The Roman Empire is to men as the Trojan War is to me, and this book has reignited that ever burning love of the tragic history surrounding the monumental event. For people craving an immersive trip back in time or the desire to read the many Greek retelling on the shelves, this wonderful book is for them.

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read this book early! I really enjoyed it. I thought the writing was very well done, and the story kept me interested. I believe my students/patrons would also love this book and will be acquiring it for the library!

Horses of Fire is the first collaborative adult novel of two young adult authors, Ashlee Cowles and Danielle Stinson, writing as A.D. Rhine. Set within the Trojan War during the days following the plague while Achilles remains withdrawn from the fighting, the novel focuses on Andromache, Helen, Cassandra, and an imagined servant Rhea.

In recent years, there’s been a blossoming of novels creatively and effectively reinterpreting the Trojan mythic tradition and strengthening women’s voices. This Troy novel continues the emphasis on women but also takes significant creative license both in events and character development. The authors’ notes mention “intentional departures from Homer’s storyline” and observe (accurately) that Homer was only one version of the “ancient drama we now call the Trojan War.” Readers may find their imaginative leaps liberating and enjoyable or disorienting, depending on their tastes. For example, Andromache is portrayed as an Amazon-trained warrior who fights and plans strategy. She chafes against the limitations imposed on her by Troy’s men, in contrast to her childhood. The novel also presents an intriguing political take on the relationship of Troy’s elites with their historical allies from around Anatolia. The allies are disrespected and segregated. This ethnic-based tension will feel familiar and meaningful to modern readers, but far less so to ancient Trojans. Much of the novel’s conflict focuses on Andromache’s efforts to bring respect to the allies. Newly imagined battles and crises occur to support this theme. The novel’s abrupt ending finds an understandable explanation in the authors’ acknowledgements. They cut their original manuscript in half on their agent’s advice. However, the reader would benefit from a more complete sense of resolution.

I love the current boom in mythological retellings, and this one from the Trojan perspective feels like it is in the same vein as some of Pat Barker’s works. I loved the characters, and the complexity it offers when handling the human side of war, and of the politics behind the scene. I wasn’t sure how much time this novel would cover, and I am excited for the next one in the series! 4/5

Horses of Fire by A D Rhine diverges from conventional mythology, leaning into a more grounded historical narrative. The story navigates weighty themes like war, sacrifice, and survival, offering a unique perspective.

Set against the backdrop of Troy during the Trojan War, "Horses of Fire" follows the perspectives of three women. Andromache, a commanding warrior princess; Helen, a captive healer seeking refuge in substances; and Rhea, a newly introduced character thrust into servitude due to the horrors of conflict.

While Rhea's evolution takes center stage, there are moments when it feels like the tale tilts too heavily in her favor, overshadowing other characters. And, a few motivations feel a tad out of tune for Andromache and Helen. These quibbles pale beside the book's enchanting prose and sharp dialogue.

What truly elevates this read is the author's meticulous attention to detail. "Horses of Fire" paints Troy in hues drawn from the canvas of archaeology, offering a captivating glimpse into a world that feels both grounded and extraordinary.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

The authors recreate history as told from the viewpoint of the women behind the scenes.  Andromache, Prince Hector's wife queen in waiting, trained by the Amazons as a warrior extraordinaire but her battle strategies were ignored simply because she was a woman.  Rhea, a horse whisperer, enslaved and removed from the only home she knew is determined to do whatever it takes to find a home in Prince Hector's stables. Helen, war prize, the face that launched a thousand ships, the untold story behind the scenes.  Threading through the historical facts of the Trojan War is the Cassandra's prophecies, yet another untold story, a cry and a lament. With its skillful blending of history with fiction the story brings alive the Trojan War and humanizes some of the key figures on both sides of the war.
It's the common people, the women and children who are left behind as collateral damage in wars while the men folk go off to claim glory and die on the battlefields. Through Andromache's and Rhea's eyes we get to meet the allies that had gathered to help defend Troy and the women and children who live a squalid life in the lower levels of the citadel while the rich still lead their privileged and rarified lives. Again, through Rhea's eyes we get to visit the opposition and get unique insights into some of the fierce leaders and characters who are willing to do what it takes to avenge Helen's kidnapping.
While Hector is the crown prince and a magnificent commander, we see Priam deliberating and letting the council guide him into ill-advised decisions.  We see Paris demonstrate his cowardice on the battlefield and his cruelty towards his war prize and his ambitions regarding the throne of Troy.  It is inevitable to wonder how things might have been different and who might have won the war if Hector and Andromache were truly given the chance to lead their kingdom. 
The chilling thread of Cassandra's prophecies that are ignored by most but not the women who see the truth and use it to buy time and space and temporary victories. The end is a foregone conclusion since it's written in history and yet for this microcosm one wonders how things could have been different.
A must read for lovers of ancient history.

