Rating: 
Summary: None of the camp of Xena nor the beauty of the real thing
Review: Oh lord where to begin. There is something so innately wrong with a modestly talented modern writer who cannot leave the modern age behind her when composing, who insists on recasting classic figures in a pseudo-classic style that threatens to break the fourth wall altogether by the end of the trilogy. Ick. These characters are sort of the stock from bad twenties movies, with the dialog to boot. Now, on the good side. There is less of the silly, predictable stuff of the Wayfarer Redemption, Douglass's earlier effort, though the curses are as flat here as the prophecies were there. The characters are still not very well drawn, but they are somewhat better. On the whole, Douglass is improving, but this icky combo of fakey modern classic era god-knows-what is still not worth paying hardcover price for.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Worth Buying
Review: Once again, Douglass proves her inability to develop interesting, sympathetic characters. While sympathetic characters are not necessary to all stories and writing styles, it does not suit Douglass's. The characters in this story are cardboard cut-out characters. They do not progress or grow believably from one behavior to another. First they act in a certain way, then all of a sudden, for no apparent reason, they do a complete one-eighty. She tries to have heroes, but her heroes act so replusively that you cannot root for them. Or, they act so pathetically that you would rather scream at them then root for them. This writing style is choppy and does not progress well form one scene to another. Plot threads go nowhere. Actions happen for no apparent reason. I will not buy any more of Douglass's works, and I would recomment that you either check this book out from the library, or wait for it in paperback. It is not worth the hardback price.
Rating: 
Summary: can't wait for the next one!
Review: This book does start off a little slow, but stick with it! This is the first Sara Douglass book I've read, and it will not be the last. Great action, memorable characters, and a plot that just keeps twisting! I read in a previous review that this book is some sort of testament to the abused woman scenario. I assure you that this is not true. The character of Cornelia can give as well as she gets. The constant power struggle between characters is a great sub-plot. If you want a nice soft affirmation of life type book, I would recommend something from the Oprah list. If you want an action-packed read then try this one!
Rating:
Summary: Not so good.
Review: This book is the reason I will never buy Sara Douglass in hardcover ever again. With her Wayfarer Redemption series I actually enjoyed it enough to order the rest of the 5 online from England in order to not wait on US publication. However, this book had no characters I could empathize with though I did finish it. I might buy the sequel in paperback if there's nothing else good out.
Rating:
Summary: Hades' Daughter
Review: This book was great. I love greek mythology, and this mixes with one of my favorite stories. Sara Douglass really did a good job of making you like or hate the characters in here. you really felt for them. i loved it
Rating:
Summary: An incredible reading adventure
Review: This book was incredible. I couldn't put it down. If anyone is at all interested in Greek mythology and modern day, Douglass interweaves the two unbelievably well. I cannot wait to read the second book in the trilogy and makes me want to read more of her books. An incredible, incredible writer and I have recommended this book to several of my friends. Read and enjoy.
Rating:
Summary: ugh
Review: This book was utterly dissapointing for a sara douglass. It's a confusing (but somehow manages to be boring) plot, and it's waaay to graphic for its own good....
Cornelia, Sara Douglass's main character (actually I'm still not sure WHO are the main characters) is a pompous, arrogant spoilt brat, and she doesn't have much of a character at all. Her husband, Brutus is not much more than a complete and total .... The characters do not really support the story. Nothing that they do makes sense. Also, she mixes different types of mythology, which I must say brings out a totally confusing and muddled theme.
This book is NOT worth reading. If you want to read REAL fantasy, read Sara Douglass's other books like Starman, or Beyond The Hanging Wall. Just don't waste your time with this one:(
Rating:
Summary: An unpleasant work of highly sexist sado-machochism
Review: This is a book of the "oh he raped and beat me, but that was then, now I love him" sort. Forget the rambling plot, the strange treatment of history and mythology, the lack of imagination in naming people and places, and outright lousy editing. But if you're into poorly-written stories of torture, abuse, and obscure mysticism, this is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Simply the Best
Review: This is a book that didn't capture me in the first few pages, but suddenly it was like a light went on, the intrigue, the characters, the plot. Everything started to come together with a bang and it took off. I could NOT put this book down, I became part of the Troy Game. This book lived and breathed with me until I finished it. And then of course I was frustrated because I had to know what happened next !
I high recommend this book and book 2 God's Concubine which is just as enthralling and leaves you clamouring for more.
Rating:
Summary: The worst book I've ever read
Review: This is easily the worst book I have read in a long, long time. What a mess this confusing jumble of pseudo-history, pseudo-feminist, pseudo-dark fantasy novel is - or should I say pseudo-novel? And what a disappointment from Sara Douglass, whose "Wayfarer Redemption" series I actually admired. I honestly don't know where to start. How about with the characters, not a single one of which is likable or admirable in any way. Each one is invariably one or more of the following: cruel, shallow, power-mad, spoiled, self-centered, whining, manipulative, duplicitous, and vindictive. Brutus, the male "protagonist", rapes his 15-year-old wife Cornelia on their wedding night, smacks her around repeatedly (including once while she is in labor with their son), and cheats on her with Genvissa, a blasphemous priestess who has sucked dry her own goddess in her lust for power. Lovely. We're supposed to feel OK about this, because Cornelia forgives him and moons around after him regardless. Oh yeah, she's an inspiring heroine for women everywhere. Then there's the plot, such as it is, a jumbled mish-mash of Greek and pre-Celtic mythological references used to support an utterly transparent and preposterous storyline that involves a disinherited patricidal Trojan (Brutus) and a spoiled and self-centered Greek princess (Cornelia) who travel to what will eventually become Britain to establish a new Troy. They're led there by Genvissa, an evil Llangarlian priestess (Llangarlia must be the silliest fantasy name I've yet to encounter) who wants access to the power Brutus wields over the Troy Game, an all-but-extinct form of labyrinth magic. Intrigued yet? Oh wait, there's more. Fathers rape daughters, sons kill mothers (and those are the *good* guys), and there is quite possibly the most disgusting and graphic miscarriage scene I have ever read. (No one who has ever given birth, or ever intends to, should read this scene. Do the words "ruptured placenta" mean anything to you?) I don't mind characters that are a mix of good and bad; Douglass' previous hero, Axis, did some pretty crappy things while he was saving the world and didn't feel too darn bad about it. But there's a difference between a character who starts flawed and has to redeem themselves, or one who has to do some rotten things for the greater good, and a character who's just a jerk. I literally wanted to wash my hands when I set this book down. Don't waste the money.
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