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“A Complete Guide to Ventriloquism: Principles, Practice and Performance” ISBN 13: 978-1463684372.
Starlight in the Dawn: The Poetic Priestess who chose to fight
At the dawn of civilization, the beautiful daughter of Sargon the Great and high priestess of the Sumerian city of Ur confronts the intrigue of politcs. She leaves the ivory tower of the priesthood and rises to unforeseen challenges. The local mayor desries to expropriate a potter and enslave his daughter. With timely moves, the priestess foils his attempt and saves them. Intimiadated when alone, she faces down and disgraces the king not fearing the stakes. The event has ist consequence.
This is a gripping story of Enheduanna, the first literary person of ancient history. She was of a stellar reputation for centuries. Her story is based on her words.
Step into the banks of the Euphrates around 2300 BCE.
REVIEWS :
“Loved it! This is an engaging novel, with good characters, set in a unique time period. Recommended for anyone who loves ancient history.
It’s not a time period that is overrun with historical fiction. STARLIGHT IN THE DAWN is very well researched and written. The setting details put you right into the daily life in a Sumerian temple. The characters of Hedu, the priestess, and Beshi, the warrior, are engaging. I liked both of them very much and rooted for them. Lugalanne, the king of Uruk, and Obares, the mayor of Ur, are excellent antagonists. When Atrahasis, the elder, advises Hedu that she must get her head out of the clouds and involve herself in politics to better serve her people, I cheered.
I know the difficulties a writer faces when trying to write a compelling story about a real historical figure, especially if it’s ancient history and there’s very little written record to go on. Sridhar chose to stay close to the record.
I very much enjoyed the Sumerian mythology included in the novel.
Overall, I did like the book very much and would recommend it to anyone looking for a tale of a strong woman in a historical setting new to them.” ~ L. Ulleseit, reedsydiscovery
“A powerful story of social change, with several key characters coming together in an effort to change their destinies, relationships, and futures. The clash between religious and politi-cal forces, and the evolution of character is well done in a story that is replete with action, psychological transformation, and challenges to belief systems alike, engrossing and filled with insights, with romance added to the backdrop.
The tale’s allure lies in the fact that it is based on the real historical figure of the first literary author on record. Her highly popular hymns and poems were widely influential and were read for centuries. The life events she captured in them form the basis for this story.
Readers of historical fiction who look for engrossing tales with compelling protagonists will find this story is hard to put down.” ~ Midwest Review/Donovan’s Lit. Services.
“Amid the imperial politics of ancient Ur, high priestess Enheduanna struggles with her faith and the role she must play in the day-to-day lives of believers.
Ancient Ur is an excellent and under-explored location for historical fiction and STARLIGHT brings a fair deal of texture to the setting.
A solid introduction to the ancient world STARLIGHT IN THE DAWN will leave most casual novel-readers, and historical fiction aficionados, wanting more.” ~ IndieReader
“A thriller and dramatic epic from one of the cradles of civilization. STRLIGHT IN THE DAWN is both majestic and accessible, an ambitious and symbolic novel that will transport readers in a deeply powerful way into the ancient past. Readers of any age, gender, or culture will see the dauntless spark of greatness in this larger-than-life, yet oddly relatable heroine… Supported by a colorful secondary cast who are often given the spotlight for in-depth development, the story feels fully fleshed out and believable….Powerful thematic explorations of gender relations, power, charlatanism, corruption, love, and violence… the conversations and debates that pepper these pages are compelling and carefully worded.
The novel is impressively well researched…this richly imagined past feels immediate and authentic from the nuances of municipal government to traditions of the royal court and ancient geographical markers and center of commerce.…capturing the big picture..?.. of epic poetry…weaving a story with thoroughly developed characters.
The author’s balance makes STARLIGHT.. a stellar work of historical fiction.” ~ Self-Publishing Review
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Loved it! This is an engaging novel, with good characters, set in a unique time period. Recommended for anyone who loves ancient history.STARLIGHT IN THE DAWN is very well researched and written. The setting details put you right into the daily life in a Sumerian temple. The characters of Hedu and Beshi are engaging. I rooted for them….I cheered. I very much enjoyed the Sumerian mythology included in the novel…
I would recommend it to anyone looking for a tale of a strong woman in a historical setting new to them.” L.Ulleseit, reedsydiscovery
“A powerful story of social change.. replete with action, psychological transformation, and challenges to belief systems alike, engrossing and filled with insights, with romance added to the backdrop.
