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Esta
True magic is more astonishing than fantasy! Life is timeless.
Esta, the beautiful young Maiden of Massilia, stands before the emperor who rules the civilized kingdoms of the world, Hadrian of Rome! At Esta's side is her childhood friend, Naomi, a Jewess and a Christian, though it is a dangerous time to worship deities other than Jupiter and the pagan pantheon. Summoned from afar, they are brought before the high throne for an extraordinary purpose, a contest of philosophical wit, The Game of the Agora!
In a world of magnificence, of splendorous rituals and sacrificial martyrs, an extraordinary woman captivates an Empire.
As a child, Esta loved exploring her father's olive grove and the wild seacoast with Naomi. Yet, living in a great seat of ancient learning, she acquires a love of languages and philosophy. Strangely, after nearly drowning in the sea, her intellect is quickened, surprising not only her friends but the masters of the province! While still in her youth, the maiden swiftly rises in station, ultimately becoming Lady Esta of Rome, Imperial Counselor to Hadrian! Inevitably, her political ascent fosters jealousy and dangerous envy, a perilous journey fraught with betrayal and murderous enemies, yet rich in adventure, romance and preternatural awakening.
Esta is a timeless story, emotionally captivating, portraying the strength of truth and the unwavering spirit of a heroine whose legacy transcends history.
Esta, the beautiful young Maiden of Massilia, stands before the emperor who rules the civilized kingdoms of the world, Hadrian of Rome! At Esta's side is her childhood friend, Naomi, a Jewess and a Christian, though it is a dangerous time to worship deities other than Jupiter and the pagan pantheon. Summoned from afar, they are brought before the high throne for an extraordinary purpose, a contest of philosophical wit, The Game of the Agora!
In a world of magnificence, of splendorous rituals and sacrificial martyrs, an extraordinary woman captivates an Empire.
As a child, Esta loved exploring her father's olive grove and the wild seacoast with Naomi. Yet, living in a great seat of ancient learning, she acquires a love of languages and philosophy. Strangely, after nearly drowning in the sea, her intellect is quickened, surprising not only her friends but the masters of the province! While still in her youth, the maiden swiftly rises in station, ultimately becoming Lady Esta of Rome, Imperial Counselor to Hadrian! Inevitably, her political ascent fosters jealousy and dangerous envy, a perilous journey fraught with betrayal and murderous enemies, yet rich in adventure, romance and preternatural awakening.
Esta is a timeless story, emotionally captivating, portraying the strength of truth and the unwavering spirit of a heroine whose legacy transcends history.
575 pages, ebook
Published November 1, 2025
1 person is currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Bryce D. Gibby
16 books63 followersAviator + photographer + storyteller of legends that fire the imagination
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
July 9, 2025
I read Esta by Bryce Gibby thanks to NetGalley, and I liked it! It’s a historical fiction story about a girl going through a big life change, and I loved how it focused on her personal journey and strength. Some parts were a little slow, but it made me think more about her experience.
If you like character-based historical fiction with themes of family and growth, you’ll probably enjoy this one!
If you like character-based historical fiction with themes of family and growth, you’ll probably enjoy this one!
October 18, 2025
Esta is a fourteen-year-old with the opportunity to become highly educated in the time period one hundred years after Christ walked the earth. She lives under Roman rule. Her best friend Naomi is a Christian of Jewish descent. When her parents are murdered her life is turned upside down. A beauty, her eldest brother and inheritor of his father's wealth and status she is to be married according to his will. Desperate to be free of this nightmare Esta goes on a journey that lasts for an incredible lifetime.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my own unsolicited opinion of the book.
Esta is a magnetic character with a friend that caught my attention to read the book. Naomi is a Jew who is a follower of Christ. With barely a century from Christ's life, death and resurrection I was curious about how life could be. Their friendship and the horror of Esta's brother kept me interested.
There is a lot going on in the book. In all honesty there are some very slow places where I would look at my Kindle's timeline on how much was left to read. A couple times I was close to putting the book aside for a no review. Then Esta would have a new twist that kept me going. The author has done a tremendous amount of research and added historical pieces that were at times interesting and others that dragged. The characters, young, elderly, kind or driven by greed and want of power were all quite interesting. Esta's interest in the God of Naomi was a building bonus.
Overall, it is a good read. I do struggle with a rating. I'll give it a high three so taking it to 4. I think this would be of interest to those who are learning about early Christianity, life including worship of Roman and Greek gods and the possibility of an educated woman during the time.
It was a little too fantastical for me at the end, mainly due to my belief
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my own unsolicited opinion of the book.
Esta is a magnetic character with a friend that caught my attention to read the book. Naomi is a Jew who is a follower of Christ. With barely a century from Christ's life, death and resurrection I was curious about how life could be. Their friendship and the horror of Esta's brother kept me interested.
There is a lot going on in the book. In all honesty there are some very slow places where I would look at my Kindle's timeline on how much was left to read. A couple times I was close to putting the book aside for a no review. Then Esta would have a new twist that kept me going. The author has done a tremendous amount of research and added historical pieces that were at times interesting and others that dragged. The characters, young, elderly, kind or driven by greed and want of power were all quite interesting. Esta's interest in the God of Naomi was a building bonus.
