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The Time for Alexander #2
Legends of Persia
When Ashley Riveraine jumped at the chance to travel back in time to meet her hero Alexander the Great, she never thought she would end up staying there…
Following Alexander the Great’s army on its journey across Persia, Ashley is walking the knife edge of history. As a presumed goddess, Ashley is expected to bless crops, make sure battles are won and somehow keep herself out of the history books.
Can Ashley avoid the wrath of the Time Institute while keeping the man she loves alive?
271 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
9 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Macaire
38 books136 followersJennifer Macaire lives in France with her husband, three children, & various dogs & horses. She loves cooking, eating French chocolate, growing herbs and flowering plants on her balcony, and playing golf. She grew up in upstate New York, Samoa, and the Virgin Islands. She graduated from St. Peter and Paul high school in St. Thomas and moved to NYC where she modeled for five years for Elite. She went to France and met her husband at the polo club. All that is true. But she mostly likes to make up stories.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 12, 2019
This is the second of the stories of Ashley, who has travelled back in time to meet Alexander the Great and ends up marrying and staying with him. The story follows Alexanders travels and adventures as we know them but with Ashley added in. The characters as before as richly described and it is always very obvious a lot of research has gone into the books and I love the mix of history with time travel.
I love how the romance angle is so complicated with everyone being in love with everyone else. Alexander has 3 wives so it's impossible to get jealous (although some do). Hephaistion is in love with Alexander but he and Ashley also have a connection and she gives birth to his son! You have to keep up because there's a lot going on.
It moves quite quickly, I managed to read it all in one day and it's a lot of fun. A lot of sexy fun too, as mentioned the relationships get complicated and some of it quite graphic. Overall though I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to what happens next
I love how the romance angle is so complicated with everyone being in love with everyone else. Alexander has 3 wives so it's impossible to get jealous (although some do). Hephaistion is in love with Alexander but he and Ashley also have a connection and she gives birth to his son! You have to keep up because there's a lot going on.
It moves quite quickly, I managed to read it all in one day and it's a lot of fun. A lot of sexy fun too, as mentioned the relationships get complicated and some of it quite graphic. Overall though I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to what happens next
April 14, 2019
Ashley Riveraine, is a present day woman who travelled back in time to 330 BC. Meeting Alexander the Great, she decided to stay and make a life with him.
She travels with him, during his battles, all of which are as factual as they can be….and tells of daily life, the food, religion and the culture of the time, all told in such interesting and immersive writing…..you can almost smell it.
This is nicely paced with plenty of descriptive, evocative writing and you will become part of the tale, the search for Ashley and Alexander’s lost son….
The story is written in Ashley’s 21st century language somits easy to follow with some humour and insights into this ancient world….a stunning and bewitching read.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
She travels with him, during his battles, all of which are as factual as they can be….and tells of daily life, the food, religion and the culture of the time, all told in such interesting and immersive writing…..you can almost smell it.
This is nicely paced with plenty of descriptive, evocative writing and you will become part of the tale, the search for Ashley and Alexander’s lost son….
The story is written in Ashley’s 21st century language somits easy to follow with some humour and insights into this ancient world….a stunning and bewitching read.
Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
April 16, 2019
This is the second novel in the Time for Alexander Series. I read the first novel, and I have to say, Legends of Persia stepped up on the awesomeness of this novel.
The level of immersiveness Jennifer Macaire has been able to create is truly impressive. It’s as historically accurate as possible, and it really transport you back into the culture.
I love this plot. It’s perfectly paced and there is so much richness in the writing that draws you in. I read this in one setting because I found it so interesting and entertaining. I highly recommend checking this one out!
*I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*
The level of immersiveness Jennifer Macaire has been able to create is truly impressive. It’s as historically accurate as possible, and it really transport you back into the culture.
I love this plot. It’s perfectly paced and there is so much richness in the writing that draws you in. I read this in one setting because I found it so interesting and entertaining. I highly recommend checking this one out!
*I received a copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Rachel's Random Resources. All opinions are my own.*
August 16, 2017
Ashley, a twenty-first century woman, has travelled back in time to circa 330BC and decided to stay there by the side of the most powerful man of that era, Alexander the Great. With him, she travels across the Middle East and Asia, conquering, subduing and winning over the hearts of ancient tribes and nations. From the start, you are steeped in history and exoticism of distant times, lands and mores.
The pace picks up steadily and by chapter four, you, the reader, are conquered too. You are plunged into a mystical and arousing pagan ritual, starring Ashley and her demi-god husband, Alexander. You never look back as you accompany them on their trek deeper and deeper into the unknown, closer and closer to the edge of the world as they search for their lost son.
The author has researched her subject matter thoroughly and she is able to give you intimate glimpses of the lives of the Ancients, including their deliciously warped morality. Or should I say, immorality?
The characters grow close to you. Despite their claims to divinity, they are skilfully drawn as mere humans.
