Babylonia

The Queen Who Defied the Gods: A Tale of Power, Love, and Revenge in Ancient Assyria THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER ‘A stirring , addictive and intoxicating tale. . . Casati’s Babylonia has cemented her as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction’ BEA FITZGERALD, author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN 'An astounding achievement, one of the most vivid, powerful works of historical fiction I have ever read . . . I was utterly swept up in the world of this novel' ELODIE HARPER, author of THE WOLF DEN -- Babylonia – the Assyrian city of the Gods – is home to the strong and ambitious. Into its streets steps an orphan, Semiramis, new wife to a broken warrior. There she meets King Ninus - who soon wants her for himself. Semiramis will bow to no man. For who will stand in her way? A husband? A lover? For in this world, kings fall while queens rise. -- ‘Reading Babylonia is like reading an enchantment on the page, in which the unfathomable heroines of legend and history become living people’ ANNIE GARTHWAITE, author of CECILY PRAISE FOR CLYTEMNESTRA 'Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling' JENNIFER SAINT 'A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious - and alight with murderous revenge' DAILY MAIL 'A powerhouse of a novel. Clytemnestra's rage, heartbreak and determination radiate off the page' ELODIE HARPER 'A thrilling tale of power and prophecies, and the fierce Queen who fought back at those who wronged her' COSMOPOLITAN Instant Sunday Times bestseller, July 2024

The Queen Who Defied the Gods: A Tale of Power, Love, and Revenge in Ancient Assyria THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER ‘A stirring , addictive and intoxicating tale. . . Casati’s Babylonia has cemented her as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction’ BEA FITZGERALD, author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN 'An astounding achievement, one of the most vivid, powerful works of historical fiction I have ever read . . . I was utterly swept up in the world of this novel' ELODIE HARPER, author of THE WOLF DEN -- Babylonia – the Assyrian city of the Gods – is home to the strong and ambitious. Into its streets steps an orphan, Semiramis, new wife to a broken warrior. There she meets King Ninus - who soon wants her for himself. Semiramis will bow to no man. For who will stand in her way? A husband? A lover? For in this world, kings fall while queens rise. -- ‘Reading Babylonia is like reading an enchantment on the page, in which the unfathomable heroines of legend and history become living people’ ANNIE GARTHWAITE, author of CECILY PRAISE FOR CLYTEMNESTRA 'Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling' JENNIFER SAINT 'A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious - and alight with murderous revenge' DAILY MAIL 'A powerhouse of a novel. Clytemnestra's rage, heartbreak and determination radiate off the page' ELODIE HARPER 'A thrilling tale of power and prophecies, and the fierce Queen who fought back at those who wronged her' COSMOPOLITAN Instant Sunday Times bestseller, July 2024

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER A CAPTIVATING TALE THAT CHARTS THE CONTROVERSIAL LIFE AND RISE TO POWER OF SEMIRAMIS, THE ONLY FEMALE RULER OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE 'Costanza Casati has taken the fragments of stories about this extraordinary woman and recreated her world with a vivid panache' THE TIMES 'A stirring, addictive and intoxicating tale. . . Casati's Babylonia has cemented her as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction' BEA FITZGERALD, author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN 'An astounding achievement, one of the most vivid, powerful works of historical fiction I have ever read. . . I was utterly swept up in the world of this novel' ELODIE HARPER, author of THE WOLF DEN 'The epic rise of the ambitious female protagonist is complemented by truly gorgeous writing, and the spying and scheming was reminiscent of the juiciest Game of Thrones scenes' Cosmopolitan ---- There are whispers of her fame, in the land long since turned to dust. The Queen who rose from nothing - and changed everything . . . Ancient Assyria, 9th century BC. An orphan is raised on the outskirts of a brutal empire. Heir to a tragic prophecy, Semiramis dreams of wielding power and escaping her destiny. Far away, a reluctant prince walks the corridors of his gilded palace in a city built by the gods. Ninus would rather spend his days in books and poetry than conquering the world of men. But when he meets Onnes, a broken, beautiful warrior, something awakens in them both. And as they grow into young men, their friendship deepens into something fiercer still. That is until Semiramis arrives. A savage love soon erupts between them all, even as a dark threat to the kingdom mounts. And before long, all three will be forced to learn the lesson of the gods - in Babylonia, you must bend the world to your will. What doesn't bend, you break. ---- READERS ARE LOVING BABYLONIA 'I freaking loved this book. It was such a good page-turner and I wish I could give it a million stars because that is what the book deserves without a doubt' ***** Reader Review 'So immersive!' ***** Reader Review 'I cannot express enough how much Casati's writing style sings to me. Her turn of phrase, her rich language, her perfect pacing and the emotional depths she reaches all blend seamlessly together to create an authentic story. Her words read like honey' ***** Reader Review 'I think this is one of the greatest pieces of mythical fiction I have ever read' ***** Reader Review 'If you love complicated female characters, complicated male friendship dynamics, and political storylines similar to Game of Thrones and Ancient Civilisations/Mythology this book is for you' ***** Reader Review PRAISE FOR CLYTEMNESTRA 'Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling' JENNIFER SAINT 'A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious - and alight with murderous revenge' DAILY MAIL 'A powerhouse of a novel. Clytemnestra's rage, heartbreak and determination radiate off the page' ELODIE HARPER 'A thrilling tale of power and prophecies, and the fierce Queen who fought back at those who wronged her' COSMOPOLITAN Instant Sunday Times bestseller, July 2024

