Bring Down the Sun

by Judith Tarr

Overview

Alexander the Great ruled the greatest Empire of the ancient world, but he was ruled by his mother, called Olympias. There are as many legends about this powerful Queen as there are of her famous son, and the stories began long before she even met Philip of Macedon.

Priestess of the Great Goddess, daughter of ruling house of Epiros, witch, and familiar of Serpents...she was a figure of mystery, fascination, and fear even during her own lifetime. Author Judith Tarr weaves the legends into an intensely romantic fantasy novel set in ancient Greece and Macedon.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780765303981
Publisher:	Tor Publishing Group
Publication date:	05/26/2009
Series:	Alexander the Great , #2
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.26(h) x 0.61(d)

About the Author

JUDITH TARR is the author of more than twenty fantasy novels, including her Hound and Falcon series and the Avaryan Rising books. Her most recent novel for Tor was Queen of the Amazons in 2006. Tarr lives in Vail, Arizona, where she breeds Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm.

Editorial Reviews

Ancient history and violent religious myth collide in this romantic fantasy-tinged biography of Myrtale, the imposing, powerful mother of Alexander the Great. Tarr (Queen of the Amazons) opens with a weak segment on the queen's early days as Polyxena, an impossibly beautiful and rather childish acolyte of the Mother goddess. Once she seduces Philip of Macedon, who calls her Myrtale ("crowned one") and promises her a kingdom to go with her queenly new name, the story becomes far more compelling and suspenseful. As temples and kingdoms plot and quarrel, Myrtale mercilessly wields the authority of the retiring goddess and her own sexuality to further her ambitions for her husband and her son. (The book ends with Alexander's birth, leaving unmentioned the complex and bloody intrigues of Myrtale's later life as the dowager empress Olympias.) Occasionally confusing but often vibrant, this romantic story warms into a strong narrative about a fascinating woman. (June)

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Publishers Weekly

"Tarr excels at bringing historical events to life." —Publishers Weekly on Queen of Swords

“This well-written novel about loyalty, passion, and the search for understanding between different kinds of people showcases Tarr’s ability to create fascinating, passionate characters and to bring their unique cultures to life. Highly recommended.” —Library Journal on White Mare's Daughter

“Seduction, power and politics are the order of the day.” —Library Journal on Throne of Isis

“Tarr spins an entertaining and often enlightening tale...In keeping with the distances she must travel, historical and otherwise, Tarr travels light. Her prose is lean and powerful, and she exerts admirable control over an impressive cast of characters.” —Washington Post Book World on Lord of Two Lands

From the Publisher