But she is followed by a supernatural Shadow who protects her, and Sekhmet may (or may not) be more than just a cat. She appears to be alone except for the cat Sekhmet. The 20 years have passed, Nectenabo is dead at the hands of the Persians, and Meriamon arrives at the Macedonian camp. In this telling, Nectenabo was a 'seer' who 20 years before had 'witnessed' the birth of Alexander in his scrying bowl, and believed the Macedonian infant would become a great warrior and was destined to save Egypt from the Persians. Into the battle's aftermath walks the fictional Princess Meriamon, a physician and 'singer of the Temple of Amon'-and the only living child of Nectenabo (a historical figure, the last native Egyptian to be Pharaoh). Darius fled the field, leaving behind vast amounts of treasure, many concubines, and his mother.

This is a highly fictionalized account of the events of 333-332 BCE, the two years following the Battle of Issus, where Darius the Great of Persia was defeated by the young Alexander of Macedon. It is by far the best of the Judith Tarr books that I'm familiar with, and I think it deserves more recognition and readership that it has generally received. 'About this title' may belong to another edition of this title.Unique, Fascinating, and Deserving of RespectĪlthough romanticized and fantastical, 'Lord of the Two Lands' is a great story imagined around a solid core of history. Although the narrative is somewhat encumbered by frothy narration, Tarr's fully fleshed-out characters and solid, intricate plotting add depth to an entertaining saga.Ĭopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. She focuses the plot on the personal struggles of Sarama, Agni and the Lady's people as they struggle to understand each other's cultures, and she delves into the implications of the societies' inescapable meetingAthe destruction of matriarchal society. Tarr's skillful juxtaposition of two vastly different yet spiritually similar societies gives a sharp edge to this feminist epic. But she doesn't know that it will be her twin brother, Agni, who will lead the invasion. Sarama soon realizes that her destiny is to teach this peaceful society to fight against the inevitable advancement of the tribes. Her quest brings her to the western land held by the Lady (another representation of the Goddess), a place that has never seen a man in power, a horseAor war.

So when the Goddess wills her to seek out the legendary civilization where women are rumored to be kings, Sarama is relieved to follow her duty. Because of her station, Sarama is allowed freedom denied to women of the White Horse, but she never feels truly comfortable in the tribe. Among the nomadic White Horse tribe, tomboyish Sarama is the servant of the White Mare, the incarnation of the Horse Goddess. Culture clashes, war and goddess worship set the stage for Tarr's well rounded and lively prehistoric epic set in Eastern Europe circa 4500 B.C.

White Mare's Daughter by Judith Tarr