"If Russ's first book is any indication of the planned series, this first-book author should move quickly up the best seller's list and remain there for years to come."
"Zenobia - beautiful, intelligent, and powerful. And she was real. Russ Wallace's Zenobia - Birth of a Legend, Book 1, is a rich coming-of-age saga based on true events that transport you back in time to the desert of ancient Syria, 250 CE. It chronicles what is known of the Syrian queen's youth, wrapped in imaginative tales of the vibrant life she might have led. To protect her life, Zenobia's gender was hidden until her ninth year. She understood the need for deception, but once exposed, the dynamic girl persuaded their male-dominated tribe to fulfill her dream, training her to become a cunning warrior. The new twist of discovery in Zenobia's life offered the best of both worlds, creating a budding womanly warrior few men could resist.
I love reading historical novels and this one is particularly interesting. Having traveled through the Middle East, which was once part of Zenobia's landscape, I easily visualized the ancient events Wallace depicts. Aptly blending fact and fiction is a tricky art, but he cleverly mixes education, history, political and religious theories, action and adventure, with a young girls emotional discoveries.
Zenobia's allure will attract more than today's young adults who will identify with the girl, though they are millennial apart. Her thirst for knowledge and penchant for righteousness, and Wallace's historical acumen in satisfying them, will be a magnet for political aficionados and military tacticians. Like for me, she will resonate too, with women who admire the empowerment Zenobia embodies as she battles injustices.
Well-written and imaginative, fast-paced and exciting, this is a book that will fascinate and charm. I not only identify with Zenobia's passion and staunch support of equality, but enjoy the personality Wallace infused into this exceptional ruler. With every page you will marvel at the intricate details of thought expressed by his characters, and wonder with him at how little we have learned as a society, through the ages. '
Woven in the fascinating narrative of Zenobia, Russ Wallace features the humanity of history - and sometimes lack of it - acquainting us with a remarkable time in ancient cultures. Much like today, country borders and even whole countries appeared and disappeared in the earth's "blink of an eye." And as now, world-changing events were largely due to the dynamic politics and warring strategies of those who ruled the most powerful countries - Zenobia was such a leader. Book 1 is a great beginning." - LinDee Rochelle - owner of http://www.penchantforpenning.com/ ; Founded and administered Women Writers of the Desert, a metro Phoenix organization for nearly five years, which transformed into an online resource to benefit women on a broader scale and renamed Women Writers Worldwide. http://www.womenwritersworldwide.com/
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