The story is written in a first-person journal format, in the heroine’s modern-day language which allows the reader to focus on the events, not the form. Her observations, delivered from the perspective of the 21st century woman, are conveyed with lightness and humour.
A captivating read.
The pace picks up steadily and by chapter four, you, the reader, are conquered too. You are plunged into a mystical and arousing pagan ritual, starring Ashley and her demi-god husband, Alexander. You never look back as you accompany them on their trek deeper and deeper into the unknown, closer and closer to the edge of the world as they search for their lost son.
The author has researched her subject matter thoroughly and she is able to give you intimate glimpses of the lives of the Ancients, including their deliciously warped morality. Or should I say, immorality?
The characters grow close to you. Despite their claims to divinity, they are skilfully drawn as mere humans.
The story is written in a first-person journal format, in the heroine’s modern-day language which allows the reader to focus on the events, not the form. Her observations, delivered from the perspective of the 21st century woman, are conveyed with lightness and humour.
A captivating read.
April 15, 2019
3.5 Stars: This is the second of the stories of Ashley of the Sacred Sandals, who has travelled back in time to meet Alexander the Great. You do not need to read the first book in this series to follow this story as there is a lot of back story scattered throughout. Ashley becomes the third wife of Alexander, and the one he truly loves. This story follows Alexander's history, his battles, his travels and his raunchy love life. This story details his life from 330 BC to 328 BC. The book ends with Alexander and his army getting ready to enter into India. There were a lot of bloody battles in this book, more than in the first.
Once again, many of the characters are historical (you can look many of them up), but there is a lot of fiction to the story as well. The characters are well described, both physically as well as their characters. To be honest, I did not enjoy this one as much as the first, perhaps because of an increase in sexual activity and promiscuity, but it was still an enjoyable story. There is actually a bit of a love triangle in this story. I was saddened by a death or two of some of the characters, but it seems that is also historically accurate. The lifestyle that the army, Alexander and Ashley lived is not easy. Being on the move, often on foot, setting up new camps, sharing bath houses, eating bread with stones in it and more are not the way I would have wanted to live. And yes, we see elephants in this story. The story moves quickly, even with all the descriptions. As I mentioned earlier, the relationships get complicated and some of it quite graphic, so be prepared. Overall I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to what happens next in Alexander's and Ashley's adventures. I received a copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
Once again, many of the characters are historical (you can look many of them up), but there is a lot of fiction to the story as well. The characters are well described, both physically as well as their characters. To be honest, I did not enjoy this one as much as the first, perhaps because of an increase in sexual activity and promiscuity, but it was still an enjoyable story. There is actually a bit of a love triangle in this story. I was saddened by a death or two of some of the characters, but it seems that is also historically accurate. The lifestyle that the army, Alexander and Ashley lived is not easy. Being on the move, often on foot, setting up new camps, sharing bath houses, eating bread with stones in it and more are not the way I would have wanted to live. And yes, we see elephants in this story. The story moves quickly, even with all the descriptions. As I mentioned earlier, the relationships get complicated and some of it quite graphic, so be prepared. Overall I enjoyed the story and am looking forward to what happens next in Alexander's and Ashley's adventures. I received a copy of this book from Rachel's Random Resources upon my request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.
April 21, 2019
I really enjoyed the first book in the series The Road to Alexander and I wasn’t disappointed with the follow up.
The book starts as Ashleigh and Alexander are still looking for their son, who was kidnapped in the previous book. Ashleigh has settled into her life, even though she is in the past, being careful to keep herself out of the written details of Alexander’s life.
The story flows well as their combined desire to find their son, drives the story. I can’t wait to read the next one.
The book starts as Ashleigh and Alexander are still looking for their son, who was kidnapped in the previous book. Ashleigh has settled into her life, even though she is in the past, being careful to keep herself out of the written details of Alexander’s life.
The story flows well as their combined desire to find their son, drives the story. I can’t wait to read the next one.
June 3, 2017
Ashley's adventures continue as she travels across Persia with Alexander. He knows her secret, but he may not be able to keep her safe from the time institute. This was a good sequel to the first book. Ashley is still getting accustomed to life in the past. Can she and Alexander be happy? If you love history, time travel and a good story then this is a must read.
February 8, 2019
Legends of Persia
Jennifer Macaire
4 stars
Dateline: 330 BC
The Army of Alexander the Great
Author Jennifer Macaire is a bewitching writer who creates golden passages from pages of history. Thanks to her research, we are able to join with Alexander as he marches through the Middle East. “His army follows Alexander like the tail trailing behind a comet. Priests, whores, soldier’s wives and children, cooks, engineers, doctors, scribes, historians, diplomats, lawyers, botanists, astrologers, grooms, messengers, slaves…and last of all.. Ashley the Time Journalist, from 3000 years in the future. (So she is from about the year 2700.)
