The Queen's Curse

by Natasja Hellenthal

ASIN B00CMEQD30 moved to the more recent edition

4th Edition, revised and edited by M. Jackson and C. Gough, April 2015

What if a young female knight is promoted to be the Queen's bodyguard on an important mission? Why her? And what is the Queen hiding?

In a country with a cursed justice system, two women; the mysterious Queen Artride and her loyal bodyguard Tirsa, set out on a secretive perilous quest. But time is against them as they only have three weeks to save Tirsa's teenage brother's life, sentenced to hanging for a petty crime.
They hope to find the one person, who might just be the only person powerful enough to be able to lift the terrible curse from their land and its people. But this sorceress is said to live somewhere deep within Dochas; the strange uncharted Magical Land from where no one returns.

The two women are soon drawn to each other, but can their love ever be?
Struggles and questions arise as things get increasingly more difficult: can they trust one another and the magical creatures they meet who seem to have their own problems?
And more so; will they ever find the evil sorceress and will she actually be willing to help them, and if so... for what price?

Enter the world that is 'The Queen's Curse' and cling to Artride and Tirsa to experience a mind-blowing, heart gripping, psychological fantasy adventure where nothing is certain.

"It's a great fantasy read with a lot more depth and strengths than I had expected. Very good." - ChristopherFisherBooks TOP500 Reviewer
"A lyrical captivating fantasy with some beautiful imagery."- Rob Ross, author of Juggler's Blade
"A very traditional, spiritual romantic fantasy with strong lesbian/non violence themes"
- Matthew Graybosch, author of Without Bloodshed

"I think her imagination is wonderful and she created some truly beautiful images. She allowed things to grow and didn't rush things that needed space." - Erin
"This story is captivating, well written, and the author has put a lot of thought into her characters that of depth, emotions, strength, and vulnerabilities." - Angela Crandall

"This book is a very original lesbian fantasy read." - Katrina

"A well-constructed sword-and-sorcery novel. It's a worthy read for mature audiences, and fantasy buffs will find this book an enjoyable addition to their collection." - Programmer Cat

"The world that Natasja Hellenthal has created is very real, and carefully crafted as is Queen Artride and Tirsa's quest. I loved the developing relationship between the two. It was not rushed and occurred very naturally." - Shari Sakurai

Best for readers above age 15

Genres: Fantasy, LGBT, Queer, Lesbian, Romance, Adventure, Amazon

481 pages, ebook

First published May 1, 2013

About the author

Natasja Hellenthal is a novelist, researcher, environmentalist, and nature and animal lover. Her interests include reading the best books, science and metaphysics, psychology, philosophy, and art. She lives on a Greek island with her rescued cats.

She writes witty, speculative fiction that entertains people but at the same time makes them think. Her work has been described as 'thought-provoking'. Her writing is about change, freedom, advocating for LGBT equality, and animal welfare.

In her novels, she also deals with big psychological, ethical themes and struggles of life such as love and loss, abuse, and the consequences of our actions. She tries to build strong characters as realistically as possible, for even though the genre is Fantasy she wants people to feel connected with her heroes and villains as they would with their real-life people.

'Her books are available for Kindle, free with KindleUnlimited, and in Paperback.

Natasja Hellenthal is influenced by writers such as Tanith Lee, Kahlil Gibran, Patricia McKillip, and Hermann Hesse.

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Reviews

[Ian Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a lot to applaud in this epic fantasy. The descriptive writing is quite vivid and excellent for one, making it easy to see this play out as a film in my mind. I also found the pacing of the story quite good.

The heroine is a fun character, strong, temperamental, heroic, hot tempered and impatient; in short she will go over well with YA audiences. The fact that she is the first knight and commander to be a woman makes her a historically interesting character. Her dry wit and ability to be such a compelling, believable action figure had me turning the pages eager for more.

I thought the period detail was also handled very well, from details regarding guards, knights, the queen, life in and around the cancel. But most of all, the heroine and the story as a whole was a ton of fun. Sometimes the author can get everything right, and still somehow end up with a story that’s not as energetic or as engaging as it could be. I’m delighted to say that isn’t the case here.

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't often read fantasy and wasn't sure if I would like this or not. I did! It is a great story about a Queen and her bodyguard, searching for a way to lift a terrible curse from their kingdom. The story is fast-moving and kept me enthralled, always eager to see what would happen next. The women encountered many obstacles along the way and had to fight an evil sorceress, but in the end, love of course prevailed.

