Saga of a Warrior Who Refused to Kneel before the Priests of a Sacrificial Cult He has 2 fathers - Which father will guide Sava’s destiny? The sire of his physical body is the most famous war leader in Sarmatia. The sire of his soul was an infamous sorcerer, burned alive for his sins. 513BC - Racing against time to unite 7 warring tribes against invasion by the Persian Empire, Sava meets Kleo, daughter of a Scythian lord. Kleo dreams of freedom from her staid, controlled life. Meanwhile a cabal of sorcerers plots to kill Sava. They fear his growing power as a STRIGOI reborn. The God of War demands that every warrior must drink blood and bring the heads of those he fells in battle - Or he is not a Man. But Sava refuses to bring any heads. This sets him on a collision course with the black sorcerers of Sarmatia. Even the most powerful warriors fear the priests of the War God.
Carefully researched. Based on `The Histories' by Herodotus
Books in THE HORSE LORDS Series:
SAVA THE BARBARIAN - Horse Lords Book 1
RIVER GOD - The Horse Lords Book 2
SORCERY OF THE WINE GOD - The Horse Lords Book 3
Enjoy Scifi Romance? Read Diana Drakulich’s FALLEN DRAKON EMPIRE Series - Explore Alien to Human Evolution, Higher Consciousness and Area 51 Conspiracy -
Set in 512 B.C in the Black Sea Region, this first book of the series tells the story of Sava, the young son of the Warlord, Skopasis. The King of Persia is threatening to invade the region and Sava has been chosen as an emissary to travel to each of the seven surrounding regions. His mission is to persuade each of the tribes to attend a council of war. The character of Sava is very well developed. He is different from his peers, refusing to drink human blood, questioning the practice of human sacrifices and the worship of gods. Sava's main interest is, not in fighting, but in keeping and breeding a herd of Nisean horses and he is proud of his champion stallion, Zlatna. He has always felt he is an outsider and sees this mission as a chance to prove himself to his father. Sava's travels take him first to Gelonus where the people are friendly. Here he meets Kleo, who helps him in his quest. Later, at the temple of Targitaas, he experiences a frightening encounter with Lashna, an ennarei priestess. The writing here is imaginative, conveying an eerie atmosphere of danger. The scenes in the sacred burial grounds of the Black Cloaks, where Sava hides during the funeral of Prince Kanxa, also stood out for me. Sava inhabits a dangerous and violent world which is vividly described. Danger is ever present. The author has obviously carried out a great deal of research describing in detail the weapons, clothes, music and food of the time and brings to life the many myths and legends of the period. The writing is detailed and descriptive and paints a picture of a time steeped in superstition and rituals. The ending left me wanting to read more about Sava and his quest. Highly recommended for lovers of historical adventures.
Plenty of action and incident. The historic facts (or guesses at fact) and myths were fascinating. The writing was not as stylish as the subject matter required, although it wasn't bad. With more elegant writing style this would be a five star book. It's still worth reading as it is.
This historical adventure follows the son of a warlord,Sava, who is entrusted with the arduous task of travelling to other nearby regions to join the war against the powerful Persian Empire.
Sava was an interesting main character. About the story, It was entertaining to read.
I'd like to credit the author for the great work describing clothes, rituals, etc It made the story come alive to me.