating a strong and interesting female lead in Hippodamia. She is fierce, wild and stubborn yet loyal and honorable, and I found myself rooting for her in spite of her flaws.

Theseus is a favorite of mine from the Helen books, and experiencing his relationship with his Amazon wife was a definite highlight here. Antiope is a fabulous character in her own right, and I would love to see a future book entirely devoted to their story. In the meantime, I eagerly look forward to any and all new releases from this author. I am most certainly a fan and will pick them up without hesitation!

"She was queen. The only woman Pirithous thought worthy of the role. The only woman he trusted to rule in his place. She was his queen. And she must fight."

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Helen of Sparta by Amalia Carosella

Title:  Helen of Sparta

Author: Amalia Carosella

Publisher: 1^st April 2015 by Lake Union Publishing

Pages: 400 pages

How I Read It: ARC ebook

Genre: historical fiction, Greek mythology, romance

My Rating:  four cups

Synopsis:

Long before she ran away with Paris to Troy, Helen of Sparta was haunted by nightmares of a burning city under siege. These dreams foretold impending war—a war that only Helen has the power to avert. To do so, she must defy her family and betray her betrothed by fleeing the palace in the dead of night. In need of protection, she finds shelter and comfort in the arms of Theseus, son of Poseidon. With Theseus at her side, she believes she can escape her destiny. But at every turn, new dangers—violence, betrayal, extortion, threat of war—thwart Helen’s plans and bar her path. Still, she refuses to bend to the will of the gods.

A new take on an ancient myth, Helen of Sparta is the story of one woman determined to decide her own fate. 

My thoughts:

This was a really enjoyable read. There are not many people who have not heard of Helen of Troy -  ‘the face that launched a thousand ships’ – but this story goes right back, long before Troy and Paris and that is what makes it unique. One of the things that set this book apart from so many others concerning this topic is that it comes from Helen’s point of view! Quite the twist on the often male dominated perspectives. You’ll like her, I am sure.

The author seamlessly winds together a riveting tale, combining the famous mythology with a fresh pair of female eyes as we trace Helen’s early years and the adventurous journey she embarks on. So instead of this often passively portrayed woman, we see develop a girl to a woman: one who assumes strong principles, great depth but also one who is flawed and very human. Helen is not a stand-alone; there are many primary and secondary characters that will quickly have you taking sides. I must confess on a personal level, it was refreshing to have a strong, mature and wise male lead in Theseus:

“ I am your servant….even if I cannot bring you to Athens openly as my wife, I will see you made safe. You have my word”.

This tale has it all! Adventure, romance and of course as we well know, tragedy. However, presented in such a refreshing context, it’s as if one is reading new material for the first time - surely a sign of a serious author. For as Carosella states:

“I wanted to give Helen the opportunity for something better – a chance to take her life into her own hands. After more than twenty-five hundred years of texts in which she’s been pushed round by men and gods, I think she’s earned it”.

Where does it lose some points? The highly contentious ending – wow - lots of thoughts on this one from reviewers far and wide. Without giving anything away, suffice to say I found it abrupt. Yes, it can be viewed as a complete novel where enough closure was had for one to reach your own conclusions. However, there is plenty of room for a sequel. Simply put, I was caught out by the abrupt final page and – even though to go on would be into territory many are familiar with – I stormed off to Facebook to shout my indignation, for I had not seen it coming. Truthfully speaking, perhaps all that was left would be a heartbreaking conclusion:

“And perhaps that was the truth of it all. Perhaps this war, this destruction, this death, (was) all mine.”

This book is fast paced and you will find it difficult to put down - the plot is captivating, the characters intriguing. Give yourself leave and immerse yourself in these times long gone. Spend some time with what I would like to consider is the ‘real’ Helen of Sparta.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.