The first book in The Time for Alexander series began with the story of how Ashley came to Alexander’s world. In the future, journalists will be able to travel back in time and interview a historical figure, for one day. Ashley chose to interview her hero, Alexander. She successfully meets him, but he complicates things and accidentally causes her to remain forever in his time.
The second book, Legends of Persia, seamlessly continues the saga of Ashley and Alexander. I found it fascinating how Ashley immerses herself in the daily life and the culture of the times. Food, games, and religion are presented in interesting detail and mix with the history of the times. We learn that people at this time loved new things. Alexander loved mail and wanted to improve the postal system as he spread his version of civilization.
Alexander continues to march through the Middle East to Asia. He has conquered Persia and longs to see India, especially the elephants. He muses that he doesn’t want to conquer India, just learn from the culture. Alexander and Ashley are challenged daily, from expected challenges in dealing with a large army in hostile territory, living off the land, to more serious problems such as treachery, and the continuing sadness of searching for their kidnapped son. This book provides plenty of adventures, and drama, written in a haunting and classical style.
The core of the story is the intense, and complicated relationship between Ashley and Alexander. Although a vast difference of time, history, beliefs and culture separate them, they have a transcendent connection. “My heart had melted long ago, melted for the magnificent man holding me in his arms…”
Their love story is deep and moving, and a wonderful and enjoyable heart of the story, but readers should know that their sexual relationship is featured frequently.
“There are some gifts that the gods give to mortals. One is the ability to love and love well.”
By the end of this book, Alexander has less than 5 years to live. I look forward to the next book in the story. This series is unusual, in that the author has so skillfully blended the time travel twist with history, and a compelling story arc.
Thanks to the author and to Rachel’s Random Resources for a review copy. This is my honest review.
Jennifer Macaire
4 stars
Dateline: 330 BC
The Army of Alexander the Great
Author Jennifer Macaire is a bewitching writer who creates golden passages from pages of history. Thanks to her research, we are able to join with Alexander as he marches through the Middle East. “His army follows Alexander like the tail trailing behind a comet. Priests, whores, soldier’s wives and children, cooks, engineers, doctors, scribes, historians, diplomats, lawyers, botanists, astrologers, grooms, messengers, slaves…and last of all.. Ashley the Time Journalist, from 3000 years in the future. (So she is from about the year 2700.)
The first book in The Time for Alexander series began with the story of how Ashley came to Alexander’s world. In the future, journalists will be able to travel back in time and interview a historical figure, for one day. Ashley chose to interview her hero, Alexander. She successfully meets him, but he complicates things and accidentally causes her to remain forever in his time.
The second book, Legends of Persia, seamlessly continues the saga of Ashley and Alexander. I found it fascinating how Ashley immerses herself in the daily life and the culture of the times. Food, games, and religion are presented in interesting detail and mix with the history of the times. We learn that people at this time loved new things. Alexander loved mail and wanted to improve the postal system as he spread his version of civilization.
Alexander continues to march through the Middle East to Asia. He has conquered Persia and longs to see India, especially the elephants. He muses that he doesn’t want to conquer India, just learn from the culture. Alexander and Ashley are challenged daily, from expected challenges in dealing with a large army in hostile territory, living off the land, to more serious problems such as treachery, and the continuing sadness of searching for their kidnapped son. This book provides plenty of adventures, and drama, written in a haunting and classical style.
The core of the story is the intense, and complicated relationship between Ashley and Alexander. Although a vast difference of time, history, beliefs and culture separate them, they have a transcendent connection. “My heart had melted long ago, melted for the magnificent man holding me in his arms…”
Their love story is deep and moving, and a wonderful and enjoyable heart of the story, but readers should know that their sexual relationship is featured frequently.
“There are some gifts that the gods give to mortals. One is the ability to love and love well.”
By the end of this book, Alexander has less than 5 years to live. I look forward to the next book in the story. This series is unusual, in that the author has so skillfully blended the time travel twist with history, and a compelling story arc.
Thanks to the author and to Rachel’s Random Resources for a review copy. This is my honest review.
June 19, 2008
I finished the two books by Jennifer MacAire - "Time for Alexander" and "Heroes In The Dust". She does a great job of characterization although her tales are so erotic I would feel obligated to give them a "parental discretion" warning in a review. :-) (At one point, the heroine, Ashley, engages in threesome with Alexander and Hephaistion. I usually don't read romance novels so perhaps this is normal in the romance genre). However, I must admit I enjoyed them immensely! Her history was significantly different than that related by Mary Renault, though.
Key differences: Alexander killed Hephaistion's brother - ??? (MacAire)
Hephaistion was an Athenian (MacAire) - Hephaistion was the son of a Macedonian noble Amyntas (Renault, et al).