[Geo (rain) · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Curses can be broken’

3.5 stars, which I may round up later on. The Queen's Curse is a straightforward fantasy story which revolves around a queen and her knight traveling to a magical land so they can break a curse set upon their country in the form of a "Law Book", which can severely punish any type of action that it considers a crime (on the plus side, the land is almost free of crime!).

It's told in the third person omniscient, which in the beginning I found confusing, as I wasn't sure at times whose thoughts I was reading, but either it got better for me or I just got used to it. The writing itself, excluding some words/expressions that didn't seem appropriate for the setting (such as "down to earth", "spoilt brat" or "cliché") and some inconsistencies in the way the characters spoke (mostly without contractions, but with the occasional "I'm", "doesn't") was good.

For me it kind of had a "fairy tale" feel to it - there's the Magical Land, of course, with vivid descriptions of it, the magical creatures they encounter throughout their long journey to reach the powerful |Evil Queen with a heart of stone|sorceress, who cast a curse over her land to control/enslave the people living there, the 'tests' involving riddles and illusions they have to pass to get there, and an underlying theme of "love conquers all". But it was an entertaining journey, if only a bit slow-paced.

And the characters were likable and well-written. Tirsa, the knight, who by my calculations is either 22, 23 or 26, is kind of 'closed off', with a difficult past she's trying to leave behind, and Artride, who's 28-29 years old, is seen as a cold-hearted queen, because the curse's existence is kept secret, they believe she's behind the harsh punishments that can't be avoided/changed. She can also use healing magic, and together Artride and Tirsa make a good team. Their relationship was well-written, their attraction was there from the beginning but it wasn't rushed - it was in fact developed slowly, and felt believable (although the impatient in me was waiting for them to voice their feelings, haha).

Anyway, overall it was a good read.

[Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Wife's first book!! Brilliant - loved it from the end of the first chapter. Absolutely captivating! It twists and turns and spits you out! Left me spellbound and wanting more!! Very proud of you honey :) xxx

[XR · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wah, this was long. It was on okay read but I really liked both main characters, Artride and Tirsa so that's why I give this 2 stars.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This took me a long time to read. It’s not that it was super long, but I found myself losing losing interest from time to time. Sometimes I just felt like the pacing was off.

That said, I actually enjoyed the book more than I expected. I thought the store was interesting and I really loved watching the leads together. Their relationship was a huge part of the appeal.

[E.P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

An epic fantasy story with an unusual twist. Tirsa, hotheaded commander and knight, goes storming into the bedroom of her young queen when her brother is condemned to death over a seemingly minor offense, only to discover that the queen is under a curse. The two women set off in search of a sorceress who can break the curse, and discover a forbidden love for each other on the way.

It's great to read an epic fantasy in which all the main characters are women, so the book is worth a read for that reason alone, and the romantic relationship between the queen and her female bodyguard makes it stand out even more. There is also a strong theme of the respect for nature and harmony with other living things, instead of the more combative relationship with nature we often see in epic fantasy. Basically, this book has all the elements of a really interesting and non-standard, pro-female epic fantasy. I did, however, find the modern language register to be a trifle jarring. However, the more such female-centered/pro-female books we have in epic fantasy, the better, as far as I'm concerned, and readers looking for something other than your standard swordfighting fare would do well to check this book out.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good first book and I'm definitely looking forward to Hellenthal's future works. It took me a little while to get into the flow of the story. I think the editing could use some touching up, some typos and grammar that felt off distracted me. But after I got into the journey I did really like the heroines and Hellenthal's world became very interesting.

I think her imagination is wonderful and she created some truly beautiful images. She allowed things to grow and didn't rush things that needed space. The connection between the women was believably strong by the end and they were sweet and caring. This book surprised me on more than one occasion, taking turns I didn't see coming and I really enjoy that in a story.

So I think Hellenthal has a lot of promise and a great imagination. I definitely think she'll get better and better. This one as I said could have used some editing here and there and some sections could have been tightened up. But all that is stuff that will improve with time. If you're a fan of lesbian fantasy and romance you could enjoy this.

[Rebecca Larsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Star



A cursed book starts the journey to find someone powerful enough to break the curse. With just one knight, Queen Artride sets out to find a way to break the curse. Tirsa is the knight she has chosen to accompany her. Together they travel along the perilous route to find Sempervirens in hopes that she can break the curse that has been placed on Ceartas's law book. A curse that was set to where no laws could be added or changed, and strict adherence to each law was enforced.


The two women journey to Sempervirens cave, meeting different mystical creatures along the way. Tested along their journey, they develop a friendship with each other. Yet can their friendship withstand the truths that await them in Semperviren's cave? Will they find a way to break the curse and save Tirsa's brother in time?