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP 10 BESTSELLER A CAPTIVATING TALE THAT CHARTS THE CONTROVERSIAL LIFE AND RISE TO POWER OF SEMIRAMIS, THE ONLY FEMALE RULER OF THE ASSYRIAN EMPIRE 'Costanza Casati has taken the fragments of stories about this extraordinary woman and recreated her world with a vivid panache' THE TIMES 'A stirring, addictive and intoxicating tale. . . Casati's Babylonia has cemented her as one of the most skilled and exciting writers of historical fiction' BEA FITZGERALD, author of GIRL, GODDESS, QUEEN 'An astounding achievement, one of the most vivid, powerful works of historical fiction I have ever read. . . I was utterly swept up in the world of this novel' ELODIE HARPER, author of THE WOLF DEN 'The epic rise of the ambitious female protagonist is complemented by truly gorgeous writing, and the spying and scheming was reminiscent of the juiciest Game of Thrones scenes' Cosmopolitan ---- There are whispers of her fame, in the land long since turned to dust. The Queen who rose from nothing - and changed everything . . . Ancient Assyria, 9th century BC. An orphan is raised on the outskirts of a brutal empire. Heir to a tragic prophecy, Semiramis dreams of wielding power and escaping her destiny. Far away, a reluctant prince walks the corridors of his gilded palace in a city built by the gods. Ninus would rather spend his days in books and poetry than conquering the world of men. But when he meets Onnes, a broken, beautiful warrior, something awakens in them both. And as they grow into young men, their friendship deepens into something fiercer still. That is until Semiramis arrives. A savage love soon erupts between them all, even as a dark threat to the kingdom mounts. And before long, all three will be forced to learn the lesson of the gods - in Babylonia, you must bend the world to your will. What doesn't bend, you break. ---- READERS ARE LOVING BABYLONIA 'I freaking loved this book. It was such a good page-turner and I wish I could give it a million stars because that is what the book deserves without a doubt' ***** Reader Review 'So immersive!' ***** Reader Review 'I cannot express enough how much Casati's writing style sings to me. Her turn of phrase, her rich language, her perfect pacing and the emotional depths she reaches all blend seamlessly together to create an authentic story. Her words read like honey' ***** Reader Review 'I think this is one of the greatest pieces of mythical fiction I have ever read' ***** Reader Review 'If you love complicated female characters, complicated male friendship dynamics, and political storylines similar to Game of Thrones and Ancient Civilisations/Mythology this book is for you' ***** Reader Review PRAISE FOR CLYTEMNESTRA 'Vivid with fury, passion and strength, this is a fabulous myth retelling' JENNIFER SAINT 'A blaze of a novel, fiery and furious - and alight with murderous revenge' DAILY MAIL 'A powerhouse of a novel. Clytemnestra's rage, heartbreak and determination radiate off the page' ELODIE HARPER 'A thrilling tale of power and prophecies, and the fierce Queen who fought back at those who wronged her' COSMOPOLITAN Instant Sunday Times bestseller, July 2024

From the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, as Casati reimagines the rise to power of the Assyrian empire's only female ruler, Semiramis. When kings fall, queens rise. Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy or the power she would come to wield. A female ruler, once an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire - certainly no one in Ancient Assyria would bend to her command willingly. Semiramis was a woman who knew if she wanted power, she would have to claim it. There are whispers of her fame in Mesopotamian myth- Semiramis was a queen, an ambitious warrior, a commander whose reputation reaches the majestic proportions of Alexander the Great. Historical record, on the other hand, falls eerily quiet. In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her. The world Casati expertly builds is rich with dazzling detail and will transport her readers to the heat of the Assyrian Empire and a world long gone.

From the author of the bestselling Clytemnestra comes another intoxicating excursion into ancient history, as Casati reimagines the rise to power of the Assyrian empire's only female ruler, Semiramis. When kings fall, queens rise. Nothing about Semiramis's upbringing could have foretold her legacy or the power she would come to wield. A female ruler, once an orphan raised on the outskirts of an empire - certainly no one in Ancient Assyria would bend to her command willingly. Semiramis was a woman who knew if she wanted power, she would have to claim it. There are whispers of her fame in Mesopotamian myth- Semiramis was a queen, an ambitious warrior, a commander whose reputation reaches the majestic proportions of Alexander the Great. Historical record, on the other hand, falls eerily quiet. In her second novel, Costanza Casati brilliantly weaves myth and ancient history together to give Semiramis a voice, charting her captivating ascent to a throne no one promised her. The world Casati expertly builds is rich with dazzling detail and will transport her readers to the heat of the Assyrian Empire and a world long gone.