Alexander had "parti-colored eyes" (one brown and one blue) (MacAire) - Alexander had blue eyes (Renault, et al)
Greek soldiers ran around mostly nude (MacAire) - Greek soldiers wore chitons, breastplates, greaves and helmets (Renault, et al)
Parmenion was like a father to Alexander. When his son Philotas failed to warn Alexander of an assassination plot three different times, Philotas was arrested and eventually executed. Alexander himself executed Parmenion at Parmenion's request because of the humiliation of his son's treachery to his king. (MacAire) - Parmenion was one of Philip's old generals that, when given a letter forged by Alexander and purporting to be from Philotas saying Alexander was to be assassinated, smiled - indicating his complicity with the plot - and was subsequently killed by Alexander's officer (Renault).
Barsine bore a son to Alexander then died sometime afterwards from complications of the birth. (MacAire) - Barsine was executed by Cassander, son of Antipater, sometime after the death of Alexander, when there was an effort to restore Heracles (Barsine's son by Alexander) to the throne. (see reference)
Seleucas was a freed slave who worked his way up the ranks in Alexander's army (MacAire) - Seleucas was a 23-year-old Macedonian officer that accompanied Alexander on the Persian campaign gaining particular fame in the battles in India. (see reference)
Alexander was a childhood acquaintance of Darius (MacAire) ???
Olympias was Philip's concubine (MacAire) - Olympias, the Princess of Epirus, was Philip's first wife (Renault et al)
I can find no evidence that Olympias or Aristotle ever visited Alexander in Persia (Literary license? - it made for an interesting story point though)
I was also confused by MacAire's references to Nearchus (Alexander's admiral) having a personal obsession with Alexander. Alexander and Hephaistion's relationship was parmount throughout their lives (Renault et al).
However, I researched MacAire's reference to the god Marduk that demanded human sacrifice and found that this god did exist in Babylon (I found an interesting link about it at a site detailing the history behind the series Stargate)
Key differences: Alexander killed Hephaistion's brother - ??? (MacAire)
Hephaistion was an Athenian (MacAire) - Hephaistion was the son of a Macedonian noble Amyntas (Renault, et al).
Alexander had "parti-colored eyes" (one brown and one blue) (MacAire) - Alexander had blue eyes (Renault, et al)
Greek soldiers ran around mostly nude (MacAire) - Greek soldiers wore chitons, breastplates, greaves and helmets (Renault, et al)
Parmenion was like a father to Alexander. When his son Philotas failed to warn Alexander of an assassination plot three different times, Philotas was arrested and eventually executed. Alexander himself executed Parmenion at Parmenion's request because of the humiliation of his son's treachery to his king. (MacAire) - Parmenion was one of Philip's old generals that, when given a letter forged by Alexander and purporting to be from Philotas saying Alexander was to be assassinated, smiled - indicating his complicity with the plot - and was subsequently killed by Alexander's officer (Renault).
Barsine bore a son to Alexander then died sometime afterwards from complications of the birth. (MacAire) - Barsine was executed by Cassander, son of Antipater, sometime after the death of Alexander, when there was an effort to restore Heracles (Barsine's son by Alexander) to the throne. (see reference)
Seleucas was a freed slave who worked his way up the ranks in Alexander's army (MacAire) - Seleucas was a 23-year-old Macedonian officer that accompanied Alexander on the Persian campaign gaining particular fame in the battles in India. (see reference)
Alexander was a childhood acquaintance of Darius (MacAire) ???
Olympias was Philip's concubine (MacAire) - Olympias, the Princess of Epirus, was Philip's first wife (Renault et al)
I can find no evidence that Olympias or Aristotle ever visited Alexander in Persia (Literary license? - it made for an interesting story point though)
I was also confused by MacAire's references to Nearchus (Alexander's admiral) having a personal obsession with Alexander. Alexander and Hephaistion's relationship was parmount throughout their lives (Renault et al).
However, I researched MacAire's reference to the god Marduk that demanded human sacrifice and found that this god did exist in Babylon (I found an interesting link about it at a site detailing the history behind the series Stargate)
April 28, 2008
Heroes in the Dust is a time travel/historical romance and the sequel to Time for Alexander. Jennifer Macaire does an excellent job of bringing her reader back to 300 B.C. – not an easy task for sure. The treks through the Middle East and Asia are filled with wonderful images and details which put you right into the middle of the story right along with the characters.
This story picks up right where we left Ashley in the previous book, as she and Alexander are searching for their kidnapped son. The desperation that they feel coupled with the battles that must be fought with known and unknown enemies put them through hell. But through it all they never forget how much they love each other. They are the only ones who can bring the other peace in their times of most need.
When Ashley first went back in time to interview her childhood hero she never expected to be stuck in ancient times or that she wouldn’t want to leave. With none of the modern conveniences she was used to she adapts to her surroundings and becomes part of history – though she is careful to make sure she doesn’t change anything major. She doesn’t want to be “erased” and is careful to make sure the sword of Damocles doesn’t swing down upon her.
Heroes in the Dust is another wonderful episode on the lives of Alexander and Ashley. From the blessing of the fields, to avoiding poisoned food and plots against Alexander’s rule, there wasn’t one slow page. Once again as I read the last words I was already wishing for the next book. In order to get the most out of this story you really need to read Time for Alexander first but there is enough detail that it could stand on its own if necessary. I promise you though that the hours spent with these characters are worth every minute. I highly recommend this book. Heroes in the Dust is history brought to life for every romantic heart – you don’t want to miss this one.
This story picks up right where we left Ashley in the previous book, as she and Alexander are searching for their kidnapped son. The desperation that they feel coupled with the battles that must be fought with known and unknown enemies put them through hell. But through it all they never forget how much they love each other. They are the only ones who can bring the other peace in their times of most need.
When Ashley first went back in time to interview her childhood hero she never expected to be stuck in ancient times or that she wouldn’t want to leave. With none of the modern conveniences she was used to she adapts to her surroundings and becomes part of history – though she is careful to make sure she doesn’t change anything major. She doesn’t want to be “erased” and is careful to make sure the sword of Damocles doesn’t swing down upon her.
Heroes in the Dust is another wonderful episode on the lives of Alexander and Ashley. From the blessing of the fields, to avoiding poisoned food and plots against Alexander’s rule, there wasn’t one slow page. Once again as I read the last words I was already wishing for the next book. In order to get the most out of this story you really need to read Time for Alexander first but there is enough detail that it could stand on its own if necessary. I promise you though that the hours spent with these characters are worth every minute. I highly recommend this book. Heroes in the Dust is history brought to life for every romantic heart – you don’t want to miss this one.
October 24, 2018
I was quite critical of the first instalment of the Alexander series, so did try to read Jennifer’s review copy of the first sequel with an open mind. She is something of an oxymoron, in that she is an extremely talented author, with a fantastic writing style and an undeniable knowledge of not only her subject, but her craft, yet her choice of storyline and genre is at best a little immature, and at worst somewhat offensive.
As a semi-fictional account of the life of Alexander the Great and the world he occupied, the series is of a fantastic quality. Jennifer’s grasp and narrative of the era, and the dynamics of war and empire which characterized it, is vividly enlightening, educated and epic in scale. By rights, were it left at that, and the first person, Ashley, were simply an observer following Alexander on his journey of conquest, this book would deservedly ace 5-star reviews. Unfortunately, Jennifer has chosen a different path and genre for the series, opting instead to turn it into a swashbuckling erotic romance, in which Ashley is mistaken for a goddess and Alexander is her doting and passionate lover. The historical value of this book, and not to mention Jennifer’s wonderful ability as a writer, are utterly undermined by what appears to be little more than some salacious sexual fantasy which is, for the most part, unpleasant to be a part of – the sex scenes strike me as opportunistic and, frankly, a disrespectful objectification of a real-life historical figure of remarkable achievement (I made a similar point in my review of “The Road the Alexander”, and this view is no less applicable in “Legends of Persia”).
In “Legends of Persia” there is not really much of note happening, at least in the grand scheme of Alexander’s life. None of the loose ends of the first book are tied up – in fact, more are created, to set up the second sequel – and little happens in the way of storyline, in stark contrast to the first, which covers a much more eventful timeline and has a significantly longer word count. The way Jennifer reports the battle strategies is interesting, but incidental, as the books are predominantly about Ashley.
I couldn’t bring myself to award less than 3 stars, because Jennifer is such a talented and hard-working writer, who produces very good prose. Unfortunately, this high quality is so noticeably damaged by the gratification of her fantasy, I can’t see beyond it.
As a semi-fictional account of the life of Alexander the Great and the world he occupied, the series is of a fantastic quality. Jennifer’s grasp and narrative of the era, and the dynamics of war and empire which characterized it, is vividly enlightening, educated and epic in scale. By rights, were it left at that, and the first person, Ashley, were simply an observer following Alexander on his journey of conquest, this book would deservedly ace 5-star reviews. Unfortunately, Jennifer has chosen a different path and genre for the series, opting instead to turn it into a swashbuckling erotic romance, in which Ashley is mistaken for a goddess and Alexander is her doting and passionate lover. The historical value of this book, and not to mention Jennifer’s wonderful ability as a writer, are utterly undermined by what appears to be little more than some salacious sexual fantasy which is, for the most part, unpleasant to be a part of – the sex scenes strike me as opportunistic and, frankly, a disrespectful objectification of a real-life historical figure of remarkable achievement (I made a similar point in my review of “The Road the Alexander”, and this view is no less applicable in “Legends of Persia”).
In “Legends of Persia” there is not really much of note happening, at least in the grand scheme of Alexander’s life. None of the loose ends of the first book are tied up – in fact, more are created, to set up the second sequel – and little happens in the way of storyline, in stark contrast to the first, which covers a much more eventful timeline and has a significantly longer word count. The way Jennifer reports the battle strategies is interesting, but incidental, as the books are predominantly about Ashley.
I couldn’t bring myself to award less than 3 stars, because Jennifer is such a talented and hard-working writer, who produces very good prose. Unfortunately, this high quality is so noticeably damaged by the gratification of her fantasy, I can’t see beyond it.
April 10, 2019
Once again the author manages to blend two worlds, treating us to gorgeous chunks of history as Alexander and his army journey across Persia yet at the same time bringing the modern world into the story through Ashley.The gore of battle is never diminished, and nor is the joy of friendship, loyalty and relationships. There is all human life here, from the 'poisonous' Olympus, the 'two-faced' Roxanne, the 'loyal' Menedemes, and the 'faithful' Brassa. Every move Alexander makes is written down, every plan he makes is lauded for its ingenuity, and every battle takes him a step closer to finding his and Ashley's son, Paul. Alexander is the king we expect him to be, loved by many of the ordinary people, idolised by his army, and adored by his closest friends.Ashley, the presumed daughter of Demeter and Hades, aka the goddess Persephone brings some light relief to the never-ending journey. When she lapses into English, those around her think they are being blessed. Oh, if only they knew the truth. That aside, her moments of grief are many and troubling. Her piques of jealousy are robust and wild, and her true feelings for Alexander are tested throughout but never waver.In their endeavour to find Paul, they face many hardships. More babies are born, but not all survive. Friends die in battle. Doomsayers predict constant failure. Yet despite everything, Alex and Ashley are stronger and happier. He thrives on the discovery of new lands, of new ideas, of new opportunities. She relishes the time she has with him, knowing that his years of life are limited. Theirs is a complex relationship, and despite the gap of 3000 years between them, it still feels very real.I enjoyed this story more for its characters than its plot. If truth be told, the journey began to drag for me, and the place names became a blur. That said, while certain things failed to stick, the characters did not disappoint. They endure love and hate, grief and joy, wealth and poverty, calm and absurdity, but they never fail to entertain.I look forward to the next in the series as India beckons, and the elephants take centre stage.
February 3, 2018
Jennifer Macaire writes in a way that makes you yearn for a time when life was simpler and healthier- food was unprocessed, and so was pretty much everything else! Nobody had body-image problems, men wept openly and unashamedly, woman's sexuality was celebrated, not shamed, and communication was more honest.
Legends of Persia picks up where the prequel, Road to Alexander, leaves off. And again, there's that attention to detail that makes it clear an extensive amount of research has gone into the writing. It makes for a fascinating read. But apart from my passion for those mythical times, the aspect of this story that I found most satisfying was witnessing the protagonist Ashley's psychological and spiritual development, something she seemed to struggle with before she travelled back in time. Macaire subtly but effectively maps the shifts in her character's growth and also takes us back to our roots, reminding us that evolution doesn't mean you've mastered technology, but that it's an organic process.
As for Ashley's man, Alexander the Great, he's portrayed in a way that makes you want to date him!
Like Road to Alexander, Legends of Persia is a wake-up call, and if history had been presented so fabulously interesting (and in story-form) when I was at school, I would have paid more attention!
Legends of Persia picks up where the prequel, Road to Alexander, leaves off. And again, there's that attention to detail that makes it clear an extensive amount of research has gone into the writing. It makes for a fascinating read. But apart from my passion for those mythical times, the aspect of this story that I found most satisfying was witnessing the protagonist Ashley's psychological and spiritual development, something she seemed to struggle with before she travelled back in time. Macaire subtly but effectively maps the shifts in her character's growth and also takes us back to our roots, reminding us that evolution doesn't mean you've mastered technology, but that it's an organic process.
As for Ashley's man, Alexander the Great, he's portrayed in a way that makes you want to date him!
Like Road to Alexander, Legends of Persia is a wake-up call, and if history had been presented so fabulously interesting (and in story-form) when I was at school, I would have paid more attention!
August 11, 2018
Jennifer Macaire is not only a charming woman who leads a charmed life in France, but she is smart and funny, beautiful and kind. It would be hard not to love something that she has wrought. Mind you, I have never met her, but I have friended her from afar, and cheered her on since reading her first Alexander the Great book many moons ago. She has this delicious way of taking ancient history and spicing it up with a thoroughly modern time traveler sexpot who turns Alexander's life upside down with her antics, her love and her knowledge gleaned 3000 yrs. from the future. The humor and clever metaphors and references in no way take away from the serious research it had to have taken to write this series of novels. Sometimes her descriptions of the landscapes, the smells, the odd and the weird in the eras of superstition and royalty come right to life on the page and I forgot I was reading something that was just plain fun. I was impressed with the work and the offhandedness of her serious scholarship that went into it. It might not be the cup of the tea of uber literati, the fans of Pynchon or Brautigan, but if you like a rollicking good story told well, with an authorly tongue stuck firmly in her cheek, Macaire's work will give you pleasure. It's a hoot!
January 31, 2019
This is the 2nd book in this series, and I highly recommend you read these in order. Although I did catch on, it was still confusing throughout the book in parts since I did not read the first one.
In this book, Alexander’s army is on a major road trip. Because Ashley is from the future, she knows when her husband, Alexander will die in history. She’s not allowed to change anything in history or she’ll be erased. This is a very unconventional story, and the customs and practices from the past do collide with Ashley’s own beliefs, but the emotions and love remains the same as it would at any time. Having to remember, that back in this time period, Alexander had more wives than Ashley, even though they did love each other in the book, and Ashley had other lovers. So the sex scenes are not your conventional interludes. There was even a couple instances that would really put off some readers.
I’m not sure if reading the first book would have had me liking the book better, but it really wasn’t my cup of tea. I will give credit to the author for the outstanding storytelling and originality, but I really do think this series is going to appeal to a specific target audience more than the general readers of historical fantasy. Reviewed by Cyrene
In this book, Alexander’s army is on a major road trip. Because Ashley is from the future, she knows when her husband, Alexander will die in history. She’s not allowed to change anything in history or she’ll be erased. This is a very unconventional story, and the customs and practices from the past do collide with Ashley’s own beliefs, but the emotions and love remains the same as it would at any time. Having to remember, that back in this time period, Alexander had more wives than Ashley, even though they did love each other in the book, and Ashley had other lovers. So the sex scenes are not your conventional interludes. There was even a couple instances that would really put off some readers.
I’m not sure if reading the first book would have had me liking the book better, but it really wasn’t my cup of tea. I will give credit to the author for the outstanding storytelling and originality, but I really do think this series is going to appeal to a specific target audience more than the general readers of historical fantasy. Reviewed by Cyrene
March 4, 2019
Apparently these books are somewhat like game of thrones, people dying everywhere, lots of sex, people everywhere having sex. Now I don’t doubt this, that is part of it, but somehow I am sad at the deaths and find the sex not as ...debased... as game of thrones (which I admit I ditched in the middle of the second book). It is historical fiction and seems more like it is the way it happened, more real and possible than game of thrones ever seemed. I am enjoying them, and looking forward to the release of the third book on audiobook.
June 6, 2017
The sequel to the Road to Alexander, Legends of Persia, follows Alexander as he conquers Persia. Ashley cannot return home, but she doesn't want to either. This was an enjoyable book to read and a good follow up to the last one. I would recommend it.
August 1, 2018
Alex is Great
She is a real woman having a marvellous adventure, can't wait to find out what happens to her, was so taken with Alexander that I got a good biography of his life & times, all fascinating &love the time travelling theme.
She is a real woman having a marvellous adventure, can't wait to find out what happens to her, was so taken with Alexander that I got a good biography of his life & times, all fascinating &love the time travelling theme.
February 2, 2019
Listened by audiobook from audible
Not quite as good as the first but still a good listen
Not quite as good as the first but still a good listen
March 17, 2019
The story of Alexander the Great and his army plus time traveler wife continues. It’s a mixed bag. Some of it is fascinating and then I get a bit fed up. Rather a lot of sex.
April 22, 2019
Writing Style
I really love the way Jennifer writes about Ashley and Alexander throughout the book. It’s done in a way that captures my attention, and better yet, HOLDS my attention. Whenever I have to put this series down I hate it, and I just keep thinking about what could be in store for them.
My one grumble about the writing was that a few descriptions felt a bit jarring. Like they were so to the point with no preamble that it felt a little off-putting. I don’t really remember if this happened in the first book or not. But after 2 or 3 chapters I stopped noticing it because I was so wrapped up in the story again.
Initial Thoughts
Jennifer recapped the previous book in the first chapter, which is great for newbies or those that haven’t read the first book in a while. And I think this is important to do, especially when you’re writing a longer series.
After we got past the recap we jumped straight back into where we left off last time. Maybe fast forward a week or two. Which is great for me because I didn’t want to miss a minute of the story! What I also loved was that Jennifer also referred to the modern-day names of many places which meant I could jump onto Google Maps and check out where they were.
Sometimes.
It’s not always easy to tell, and in a few cases I had to kind of guess roughly where they were. But that might just be me liking to know where people are when they are travelling. Does anyone else like following characters along on a map?
Final Thoughts
I love that Ashley seems to have grown bolder with Alexander in this book. In the first book she often deferred to him which I thought was a bit odd given how strong her voice was in her own time. An example of this is when Alexander is drugged and doesn’t notice Ashley being raped because he’s off with some other woman.
Boy did Ashley tell him where to stick it then! And the fact that she knew what was going to happen and essentially told him that she wouldn’t wait for him was pretty cool to read.
The one part of this section of the story line was that Ashley talked about her being from the future when others were in their tent. I thought no one could know this? And yet she’s blatantly telling Alex what his future is with like 3 other people in their tent who could hear them? That didn’t really make sense to me, and actually bugged me a little bit.