I enjoyed reading this story, although it was hard to get into at first. This is one that is well worth reading.


(Disclaimer : I received this book in exchange for an honest review)

[Mummy's Naughty Corner · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this I really did. It's been on my TBR pile for ages. It dragged for me. I just couldn't get into it one bit. I'm not sure what it was but it just wasn't for me. I was listening to it on my kindle and I found myself drifting so much. I can see the author has put in a lot of work and I hate giving low reviews but no it's not for me.

[Theo · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are books that makes you think and books that don t do to much to the mind. This is a fantasy novel written for those people who like to think. It s pretty rare to have that in fantasy novels.

[AnnMaree Of Oz]

Kindle unlimited so give a go for yourself. I've picked it up twice now at two separate months trying to get into it, and both times struggled.

The premise sounded right up my alley, a princess and her lady Knight off on a noble quest with magic and such. But I just couldn't get into it.

[moxieBK · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Queen’s Curse — Natasja Hellenthal (24 chapters) May 3-7, 2017.

Not going to lie. I was attracted to this book because it combines two things I adore: lesbians and fantasy worlds.
If those two things throw you off, look elsewhere.

Note: After I wrote this review I got to thinking about it and checked out the author (which I do not normally do.) The author is from France, so I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt and say that I think that many of my confusion (including word choices, typos, ) could be attributed to this being translated from a foreign language or written as a second language? Just a guess.

This book started off like a fairy tale; but then it progressed into more of a fable. It was a very enjoyable read; very original and page-turny. I didn’t want to stop reading even when I had to (I read this during work breaks, and finished to on a Sunday evening.)

The reader does not have to enjoy lesbian relationships to like this book…that is a very sub-plot of the story. And doesn’t come up until the very end. There is no over the top sexy bits in this story either. The romantic part of the story was natural because it was built up over time. (Well, maybe not long time, but it felt long!)

Some reviewers are calling this an epic. But when I started reading this book, it started doff feeling like a fairy tale, and then morphed into a a fable. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! A fable. An adventure of “epic” proportions, but not a epic…because that implies it is a long book. It’s not. For the most part it read pretty fast. It slows down near the very end, and that part I wish would have been edited a little bit better. The refrain went on a little too long.

The characters work very well against each other. The plot was original, and well thought out. I enjoyed the story immensely.

There were some typos, and sentence structure issues. (Examples: Helpfull instead of helpful; finely instead of finally. And: “If the queen wanted to sit a little longer instead of sleeping, which was fine with Tirsa, but why did they…” which needs to be changed to that or but needs to be omitted.) Bluntly: there were a lot of passages in this book that confused me. I had to read several parts a couple of times to understand what was being said. The story was very complex and intricate. Which confused me as to who had written this. [Disclaimer: I very rarely read writers bios when reading their books.]

Having said that, this is not what knocks a star off an otherwise excellent read. It was those few chapters at the end, that once the knight and queen reached their destination, the plot slowed down considerably and the the dialog and action gets stuck for awhile. The climax was a bit surprising (let’s not kid ourselves: we all knew it was coming,) I just didn’t see it would end the way to did.

This book apparently came at a good time in my reading list order. I've read some good books lately, but I was really jones for a lesbian and/or fantasy book. Tis one had both! If you like good fables/fantasy adventures/epics, no matter your sexual preference, you will like this book.

Four stars.

[Ameliah Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOSH!!!

As I read this book I was cuddled up in my bed, a storm beating the windows. I had sweet smelling candles lit and Evanescence's Fallen playing softly in the background. It was the perfect setting to start what looked like a pretty great book!! (I was right)

This story is about a Knight and her Queen. They leave the kingdom in search of a powerful sorceress who can break the spell of the Book of Laws that really rules the Queendom and to save the life of the Knight's brother. Sounds pretty straightforward right? Easy, no problems, been there and done that right? OH HECK NO!! This is not your average Damsel in distress and Knight in shining Armour, not by a long shot!!

I was pleasantly surprised with how well Ms Hellenthal wove a very well written tale full of danger, suspense, mystery, intrigue and eventually romance and joy. It was breathtaking and brilliant. The characters are so good I actually worried for them, fidgeting as I rode the twists and turns. It was too long for me to finish in one setting but I hated to put it down and I resented my need for sleep for interrupting me. I could not wait to get back into the story.

