The Conqueror
Love Spell, December, 2003.
Paperback, 355 pages.
ISBN: 0505525712
Subgenre: Historical
In 329 B.C., Alexander the Great, son of the King of
Macedonia, conquered the Sogdian/Bactrian people
in Ancient Persia. Roxanne, a beautiful young princess and
heir to the throne of the twin kingdoms, can ride a horse
and fight as well as any man. When her people are conquered
by the seemingly unstoppable Alexander and his army,
Roxanne becomes the first wife, true love and lawful queen of
Alexander. To her surprise, the fiery and proud Roxanne comes to love the
charismatic Alexander, although his ambitions and lust for conquest is so
intense that it overrides his common sense. Marrying a Persian
princess was an example of one of Alexander's brilliant political
moves, helping to make his occupation more palatable to the
conquered. But his people, the Macedonians, do not like the idea of a
foreign queen,
which does not bode well for her or her tiny son's future.
The true life romance of King Alexander and Queen Roxanne serves as the basis for Judith E. French's spellbinding novel, The Conqueror. Although we all know the real-life romance ultimately ended in tragedy, Ms. French takes their story and adds rich historical detail and her own interpretation of the conflicting facts known about Alexander to create an uplifting and hauntingly romantic story. Alexander clearly was a complex and brilliant man and Judith French perfectly captures the emotion and sparks that must have flown between these two strong-willed and passionate people. Ms. French brings the 4th century, B.C. to life, with fascinating and rich detail: from the clothing, to the jewelry to the unending political machinations of the man that conquered most of the known world. This is a must-read for anyone who loves a sweeping and unique tale of true love.
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This review was published in the January-February, 2004 of The Internet Writing Journal.
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