Official Review: Mithra by John M. Rattenbury

[Amy Murdoch Coleman]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Mithra" by John M. Rattenbury.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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We tend to be fascinated with history because it is full of holes. One of the most devasting events in the history of academia is the burning of the Library of Alexandria in ancient times. An untold amount of knowledge was destroyed forever, leaving the perfect opportunity for authors to insert characters into history. Mithra by John M. Rattenbury is a story that takes bold liberties with ancient events and shapes them into something shocking and fantastic.

After the death of Cleopatra, Egypt came under Roman rule. The grain harvests from Egyptian land were critical to the power structure of Rome, and since Cleopatra's only son was dead, there was no heir to threaten the Roman emperor's reign in Egypt. However, not all was as it appeared. Egypt had been waiting for someone to rise and take control back from Rome, and Mithra, a teenager from Alexandria, became that potential savior when it became known that she was the granddaughter of Cleopatra, the only surviving heir to the Egyptian throne. With the help of a powerful amulet that she called 'Sopdet,' Mithra set out on a quest to liberate her nation.

The concept of this story is exceptionally intriguing. Cleopatra has always been an especially interesting figure in ancient history. The proposition that her son by Julius Caesar, Caesarion, survived and fathered a child is not altogether implausible. I found the storyline to be paced very quickly, but it felt appropriate because Mithra's quest was so urgent. I also enjoyed all the ties to popularly accepted historical facts, and the author's creative liberties made perfect sense. There weren't very many regular characters in the narrative, allowing the author to develop Mithra's personality and motives.

The one aspect of the plot that I was not able to fully appreciate was the magic. Mithra was not only the granddaughter of Cleopatra and Julius Caesar, but she also came from a supernatural bloodline. I couldn't help but feel that the extraordinary help that Mithra received on her journey cheapened the narrative. In my opinion, the obstacles that characters must overcome have much more significance when surpassed with cunning, skill, or strength. Magic has its place in fantastical stories, but it should not overshadow the main character.

Overall, I did enjoy reading the story. I found quite a few typographical errors, most of them involving the nonsensical use of semicolons. However, the errors did not detract from the quality of the narrative. Due to the previously mentioned factors, I am giving Mithra a score of 3 out of 4 stars. Profane language was rare and well justified. There were no explicit scenes of a sexual nature, though the gore was intense at times. Fans of historical fantasy would love to get lost in Mithra's world.

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Mithra
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[MarveeAman]

Mesopotamian tales have always attracted my curiosity and this one is no exception. Thank you so much for the review!

[Hazel Arnaiz]

It is unfortunate that the attempt to incorporate a fantasy element on a historically-inspired plot did not turn out as intended. Thanks for the insights.

[El_limitless]

Ancient Egyptian history will be fascinating to read about. I'm definitely checking this out. Great review

[Peace Odii]

The burning of Library? I've not heard of such a history. Great work anyway.

[Uwe Neufeld]

Ok! The book didn't make 4 stars, but the the review certainly did.
I agree with Amymarie, giving Mithra supernatural powers is a bit out of the path.

[Ben Madeley]

I've not heard of this before, it sounds interesting.