Overall, it is a good read. I do struggle with a rating. I'll give it a high three so taking it to 4. I think this would be of interest to those who are learning about early Christianity, life including worship of Roman and Greek gods and the possibility of an educated woman during the time.
It was a little too fantastical for me at the end, mainly due to my belief
October 13, 2025
Thank you NetGalley & Perlycross Publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Esta, is the eighth book in The Decalogy of Antiquities, but can be read as a stand alone novel. As it is, this book is the telling of the life and background of Esta, later known as Vittoria. It is my understanding that Vittoria appears as a guardian angel earlier in the series.
I picked this book up because it is a historical-fiction book about a Jewish-Christian named Naomi set during Hadrian's reign of the Roman Empire. Naomi is Esta's childhood best friend. Esta is incredibly book smart, having memorized tons of literature, mythology, and philosophy; this also lends to her being a great orator and conversationalist. The book traces Esta's life from childhood, to Hadrian's court, to her peaceful death at the end of a long life.
The book is chock-full of quotations from Scripture and from poets. Having previously worked at a classical school, I felt that this book would've been an interesting novel for students who are learning about the Roman Empire, studying Latin and Paul's Epistles, as well as being introduced to philosophers such as Socrates. (Approx. grade level would be 7th or 8th).
This book would serve well with students because it would allow for reflection on the philosophy and theology that the author uses to move his characters along and would demonstrate the value of knowledge, like Esta contains.
Esta, is the eighth book in The Decalogy of Antiquities, but can be read as a stand alone novel. As it is, this book is the telling of the life and background of Esta, later known as Vittoria. It is my understanding that Vittoria appears as a guardian angel earlier in the series.
I picked this book up because it is a historical-fiction book about a Jewish-Christian named Naomi set during Hadrian's reign of the Roman Empire. Naomi is Esta's childhood best friend. Esta is incredibly book smart, having memorized tons of literature, mythology, and philosophy; this also lends to her being a great orator and conversationalist. The book traces Esta's life from childhood, to Hadrian's court, to her peaceful death at the end of a long life.
The book is chock-full of quotations from Scripture and from poets. Having previously worked at a classical school, I felt that this book would've been an interesting novel for students who are learning about the Roman Empire, studying Latin and Paul's Epistles, as well as being introduced to philosophers such as Socrates. (Approx. grade level would be 7th or 8th).
This book would serve well with students because it would allow for reflection on the philosophy and theology that the author uses to move his characters along and would demonstrate the value of knowledge, like Esta contains.
May 19, 2025
This lovely novel is the first book that I have read by Bryce Gibby so I can't say much about his other books but I will say that Esta is a wonderful book. Gibby did a tremendous job of providing images to give us an idea of what the character physically looked like. He also provided a detailed works cited page at the end of each chapter to explain where the information came from. Overall I was very impressed and I was happy I took the time to read it.
Our main character Esta grows up being the apple of her parents eyes. As a young girl she survives becoming a victim of drowning and afterwards it is discovered that she has a deep love for learning. Afterwards, her parents decide to invest money in tutoring because they believe that she is destined for great things.
When she is a teenager her parents are brutally murdered and her brotherntakes over the household. He is appalled at the amount of money his parents spent on tutors to educate a girl. Longing to get away from her brother and his horrible intentions she and her friends hop onto a ship and set sail for the adventure of a lifetime. From there she will rise to greatness.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.
Our main character Esta grows up being the apple of her parents eyes. As a young girl she survives becoming a victim of drowning and afterwards it is discovered that she has a deep love for learning. Afterwards, her parents decide to invest money in tutoring because they believe that she is destined for great things.
When she is a teenager her parents are brutally murdered and her brotherntakes over the household. He is appalled at the amount of money his parents spent on tutors to educate a girl. Longing to get away from her brother and his horrible intentions she and her friends hop onto a ship and set sail for the adventure of a lifetime. From there she will rise to greatness.
I received an arc copy from Netgalley and all opinions are of my own.
November 4, 2025
Another masterpiece by Bryce Gibby. Like his other books, once I started to read I was swept along a story line that captured both mind and heart, like a winding river with a swift current. Set in a period of intense Christian persecution during Emperor Hadrian’s rule, this fictional tale feels historical without being stuffy or boring. On the contrary, it’s captivating and compelling, so much so that it’s truly hard to put down once begun. It dovetails into the other annals he has written so there is story continuity, although the book stands on its own as a novel. Bryce Gibby’s amazing command of language and vocabulary is absolute genius! Bonus-stunning artwork throughout the book.Deserves a five star rating.
November 1, 2025
Wow this was epic and beautiful!! I requested it for initially for the gorgeous cover but after learning it was a historical fiction/fantasy with some Christian elements I was hooked! This book was a whopper I’m not gonna lie! It was full of scriptures and Roman Empire facts so i felt it was very well researched and very unique and well done. It was written beautifully and ethereal. I loved it. Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and the author for the chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review. 4.25 stars
November 1, 2025
I was excited for this one but sadly was bored for most of the book. I liked Esta as a character but there was a lot of unnecessary scenes where nothing really happened and it made it feel like a long read.
May 30, 2025
A captivating journey with great characters and a unique plot I felt like a lot of the verbiage was just crammed into the story for the sake of using the references to places, languages etc. I liked the book and would recommend it for anyone who likes historical fiction, but the extra information just dragged out each chapter.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews