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The Duke's Handmaid
Slavery...loyalty. Torture...honor. Betrayal...selflessness. All the young orphan wanted was security in a world that destroyed her family and left her despised and rejected. Can the simple farmgirl find a new family through voluntary enslavement to the duke's household? Crafted in a highly precise writing style so smooth it slips right from the page into your imagination, this fantastical storyworld examines timeless social issues that inform global justice today. "Something for everyone! If you like adventure and intrigue and danger, this is the book for you." ~ Frank Creed, award-winning author of FLASHPOINT and WAR OF ATTRITION "A most unique story of loyalty provides a stark contrast against the harsh realities of a slave society. Prepare to wince, cry, and laugh." ~ R.L. Copple, author of INFINITE REALITIES and TRANSFORMING REALITIES "Caprice Hokstad has the ability to draw you into a story and make you care about characters living in a very different world than your own." ~ Terr
289 pages, Paperback
First published December 16, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 14, 2012
Have you ever thought about volunteering to be a slave: metal collar, wrist bands, and shackles, the whole deal? Does that seem preposterous to you?
In a land where everything is double – suns, moons, humanoid species – we are drawn into the life of Keedrina (“Kee”), an Itzi (inferior race) girl. Through her circumstances, she meets the Duke of Latoph and decides her goal in life is to serve him. The Duke is a man of character and integrity, a man worthy of service, but his wife is not–and she hates his slave girls. What happens when slave service is not all the Keedrina dreamed it would be?
Theology: Slaves of God
But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. ~ Romans 6:22 NLT
The Duke’s Handmaid is an evocative metaphor of the freedom that comes with submitting your heart and soul completely to our loving Master. Keedrina is the perfect, willing slave but her master, the Duke, is not perfect. When he miscalculates and is misled, things go very, very wrong for his slaves. What results, is a tale that I couldn’t put down at the beginning and the end, but had to get away from in the middle because it was so emotionally wrenching. I laughed, I cried, but I kept on reading.
Rating
PG-13 for adult themes and violence
Social issues
Bigotry – In Latoph, there are two species– a ruling/noble species (Elva) and a second class species (Itzi). Itzi are believed to be uncultured and ignorant, little better than animals by some Elva. Those that know them realize that there is more to Itzi than some people believe. The book explores racism and intolerance in a fantasy world.
Slavery – Good slave owners, bad slave owners, laws for slavery (based on Leviticus 25, including Years of jubilee), and penalties for disobedience
Told with an air of formality, otherworldliness and Count of Monte Cristo overtones, this is a great book for someone looking for a little something different. The other two books in the series are definitely on my to-read list!
In a land where everything is double – suns, moons, humanoid species – we are drawn into the life of Keedrina (“Kee”), an Itzi (inferior race) girl. Through her circumstances, she meets the Duke of Latoph and decides her goal in life is to serve him. The Duke is a man of character and integrity, a man worthy of service, but his wife is not–and she hates his slave girls. What happens when slave service is not all the Keedrina dreamed it would be?
Theology: Slaves of God
But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. ~ Romans 6:22 NLT
The Duke’s Handmaid is an evocative metaphor of the freedom that comes with submitting your heart and soul completely to our loving Master. Keedrina is the perfect, willing slave but her master, the Duke, is not perfect. When he miscalculates and is misled, things go very, very wrong for his slaves. What results, is a tale that I couldn’t put down at the beginning and the end, but had to get away from in the middle because it was so emotionally wrenching. I laughed, I cried, but I kept on reading.
Rating
PG-13 for adult themes and violence
Social issues
Bigotry – In Latoph, there are two species– a ruling/noble species (Elva) and a second class species (Itzi). Itzi are believed to be uncultured and ignorant, little better than animals by some Elva. Those that know them realize that there is more to Itzi than some people believe. The book explores racism and intolerance in a fantasy world.
Slavery – Good slave owners, bad slave owners, laws for slavery (based on Leviticus 25, including Years of jubilee), and penalties for disobedience
Told with an air of formality, otherworldliness and Count of Monte Cristo overtones, this is a great book for someone looking for a little something different. The other two books in the series are definitely on my to-read list!
June 5, 2012
What is the purpose of a novel? Is it merely to entertain? Should it make the reader think?
What if it does a beautiful job of balancing both?
The Duke's Handmaid by Caprice Hokstad tells the story of Keedrina, an "Itzi"--a people seen as inferior and ignorant by the reigning race, the "Elva." She is a simple farm girl, living the life society dictates for her race...with one exception: Keedrina's appearance is unusual for an Itzi and she is able to pass herself off as Elva in order to learn to read.
