The Blood Throne of Caria

by Roy Casagranda

In the early fifth century BC, Artemisia is trained in medicine, the sword, and statecraft--and no one cares. Her marriage will cement an alliance for her father and make a prince heir to his throne. However, this Amazonian spitfire will not be reduced to a traded commodity.

When the Persian Emperor demands a hostage, Artemisia's father sends his thirteen-year-old daughter in her brother's place. Instead of succumbing to despair and loneliness, Artemisia charms the Imperial Court and converts her exile into her own private tutelage.

Three years later, she returns to Caria as the heir to her father's throne. Princes pile upon each other to marry her. Dreading a life of submission, Artemisia delays the wedding--only to discover that her suitors are willing to kill for her hand. Brutally forced into wedlock, she outmaneuvers the kings of Caria in the palace and on the field of battle, cleaving the ramparts of patriarchy to become one of history's fiercest heroines.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Historical

416 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 10, 2018

Reviews

[Katherine Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

At a time when girls and women need strong female role models, The Blood Throne of Caria delivers a magnificent heroine—Artemisia. Forced into situation after predicament, at the hands of patriarchy and duty to kingdom, this badass princess maintains mastery over her own fate. Artemisia is grit and mettle personified. The Blood Throne of Caria is a story of power in femininity that will inspire every woman to rise above her circumstances.

[Jenny Godin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! As soon as I read the forward, I knew I'd love it! Thank you for writing women back into history.

[Skip · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kudos to Roy Cassagranda for writing a book about a strong woman leader from a bygone age. Artemsia lived in the era of 500 B.C., and was the daughter of a king in Caria, who had managed to rule well following turbulent times. She is sent as a hostage to Persia, and in treated as a royal guest; however, she is bored by the role of women, and cajoles her bodyguard to teach her to ride a horse and fight with a sword. Then, she starts sneaking into the royal chamber, hiding under the throne to listen to how the king rules his kingdom, where she learns much and becomes a source of pride for the king. When her brother Pissindelis (hilarious name) is killed, she is returned to Caria and wants to rule, but there is much controversy because she is a woman.

Unfortunately, the book suffers from too many places, an unreadable map that does not show enough detail to determine where it it, and many too many characters. It was simply impossible to keep track of who was who. Other than Artemsia and her handmaiden, characters are not sufficiently developed, choosing history over the story. Also, Artemesia's words were too modern and I think not consistent with the way women process information and make decisions. Am I glad I read the book? Yes. Would I recommend it? No.

[J.N. Bedout · Rating 4 out of 5]

With so many tales set in ancient Greece, it was refreshing to dive into a one the highlights events on the Persian side of history. The setting is on the southern Aegean coast of modern day Turkey. The heroine, an independent-minded princess trapped in a male dominated world uses her wits and determination to overcome the odds that stand to impede her dreams. Although it’s not evident from the outset unless you’re familiar with that period of history, the reader gets to experience the legendary Persian invasion of Greece that is immortalized in films such as “300”. Experience the battle of Marathon and skirt Thermopylae.

The Persian imperial court comes alive in the text. The early years are superbly crafted. The search for a husband was expertly done. The scenes in Athens were interesting, tragic, and ultimately uplifting.

The land battles and hand-to-hand combat scenes, while descriptive, tend to be a tad brief and wooden in their delivery. On the contrary, the naval scenes shine with vivid detail and tactical finesse.

Some of the transitions are swift and abrupt, and some stretches devolve into summaries of highlights. This could have easily been a 1000-page book, so I’m sure such strategies were necessary to keep the story moving to the next logical event.

Overall, this book is an excellent and enjoyable read featuring a strong female lead, with a bonus if you crave tales set in ancient Greece and Persia.

[Bmquiram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing
I wish my high school history book read like this.
Perfect timing for release during the #me too movement. Men controlling and violating women is not a new issue but one present through time.

Beautiful characters and scene building.

Back when I was in school I hated history but now I find myself anxious for Roy Casagranda's next glimpse at the forgotten women of history.

[OliviaO · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing read! The Blood Throne of Caria is compelling, fascinating, in turns hilarious and confronting, and at times so resonant that I wondered if I hadn’t heard this somewhere before. There were moments that struck me on a level I’d forgotten about. The book was so much fun to read now, even as it joins the list of books I wish I’d read when I was 14. I couldn’t put it down!

Artemisia’s story feels like a classic Great Woman story--like it is tracing out a well-established path for telling tales of powerful and forthright woman warriors and queens. As if it were one in a long line of girl-to-queen stories, reminiscent of well-known ancient legends, instead of unearthing one out of obscurity. Perhaps it is the ancient Greek/Persian subject matter, or the simple and unassuming nature of Casagranda's prose, but Artemisia’s story feels familiar. The challenges she must overcome and the opponents she faces--archetypal.

And yet, different. The Blood Throne doesn’t “aspire” to be a Great Man story. Doesn’t try to match or conform to the standard model. There is no implied “just as good as the boys” or “good, for a girl” here. Artemisia’s story stands as it is, aspires to only its own glory. By not trying to force her growing up into a traditionally male narrative of the ascent to greatness, The Blood Throne honors both power and womanhood. It does not shy away from any part of the female experience, nor fetishize them. The book is refreshing in its nuance.

Casagranda really knows how to put a story together. Pulling from years of teaching experience and a wealth of political science expertise, his book has all the in-depth perspective and witty snark of one of his lectures. Rather than glossing over the details of the political processes in the Persian Imperial Court or the throne room of Caria, Casagranda relishes them. I found myself learning new things about government and seeing concepts I’d learned in class put to work. It’s the small things that Casagranda includes, things that I know I’d only notice if they were missing, that really pulled me into Artemisia’s world. One of the best reads of my summer!

[Eric Vanderbilt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roy Casagranda delivers an epic journey through the past reminiscent of Bernard Cornwell with a feminist twist. Part coming of age story, part political thriller and part military saga, Blood of Caria brings to life the struggles of an exceptional woman who shaped her destiny through force of will and an unbroken spirit. It is Artemisia’s cultural balancing act, both of a woman intruding into male roles, and a Greek embracing the Persian court and custom that drive the narrative. Casagranda brings those cultures to life with a deep devotion to the details. This is a fantastic read for anyone who enjoys getting lost in history or loves an inspirational underdog story. Congratulations to Casagranda for blending it all together so wonderfully.

[Baroness Ekat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is more of a 3.5, leaning to a 4 so I rounded up.

Artemesia was the daughter of a ruling lord in Caria, an area that is now located in modern Turkey. In a time when women were not allowed much freedom, she earned her way to lead the lands, become Queen and warlord for the Persian armies.

This book is a novelization of her life. Much is speculation as there is not a lot of recorded information about her.

I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway and am glad that I did, as it is not something I would most likely would have picked up on my own. The pacing was good, though the dialog felt a bit sitled at times. The book could use the help of a copy editor though as I found several places where the wrong word was used or random symbols were inserted into words.

I hope Mr. Casagranda continues to write and should he do so, I would be tempted to see what he does with other moments and people in history.

[Stephanie *Spunky Avenger* · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blood throne of Caria was an amazing book. It had a strong female character that I just loved, she set her mind to the impossible and she did it, especially for the era the book was written about in the BC Era. Woman back then where viewed as nothing more than giving male heirs and not really having an power. But Atrmesia showed the world what determination and tanasity can do.
Definitely a 5 star book! I'm not sure if it is historically based or not, but over all a wonderful read

I won this via goodreads giveaways. all my opinions are my own.

[Paula Ackley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can appreciate and even applaud the research and the knowledge of history that went into The Blood Throne of Caria. The task of bringing to life the story of a woman who is basically erased from history is daunting. Mr. Casagranda's attempt is remarkable but none of that will make a good book and none of that will make me enjoy a book. Yes, Artemisia is a bad ass, driven, intelligent and courageous woman and I suppose her story can (and will probably) inspire and empower many woman and girls. It is the execution of the telling of the story that disappointed me. The writing lagged in some places while in other places time and events were rushed. The use of present day language and vocabulary was inappropriate (antsy,really?) and some of Artemisia's thoughts were just plain wrong. This woman's ideas about male/female relationships just didn't fit the amazing woman that Mr. Casagranda was otherwise describing. Knowing this was historical fiction and knowing that I did not have much knowledge of this time and place in history did not keep me from getting bogged down and overwhelmed by all the names of the people and places. Incorporating all these historical names and places into the story does not make it more historical and less fictional. This just didn't work for me although most of the other reviewers disagree.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't need to finish this book to know that the writing is pretty awful. Points for writing about an important and largely forgotten female figure, but OMG, the writing! Adults cannot be the target audience- it reads like a book for tweens. Amateurish and immature. I am 20% done and am just skimming it now so I can be done asap. What a shame.

Update: it didn't get any better. This book is a hot mess in so many ways. The most annoying is that it jumps from scene to scene with no transition, so you have no idea what is happening. So many things are not explained. There is no character development at all. Descriptions are awkward and repetitive (every character "sighs hard" at some point). The language is extremely simplistic and far too modern for the setting. Ugh.

It is clear that most of the reviews have been given by those who know the author; they are doing him no favors by giving this disaster 5 stars. I really hope his academic papers are better!

[Mirza Baig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant writing from one of my favorite teachers and authors. Draws attention to one of the most significant facts of life, that's it's women who are the backbone of society who bear the brunt of the actions of ambitious men and after the dust settles, rebuild what we destroyed. Roy Casagranda brings to his writing, his awesome teaching style that I enjoy so much. A must read book especially for those who like me, love history.

[Banafsheh Madaninejad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t catch my breath for the duration and simply couldn't put the book down!

As a person who teaches and writes about feminism, I am fascinated by stories of women who challenge the normality of male domination and excel in portraying women's struggle to self-actualize. If a female protagonist manages to shine despite being submerged in a patriarchal system, then I want to know how they managed. I want to see how they negotiate power and endure its abuses.

This is one reason I loved The Blood Throne of Caria! Examples of leadership that shun the patriarchal impulse to dominate but do not shy away from leadership are badly needed today. And Casagranda provides us with an amazing example!

I enjoyed how Blood Throne of Caria reveals the inner conversations Artemisia has as she finds her way into her own unique skin. What connects our contemporary struggles as women with the one's the author so believably creates for Artemisia in the ancient world, reminded me of how persistent, and determinant patriarchy really is and how much stories like this matter in bringing home that point.

And as if that isn’t enough, Casagranda writes a teenage girl shockingly well! I saw parts of my own childhood reflected through Artemisia’s education, curiosity, confusion, doubt, and embrace and rejection of the norms of femininity.

[WebSkipper · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Blood Throne of Caria is a tour de force of story-telling. Casagranda’s mastery of history is demonstrated in his online lectures. He sees each event as a piece of a massive interlocking story. So that when he explains something from today, he draws the listener back to events from 2,500 years ago. This skill comes through in his novel writing as well. The Blood Throne of Caria, is clearly the product of a person who has a deep mastery of past and present. Casagranda weaves a brilliant narrative that is at once philosophical, feminist, exhilarating, and epic. The Blood Throne of Caria will make you feel like you are in the 5th BC Aegean, while simultaneously forcing you to reexamine everything you believe about womanhood, ancient Greece and ancient Persia, and today’s political landscape.

[Serge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to preface my review with the disclaimer that I am likely not the intended audience for this novel. The first two books resembled fantasy or romance more than historical fiction. I found the writing uneven with too great an emphasis on gendering the narrative. The gory scene involving a mastectomy and the brutal violations by Lobon definitely traumatized this reader. The book was redeemed by the colorful account of the Battle of Marathon, the quirky encounter with Aeschylus, and the tongue in cheek scene with Herodotus. Given our paltry historical record of the deeds of Artemisia, this wager against silence deserves a place in our collective accounting of the shaping of Western civilization through its conflicts with the Persian empire. To hs credit Casagranda breathes life into the battles of Artemision, Thermopylae, and Mycale.

[Tiffani Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Is Artemisia an awesome heroine? Yes, definitely! Did this book do her justice? Not quite.

This book read like a history textbook in some parts, it was slow, dry, and boring through the middle. The beginning when she is in Shoosh, and the end when she takes over as Satrap are the best parts. All the stuff about finding a husband, and being betrayed were just.... *snores*.

Artemisia is a fantastic role model because she goes for what she wants and never understands why things should be denied to her because she is a woman. In the time that she ruled, she was a legend. It is great to finally see some literature being dedicated to powerful women of the past. I just wish it didn’t have to read like a history lesson.

* I received this book from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review.

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I applaud Roy Casagranda for writing about a heroine forgotten in history, I had several issues with this book. First of all, there are hundreds of characters, and the only one with any development is Artemisia. Second, the author is so well researched that he spews it all onto the paper without dumbing it down for the reader, so I was never able to follow what was going on. The profanity used is also so shocking because it doesn’t fit with the period, and it brings me even further out of the setting. Artemisia goes through so many different men, it’s irritating, and the ending was abrupt. The book needs an edit, as there were many errors, but I likely have an early edition. Over all, I appreciated the strong female leadership and the historical piece, but it needs some work.

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like historical novels, especially when the author has done the research needed to fill out the characters surrounding the lead. This was a very entertaining story, and I enjoyed the fact as much as the author did that the hero was a heroine. I am sure everyone has heard of Amazons, the warrior women, and I have read various other books or news articles relating to or including the fact that women did indeed fight in ancient times, and even in the middle ages. The only negative would be due to editing, as there were quite a few instances where this was needed. Overall though a very good read.

[Nuha Kabbani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book of battles, survivors, pride, and woman self make. The book captures you if you enjoy Greek history, Persian culture and a twist of love.

Dr. Roy Casagranda brings his lecture style to his writing. As I was reading it I felt like I was listening to him. His research is evident in this book, many detailes and names. He portrayed Artemisia as a woman hero of her time and as an inspiration to all women today.

I hoped the map was more detailed and clearer as I kept referring to it for places, some I couldn't find. And there were too many Greek names that you would lose track of, so I skipped reading them or following who they are.

[Faith]

DNF @ 20%

I was just so far from the target audience for this book. I get what it’s going for, and I can respect that. It went really hard on its history, to the extent that I didn’t know what they were talking about most of the time, and it offered no explanations of where we were or what we were doing. Furthermore, the prose read very odd to me. I didn’t like the italicized inner monologue, and the way it addressed questions of feminism and oppression felt incredibly out of place. The characters, relationships, settings, and plot points felt horribly under-developed so it was really hard for me to get engaged with any of it.

[Leah Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blood Throne of Caria is a captivating and addicting book that was impossible to put down. It follows the fascinating life of Artemisia, a young, strong-willed female who lived about 2,500 years ago - a time when women didn’t read, let alone achieve the many things she did in her life. Any strong female will find this book beyond interesting and relatable. Many times, I saw myself in her and soon I noticed that I started questioning myself about what I would do in her situation. I definitely recommend to anyone who enjoys fast-paced and inspiring historical fiction.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars.
In his prologue, Casagranda said it was his call to arms that female historical figures are not written out of history. I would say his first attempt with a historical fiction novel about Artemisia is a huge success.
I knew some things about Artemisia before reading The Blood Throne of Caria, but what Casagranda has done by using what is known and fleshing out the gaps was a great adventure to read. He did his part to ensure Artemisia will not be forgotten.
If Casagranda continues to write historical fiction, I will be waiting in anticipation for his next book to come.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Meet Artemisia! Who? Read this book and find out! This book has everything from adventure, battles on land and sea, romance, religion, humor, politics, violence to friendship. (This would make a great movie!) I feel like I traveled back in time 2,000 years ago. For mature readers---I didn't care for the f-bombs and the vulgar language. The author really recreates a world that historians know little about. I hope there will be more herstory book like this. I thank the author, publisher, and Goodreads for the book. My opinions are my own. #goodreadsgiveaway

[C.A. Craven · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I won a copy of this book in a GoodReads giveaway)

I had never heard of Artemisia before reading this, and she's a fascinating historical figure. I liked the way the author introduced non-English words into the story with context, but there were also times in the dialogue where there was suddenly swearing and really modern phrasing that seemed very out of place. The story was a little slow in places - absolutely to be expected with historical fiction - but it really brought an ancient and sadly forgotten story to life.

[Vernon Luckert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of a free copy from Goodreads.
Found this historical fiction to be an enjoyable and interesting read. Seems like at times the author made the pendulum of believability swing a bit far in his stated purpose of writing women back into history that he perceives were purposely removed from much of the written record. None the less, even with the embellishments, the story was interesting and painted some intriguing mind pictures.

[Sahar Chmais · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that leaves you thinking about it’s events, keeping the story alive with you even after you’ve finished reading. I never thought I’d ever be so attached to a historical figure, but Artemisia’s character becomes so alive, full of power and emotions, placing me in her shoes.

[Jackie Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a work of historical fiction. Takes place before Christ and is about Artemisia. Of course takes place in the middle east. She is an intelligent woman who at 13 years aspired to be Queen of here country. Shows how women are considered lesser than men. Has action and adventure. Thanks to Goodreads.

[Alexis Humphreys · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway and was pleasantly surprised! It’s a well researched novel about a period of history and region I’ve not heard much about. You can also tell that the author was very intentional about writing a book that attempts to bring more light to women if history.

[Robert Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheers to Professor Casagranda's Blood Throne of Caria. His vast knowledge of the history, politics and military tactics of Persia and Ancient Greece have enabled him to create a credible and believable story. I fell in love with Artemisia in the first chapter and her story continued to enthrall until the last page.

[Teresa Lavender · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this here on goodreads. I usually do not like historical fiction. This was very easy to read for the most part. Sometimes it felt as though a paragraph or two were not complete - as if the author wanted to just end the thought. This is a very empowering story for women. Well worth the read.