The Beginning commences with two main characters, to whom I have given their own views and voices. It is how they met and fell in love. A tragedy separates the young lovers and the hero, Hektor, must save his best friend and future wife, Andromakhe, or die in trying to rescue her. What was love and dedication 3,200 years before we were born? Will love have a happy conclusion? Review by Melanie Archer The Reading Chestnut 'When you serve another this does not mean you are less than human....' This is my favourite quote from the first in a series of books I have recently read by Amarissa Amber Cale. Live, love, laugh then love some more Is the motto of the author of a series of bronze age romance novels, and this motto shines through her work, her love for the period, love for the characters and the love they have for each other. I have not previously read any historical fiction as I always feared I would get bogged down and confused with all the historical details that had to be in it, and feared that I would struggle with who was who and confuse the tale with my own pre-conceived knowledge of the period and what I thought it would be like. So admittedly I read this with some trepidation. I had no-reason to worry, which is why readers should be open minded when it comes with trying something new. Prince Hektor delivers a high expectation in the first of a series of stories creating an epic saga set in Troy. The author promises to take eleven years of dedicated, complex research into the Trojans and their fall, and make it personal by 'breathing life into where it did not exist before, to know more is to know how they lived.' Although I only know a brief outline of the details of this period in history I trust that the author knows and has an understanding of how the world worked then in order to have let her imagination seep through and make the people of the past people of the present. The beginning of the series is a tale of love; boy meets girl; princess meets prince; and looks at what it means to be to be in love and the ferociousnesses and the dedication in brings out in others. Andromake is sent away from her home in Thebe to go and live in Troy by her father the King of Cilicia, to learn how to be a proper princess under the care of the King and Queen of Troy, against her own wishes. Andromake is an independent girl who knows her mind and has no trouble in speaking it to whoever she chooses. Upon arrival at Troy she is put under the watchful eye of Prince Hektor, son of the King and Queen. With an intense and imposing air about him, something about him captures Andromake's attention and she decides that she will be nice to him and him alone. This meeting sets the friendship up with the enticement that there may be more ahead. Yet as always, wherever and whenever you are, love is never simple, never clear and never obvious. With a kidnapping and events going beyond his control will Hektor be able to show and persuade her of his feelings before another suitor comes into the mix. Amarissa Amber Cale has an easy to follow simple style, with clear attention to detail without overpowering the reader. Included at the end of the book is some factual details about Troy and it's history should you wish to read further and even carry out your own research. This has all the promise of being a well received saga in the genre of Historical fiction, the scene is set, we have our hero and our heroine, and we as readers have a brief view of where this tale will climax through our own prior knowledge. I suspect that this series will provide plenty of facts as well as some artistic creativity with the characters lives and what lies in-store for them, a different time perhaps but still the same as us, see the people of Troy come to life. If you like a love story then this is well worth a read. 'Ease into historical fiction with Amarissa Amber Cale'"