Timarete, high priestess to Apollo and Pythia of Delphi--at the tender age of nineteen--no longer believed in any gods of Greece. People flocked to her as the oracle, seeking questions to their answers, yet the priests interpreted her visions for their own gains. Too much of a coward to escape the life that she found herself in, a vision showed her the face of a Roman that would change her life forever. Fear drove this cynical youngster to seek the oblivion of death--but the fates had other things in store for her.

Quintus Caecilius Metellus, Roman general and governor of Macedonia, had been sent to Greece to quash the uprising rebellion. A man who had seen much, and a widower with four strapping sons that any man would be proud of, he had been a devout Roman citizen, bowing to the wishes of the Roman consul without question--until he paid homage to Apollo. Questions abounded as his heart, that had long been buried, began to beat with new life. Could he bear to live with the brutality that he so often instigated?

Ancient Greece comes to life just before Roman rule is imposed. Superstition abounds, corruption flourishes, and freedom as the Greeks know it is on the very brink of destruction. Greed, desire and lust are the weapons that seek to destroy a young priestess as she valiantly tries to rediscover her faith. But faith finds her in the most unlikely place. Ambition, fealty and glory are weapons that seek to destroy a middle-aged man's soul as he tries desperately to hide from the horror and sorrow that has become part of his life. Does he have the courage to turn his back on all that he has known?

WOMAN OF STONE is packed not only with history. It has its fair share of intrigue, suspense and romance. Debrah Tash obviously is passionate about history as it shows itself in WOMAN OF STONE. This is not just for lovers of historical romances; this is for people who really appreciate good writing and an excellent storyline. Debrah's eloquent descriptions make you actually feel that you are there, seeing this tale first hand as it unfolds before your eyes. The lengths of her descriptions are almost poetic in themselves. WOMAN OF STONE is such a wonderfully written piece of literature that this reviewer eagerly looks for any upcoming releases from Debrah Tash--no matter the genre.

Emilie Spargo
© July 2004