Kassandra: A Tale of Love, War, and One Woman's Destiny: A Novel of Ancient Greece

by Alison Blasdell

She was born Athenian and raised an Amazon warrior. But betrayal and heartbreak will force her to choose who she is.

“…a powerful tale…”-Novels Alive
“An amazing story of courage, strength, and fighting back…”-The Faerie Review

This is the tale of Kassandra, born in Athens, Greece, in the 4th century BC, and her transition from a frightened but determined girl into a formidable warrior—a path of trust and betrayal, love and loss, joy and heartbreak—the story of a woman who challenges the very gods of Greece to find happiness.

Kassandra was just ten years old when her mother spirited her away in the middle of the night to avoid an arranged marriage, traveling until they reached the mountains the Greeks believed belonged to Zeus. There, her mother left her alone, telling her she must climb the mountains, a feat no man had accomplished, to find the secret band of free warrior women—the Amazons.

Thus begins Kassandra’s journey, a journey that will take her from the battlefields of Persia to Athens at the height of its glory and ultimately fulfill her destiny.

367 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2023

About the author

Alison is a versatile author who artfully blends genres to create fast-paced, memorable stories, always keeping a woman’s quest for empowerment at the heart of her novels. There is a reason why she focuses on strong women who overcome adversity.

Alison admits to running away from kindergarten three times. In high school, the career counselor told her that her grades were too poor to consider attending college. She wanted to pursue martial arts as a teenager but was told she shouldn’t engage in karate because she would get hurt fighting men. She was cautioned about riding horses because of the incidence of severe injury. And finally, she wanted to match her skills in marksmanship with the boys but was told girls couldn’t shoot.

Alison earned a Ph.D. in physiology and biophysics and taught nursing, medical, and physiology students for 30 years before retiring. She earned a Black Belt in karate. She rides her horses every day. And girls can’t shoot?

She often weaves her areas of interest and her passion for history into her novels. She has placed her characters in Britain’s Bronze Age, Medieval Scotland and England, Genghis Kahn’s Mongolian Empire, Ancient Greece, and the U.S. Civil War. However, not wanting to always live in the past, she is also the author of two contemporary spy thriller novels that have garnered an international following.

Alison lives with her husband, two dogs, and three horses in the Midwest on a farm that has been in her family for 175 years.

Reviews

[A. L. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book; it felt a bit like reading fanfiction for “Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey”. Which is to say, some of the characters attitudes seemed anachronistic, and there were some information dumps that were a little clumsy, a little too obvious. But the overall story was fun, and entertaining. The author clearly researched the era, and did a good job trying to balance the vast amount of historical information (this was the time of Socrates, Pericles, Athen’s Golden Age, the Peloponnesian War, and the plague that ravaged Athens) with the task of not losing your average reader in too many details. Honestly, I would like to see this writer with a big budget editor behind her and see what she creates.

[GILLIAN GRANNUM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, imaginatively drawn, with interesting, believable characters. It was an engaging read.

[Kristi Cope · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a special place in my heart for Greek history and mythology, especially after having the opportunity to visit a couple years ago so I was excited to receive this book from a Goodreads giveaway. It is a captivating mix of the history of ancient Greece and Greek Mythology. At the heart of it is a love story between a fiercely independent Amazon Warrior and a noble man from Athens. Through their story the novel examines important subjects such as morality, a woman's place in ancient Greek society, and democracy. It questions how these two people can overcome the demands of society as they were at the time and find true happiness with one another. I devoured this book in less than 24 hrs. It was beautifully written and enthralling.
Thank you to the author and Goodreads for the copy of this book.

[Courtney Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book full of a little bit of everything: adventure, history, culture, politics, mythology, friendship, romance, and a great story. The author does a great job drawing the reader into Kassandra’s character so you are either rooting for her, angry at her, grieving with her, or holding your breath with her.

Some of the twists and turns I saw coming, but not all of them. The story keeps the reader eagerly turning pages to the very end!

This isn’t a book I would normally pick up on my own but after winning a copy from a Goodreads giveaway I wanted to give it a try. I’m glad I did!

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Greek mythology and I love a strong female figure. However, I was only able to get half way through this book. I think that the storyline is solid, but the character development was lacking emotions. Whether the characters were overcoming trials, falling in love, etc. the emotions, or rather lack of, all felt the same. It was difficult to make an emotional connection to the main characters.

[Lauralee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kassandra is the illegitimate daughter of an Athenian noble and a hetaera. When Kassandra is ten years old, her father arranges a marriage for her. In order to avoid the arranged marriage, her mother takes her to the mountains to find the Amazons. Kassandra trains and becomes an Amazonian. Throughout her journey with the Amazons, Kassandra is repeatedly tested through a series of trials and even finds love along the way.

Kassandra is a very strong character. She has a harsh upbringing and goes through many trials. Yet, she is very resilient and determined. Her persistence leads to overcome her hardships. I also find Kassandra to be very kind and merciful. She is very loving and cares for the people around her! Therefore, Kassandra is a very admirable and compelling character. I was deeply invested in her story and wanted to know what happened to her.

Overall, Kassandra: A Tale of Love, War, and One Woman’s Destiny was a deeply moving coming-of-age story. Some of the characters, especially her love interest, were very one-dimensional. Nevertheless, I found Kassandra’s bond with her mother to be the best aspect of the novel. I like how Kassandra: A Tale of Love, War, and One Woman’s Destiny moved at a very fast-pace. There was never a dull moment in the novel, and I found myself reading it in one sitting! I like how the novel incorporates Greek mythology with Greek history! This was a very meticulously researched story that is filled with vivid imagery! I felt that I was walking alongside Kassandra in Ancient Greece! I recommend this novel for fans of Penelope Haines, Amalia Carosella, and Claire M. Andrews!
(Note: I received an ARC copy of this book from the author. All opinions are my own.)

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel really helped me better to understand the great characters from Greek Mythology with how the author wound them into the storyline. Kassandra's future was decided the day she was born in the fourth century BC, but her mother doesn't want her to go down that path and knows Kassandra is destined for a greater life. A greater life than she could ever give her. Sending her on a journey and to lands only dreamed of, Kassandra is already being tested by the gods and this is only the beginning of proving herself and her worth to herself and those who believe in her, and her path. There was so much to this storyline and I loved it all. There was history, romance, battles, family and a woman changing the perceptions of who and what they should be. Thank you to the author for her generosity of the free autographed novel, this will go on the shelf with her other novels. This review is of my own opinion and accord.

[Sandra HudginsBrewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alison Blasdell is a master at bringing history to life. In her latest novel, she takes the reader on a journey to Greece during its glory days - beginning in 436 BC. Kassandra is a heroine like none I've ever known. She is an Amazonian warrior, one with a pure heart, an uncommon strength and a great capacity for love. This story taught me a lot about the history of ancient Greece. It also brought to life one more role that strong women have played in the history of the world. In Kassandra, we see a woman who is physically strong and able, but one who has heart and spirit. Thank you, Alison for bringing Kassandra into our reading rooms!

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing story of courage, strength, and fighting back, Kassandra will waltz her way into your heart, and keep you captivated for hours. Blasdell does an amazing job of bringing Ancient Greece to life, with imagery that makes the story unfold before you like a movie. Kassandra has such a transformation over the course of the book, and I loved her fighting spirit. She's not perfect, but that only makes me love her as a character even more. The plot moves along smoothly, and at a good pace, with rarely a dull moment. I won't give any spoilers, but if you're a fan of Ancient Greece, myths, or historical romance, you're going to fall in love with this book!

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not normally find a book set in Ancient Greece too often. The story centers around a woman, who as a girl, was told to run from the home she knows to escape a potentially bad marriage and join the Amazons. Eventually, she meets someone who she could love. This book takes place over many years.

I enjoyed the book. I found the mF to be pragmatic and stubborn. The mM is well-rounded but sometimes tends to put his foot into his mouth. Sometimes I wanted to reach into the book and slap them both upside the heads. Overall, I think this book is an excellent read.

[Vicki Tessitore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome !!

From the 1st paragraph to the last line, the book captured my imagination and love of ancient history. The story line was quick but clear, the feelings of the time towards women, raised thankfulness for what we have today yet don't always treat it with the care and insight that we should!

Thank you for your hours and months spent researching, I truly appreciate your efforts!!!
Looking for your next book!!
Vicki