To protect her life, Zenobia’s gender was hidden until her ninth year. She understood the need for deception, but once exposed, the dynamic girl persuaded their male-dominated tribe to fulfill her dream, training her to become a cunning warrior. The new twist of discovery in Zenobia’s life offered the best of both worlds, creating a budding womanly warrior few men could resist.

I love reading historical novels and this one is particularly interesting. Having traveled through the Middle East, which was once part of Zenobia’s landscape, I easily visualized the ancient events Wallace depicts. Aptly blending fact and fiction is a tricky art, but he cleverly mixes education, history, political and religious theories, action and adventure, with a young girl’s emotional discoveries.

Zenobia’s allure will attract more than today’s young adults who will identify with the girl, though they are millennia apart. Her thirst for knowledge and penchant for righteousness, and Wallace’s historical acumen in satisfying them, will be a magnet for political aficionados and military tacticians. Like for me, she will resonate too, with women who admire the empowerment Zenobia embodies as she battles injustices.

Well-written and imaginative, fast-paced and exciting, this is a book that will fascinate and charm. I not only identify with Zenobia’s passion and staunch support of equality, but enjoy the personality Wallace infused into this exceptional ruler. With every page you will marvel at the intricate details of thought expressed by his characters, and wonder with him at how little we have learned as a society, through the ages.