Wisdom's Daughter
In the fourth and final book in the She sequence, the beautiful and immortal Ayesha tells her tale of power, wisdom, love, and deception, in her own words
Arabian by birth, Ayesha's natural beauty was the cause in her father's kingdom of many wars and conflicts between jealous princes and suitors, leading to a rumor that she was cursed. Swearing an oath of celibacy, to serve Isis the Goddess of the Spirit of Nature and turn away from Aphrodite the Goddess of Love, she seeks to protect herself, until Greek soldier of fortune Kallikrates comes to her for sanctuary and her resolve weakens.
But Kallikrates does not arrive alone—he is pursued by the Pharaoh's daughter who is wildly jealous of Ayesha's beauty and vows to destroy her. Only by staying true to Isis does Ayesha survive, and as a reward Isis leads her to the hidden kingdom of Kôr in Africa, to herald in a new Golden Age. The kingdom of Kôr hides many secrets, including The Flame of Eternal Life where ultimately Ayesha's vanity, obsession, and desire lead to her downfall.
About the Ayesha Series
Books in series order
- 1.She
- 2.Ayesha: The Return of She(1905)
- 3.She and Allan(1920)
- 4.Wisdom's Daughter(1923)
Reading age: 12+ years
This series should be read in order.
Drawing on his knowledge of Africa and of ancient legends, literary adventure writer Henry Rider Haggard weaves this disturbing tale of Ayesha, the mysterious and immortal white queen of a Central African tribe. She, or "She-who-must-be-obeyed," is the embodiment of the mythological female figure who is monstrous, desirable, and deadly. These thrilling Victorian novels feature all the best elements of the "Lost World" genre: a lost African kingdom and their mysterious, implacable queen; menacing cannibals; ferocious wildlife and yawning abysses; and an eerie love story that spans two thousand years.
The Ayesha series is a pioneering work of its genre and will appeal to fans of action, adventure & mythology. See also the Allan Quatermain series by H. Rider Haggard.