Accustomed to the hard work of a slave, Nikos knows first hand the joy of freedom, and in honour of the father who saved him masquerades as a servant to ingratiate himself in to the home of his father's enemy, the famous Glaucos of Rhodes.

Spiro craves Glaucus' power and his beautiful hetaera Tessa in equal measure and he will gladly sink to whatever depths he needs to acquire both.

Fuelled by desperation and her burning desire for the freedom of her body, mind and spirit, Tessa embarks on a journey which may transform her life or just as surely, destroy it.

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1. In the end, Tessa’s resolve to keep people at arm’s length proves largely unsuccessful. Why do you think she is unable to remain disconnected?

2. When Hermes learns Tessa’s secret, she must betray Persephone’s trust in order to keep him quiet. How do you feel about Tessa’s actions?

3. In what ways has reading Shadow of Colossus increased your knowledge of Ancient Greece? Did the author’s depiction of Rhodes create a compelling setting for the story?

4. How is Tessa like the Colossus, and in what ways is she unlike it?

5. Nikos tells Tessa, “To be alive to love and alive to joy is to risk being hurt, to risk people failing you and disappointing you.” Do you agree with this statement? How have you seen this to be true or false in your own life?

6. How is the redemption that Simeon describes to Tessa different from what the Greek gods offer?

7. Simeon wants Tessa to understand that she desperately needs a Redeemer to rescue her from the degradation of sin, to pursue her with relentless love, and to free her heart. Is this only a “fairy-tale ending,” or can it be true for each of us?

8. Have you ever experienced an earthquake-like shift in your own thoughts or emotions or in your perspective on the world? Describe your experience.

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"T. L. Higley transported me so completely to Ancient Greece that when I was finished I felt as if I had to reorient myself to present time. An engrossing read, written with precision and style. I was sorry to see it end."

— Carolyne Aarsen; Author of All in One Place

"This is an entertaining novel filled with love, friendship, and political intrigue."

— Joseph Bentz; CBA Retailers + Resources