Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Firebrand is a unique retelling of an old legend about Helen and the fall of the city of Troy.
The tale is told from the eyes of Kassandra, a Trojan princess who has no real desire for politics, but rather to become a priestess of Apollo in his temple.
In an attempt to try and get the idea of such nonsense out of her daughter's head, Queen Hecuba sends her daughter off with the Amazons, but though Kassandra comes to love and make lifelong friendships among the women, her decision does not waver, and when she returns she fights for her dream.
Despite her parent's disagreement with her decision, Kassandra is able to achieve her goal, but it does not come without a consequence. She has the 'gift' of foresight thrust upon on her and her visions are disturbing scenes of the ultimate destruction of Troy and all of it stems from the arrival of the most beautiful girl the city has and ever will see, Helen. Her visions come frequently and at the most inconvenient times, always in front of her disapproving family, who believes she has gone mad.
When her brother arrives with Helen, and Kassandra practically goes into convulsions, her family is not exactly thrilled with the impression their daughter is giving to this woman who could mean so much for Troy, and she loses all credibility.
Unfortunately for the community, Kassandra's visions come to life and the city is leveled. Her future is not completely desolate, however, because she later meets and falls in love with Zakynthos. Together they raise Kassandra's son and build a city together where the values instilled into Kassandra by the Amazonian women in her childhood are law, and men and women are not enemies, but partners and equals.
This novel is treasured as one of my favorites and Bradley's writing style always leads me to grow to love these characters as if they were actual people. It actually makes me feel like a real dork, but the way she makes her characters into believable humans is completely flawless.
..Viola..
Buy The Firebrand here:
http://www.amazon.com/Firebrand-Marion-Zimmer-Bradley/dp/0451459245/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226958732&sr=8-1
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