The Golden King

Nikometros will save his lover at any cost…

Arepithes believed that he had been right in killing his father Spagises, the Scythian King. By placing his trust in Nikometros, a Greek cavalry officer, King Spagises was considered to have been disloyal to his own people. Even worse, the Greek had seduced Arepithes’ half-sister, Tomyra. Tomyra is a virgin priestess of the Mother Goddess and was to remain pure. As punishment for her sins, Arepithes gave her to a warrior chief, Dimurthes. Arepithes believed that she deserved a degrading death.

Nikometros, now known as “the Lion of Scythia, had escaped in the melee. He was tracking Dimurthes and his band of Scythian soldiers, waiting for an opportunity to free Tomyra. Nikometros is well aware that he is in enemy territory, and that within his own small group some men may insidiously support Arepithes and his cause.

Even though raped and beaten, Tomyra has not given up hope that her lover, Nikometros, will come after her. His revenge against Dimurthes is sure to be swift and ruthless. Tomyra has broken no vows by taking a lover; deep in her heart she believes that the Mother Goddess sent her the Greek. Tomyra is almost beyond belief when assistance comes from an ancient priestess. The elderly woman is determined to discover if Tomyra has really sinned or whether the man who raped her, Dimurthes, has in fact violated a priestess. A small group is selected to travel high in the mountains to the sanctuary of the Mother Goddess, where judgment will be passed on Tomyra and Dimurthes.

Meanwhile, Nikometros is slowly catching up to Tomyra…

The second book in Max Overton’s Lion of Scythia trilogy continues the epical journey of Nikometros the Greek. Nikometros is a man who accepts his fate with dignity, shows compassion and intelligence as a leader, and manages to inspire loyalty in men who should be his enemies. During his quest to find his love, Tomyra, Nikometros comes to believe in his purpose serving the Great Goddess. Danger is his closest companion, building up an incredible amount of tension which is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats. The Golden King is not a light read, but a fairly intense study of the way ancient armies may have lived and worshipped. Their fidelities were constantly changing, whenever their leader decided that it gave them a better chance of survival. The battle and combat scenes are gruesome, with wounds described fairly precisely. One of the minor players turns into a force to be reckoned with, and his impact kept me reading deep into the night as the action stepped up. Although not for the feint- hearted, The Golden King is a compelling tale of mythological proportions. I look forward to reading the last of the trilogy, Funeral in Babylon to see the final act of Nikometros and Tomyra played out.

Reviewed by: Naomi