Why does she do this? She knows she'll have no opportunity to use this skill in her present life...
But her life is destined to change.
Keedrina loses everything and is forced to make a choice in order to survive: either continue to scrape buy, nearly starving and alone, or give up the one thing she has--her freedom--in order to gain life through slavery. A paradox? You'll have to read to find out.
The Duke's Handmaid is a smoothly written and beautiful story, and offers opportunity to ponder much about the true meaning of life and love at the same time. With depth of character, action, and a unique and vivid world, The Duke's Handmaid captured both my heart and my mind.
What if it does a beautiful job of balancing both?
The Duke's Handmaid by Caprice Hokstad tells the story of Keedrina, an "Itzi"--a people seen as inferior and ignorant by the reigning race, the "Elva." She is a simple farm girl, living the life society dictates for her race...with one exception: Keedrina's appearance is unusual for an Itzi and she is able to pass herself off as Elva in order to learn to read.
Why does she do this? She knows she'll have no opportunity to use this skill in her present life...
But her life is destined to change.
Keedrina loses everything and is forced to make a choice in order to survive: either continue to scrape buy, nearly starving and alone, or give up the one thing she has--her freedom--in order to gain life through slavery. A paradox? You'll have to read to find out.
The Duke's Handmaid is a smoothly written and beautiful story, and offers opportunity to ponder much about the true meaning of life and love at the same time. With depth of character, action, and a unique and vivid world, The Duke's Handmaid captured both my heart and my mind.
June 7, 2012
At the outset it seems that Kee's choosing slavery over a life of freedom and poverty is based on a desire to live in the Duke's palatial home, with access to luxuries like hot running water and abundant food. But in truth, she is drawn to his house not by material things, but by her loyalty to him.
After some action-packed and unflinchingly violent opening chapters, the book settles into a slower pace, as farmgirl Kee is trained in etiquette and protocol so she can serve the duke as a slave. She learns about the brutal realities of slavery, but teaches others some lessons about submission and servanthood in the process.
The plot shifts into high hear for the second half, which is loaded with intrigue and chicanery, daring escape and noble sacrifice.
The author is occasionally a little too textbook-like in describing her speculative storyworld. Nevertheless, it is a rich setting, and her descriptions of it, though forced at times, are quite good. Although the duke’s culture is very different from our own, it is internally consistent -- a necessity for good fantasy.
The characters are well-rounded and engaging, and I enjoyed the story. I look forward to reading the sequel.
After some action-packed and unflinchingly violent opening chapters, the book settles into a slower pace, as farmgirl Kee is trained in etiquette and protocol so she can serve the duke as a slave. She learns about the brutal realities of slavery, but teaches others some lessons about submission and servanthood in the process.
The plot shifts into high hear for the second half, which is loaded with intrigue and chicanery, daring escape and noble sacrifice.
The author is occasionally a little too textbook-like in describing her speculative storyworld. Nevertheless, it is a rich setting, and her descriptions of it, though forced at times, are quite good. Although the duke’s culture is very different from our own, it is internally consistent -- a necessity for good fantasy.
The characters are well-rounded and engaging, and I enjoyed the story. I look forward to reading the sequel.
December 28, 2011
Loved this book. At first when I started reading the book I was outraged that the main character was a Slave! Then putting my emotions aside kept reading an just fell in LOVE with the story
If your looking for a story that brand new, exciting and you wanna fall in love with the character give this book a chance
As always being a series girl the follow up book is Nor Iron Bars.
If your looking for a story that brand new, exciting and you wanna fall in love with the character give this book a chance
As always being a series girl the follow up book is Nor Iron Bars.
May 24, 2012
An adventurous read, with well written, lyrical prose. I felt the ending was a bit too convenient, and I had hoped the main character's attitude toward slavery would have become less favorable, but he still enjoyed too much seeing the woman he loved groveling at his feet.
March 31, 2016
Great read
Lots of action, adventure, and intrigue, along with a simple love story. Some of the scenes may be too intense for delicate readers, but nothing blatantly detailed or gory. I enjoyed it.
Lots of action, adventure, and intrigue, along with a simple love story. Some of the scenes may be too intense for delicate readers, but nothing blatantly detailed or gory. I enjoyed it.
September 3, 2012
I lost a good bit of sleep over this story, and I do love a good story. Gonna download book two right now.
January 5, 2008
Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews