The Eagle's Daughter

Three Queens #2

by Judith Tarr

When her husband, Otto II, is killed in battle, Byzantine princess Theophano becomes Regent over the tenth-century Holy Roman Empire, while her aunt and advisor, Aspasia, pursues a dangerous love affair with the late king's Moorish physician

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Audiobook, Historical Fantasy, Science Fiction Fantasy

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

AKA Caitlin Brennan, Kathleen Bryan.

Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.

She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.

Reviews

[Monica Hills · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Several people who have reviewed this novel put down fantasy as a tag. There was absolutely no fantasy at all involved with this book. In fact the majority of characters are based on real people. This is historical fiction through and through. The synopsis is also misleading. This is really the story of Aspasia. She is royal in her own right but rather be locked in a covenant in the Byzantine empire after the murder of her husband she follows Theophano as she marries a prince in the western empire. While I knew that the western European empire was gone by this time I guess I didn't realize that they were still trying to unite it in the 10th century. I love reading about strong women and Aspasia was definitely that. It was an intesting look at this time period.

[Pattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love historical fiction and this is a really good one! Xx

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

Judith Tarr is another of those great writers of historical novels that I keep coming back to. The Eagle's Daughter was up to her usual standards and had the added attraction of covering a slightly obscure set of events and personages.
The novel is about Aspasia, a widowed princess of the Byzantine empire. Aspasia is a very intelligent and spirited woman, and a very likable character that I readily identified with. She has a gift for the subtleties of politics and is an extraordinarily good judge of people and what they are likely to do. She is aunt and close companion to Theophano, who is sent to the emerging Holy Roman Empire to be the wife of Otto II in the late 10th century. Aspasia decides to accompany her niece to the west, and both women truly come into their own there as they try to build a new empire on the crumbling foundations of the old Roman one. As one of Theophano's ladies, she serves as advisor, ambassador, and tutor/governess to the royal children.
Aspasia also becomes assistant to Ismail, the Moorish court physician. This leads to a deep and lasting love between the two of them, despite the profound cultural taboos against such a relationship. I think this is one of the recurring themes in Tarr's historical novels: deep and genuine love that crosses the divisions of religion and culture. Tarr also does a wonderful job of exploring the accords and conflicts between personal feeling and political necessities.

[Wealhtheow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two princesses from Byzantium enter into the royal family of the newly created Holy Roman Empire , and are swept (or sweep themselves, rather) into a grand adventure for the security of the realm. This is how historical fiction should read. I liked the characters, particularly the main one, and I was constantly hoping for the best while fearing the worst. This is a good book to read if you’re in GRR Martin withdrawal—it’s not as enthrallingly epic, but the court politics are realistic and the battles are well-written and suspenseful.

[Franciekat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty engaging story, given that I have not previously been interested in this time period. The novel just started without much of an introduction - kind of like overhearing a conversation.

Some parts of the novel seemed hard to believe - that a Christian widow could have a Muslim Moor lover, and practice medicine seems like a modern fantasy grafted on ancient times. Nevertheless, it's a good tale to curl up with.

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Tarr's writing, and have followed her ever since discovering The Hound and the Falcon trilogy while at university. Her later novels are less fantasy-driven, more solidly set in the historical past, and this one—set in the early Middle Ages—is a veritable feast of words.

"The eagle's daughter" is Aspasia, born to the purple in royal Byzantium. After the murder of her husband, she follows her niece Theophanu to the wilds of Germany. There Theophanu marries the Emperor of the Romans, and Aspasia—scandalously—falls in love with Theophanu's Moorish physician, Ismail.

The writing is so clear, so evocative, that you can see the stained glass in the church windows and feel the bitter cold. I only wish Tarr had thought to provide her protagonists with a happy ending; while wholly in keeping with their characterization and the time, it is just too bittersweet.

[Chris LaMarca · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 10th century, the old Eastern Roman Empire struggles to contend with the emerging power of Western Europe. Widowed Aspasia, a Byzantine noblewoman, accompanies her young niece Theophano west to marry Otto, son of Emperor Otto the Great.
Considered crude and barbarous by Byzantine standards, the young Holy Roman Empire is fraught with danger and violence. Against this background, Aspasia follows her own destiny as she helps Theophano become one of the most durable queens of early medieval Europe.
The characters are well drawn, and I especially enjoyed seeing a mature woman as a central character.

[Bronwen Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovers of ancient historical fiction will adore this story - based on real people in the 10th century. There’s a bit of everything in the story ; love, betrayal, honor, royalty… The author‘s writing brought the ancient times to life and the narrator brought the people to life. I hated that the story had to end..

[Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book

[Natalie Shtivelman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Elaine Cougler · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Eagle's Daughter by Judith Tarr centers around Theophano, a Byzantine princess sent to marry Otto II, son of the famous Holy Roman Emperor, Otto the Great. Her task is first to make a good marriage with Otto II and beget progeny, which she does. When her husband dies she must fight to retain the throne for her four-year-old son and this is the thrust of the book. I really enjoyed this character and the whole book. A goodie!

[Abby · Rating 2 out of 5]

The descriptions of the buildings and historical setting were interesting, but the plot was really spread out and strange.

[Marguerite Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is absolutely one of Tarr's very best. No fantasy, but straight up historical fiction. The Eagle's Daughter is at once romantic and coolly pragmatic, as was so much of the Middle Ages.

[Kristyn Jensen · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was good, well written, and exciting plot. However, I hated the ending.

[Margareth8537 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Going through a Byzantine phase at the moment. Enjoyed this one, but felt it might not have worked if I didn't already have quite a good knowledge of the place and period. Didn't really come to life

[Daemon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly excellent.

[Marsha Valance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-researched & developed tale of an influential medieval woman.

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holy Roman romance with slow start and painful ending