This book is a must-read for any mythology lover. I was a bit daunted by the length at first, but it is truly worth every page.

The two authors give us a glimpse behind the walls of Troy - right in the middle of the Trojan War - and create extraordinary portraits of three underestimated women who will do anything to save their city.

A.D. Rhone's portrayals of Andromache and Helen are more nuanced than any I've ever seen before. Both characters are complicated, and they don't always making the right choices, but you can't help but root for both on every page. I already loved the character of Hector going into this, but after reading this book, I'm an Andromache-and-Hector girl forever.

I didn't realize Rhea, the other main character, was an original creation at first, but to me, this was a bold, smart choice. Through Rhea's eyes, we see legendary characters as real humans, full of emotion and turmoil, struggling to reconcile their dreams with the unfair positions fate has put them in. And we see the harsh realities of war: slavery, massacres, and the treatment of refugees. (And you can't help but cheer her on too!)

For anyone picking up this book, go into it knowing that you won't get an ending with full closure. The authors end this book in the middle of war, and as much as I would have read more, I'm grateful that they spared us from seeing these characters go theough the sacking of Troy. I think it was a compassionate, smart choice. My heart would have been broken to a million pieces if I had to read that after falling in love with these characters

A Retelling of the Trojan Was Starring the Women

The Bronze Age, from what we know of Homer’s Iliad, was a male dominated society. The women were mere shadows. This book changes that perspective. The focus is on the women: Andromache, Rhea, and Helen. Andromache, Hector’s wife comes to the fore as a leader during the siege. Rhea is a war refuge who finds her place working with the horses. Helen, who’s capture started the war, is portrayed as a captive, and Cassandra, the prophetess, who has the last word.

The novel while remaining basically true to the original story, gives the women a chance to show how their actions affected the course of the conflict. I thought the author did an excellent job giving each woman a distinct character, revealing her emotions and thoughts, and getting to see the other characters through the eyes of these women.

The background of the Bronze Age society was well researched and gave an immediacy to the story. The descriptions drew you into a different time and made the story more realistic. Generally, I don’t like retelling myths with a new focus primarily on the women. I feel it gives a false picture of the age. However, this book was very well done. The characterizations were realistic giving each woman a distinct voice. I recommend this book as an alternative way to view the Trojan War.

Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for this review copy.

wow - wow - wow - wow - wow
five "wows" for a five star book; I went into this book expecting a trojan war retelling through the eyes of the woman present. What I didn't expect was how much this book would stick with me. I enjoyed that this book was written in first person. I feel, especially for greek retellings, the stories are written in third person because of how many characters are involved. That made Horses of Fire a pleasant surprise for me because first person POV is my favorite, and not something I've been able to experience in a greek retelling as of yet.

Each chapter is from a different woman's POV. These include Andromache, Rhea, Helen, and the last chapter belonging to Cassandra. What makes this first-person story telling so great is how distinctly different the woman are portrayed and A. D. Rhine did a spectacular job with capturing their likeness, and following the story of the war so well. It was like hearing the other side of the story you've already been told and being surprised at the new information - the main points remain, but the heartache, brutality, and loss really come to the forefront here, rather than praising warriors and celebrating deaths and pillages - you see the woman of Troy and how they and their city are affected. It's truly something special and one of my favorite greek retellings to date.

