"For romance, fantasy readers and Greek mythology buffs"
Unable to check her curiosity, Pandora does the unthinkable
when she opens the box that the Gods gave to her to keep
safe and secure. Vices escape as she has inadvertently
liberated greed, lust, anger, gluttony, and jealousy.
Empimetheus, her husband, hearing the wails of his brother
Prometheus, closes the box before the last evil, foresight
escapes. However, Zeus is ecstatic with what Pandora has
released upon humanity. The escapees especially curse Pandora and her descendants.
A direct descendent Vara the Conqueror hears the Furies
encouraging her to kill everyone as she leads brutal armies
in victories. After defeating the King of Corinth, his
little daughter saves the monarch's life, but more
important is the challenge of Nikolai the soothsayer. He
informs her that a man will strip her of her power, but she
willingly will cede it to that person. Since she sees he
lusts for her body, Vara keeps Nikolai around, not
realizing that he, the son of Hera, has been directed by
his mother to recapture the vices as a shot at her rival
Zeus. Neither Vara nor Nikolai expected to fall in love,
the one power that the gods cannot thwart. Fantasy readers and Greek mythology buffs will consider THE
PANDORA CURSE a blessing because this is a great use of the
original tale to relate a follow-up story. The story line
is fast-paced, loaded with action, and makes the
indifferent interference of the Gods seem genuine. Vara is
a superb gender bender even after Nikolai frees her. This
author is not just ant rose as she is one of the best
mythologists around. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted August 1, 2003
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