Review: History comes to life in this Egyptian Fantasy
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 20, 2013
Mythology has always been one of my greatest loves, and the way Trisha Wolfe wove Egyptian beliefs into an historical fantasy novel when creating ASTARTE'S WRATH immediately intrigued me.  Cleopatra and her son Caesarion are brought to life in the tumultuous period before they are conquered by Octavian.  If you know your history, you'll know that it's impossible for this book to have a complete happy ending, however, Wolfe manages to strike an intriguing balance.  ASTARTE'S WRATH is a companion novel toDestiny's Fire, a book that takes place centuries after its predecessor.  I'm eager to read this companion novel and see the way Wolfe bridges two worlds.In ASTARTE'S WRATH, the Kythan Guardians are sworn to protector the human pharaohs.  There are two types of Kythan, the Shythe and the Narcolym:"The Shythe Kythan wields Charge, like bolts of lightning from the heavens.  And the Narcolym Kythan summons flame, the fire of the earth. Together we are Kythan Guardians, keepers of the pharaohs.  And the swirled ink along our necks, our power source, marks us as their protectors...and their slaves."(pg. 7, US e-book edition).Upon entering battle in Actium, Astarte (Star, for short), discovers that there is a third breed of Kythan, the Leymak.  Somehow, Octavian of Rome, Caesar's adopted son, who wants control of Rome.  He is determined to kill Caesarion, the son of Caesar and Cleopatra, who threatens his rule, and is willing to stamp out Egypt to secure his throne.  Star immediately brings this revelation to Caesarion (who goes by the name of Xarion in private).  The Leymak are able to control aether, and if words gets out to the Shythe and Narcolym Guardians that a third, free breed of Kythan exists unencumbered to the pharaoh's whims, revolution may ensue.  Xarion and Star have been friends since childhood, and Star's mother was close to Cleopatra.  Over the years, their feelings for one another have evolved, but it's forbidden for Kythan and humans to be together.  If they were to be together, it would demean Xarion's rule as Pharaoh, and Star would be executed.  Yet if they run away from these rules to an unknown land, Egypt will be lost to Octavian.  On top of all that, how can Star be a good Guardian to her pharaoh if she allows a relationship with him to distract her from her responsibility of protecting him?  The fact that the Leymak are free introduces a way for Xarion and Star to be together with no repercussions  but Star would lose her abilities to protect, and she's not sure it's worth the risk, especially if Egypt is the cost...ASTARTE'S WRATH starts off slow as the world is described and shaped for readers.  It took me a while to get into, but once I did, I was intrigued by the characters and fascinated with the way history blended so seamlessly into fantasy.  I wanted to research what was truth and what was fiction, but didn't want to take the time to put the book down in order to do so.  The book conveys star-crossed romance, bitter betrayal, unique magic, intense action...elements for every type of reader.  The elements of battle witnessed by readers are tragic, and it's hard to witness the fall of an empire.  The motivations behind everyone's actions have merit, creating sympathy for "villains," which is something I always enjoy in a distorted way.  I like seeing what makes people tick, of showing not just shades of black and white, but gray matter as well.  The emotional connection between Star and Xarion is deep and lasting, though not one for younger readers.  They are both willing to give up so much for one another, yet at their core, they still love Egypt so intensely.As I reached the finale and realized that everything being fought for in ASTARTE'S WRATH would continue in a future book, I became excited--especially when I realized that the book,Destiny's Fire, was already out and I could read it immediately.  I'm especially intrigued by the fact that ASTARTE'S WRATH is rooted in Egyptian history and lore, while DESTINY'S FIRE will be a steampunk fantasy taking place in the year 2040.  These two genres of fantasy are so far apart, and I'm really intrigued to see how Wolfe will merge them together!