Review: Sensational, Passionate and Fierce.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 12, 2012
The three words that come to mind for this story from beginning to end with its suspense, twists, glimpses of supernatural creatures, and exploration of one would sacrifice for the people they love is sensational, passionate and fierce.  Ms. Douglas has taken Greek Gods and Goddesses and supernaturally transplanted them into the 21st century.The plot is in set in ancient Egypt and the two fierce characters, Irisi, who was a child of a farm family who has to learn to fend for self when her family is murdered by raiders. Her life is complex from being a slave to healer to rise as a Goddess responsible for the outcome of her land Egypt and its residents when darkness invades it.  The darkness is a mad wizard who wants to be king of Egypt and waits to be announced but then the barren sister in law is pregnant and there is a new heir appointed to the throne.He becomes frustrated and decides to dabble with dark magic which opens a portal to the evil underworld and makes a pact with the Devil himself to have his desires come true.  Which is to conquer Egypt and the world and become Master and for that an enemy one's needed a powerful military.This grand wizard's military is not of normal soldiers; rather it is creatures that feed and slaughter humans for entertainment.  They come in the darkness across the lands at night and one could hear the inhuman cries of the victims as the creatures feast on their delights.  All hope is lost against such formidable foes.  The priests and priestess are at a standstill and terrified of the prophesy coming true and all life will be destroyed and darkness will crush the light.Irisi is trained in the skills of fighting tactics, taught magic spells and portions to become a healer, a supernatural warrior and finally a Goddess.It's also a love story - with the threat from the grand wizard that if she falls in love with another, he will be murder by poison, assassin or something more sinister, it is his revenge against her.  She only has her heart attached to one a mighty warrior and soul mate, Khai, they keep their love hidden but the grand wizard is aware and now Khai is in danger. The suspense of fighting the darkness, the threat of being killed in their sleep and the future of their beloved Egypt was at stake. The Priestesses and Priests only came up with one solution and someone lives or life will have to be sacrificed. Who's life?  Wondering who then you will have to read the chilling tale to find out more.The conclusion was supernatural too one has to ponder was it an ending or beginning to redemption  It leaves one with working the imaginary mind over-time or to ask Ms. Douglas is there a sequel to this story. Hopefully there is a sequel for the descriptions of the characters and their struggles brought Egypt's past in to the present time with an added element of the supernatural and those two are alluring facts when selecting books to read. Good News: there is most definitely a sequel! Heart of the Gods is the second book in this series...Also fantasy and supernatural are a good escape from the hum drum of normal life, this author will be a good choice to review, for she writes in many genres and one could probably find a story to their liking or this one to satisfy the beast in you.In the author's words:"A darkness rises, oh Pharaoh to be unleashed across the world. It comes as a shadow rising in the desert laying waste to all of Egypt, scouring the earth as it passes.  Death and destruction follow in its wake, and the cries of the people of the world are terrible.  From the north comes a warrior, a crowned and golden servant of the Gods with eyes like the sky, bearing swords in hand to rise up ........"continues on......