Told through the perspective of three women in story during the Trojan War. It is their stories and what they must do to survive.

The writing wasn’t my favorite here but I’m pickier when it comes to historical fiction. I think a lot of other people will love this one. Fans of Circe and Ariadne are sure to love this one!

I have always enjoyed reading about the Trojan War outside of reading the original Greek and Roman epics. The different perspectives in A.D. Rhine's Horses of Fire were captivating. The storylines attempt to give Trojan and Greek women voice at a time when women were not allowed to express any thoughts for fear of upsetting the patriarchal society in which they moved and lived. While I enjoyed the different voices of the women, the story seemed to stretch on in places. Since I am a high school librarian, I would only suggest this title to my more mature readers. Some of the content is definitely more appropriate for older students.

Horses of Fire is one of the standouts in the flood of Greek mythology retellings that have been published in the last few years, mostly because it offers a fresh narrative that manages to avoid much of the predictability of some of the other less compelling takes.

Set mostly within the walls of Troy several years into the Trojan War but before the birth of Hector’s son Astyanax, we’re given the perspectives of three women: Andromache, a warrior princess trained by Amazons who’s more at ease giving orders than taking them, Helen, an unwilling hostage who was once a skilled healer but now relies on poppy-fueled oblivion to get her through her dismal reality, and Rhea, an original character who becomes a servant in Andromache’s household after losing her family to the brutality and chaos of war.

My main critique is that too much of the narrative seem intended to propel Rhea’s arc as a character, sometimes at the expense of other characters. Kings and military commanders seem too ready to give weight and credence to the opinions of a young slave girl who speak up when not spoken too. Too many peripheral characters seem willing to sacrifice themselves for her than can be reasonably believed, and there are strong allusions to the important role she’s implied to play following the fall of Troy, although the story doesn’t progress that far (which, honestly, is a relief because how many times do we really need to read about all the carnage we know is going to happen?)

There are parts where the motivations of Andromache and Helen don’t quite ring true, but the weaknesses of this book are easy to overlook. The prose reads very smoothly, there are some really sharp lines of dialogue, and I appreciated the authors’ attention to detail in presenting a portrait of Troy based on archaeological record that doesn’t just reflect classical Greek culture as these stories so often fall back on by default. Overall I found this to be a very enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley for this free copy for an honest review. I enjoyed this book but parts were hard to read, whether it was violence against women or fighting scenes in general, it was hard to understand. The book is bit dense for the middle school students but I will definitely recommend the book to people who enjoy Greek mythology.

This had such a great Greek myth element going on, I was glad I was able to go through this story of the Trojan War. The characters were what I was expecting and thought it worked overall in a Greek myth. A. D. Rhine does a great job in writing this and have unique characters. I’m glad I got to read this.

While some will be disappointed at the lack of the last moments of one of our main characters' lives, I think this is a really great retelling of the events of the Trojan War through the eyes of (some) beloved and well known characters.

I received this advance reader copy for free from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This was a really interesting novel, focusing on the ways in which the Trojan war affected the women all around the conflict. While Natalie Haynes has focused entirely on the Acheans attacking Troy, and their encampment of slave women, or the highborn slaves they took from Troy at the end of the war -- this story predominantly looks at the Trojan women, their fight to save their city and way of life. It also uses a lot of historical content or context to help make sense of the Trojan war, which truly occurred in history, but wasn't likely to have truly been caused by Helen of Troy (regardless of any claims to the contrary). Mostly focuses on Hector's wife, Princess Andromache, but Helen and regular average women are also included in the story. Normally I don't like perspective changes between characters, but the story managed it so well I hardly even noticed. I strongly recommend this to dedicated readers of feminist retellings of Greek mythology, similar to Natalie Haynes or Madeline Miller.

Absolutely fantastic. If you are having an Elodie Harper ("Wolf Den") book hangover, if you love historical fiction, if you love feminist-centered fiction featuring powerful women whose stories deserve to be told, then this is the book for you! It was unputdownable. The writing is superb, the characterizations and the different voices of each woman was fantastic. I highly recommend this book!