Historical fiction, young adult. A rare combination of action and education, horses and history, social issues and romance, warriors and critical thinkers.
HISTORY: In the third century a girl of uncommon abilities was born in the desert wilderness of Syria. Rescued from death by her courageous mother, Zenobia masqueraded as a boy to stay alive.
Brilliant and beautiful, Zenobia developed into a military and political genius, the likes of which the world had never seen. When she gained sole control of the second most powerful army on earth, she set her sights on the greatest conquest of all - Rome!
Book one in the series is a coming of age saga of Zenobia's life from age nine to fifteen. It sets the stage for her amazing rise to power.
THE STORY: Young Zenobia dreams of becoming a warrior, a serious problem for a girl born into a male-dominated desert tribe. She has been forced to conceal her gender to preserve her life! Her deception is unmasked, leading to an incredible turn of events. Convinced of her prowess as an archer, the tribal elders agree to train her as a warrior
The deadly skills that Zenobia develops prove their worth in several gripping encounters. She appears unaware of a legend beginning to grow about her.
Her wise mother envisions a different life for her daughter - that of a scholar - and takes her to Egypt for an education. Here a conflict of desires surges in Zenobia, for she finds that she loves both paths. As she feeds an emerging hunger for justice, the stirrings of a future political and strategic genius begin to manifest themselves.
Classes on critical thinking and law train the intellectual prowess of Zenobia, while other courses cultivate her social consciousness. For a time, her warrior world recedes into the background.
Growing into young womanhood, Zenobia feels an awakening attraction to two very different males - a vibrant young warrior from her own tribe and a brilliant bachelor scholar whose analytical mind cannot resist the pull of the most intriguing female he has ever met.
Meanwhile, Zenobia learns of the annual horse race in Alexandria. She decides to enter her powerful mare against the highly-bred stallions of the East. The power of a legend influences the surprising course of the contest to its thundering conclusion.
Russ Wallace is long-time student of history and religion. He employs a vivid imagination to fill in the life of Zenobia, a real historical figure and one of the most fascinating women who ever lived. He is working on future books in the Zenobia series.
