Voice of the Goddess
Acclaim, Awards and Reviews
In 1999, Voice of the Goddess won the San Diego Book Award for
best unpublished novel. The book and author continue to garner critical
acclaim, awards, and positive reviews.
Acclaim
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"Hand vividly portrays a goddess-worshiping society and
its inability to withstand the assault of the patriarchs . . . a
page-turning style that keeps the reader entranced all the way to the
ending that hints at a sure-to-be welcomed sequel."
Booklist-American Library Association
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"Superb historical drama! The first novel ever to bring
readers into the utterly alien reality of the Minoan world . . . I
wasn't able to put the book down. For me it was right up there with
James Michener's The Source."
Charles Pellegrino
Author of Unearthing Atlantis
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"A remarkable book! A moving love story . . . that
recreates the ancient Goddess culture of Crete . . . and an unusual look
at the dual nature of humanity and the warring forces that form our
soul."
Diana Gabaldon
Author of the Outlander series
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"In the vein of Mary Renault: masterfully written,
fast-paced, meticulously researched.
Robert Lawrence Holt
Author of NY Times best-seller Good Friday
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"Ability to make the details of philosophy, religion,
and politics clear . . . absolutely awesome."
Judge, Indiana's Golden Opportunity Contest
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"What a breath of fresh air. The time period is unique.
The characters are believable and empathetic."
Judge, Barclay Sterling Award
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"Wonderful sensuality . . . This proves that even . . .
so-called "hard-to-sell" times periods can be made fascinating in the
hands of a skilled author."
Judge, Ohio's Ignite the Flame Contest
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Awards
First Place - San Diego Book Awards
Best unpublished Novel - All genres.
First Place - Northeast Indiana Romance Authors
"Opening Gambit" - Historical Category
First Place - Sooner Area Romance Authors
"Shooting Stars" - Historical Category
Reviews
09/15/2000 BOOKLIST - AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION
Hand, Judith. Voice of the Goddess
This fine example of the emerging genre of visionary
fiction is equal parts historical novel and myth-based fantasy. Hand
uses contemporary archaeological findings about the novel's setting in
ancient Crete to depict a woman-centered society threatened by invading
Indo-Europeans but finally destroyed by the volcanic eruption of Thera.
The heroine, Leesandra, is a Cretan temple priestess in love with a
childhood friend, the half-Greek Alektrion. Few love affairs are as
star-crossed as theirs, for they spend most of time apart and yearning
for one another, Leesandra in training for the bull-leaping contests and
later for priestesshood; Alektrion, in waging war at sea to protect the
island society. When fate finally brings them together, the tumultuous
invasion of Crete ends all hope of reunion. Or does it? Hand vividly
portrays a goddess-worshiping society and its inability to withstand the
assault of the patriarchs. And she does so in a page-turning style that
keeps the reader entranced all the way to an ending that hints at a
sure-to-be-welcomed sequel.--Patricia Monaghan
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