Sahmara

by Jean Davis

Many prosperous decades of peace have made the people of Revochek apathetic toward their gods. Without fervent worship, the twin gods Mother and Hasi have grown weak. Unable to protect their worldly territory their cruel uncle, Ephius, and his devoted followers run rampant. Towns are plundered and the stench of death taints the air. Those that weren't killed or hiding are slaves. Without warriors to channel their powers, the Mother and Hasi are defenseless. If all of Revochek falls, the balance of the gods will be broken, paving the way for Ephius to plunge the entire world into war.

Deep in the enemy country of Atheria, one young woman escapes her captors only to find herself alone, unarmed, and starving. Torn from her life of privilege and the arms of her ma’hasi lover, Sahmara is unfit for life on the run, and running is the only thing she knows to do in order to get home. The well-being of her family is unknown, and if Zane hadn’t been killed, he is a slave. No one is coming to save her.

Desperate, Sahmara prays for help. She does not expect her prayer to be answered by an ancient woman with a thirst for blood or that her single desperate plea might be the one that rescues them all.

Genres: Fantasy

242 pages, Paperback

Published September 9, 2016

About the author

Jean Davis lives writes an array of science fiction, fantasy and horror as well as children's books about her chickens. When not writing, she can be found playing in her garden, enjoying a glass of wine, or lost a good book.

Reviews

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

The female lead in Jean Davis' Sahmara (Amazon Digital Services, 2017) grew up in a life of leisure, her only concern being who she would wed and how she would spend her afternoons. That all ended when enemy troops take over her town--the entire country, in fact--and she is captured and turned into a sex slave. When she escapes, she has few survival skills but an abiding goal to be reunited with her parents and the man she loves. She is barely surviving when she meets an old woman who helps her with clothing, food, a bow (with a replenishing quiver), a never-empty water bottle, and a lot of magic that Sahmara must figure out how to use. She starts by teaching herself to use the bow and discovers that divine guidance has made her an excellent archer. She links up with rebels trying to take the country back from the invaders, one city at a time, and demonstrates to them and herself what a driven, motivated female can accomplish, even in a man's world.

This is a wonderful story. The characters are well developed, the plot fast moving and well-paced, and the world believable. I enjoyed being part of Sahmara's journey from dependent female to self-sufficient leader. This is an excellent tale of growth, truth, and survival. It is highly recommended.

[Evelyn Basham · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sahmara” opens with a girl running from slavery on a cold night in nothing more than a thin shift. She desires to go home, but she doesn’t know where she is and has nothing. She is dirty, starving, and worn in body and spirit. She wishes for her literal knight in shining armor to come save her, but he was captured when she was taken along with the rest of her country. She knows no one but her gods will save her. So, while a cold wind whips wet grass onto her bare thighs, she says a prayer and saves herself.

Her gods hear her prayer.

This is the bleak opening to one of the most hopeful stories about faith and the strength of the human spirit that I have ever read. This book grips the reader from the first chapter and doesn’t let go. Jean Davis’s writing captivates, pulling the reader into the story with striking imagery. Instantly you empathize with this character and her plight, hoping that she will get away. Then the story takes you in directions you would never expect.

This is not a Christian story, which is neither praise nor condemnation, but it is a story of faith, something I normally only come across in Christian based stories. Most fantasy looks at the idea of gods and supernatural powers with a darker lens. Not to say the gods of Sahmara’s world are wholly benevolent. To have the strength to restore Sahmara’s people they require the work of Sahmara and the blood of their enemies. I still say this is a story of faith because when Sahmara learns what she must do to save herself and her people, she goes forth and does it with only that faith as proof it will work. Faith is belief in action. It’s having only the vision of what could be to guide your way.

I don’t want to reveal too much of the story with this review. One of the most delightful things about this story is you don’t know where it is going. I will give some details on the characters, however.

As Sahmara’s past is revealed it is clear she was once a woman of privilege, not royalty, but of high status. She would have married well, and so her father hired a special Ma’hasi guard for her. Her knight in shining armor and secret lover. This fine life is months behind Sahmara when the story begins. She has been captured and sold as a slave to do for the officers of the army as they wished. Realizing her knight is never going to save her, she leaves the drunk officers and begins her journey home. Her prayer to her gods, given in desperation with only a small hope she will be answered is why they choose her to save her nation. Yes, this is a chosen one story, but it does not follow a traditional path. Nothing comes easy for Sahmara. She earns everything achieves. Not only must she fight to survive, but also to avoid abuse from both the enemy and the soldiers of her own country’s army when she finds them again. They aren’t there to rescue her either. In the end, she rescues them. Watching Sahmara face her challenges and grow because of them is one of the most engaging parts of this story.

Eventually, she finds an ally and lover in a former shepherd turned soldier named, Olando. He is a simple man, who is kind and brave. He takes Sahmara under his wing to protect her from the other soldiers in the army and to teach her how to fight with a sword. He isn’t perfect. Sahmara ending up in his bed was part of an agreement in exchange for him teaching her to use a sword, but even this is a form of protection in a world so lost and depraved women are passed around like playthings. Ultimately, as Sahmara comes to understand what the gods need of them, Olando discovers his faith and is transformed by it as well. He respects and loves Sahmara proving to be a rare gem in her world.

Olando is not Sahmara’s only ally and lover. The gods need one who holds within them both aspects of the masculine and the feminine to carry the power of the brother and sister god and goddess of Sahmara’s land. I said it wasn’t a Christian story. Once again not a knock against it or praise. Merely a statement of fact. After during a retaking of one of the villages in her homeland, a woman named Sara joins the battle and fights alongside Sahmara. After the battle, Sara begs to join the army, wanting revenge for the loss of her family and the abuse she has received from the enemy soldiers. Sahmara, aware that such abuse could also come to Sara from their soldiers, claims Sara as her own. And then once Sara is invited to Sahmara and Olando’s bed, well the three decide they quite like the arrangement.

This book is also not erotica. It does describe the beginning of things and little more. The love shared between the three is the point, and not so much the act.

Sara is also brave. She never gains the ability to fight as Sahmara and Olando, but she is a good healer and also carries that same faith kindled by Sahmara that frees their nation.

There are many other characters of note in the book, but I will not discuss all of them here. Jean does a fantastic job of making all her characters real and engaging, even the ones you will only read about for a page or two.

The setting is enveloping. You hear the ocean and feel the grains of sand on your feet as you go with Sahmara to the old woman’s cave on the beach. You see the kids playing around Sahmara as she mends a net in an enemy village in exchange for food. The clangs of sword on sword ring around your head as you follow Sahmara into the heat of battle. When I picked up this book, I had a hard time putting it down until I read the last page.

If what I have shared with you interests you at all, buy this book. You will not be disappointed.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sahmara finds herself fighting for her life when her village is attacked. No one believes in the gods anymore Hasi or the mother. Somehow she must protect herself when she escapes the men who captured her. She'd frazzled and quite thrown back until she discovers an unexpected alignment with the very god's others have seemed to dismiss.

[Kelsey McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. the amount of emotion in this book its soooo good I need to read more of her books im so glad I got to met her and im honored to have a signed copy