One woman's search for wisdom and truth...

Fans of Anne Perry will be extremely suprised by this book. Rather than the Victorian mysteries that she is so well known for, Perry has taken a bold new step into fantasy. It's not your typical fantasy, either, but is instead the story of an empress who has lost everything in her life, her family, her wealth and her very kingdom and homeland. All she has left is sadness and a desire to know real truth. And she is sent on a journey to uncover the depths of her soul and teach her the truth of god and the universe. However, it is not without a price...

"Everyone I know is gone, everything I thought I knew... I want to know if there is any meaning in life. Why do I exist? Who am I?..."

"Oh, child... Truth does not come without cost - terrible cost. Are you willing to pay the price of it? The war in heaven is as old as time, and the great enemy himself will strive with all his power against you. But God will hold you in His hand, and your name will be written in His Heart."

She gulped. Fear touched her soul. Why was it of such tremendous price? What was this enormity she sought? To know the mind of God!"

It is obvious that this is no ordinary journey and it is no ordinary story, either. Tathea takes a long, spiritual journey that teaches her to be a better person, to learn the truth of the universe and the hopes and fears of man in general. And she faces sometimes unsurmountable trials. But her faith in herself and in the rewards at the journey carries her through. More importantly, she sees the rewards of going through the journey are greater than what lies ahead. Knowledge can only come through pain and suffering and an easy path never leads to real understanding.

After going through her journey, Tathea returns to her own world with the word of God and is eager to share it with the rest of the world. But is the world ready for her or not? She finds many converts, but just as many people who violently oppose her. And the dark side is also fighting. They would rather keep humanity in the dark where they are more easily led and told what to do. Tathea's beliefs are much more dangerous, though, because they want people to undertake their own journeys for truth for themselves through time and hard work, rather than simply doing what it told. People who think for themselves cannot be controlled.

And others find following Tathea's tenets too hard to follow for the same reason. So they basically dumb down the religion to gain new converts. They want to take the easy route, but it is a dead end. When Tathea discovers this, she is absolutely incensed.

"You are promising life without pain... Don't you know that such a life would also be without learning, which is the whole purpose of mortal life? It would be without terror or pity, humility or the remorse, which teach us to forgive, That is the Great Enemy's lie, that abstaining from life and risk will end in your being praised for your purity above those who have the courage to love, with all its perils, and who have magnified life!"

The conflicts never stop for Tathea, but she still manages to survive and continue on her journey. She makes mistakes along the way, but she learns from them and becomes a better person. And she never loses sight of her goals or her faith. And without the trials she had, would her life really have been worth as much?

The book definitely is very allegorical and is a retelling of the ideas of Christianity. However, it is also extremely critical of Christianity, as well. Perry seems to be very critical of what the church has become today, with its' hypocrisies and twisting of the original values. Honestly, I have to agree with her, too. If Jesus came down today and saw what had happened to his teachings and the horrible things that people do in his name, he would probably be just as incensed as Tathea is in this novel. People are so bogged down by what others tell them they are supposed to believe that they lose sight of what is really important. It's not what you believe, it's simply that you do believe... And that you are willing to do whatever it takes to make yourself a better person to others and to the earth in general.

Tathea really made me question my own values and faith. It's easy to fall prey to what others tell you, but in the end, you need to hold onto what you believe in your heart and remember that no matter how many times you stumble and feel scared, keep going. Don't lose hope and don't worry about what's going to happen tomorrow or the next day. Just look at today and what it can teach you. It's the journey that's important...