This book was beyond great!! I can not wax poetically enough, I want to scream from the highest hill top, to bounce and dance around with glee... Just... just WOW! I have NEVER read a book that I wanted to see made into a movie more! Really with the details and the way I was immersed into the book it was like a movie in my head but to see it on the big screen would be beyond amazing!

I loved how the relationship between Artride and Tirsa develops as they travel across the land, danger twisting and turning across every new landscape. They learn to become more than Queen and Knight, then more than friends as they begin to rely on each other for their very survival then possibly more. There are many mysterious creatures that Ms Hellenthal painted for them to encounter along the way, some helpful, some very, very unhelpful in the most painful ways. The palace of the Sorceress is a maze of confusion and there is so much drama... I wont give anything else away but let me leave you with this, I adored this book and it is one of my favourites. Give it a try!

[Book · Rating 3 out of 5]

"‘The Queen's Curse"’ written by Natasja Hellenthal is a fantasy story about the two women that are embarking on the journey fighting to break the curse. Given the ratio of fantasy, adventure and romance elements found within this book, it could be recommended not only for fans of sword-and-sorcery, but also for the large group of general readers that will enjoy its well-written story.

The author introduces us to a Ceartas's cursed law book that requires someone strong and powerful to lift the spell. Queen Artride and her loyal knight Tirsa are the two brave persons that are trying to remove the curse, having only three weeks to save Tirsa's teenage brother.

In front of them is dangerous road full of temptations in order to find sorceress Sempervirens cave, hoping she would be able to remove the spell, break the curse and save the manÂ…

Within the book there is not much violence, instead the author places emphasis on the gradual build of story and the relations between two main heroines, different in their characters. Therefore this is the additional reason why this novel could be enjoyed by adult and young adult readers.

Because of the author'’s style and her imagination the reader will be slowly drawn into the story, eager to find out what lies ahead up to the very end, offering an interesting premise of two heroines fighting the evil sorceress combined with the love that happens between them.

Therefore, "‘The Queen's Curse"’ is an example of non-typical fantasy book, full of magic and adventure, in same time also providing the elements that are not so common in the sword-and-sorcery genre.

Overall, Natasja Hellenthal with her "‘The Queen's Curse"’ managed to write a solid piece of fantasy delivering more than the usual offerings.

I was given a copy of this book by the author for the purpose of unbiased review, while all the presented information is based on my impressions.

[Inked Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

FiveStars
A truly enchanting book readable on so many levels. It's a fantasy tale, where a beautiful, courageous Knight that has been affected by the horrors of war begins a perilous journey with her gorgeous, brave and magical Princess and all the fantastic creatures and dangers they meet along the way trying to fulfil their quest. On another level it can represent the good and evil in us all, how we tackle emotional problems that trouble our life's journey. What ever the novel means to you the author obviously succeeds in showing that true love, honesty and meeting your soul mate can overcome every obstacle you might endure, that any evil can be beaten and result in goodness taking its place.

At times the novel appears to be light and airy but this is quickly replace by the horrors that also live in this ancient world. The characters are not perfect and this gives them an air of vulnerability and thus more believable. Even the non humans have human frailties and emotions. The descriptions given whether it is the surrounding, emotions or sound are really well documented and give the reader the feeling of actually being there in the novel.

Anyone who wants to believe in good overcoming evil, in love overcoming hate, and the strength and power of honesty, and with completeness in finding a soul mate brings, would enjoy this book, along side a cracking novel of mystery, magic and suspense.

How you interpret novel is a personal choice, but I found it very entertaining and thought provoking.

I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Chris

[Rob Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

This ebook is Hellenthal's first novel, and it shows real promise. It tells the story of two strong women: Artride, Queen of Ceartas; and Tirsa, Commander of the Seventh Company. Tirsa begs the Queen to spare the life of her young brother, who faces execution for having innocently violated one of the countless commandments of the Law Book. But in Ceartas, the law is not merely harsh and unyielding; it is cursed. Whether royalty or commoner, all are forced to obey, with no room for mercy or equity.

In a desperate effort to save Tirsa's brother, the Queen and her Commander set off to find the Sorceress of Dochas, a beautiful and apparently immortal witch who may hold the key to breaking the curse. Along their journey, Artride and Tirsa learn each other's secrets, and come to know one another as far more than merely lord and liege.

The Queen's Curse is a captivating fantasy with some beautiful imagery. In a lyrical style, Hellenthal focuses upon her main characters, and takes her time in allowing their lesbian relationship to develop. As with many ebooks, parts of the novel could have benefited from tighter editing, but it is an interesting tale, and I look forward to reading her future work.

Rob Ross, Author of "Juggler's Blade"

[Samaris Creech · Rating 5 out of 5]

The people of Ceartas are mostly a law abiding people since they know that any infraction of the law will be punished no matter what. Tirsa is a knight in the Ceartas army loyal and brave but when she finds out that her little brother is sentenced to die for a petty crime she is livid and seeks out the Queen. Aretride is the Queen but really in title only for she has no real power to pardon anyone even if she wanted to. Somehow she must make Tirsa believe this so that she can help her in her quest to banish the curse that was laid upon her country so long ago. Together they travel ironically to a land that is said to be cursed in search of the one person who may be able to help them life the Curse of Ceartas once and for all. They go through many trials and tribulations and along the way learn some surprising things, not only about themselves but about the supposed Queen of Dorchas as well. Will their journey be in vain? Will they be able to not only survive the harsh land but also get a Queen who is known to be selfish and hating to give them what they want the most? Can they help break the curse of not one but two lands?

[Shari Sakurai · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed reading The Queen’s Curse. You are immediately pulled into the story and this makes it very difficult to put down!

The world that Natasja Hellenthal has created is very real, and carefully crafted as is Queen Artride and Tirsa’s quest. They brave many dangers together and through the perils that they face the two who, at first are at odds with each other, become closer.

I loved the developing relationship between the two. It was not rushed and occurred very naturally. I was glad that Tirsa was able to make peace with her past and that it would not continue to be an obstacle that prevented the two of them from moving forward together.

The quest itself allowed both characters to grow and develop, and their journey had many twists that kept me reading and willing for a happy outcome, not just for the protagonists but all the characters that they met along the way.

This was a captivating and wonderful read that will not disappoint and I look forward to reading more novels by Natasja Hellenthal.

[Cee Jolly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book suffered from one of the most destructive flaws concerning story telling: lackluster characters' personalities.

Everytime I try to get through the book, I can't help thinking that the author didn't plan the heroines' characters out before writing. Tirsa switches from vulnerable and reckless to full of hope with no transition at all. Sometimes I can't distinguish between Tirsa and her Queen, they are just that stale. To solve puzzles, they have to feel or act out whatever the plot need them to, and the readers never get why they can do that. In addition, the girls' background stories are presented through dried expositions. There are a lot more tell than show, and the telling part isn't interesting either.

Between the heroines and the typical wood journey, I lost interests very quickly. Maybe others will find it good, but this is definitely not for me.

[Ashley Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll admit this is not the type of book I normally read. It took a while for me to get into it. Some of the format threw me where it was hard to tell who was speaking or thinking a certain line. But when you get use to the style, the story is engaging and vividly described. You're transported into a world where the scenery jumps off the page. You can taste, smell, feel it. Two strong women on a noble quest to end a curse. They have to learn to trust one another. In doing so, they find they can overcome all trials set before them and even develop a romance. Great read where you can lose yourself in the world the author created.

[Kristin Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book it had me hooked right from the start. Lots of twist and turns keeping you on the edge of your seat. The magical world she created was very realistic making me want to actually go visit this fantasy world. And anyone that uses evanescence lyrics in there books is ok by me haha. I would have liked a bit more romance but loved the end. I look forward to hopefully reading more about these two women's adventures together.

[lov2laf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and would recommend reading it. I liked meeting the lead characters and their first impressions of each other (especially the queen). The only critique I have is that the tone or pacing felt different as I moved through the book. It started off more intense with a feeling of a medieval knight's tale and then shifted to a slower fantasy with an element of a Wizard of Oz type world. For that I give the story 3.75 stars. Really imaginative storytelling, though. Worth the read.

[Keya · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never really been into fantasy literature but this book is amazing. I wanted to try it because i love reading books based off of lgbt relationships. i think I've just been converted to a new genre and also found a new author that i would like to explore more. great writer and great story line. i'm pretty sure i will purchase the authors other works.

[Jane Barcklow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engaging epic journey

It's the journey of two souls coming together. They learn to be companions, friends, saviors and lovers. Along the way meeting mythical folk, spirits and Gods.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

A absolutely fantastic read. An amazing story of trials, overcoming incredible odd and the strength of love. An incredible journey that will leave you satisfied. A highly recommend you read this book.

[Britni · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!! It was wonderful! It has adventure, love, sorcery, magic, fantasy, loss. It was a great story!! I highly recommend reading it!!!

[Ellen]

review coming soon

[Angela Rash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I truly enjoyed this book. Great characters and a good story.

[House Of Balloons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good book

It was very interesting and well written. The characters were very relatable and well thought out. I would recommend this book to others