Medusa A
Love Story
By Sasha
Summers
Summary:
It's said love can change a person.
Medusa wasn't always a monster...
Medusa is ruled by duty, to her Titan
father and the Goddess Athena. She's no room for the tenderness her warrior
guard, Ariston, stirs. When Olympus frees her from service, her heart leads her
into the arms of the guard she loves... and curses her as the creature with
serpent locks.
Ariston goes to war with a full heart...
and dreadful foreboding. He learns too late of the danger Medusa faces, alone,
and a Persian blade sends him into the Underworld. But death, curses, nor the
wrath of the Gods will keep him from returning to her.
Poseidon will use Greece's war to get
what he wants: Medusa. He does not care that she belongs to another. He does
not care that she will be damned. He is a God, an Olympian, and she will be
his.
"This
tragic and beautiful retelling of one of the world's oldest stories tackles the
eternal battle between duty and happiness. Medusa, A Love Story broke my heart
then filled in the cracks with joy. Sasha Summers is simply a mesmerizing new
talent." ~Stephanie Dray, Author
of the critically acclaimed Song of the Nile
Excerpt:
“You asked for an
audience, you have it. Now tell me, where do you belong?” Hades’ voice was
deep, emotionless.
Ariston
swallowed. “Athens.” He met Hades’ gaze, but the God revealed nothing to him.
“Why? You died with
honor and glory. Is that not what every soldier wants?”
“My
wife…” His voice wavered.
Hades brow lifted
slightly. “Lives. You do not.”
“She
is in danger.”
“Earthly
danger. She is no longer your concern, Ariston.”
“The
danger she faces is not earthly, but far from it…” Ariston’s voice was hoarse,
his desperation mounting. He took a wavering breath before he began again. “She
is everything to me. I am proud of my death, but it means nothing if she is in
peril. I must know.” Ariston kneeled. “I beg you. I beg you to return me to
Athens.”
Ariston
waited, willing himself to be strong.
“Who
is this wife?” Hades asked.
“Medusa
of Athens.” He paused. “Now of Rhodes.”
Hades
was silent, his dark blue eyes regarding him steadily.
“When
I die—” Ariston began.
“You
are dead,” Hades assured him.
“When I return…die
again, I would serve as guardian to Tartarus. I am a skilled warrior, a skill I
might offer you.” He spoke with confidence.
“You
vex me,” Hades muttered, the slightest crease appearing between his eyes. “You
offer this to me for a woman?”
Ariston
nodded. “She is worthy.”
Hades
was silent again, his eyes shifting to the blue-white flames in the massive
fireplace.
“My words do
not…adequately express the love I have for this woman. But I cannot leave her.
She is at risk. I must return.” The words came without thought. How could he
justify such emotion to a God who reviled affection or companionship? “As
Olympus has my arm and sword, she has my heart – a mortal, and perhaps weak,
heart.”
The room was silent for
too long. He would have to fight his way out…
“It
is a weakness not reserved for mortals alone, Ariston of Rhodes.” Hades’ words
were so soft Ariston feared they’d not been spoken. But Hades continued, strong
and clear. “I will return you to your ship so that you may lead your men to
victory. Too many have fallen from this war and I would see it end. When that
is done, you may go to your wife.” He paused then added, “When you return to my
realm, I will have your fealty.”
The
God of the Underworld, Lord of Death, gave him mercy? Mayhap there was one God
he might serve with honor.
Ariston vowed, “You have
it.”
Review:
I
was glad that I was given a chance to review this book for the blog
tour. So many parts near the ending left me cry and I couldn’t help but
love the ending.
This
story is a retelling of the classic myth of Medusa (Madusa here). While
there are variations of the myth, the story is that Medusa was a
priestess, of either Athena, goddess of wisdom, or Poseidon, god of the
sea. Athena is known as a virgin goddess, and her temple was run by
virgin priestesses, who kept the temple pure. Poseidon has sex with
Medusa (whether it was rape or consensual varies by version to version),
inside of Athena's temple. Since Athena can't punish a fellow Olympian,
she punishes Medusa and her sisters by turning them into the gorgons,
monsters with the hair of snakes and who can turn the living to stone
with a single glance. Medusa, who was known for her beauty, is allowed
to remain beautiful, while her sisters become hideous monsters.
To
be caught in the crossfire of the gods is truly a saddening thing..
Since she was young, Madusa has never had a chance to do what she
wanted. She only has done things
to please others, whether it’s her father, or Athena, or any of the
other gods. As Athena’s priestess she isn’t allowed to be touched by any
man, nor is she to love any man, she must be pure and do as Athena
wishes as her priestess. It changes when she slowly begins to feel
something towards her guard Ariston.
She never knew of such feelings before. With the gods all wanting
Madusa, she has no choice but to do as they ask of her. Eventually,
Athena turns Madusa into what she
is known for, for something Madusa had no control over. She only wanted
to help others, but she is punished for that.
For
Madusa, the touch of a man is something she had never known before.
Everything was new to her, every small experience Ariston had to teach
her. She loved and trusted him, she wanted him to touch her as a man
touched a women. It's clear how much they loved each other, but how
their restrictions kept them from fully experiencing it. At one point
Athena seems to cave to their love, but it turns out to be a cruel twist
of fate. Their love knows no bounds and can never be broken as you will
see as the story continues. Their love never dies no matter what the
gods did. It is a sad love between Madusa and Ariston, but the ending is
a happy one.
This
tale of Madusa was truly a great story to read, I’ve never read her
mythology before the book, but to me this was a better version then the
actual myth. You watch as Madusa
goes through her time serving Athena, until the day comes where she
tries to be her own woman. This story of Madusa was truly great giving
it a background story of Medusa and how she came to serve Athena. To
have their tragic figure from Greek mythology to be able to love and be
more then just a toy for the gods gave the character more depth and
easier to pity.
Greek
mythology is full of how the gods use humans for their own pleasures
then throw them away or curse them when they're bored with them.This
book about Madusa was truly sad. If you love mythology, I highly
suggest reading this book you will love it as I have. It gives you both
romance with and it will make you happy more then sadden by the events
that happen to Madusa. This twist in Madusa’s tale is truly something to
read for yourself.
Rating
5 out of 5 Howling Wolves
Author Bio:
Sasha
Summers is part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, history, and
travel. It's no surprise that her books visit times past, set in places rich
with legends and myth. Her first play, 'Greek Gods and Goddesses' (original
title, right?), was written for her Girl Scout troupe.
She's
been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters
she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks
when she's doing so.
Luckily,
her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding
and supportive.
Sasha
is an active member of RWA and several Texas Chapters. A self-proclaimed
movie-addict, she is full of all sorts of useless movie tidbits and trivia.
Facebook Author Page:
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/sashasummers/
Twitter: @sashawrites
Webpage: http://www.sashasummers.com
Thanks so much for the gorgeous review of Medusa, A Love Story. It means a great deal to know that you connected with the story!!
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