"For romance, fantasy readers and Greek mythology buffs"

Unable to check her curiosity, Pandora does the unthinkable when she opens the box that the Gods gave to her to keep safe and secure. Vices escape as she has inadvertently liberated greed, lust, anger, gluttony, and jealousy. Empimetheus, her husband, hearing the wails of his brother Prometheus, closes the box before the last evil, foresight escapes. However, Zeus is ecstatic with what Pandora has released upon humanity.

The escapees especially curse Pandora and her descendants. A direct descendent Vara the Conqueror hears the Furies encouraging her to kill everyone as she leads brutal armies in victories. After defeating the King of Corinth, his little daughter saves the monarch's life, but more important is the challenge of Nikolai the soothsayer. He informs her that a man will strip her of her power, but she willingly will cede it to that person. Since she sees he lusts for her body, Vara keeps Nikolai around, not realizing that he, the son of Hera, has been directed by his mother to recapture the vices as a shot at her rival Zeus. Neither Vara nor Nikolai expected to fall in love, the one power that the gods cannot thwart.

Fantasy readers and Greek mythology buffs will consider THE PANDORA CURSE a blessing because this is a great use of the original tale to relate a follow-up story. The story line is fast-paced, loaded with action, and makes the indifferent interference of the Gods seem genuine. Vara is a superb gender bender even after Nikolai frees her. This author is not just ant rose as she is one of the best mythologists around.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted August 1, 2003