 Harper Collins paperback
(out of print)
|
 ebook for Kindle buy from amazon.co.uk |
Young amazon warriors Lysippe and her sister Tanais are riding to join the Macedonian army, when they are seized by slavers and taken to Ephesus. Only their captors have not reckoned on the bravery of the two girls and their friend Hero, a boy who has been a slave before and knows the ropes. After a daring escape during which Tanais is badly wounded, the three friends take sanctuary in the Temple of Artemis where nymphs haunt the rivers. But the Temple's protection relies on a magical "gryphon stone" that many powerful people would like to get their hands on. Can Lysippe and Hero outwit the slavers and discover the secret of the gryphon in time to save Tanais?
I have always been fascinated by the legendary amazons, a race of women warriors who lived on the shores of the Black Sea. When I discovered that they also appeared in a frieze around the eaves of the Temple of Artemis, my heroine Lysippe was born. Hero (or Herostratus) was a real historical character famous for burning down the Temple... why did he do it? No one really knows, which is always a good starting point for a story!
What they said...
¬ "The author weaves an entertaining web where the ancient world meets fantasy in this exciting tale of adventure and intrigue..." Hereford Times.
¬ "Grips the reader... my daughter says 'you just can't put it down'!" Sharon McDermott, teachingideas.co.uk
¬ "Cleverly combines history with myth... a fast-paced read full of action and adventure." Andrea Rayner, The School Librarian.
¬ "I think this book is excellent... probably the best one! If you are a myth action fantasy reader like me, you will enjoy this book for it is a great read in that category." JT, young reader.
 ASK THE UNICORN: Who was Artemis?She was the Greek goddess of the hunt, a virgin warrior goddess often shown with bow and arrows. Her Roman name was Diana. In Ephesus, she had a gentler form as protector of all living creatures, and her statue was decorated with carvings of birds and animals including her sacred creature the honey bee. Her priestesses were called Melissa, which means "honey bee", and since wildflower meadows surrounded the temple they probably made delicious honey there too.
Sadly today the honey bee is an endangered species, so honey might soon be history like the Temple of Artemis. Want to do something about it? Click here help the honey bee. |