The tale’s allure is the real historical figure of the first literary author on record. Her highly popular hymns and poems were read for centuries.
Readers of historical fiction who look for engrossing tales with compelling protagonists will find this story is hard to put down.” Midwest Review/Donovan’s Lit. Services
“A thriller and dramatic epic from one of the cradles of civilization, STARLIGHT is both majestic and accessible, an ambitious and symbolic novel that will transport readers …of any age, gender, or culture …Powerful thematic explorations of gender relations, power, charlatanism, corruption, love, and violence….the conversations and debates are compelling and carefully worded.
Impressively well researched… a stellar work of historical fiction.” Self-Publishing Review
“‘Fate and faith are like friends who fail’.Yet Enehduanna remained faithful to her faith, her only friend.’
Sridhar’s narrative is driven by compelling worldbuilding and character development. Each character has a well-developed backstory that is instrumental to bringing the intricate system of government, politics, and power to life. Sridhar uses his characters to ignite stimulating profound conversations on the topic of God, faith, prayer, etc. … imbued with mythological references. Atrocities by those in power present Enheduanna as even more human, a strongly relatable and likable character whose gracefulness with the creation of hymns, poetry, and dance portends to what her ferocity may look like.
Impeccable character development, strong worldbuilding, a well-flowing storyline, and an ability to make the reader feel present in character dialogues makes for an educational and entertaining read. RECOMMENDED
Sridhar’s Candlelight in a Storm was 2018 Eric Hoffer Book Award da Vincie Eye Finalist” M.Shah, US Review of Books
“The astounding amount of research the author did is simply amazing — to be able to recreate a history of a time period that little is known about and to build a world that is believable, entertaining, with fully fleshed-out characters, and educational to boot is worth a round of applause…this is an engrossing, insightful tale, full of texture on a heightened scale, a spiritual plane, as the reader hovers over the words and finds a connection across time and space. This is a book for true historical aficionados, and is not a read-in-one-sitting type of book as it is necessary to let some of the discussions between characters and the activities to soak in for a bit so you can understand the depth of what is going on on the surface and behind the scenes.” Historical Fiction Company.
A Hittite and a Shaman: At Queen Nefertari’s Secret Service
An outbreak of war is imminent between Ancient Egypt and the Hittite kingdom Nefertari, the queen of Ramses II, receives a surprising message from the Hittites. She gets involved in the intrigues of power politics and faces severe resistance to achieving peace between the two powers. Rising to the challenge with her talent for diplomacy, she decides to fight against the belligerent enemy and her court. A Hittite and a shaman assist her in the tortuous way towards her goal.
Here is the untold story behind the first accord, which ensured permanent peace between the two major powers of ancient times. The version of the treaty is at the UN office in New York, the Berlin State Museum in Germany, and the Museum of the Ancient World in Ankara, Turkey.
The present war in Europe lends this story a timely relevance.
Step into the remote Indo-Greek kingdom of Menander in the year 143 BCE. Meet Vinoda, a beautiful Indian actress with a pretty face and a force to be reckoned with. She plays the leading role in a play by Sophocles, impressing and winning the favor of the royalty, especially the crown prince. This captivating tale is about a strong-willed woman making hard choices in a patriarchal society. Prepare to be fully immersed in the world of Vinoda’s Vengeance. He introduces you to the time and place of two ancient civilizations in the Hellenistic age after Alexander’s expedition to India. He delves deep into the social, ethical, and philosophical aspects of the times and region, creating a world rare in ancient historical fiction but necessary for world-building. In this rich background, all the characters, even the minor ones, come to life and guide you through the story. The narrative is filled with irony, drama, trauma, and enigma, enriching the storytelling and ensuring you fully engage in the tale. Vinoda’s Vengeance is the entire story in two words.