Isle of Shadows

From the beautiful cover to the last word of this poetic story, T.L. Higley takes the reader captive in her novel, "Shadow of Colossus." This excellent book is nearly impossible to put down. Some situations transcend time and space. Tessa's tragic tale of human bondage is told beautifully against the historical backdrop of ancient Greece around the time of the earthquake that destroyed the Colossus of Helios. Romance, intrigue, and suspense are woven together in this non-stop epic that will transport the reader straight to Rhodes. I hope there will be more books of this sort from this incredible author. I also appreciated the mini-lesson in ancient Greek at the beginning of the book.

The year is 227 B.C. The place is Rhodes, a Greek island. For ten years, Tessa of Delos has been in Glaucus's ownership as his hetaera (an owned woman). Tessa had given up all hope. It seemed like she would never experience freedom again. It looked like the only way Tessa would gain her freedom was to take her own life. The Gods had another plan; they were looking down on her that day. Glaucus befalls a terrible fate, which will ultimately change things for Tessa forever. The next couple of days will be the hardest for Tessa and will require all her strength in order to survive. Tessa had a great personality about her. She was a pillar of strength as well as endurance. I enjoyed reading Shadow of Colossus. I found myself having a hard time putting it down. I felt Mrs. Higley writing really brought a real Greek authenticity to the story. Reading Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley is the first time I have read anything by this author. I love discovering new authors especially ones that I can recommend to all my friends. Shadow of Colossus was flawless in my opinion. Shadow of Colossus is the first book in the Seven Wonders series. If all the rest of the books are as amazing as this one was than this series will be a bestseller hit. I look forward to a long successful future to Mrs. Higley and her books.

I'm picky. I don't have time to waste on a book that isn't going to keep my interest. NOT a problem with Shadow of Colossus! T.L. Higley does a fabulous job keeping me interested and moving the story along. I love the setting (Ancient Greece, Rhodes, to be exact), the heroine, the conflict. And Nikos...ah, Nikos. :-D You won't be disappointed!! It's a must-read!

Since the other reviewers have done such a good job explaining the plot, I'll skip that part... Shadow of Colossus was a wonderful read- rich with detail, history, humanity, and strong characters. Despite its length at over 300 pages, it's a pretty quick read. I didn't want it to end. Historical fiction is always so more enjoyable than normal fiction. It feels more real, because the place is real and some events really did happen. The story has all the essential elements of a good book (well essential for me...) some suspense, romance, history, drama, intrigue, and a strong faith message. I'm eagerly awaiting more from this promising author. The next book is already on my wish list! And there isn't even that long to wait- the next one (focusing on the Great Pyramids) comes out later this year. Overall a great read. I would recommend Francine River's Mark of the Lion trilogy- another wonderful historical romance series.

Tessa of Delos is very much like the massive statue of Helios, located in the port city of Rhodes, in ancient Greece. A structure whose feet she often rests upon as she considers her plight in life. A hetaera (a kept woman), Tessa is well-respected in the community, not only for her outstanding beauty, but for her intelligence and astute political mind. Like the mighty colossus that stands 110 feet tall, Tessa and the structure have much in common, both are made of stone and firmly anchored in their place. Regardless of the respect Tessa receives, she is still enslaved to the whims of her master, a fate that leaves her pondering the taking of her own life. She would rather be free than continue to live her life as a possession for a man she has nothing but disdain for. When Glaucos, her wealthy benefactor is murdered by her own hands, Tessa is left to consider the penalty of death she has reaped on her own head. Unwilling to remain a slave she concocts a dangerous web of lies that will ultimately become her undoing. Helped in her quest to become free is a strong and handsome stranger, Nikos, who mysteriously appears on the island and quickly becomes embroiled in her quest for freedom. Through Nikos, Tessa must come to terms with the pain of her past, gain his alliance, while simultaneously relegating him to the outer courts of her heart, a heart so hardened as to be inpenetrable. With a marvelous cast of interesting and intriguing characters T.L. Higley's SHADOW OF COLOSSUS is a thrill-filled saga that will keep the reader's mind abuzz with wonder at the masterful weaving of her intricate plots. Those with acute sleuthing abilities will find themselves stumped time and time again as they careen towards the climactic plot resolution. Although Historical Fiction, SHADOW OF COLOSSUS is written with a modern day twist that doesn't bog the reader down with irrelevant details, but takes them back in time and allows them to view a world they may have never known. SHADOW OF COLOSSUS is skillfully written, and masterfully executed. Reviewed by Rosalind Stormer for The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers