HOT BOOK #8: *Amazon: A Novel*

Amazon woman 

How would ancient Goddess women respond to modern violence? In Amazon: A Novel, Antiope the warrior woman is magically transported into the 20th century from her god/Goddess world -- and into a reality we think of as "normal."

Here's a sample scene.

"She handed him a bag. He pulled a bottle out of it, looked at it, and abruptly slapped the woman just as he had slapped the child. 'You stupid bitch,' he said. 'That ain't scotch, it's bourbon. I told you scotch.'

"He raised his hand again. The woman cowered against the car, expecting another blow, which never fell. By that time I had my sword out of the mailing tube, had spun the man around with an ankle shove to put him off balance, and had pinned him against the car with the point of my sword at his throat. 'Men not hit women and children,' I said.

"'Who the hell are you?' he demanded, glaring through bloodshot eyes. He was about to attack me. I shoved his shoulder back harder and gave his neck a little warning prick. Blood trickled down to his collar.

"'Men no hit women and children,' I repeated. 'Wrong.'

"'Mind your own goddamn business!' he shouted. I pricked him again. Then Diana was at my side, saying, 'Come on, Ann, you mustn't do this.' [Antiope's 20th-century rescuer Diana calls her "Ann"].

"'Damn right she mustn't do this!' the man blustered. 'Call a cop, you! Get her back to the bin where she belongs! What's she doing with that illegal weapon?'

"Ignoring everything, I said, 'You swear by whatever spirit you worship, never to hit women or children again -- else I kill you right here.'

"He stared into my eyes and realized that I meant it. By way of encouragement I let him feel my blade once more. His collar was now quite red. I saw him begin to tremble.

"'OK, lady, OK. Don't get excited.'

"'Swear,' I said, tensing my grip.

"'OK, I swear. I'll never hit anybody, so help me God. Satisfied?'

"I looked at his woman, who stood with her mouth open, holding on to a grocery bag. 'You remember,' I said. 'If he does criminal acts, I will find him.' She nodded without closing her mouth.

"I backed off slowly.

"When I released him, the man scrambled into his car and locked the door. The woman finished loading her groceries, watching me curiously. Then she got in beside the man and they drove away."

/////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Now, Antiope hails from a world as far distant from pure-Goddess societies* as she is from us. She lived in the days of the ancient Greeks -- at least 2,500 years after pure-Goddess peoples were stamped out by patriarchals. In pure-Goddess societies, swords were unknown. Be that as it may, this novel packs a punch in that it exposes the way in which we allow males to devastate women and children. No animal species does this. Neither do the so-called "simpler" societies. Only we patriarchals do it. And in a Goddess society, you can bet your bottom dollar it would be verbotten.

BTW, Amazon A Novel was written by the wonderful Barbara Walker.

Go HERE for more on Amazon. Buy a copy for as little as 85c.
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* By "pure-Goddess societies" I mean those with few if any gods. Examples: Catal Huyuk, ancient Crete, Marija Gimbutas' Old Europe, and the civilization historian Ian Wilson identifies in Before the Flood.

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Thanks to jynmeyer for the photo.