I really love the way Jennifer writes about Ashley and Alexander throughout the book. It’s done in a way that captures my attention, and better yet, HOLDS my attention. Whenever I have to put this series down I hate it, and I just keep thinking about what could be in store for them.
My one grumble about the writing was that a few descriptions felt a bit jarring. Like they were so to the point with no preamble that it felt a little off-putting. I don’t really remember if this happened in the first book or not. But after 2 or 3 chapters I stopped noticing it because I was so wrapped up in the story again.
Initial Thoughts
Jennifer recapped the previous book in the first chapter, which is great for newbies or those that haven’t read the first book in a while. And I think this is important to do, especially when you’re writing a longer series.
After we got past the recap we jumped straight back into where we left off last time. Maybe fast forward a week or two. Which is great for me because I didn’t want to miss a minute of the story! What I also loved was that Jennifer also referred to the modern-day names of many places which meant I could jump onto Google Maps and check out where they were.
Sometimes.
It’s not always easy to tell, and in a few cases I had to kind of guess roughly where they were. But that might just be me liking to know where people are when they are travelling. Does anyone else like following characters along on a map?
Final Thoughts
I love that Ashley seems to have grown bolder with Alexander in this book. In the first book she often deferred to him which I thought was a bit odd given how strong her voice was in her own time. An example of this is when Alexander is drugged and doesn’t notice Ashley being raped because he’s off with some other woman.
Boy did Ashley tell him where to stick it then! And the fact that she knew what was going to happen and essentially told him that she wouldn’t wait for him was pretty cool to read.
The one part of this section of the story line was that Ashley talked about her being from the future when others were in their tent. I thought no one could know this? And yet she’s blatantly telling Alex what his future is with like 3 other people in their tent who could hear them? That didn’t really make sense to me, and actually bugged me a little bit.
April 25, 2019
Legends of Persia by Jennifer Macaire is the second book in the Time for Alexander series. Now, I haven’t read the previous book but I enjoyed this one nevertheless. The story is about Alexander but in this particular series, it boasts a rather unique beginning.
I shall reveal more in my review, so stay tuned.
Summary
Ashley is on her journey with Alexander. She herself is seen as a Goddess by all and is made to participate in rituals to bless the crops with Alexander. In Asia now, Alexander faces challenges but his focus is to only get his son back. Through ups and downs, Ashley stands lovingly by him but she knows Alexander will meet his end one day. She can help him but that would mean changing the course of history. Is she willing to take that risk?
What I Liked
I really enjoyed the book. Primarily because it is a heady mix of adventure and romance. About the unique start that I mentioned earlier, Ashley travels back in time to meet Alexander to gather firsthand information about what transpired. I read the summary of the first book to get an idea and then went ahead with this one. Alexander’s adventures and conquests are fascinating, but what I loved here was how the author portrayed the softer side of Alexander.
He was a God to his subjects but his emotions made him human and relatable in the story. The many interesting characters made this an intense read.
A special mention about the writing style of the author here. Beautifully expressive, especially loved the use of metaphors and similes.
What I Did Not Like
To be honest, I was a bit shocked by certain sexual indications in the story but then I had to remind myself that in that time period the things/events not so common now, were okay back then.
Other Details
As mentioned this is the second book in the series. There are five more sequels to this book. I will be reading and reviewing the next two for you guys, so keep an eye on this space.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes, for sure! I would, of course, suggest you start from the first book and enjoy the tale of Alexander and his adventures.
I shall reveal more in my review, so stay tuned.
Summary
Ashley is on her journey with Alexander. She herself is seen as a Goddess by all and is made to participate in rituals to bless the crops with Alexander. In Asia now, Alexander faces challenges but his focus is to only get his son back. Through ups and downs, Ashley stands lovingly by him but she knows Alexander will meet his end one day. She can help him but that would mean changing the course of history. Is she willing to take that risk?
What I Liked
I really enjoyed the book. Primarily because it is a heady mix of adventure and romance. About the unique start that I mentioned earlier, Ashley travels back in time to meet Alexander to gather firsthand information about what transpired. I read the summary of the first book to get an idea and then went ahead with this one. Alexander’s adventures and conquests are fascinating, but what I loved here was how the author portrayed the softer side of Alexander.
He was a God to his subjects but his emotions made him human and relatable in the story. The many interesting characters made this an intense read.
A special mention about the writing style of the author here. Beautifully expressive, especially loved the use of metaphors and similes.
What I Did Not Like
To be honest, I was a bit shocked by certain sexual indications in the story but then I had to remind myself that in that time period the things/events not so common now, were okay back then.
Other Details
As mentioned this is the second book in the series. There are five more sequels to this book. I will be reading and reviewing the next two for you guys, so keep an eye on this space.
Would I Recommend It?
Yes, for sure! I would, of course, suggest you start from the first book and enjoy the tale of Alexander and his adventures.
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