Akmaral

Inspired both by ancient legends and recent archaeology, Akmaral tells the story of a society where women are warriors before they are mothers, fighting alongside men on the Asian steppes. It is a hard life, but a vibrant one, and Lindbergh does a fantastic job bringing them to life.

Akmaral herself is a fascinating figure, but even more fascinating is the landscape in which she lives. Lindbergh does a fantastic job bringing the land to life and making the characters feel as though they are truly a part of it. These are not simply warrior women who happen to ride horses; they and the world feel truly integrated.

Her attention to detail extends to cultural matters as well. It is those small details which make the characters’ lives seem believable, and which will hopefully inspire readers to look more into the lives of these fascinating women. Now that they have stepped off the pages of mythology and become more than the legendary Amazons, there is a great deal more that we can learn about them, and books like this are an excellent way to spark interest and imagination.