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Fortune’s Child: A Novel of Empress Theodora by James Conroyd Martin is a historical novel about a woman, born to a circus bear keeper in Constantinople, who used her wits and good looks to become the wife of the ruler of the empire. Mr. Martin is the award-winning novelist living in Hollywood, CA.

The story is told through the eyes of Stephen, a good looking Syrian Eunuch, who befriends Theodora well before she became empress. Theodora asks Stephen to write her biography so her enemies won’t get the last historical word, and so the story begins.

We follow Theodora through childhood, daughter to window trying to make ends meet. Teenage and adulthood where the beautiful woman finds the bug of acting, but does not shy away from prostitution. She ties her fortunes to an upperclassman who has been given a governorship in Africa, but quickly finds out that meddling in affairs of the state will not earn her any friends. Broke and alone Theodora returns to Constantinople to see what the future holds.

This book should be an example of how to write a description to sell a book. On top of that, Fortune’s Child: A Novel of Empress Theodora by James Conroyd Martin lives up to its expectations as a vivid, well researched historical fiction.

I knew nothing about Empress Theodora , wife of Emperor Justinian I and probably the most powerful woman in Byzantine history, but she sounded very intriguing and like all good history, it’s something that you simply just can’t make up. The story switches between first and third person narratives, between past and present but the author made it all work and I never got lost.

I thought that the storytelling device, Theodora asking Stephen, to write her biography was a smart choice. It allowed the author to include or exclude any information, since Theodora wants to glorify herself and omit any unfavorable events, while Stephen is free to share with the readers his experiences outside of Theodora’s spin or echo chamber.

The one thing I thought was missing from the book was the political games she must have played, the author put some in it but he was more interested in telling her story from a human point of interest instead of her intelligence and political acumen . There is another book in the works which will complete the story and I am looking forward to find out more about this interesting historical persona.

This is a story of how an actress be ame an empress. The friends she made and the enemies that sought to kill her. It is about the choices she made, good and bad. The betrayals of so called lovers and friends that she trusted. It is also about a young man she met, Stephen, someone that would be her lifelong friend. The story is full of adventure and misadventures. It is ultimately the story of strength, courage and determination.
Great characters!

Excellent. It's engaging and compelling, and "takes you there". Obviously well researched, it includes good detail and readers will come away with a story that will stick with them for a while. Recommended.

I really appreciate the review copy!!

While there are plenty of things about Theodora’s past which testify to her determination and strength of character, there are also sections that were a bit dull such descriptions of her artistic tableaux. The part in which Theodora is learning a type of dance – which has no importance to her life once the instruction is over – dragged while the religious discussions she has in Alexandria which do impact her life as Empress are given half the time. I also wished more was told about Stephen’s past since curses, wizards, and reading auras while traveling across the Levant and Egypt sounded fascinating.

Things seem to be picking up towards the end of the book but it’s then that I learned this is to be a duology and most all of Theodora’s life as Empress, including all the religious and feminist things she’s known for, aren’t here. I enjoyed going back to the old style of historical fiction books I used to devour but I’m not sure I want to read another long book to get the second half of her story. C+

Fantastic telling of a Empress Theodora’s life, the past and present storylines were sometimes hard to follow but I really enjoyed reading more about her life. What a fascinating woman.

I loved this book so much. I truly kept me interested from start to finish. I knew nothing about this woman but she was amazingly strong, intelligent and ambitious. I liked that it told two stories and was a constant page turner. I can't wait for the next book. I highly recommend this book - you will not be disappointed.