October 2-6 Priestess of Ishana, Book 1 of the Tesha Series is available
FREE on Amazon
Sorcery in Alpara, Book 2 of the Tesha Series launches October 14, 2019
and is
available now as preorder
I write historical fantasy based on the
Bronze Age Hittites (c. 1275 BCE)—an empire of the ancient Near East nearly buried
by the sands of time. In spite of the vivid glimpses of this lost kingdom
brought to light by recent archaeology and the decipherment and translation of
many thousands of clay tablets, there still remain vast gaps in historians’
knowledge. To be honest about my imaginative filling of those gaps, my
storytelling combines fantasy and history.
For instance, I give my historical figures
fictional names, though often only minimally different from their real names. I
also let the magical religious beliefs of these historical people find full
expression in the action. My “quarter turn to the fantastic,” to borrow Guy
Gavriel Kay’s phrase, allows me to honor what we actually know while also
owning up to my inventive extensions. Allowing room for the fantastical
elements suggested by Hittite culture makes for the best storytelling.
What really drew me to this forgotten
kingdom—one that stretched across what’s now Turkey into Syria and down into
Lebanon—was one remarkable ruler, Queen Puduhepa. She ruled for decades over
the most powerful empire of the Late Bronze Age, but because the Hittites were
lost to history for so long, very few people know about her.
She ruled with her husband Hattusili III as
an equal partner—often, in fact, as the more active ruler when her husband’s
health limited his work. Queens under Hittite law and custom had high political
power and remained rulers even when their husbands died, unlike other Near
Eastern queens such as Babylonian and Egyptian. Most of the Hittite queens mentioned
in the written Hittite records didn’t exercise this allowed power to such an
extent, but Puduhepa had the personality and drive of a highly effective
leader.
In my novels the character who represents
Puduhepa is named Tesha after the Hittite word for ‘dream’ because the historic
woman was famous for her visionary dreams, which she believed came from the
goddess Ishtar as divine guidance (a goddess renamed Ishana in my fiction). The
character of her husband, Hattusili, goes by the shortened name Hattu.
Puduhepa demonstrated brilliant skills as
queen in many areas: administrative, diplomatic, judicial, and familial. Her
most famous accomplishment was corralling Pharaoh Rameses II into a peace
treaty. Egypt and the Hittites had fought a draining war in 1274 BCE. Neither
kingdom was eager for a rematch, but Hattusili and Puduhepa had an even greater
need than Egypt for stability. Several of Puduhepa’s letters to Ramses survive.
They reveal a subtle diplomat with a tough but gracious core that allows her to
stand up to Ramses without giving offense. When the final treaty was put on
public display—in the form of a solid silver plaque, which sadly does not
survive, although clay versions do—Puduhepa’s own seal was on one side, her
husband’s on the other. They did sometimes use a joint seal. I think it’s
revealing that on this most impressive accomplishment that depended so much on
Puduhepa’s talents, they chose to use equal and independent seals. Thus,
Puduhepa’s role is not subsumed under her husband’s.
I could not resist using the life of this
exceptional queen as the basis for my main character, Tesha, in a historical
fantasy series. The first book of the series, Priestess of Ishana, opens
with the moment Tesha and Hattu meet—following the known details of this
historical event. There was the ever so tantalizing detail in Hittite records
that accusations of sorcery were brought against Hattusili around this same
time. A love story and sorcery? Irresistible! The second book in the
series, Sorcery in Alpara, carries on their story with a curse that consumes
armies, a court full of traitors, a clutch of angry concubines and some fantastical
creatures who appear regularly in Hittite art, but may not have actually walked
the earth.
Tesha and the real queen behind my
character offer an intriguing model of a female leader succeeding in ways that
made the world more peaceful and just. So, if you like your fiction to be a
mixture of worthwhile ideas, magical fun, and a unique, ancient world, give the
Tesha series a read.
Judith Starkston
About the Books
“What
George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones did for the War of the Roses,
Starkston has done for the forgotten Bronze Age Hittite civilization. Mystery,
romance, political intrigue, and magic…” -Amalia Carosella
Free on Amazon October 2-6, 2019
A curse, a conspiracy and the clash of
kingdoms. A defiant priestess confronts her foes, armed only with ingenuity and
forbidden magic.
An award-winning epic fantasy, Priestess of
Ishana draws on the true-life of a remarkable but little-known Hittite
queen who ruled over one of history’s most powerful empires.
A
malignant curse from the Underworld threatens Tesha’s city with fiery
devastation. The young priestess of Ishana, goddess of love and war, must
overcome this demonic darkness. Charred remains of an enemy of the Hitolian
Empire reveal both treason and evil magic. Into this crisis, King Hattu, the
younger brother of the Great King, arrives to make offerings to the goddess
Ishana, but he conceals his true mission in the city. As a connection sparks
between King Hattu and Tesha, the Grand Votary accuses Hattu of murderous
sorcery. Isolated in prison and facing execution, Hattu’s only hope lies in
Tesha to uncover the conspiracy against him. Unfortunately, the Grand Votary is
Tesha’s father, a rash, unyielding man, and now her worst enemy. To help Hattu,
she must risk destroying her own father.
If
you like a rich mixture of murder mystery, imperial scheming, sorcery, love
story, and lavish world-building, then immerse yourself in this historical
fantasy series. See why readers call the Tesha series “fast-paced,”
“psychologically riveting,” and “not to be missed.”
Launching October 14, 2019. Now available in preorder Sorcery in Alpara
A curse that consumes armies, a court
full of traitors, a clutch of angry concubines and fantastical creatures who offer
help but hate mankind.
Tesha’s about to become queen of a kingdom
under assault from all sides, but she has powerful allies: her strategist
husband, his crafty second-in-command, and her brilliant blind sister.
Then betrayal strips her of them all. To
save her marriage and her world, she will have to grapple with the serpentine
plot against her and unleash the goddess Ishana’s uncontrollable magic—without
destroying herself.
“Based on historical events in the
Bronze Age, Starkston wraps history and magic together in an unforgettable
package.”
If you like unique world building, ancient
sorcery, and mythical beasts, with richly portrayed characters and
enthrallingly complex plots, then immerse yourself in Sorcery in Alpara,
the second in this award-winning epic historical fantasy series.
About the Author
Judith
Starkston has spent too much time reading about
and exploring the remains of
the ancient worlds of the
Greeks and Hittites. Early on she went so far as to
get
degrees in Classics from the University of California,
Santa Cruz and
Cornell. She loves myths and telling stories.
This has gotten more and more out
of hand. Her solution:
to write historical fantasy set in the Bronze Age.
Hand
of Fire was a semi-finalist for the M.M. Bennett’s
Award for Historical
Fiction. Priestess of Ishana won the
San Diego State University
Conference Choice Award.
Judith has two grown children and lives in
Arizona with her husband. She is represented by Richard Curtis. Find out more
at Judith’s website
JudithStarkston.com and find her on Facebook and Twitter. Sign up for Judith’s author newsletter for a free short story, book news and giveaways.
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