Rating: 
Summary: Keep an Open Mind!
Review: I've read Tathea four times now. While it isn't my favorite book (that title goes to the Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand), it is on my list of the best books I've ever read.
I will concede to the other reviewers that the book is definitely written from a Christian's point of view. But even if you aren't Christian I think you have much to gain from the book. There are so many lessons learned that tap into the surface of human love, pain, and perserverance--these lessons transcend religious boundaries. Besides, I've read books written from an athiest's point of view, and I've gotten just as much out of them as any Christian literature. While Christianity plays a major part in the book, I don't think that is the novel's only feature.
One of the things I like about Perry's writing is that she uses a plethora of figurative language. Some of her descriptions read almost like poetry, and she uses plenty of imagery to get her point across. I could definitely feel what the characters felt and I saw what they saw. That is what I felt added the most to the story.
The story takes a little while to really get into, but once you get sunk into the story there is no going back--you have to finish it. I especially recommend reading the conversation between God and Satan (called Asmodeus in the book)at the end- it will be well worth your time. It helped me explore my own beliefs about mankind, pain, and free will.
The plot takes Tathea all over the place on an allegorical journey of the spirit. She meets various people and goes through a variety of trials. I still couldn't tell you half of the minor characters' names, but the spiritual change in Tathea is what is memorable. I carry the book in my heart with me each day and with each problem I conquer.
Some say this book doesn't belong in the fiction category. Where, then, does it belong? It is not an average work of fiction, and it is not science fiction. It's not a romance or a mystery. Fantasy is the rightful place for Tathea.
The truth is, I am only seventeen, so I probably don't have the literary repertoire of some of the other reviewers on this site. But I can tell you that I consider myself fairly well-read for my age, and I can honestly say that Perry is one of the best writers I have ever encountered. I've started reading one of her mysteries, and she is absolutely enthralling--once you get into the guts of the book, you can't stop until you finish it. I feel the same about Tathea. It's a long book, and you'll be exhausted once you finish it. But the overwhelming feelings you'll experience while reading make it worth anyone's time.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful, Inspiring
Review: I, fifteen years old, was pleasantly surprised to find this book in our small local library. Once I started to read, it was very difficult to put it down. I was able to read it in less than a week, during finals. It is a beautiful fantasy that takes place on another world created after our earth. Anne Perry uses her exceptional writing skills to make the book come alive, to help us feel the hatred of Satan and the love of God. In answer to "Kevin, in South Africa," if you only read 50 pages you barely made a mark in it. The first 125 (out of 525) are a spiritual journey, almost a vision, that Tathea takes on. It is an allegory filled with symbolism of what will come later. The beginning makes much more sense if one imagines what is being alluded to each situation. After she is given a golden Book filled with the words of God, Tathea shares it with the world. The rest is much more easy to understand and accurately portrays human nature so that one feels as if they know the characters. At the end of the novel is the text of the Book. It filled me with such awe, such love as I read it, and helped me better understand God's plan. I applaude Anne Perry for taking the stand to write this, one of the most beautiful books I have ever read, exempting the scriptures. Many people think that the definately Christian, yet very different philosophy found in the book was created by Anne Perry. However, it actually reflects the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which she is a member. I encourage, even plead with, everyone to read this awe-inspiring, spiritual novel. It will make you a better person; if everyone in the world read it and believed what it says the world would be at peace. I feel certain that our Heavenly Father smiles upon this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting, but not a fantasy novel
Review: It is true as both professional reviewers and book readers alike have said, that "Tathea" is not a fantasy novel. The novel has been incorrectly marketed. Perhaps that is because the publishers weren't sure exactly how to market it. The novel begins with Ta-Thea an empress barely escaping her home land after her husband, the emperor of Shinabar and her son are murdered in an uprising. The first few pages do indeed seem like a fantasy novel, but as one continues to read on, the novel is simply a broad mix of characters and situations which symbolize a woman's search for spiritual enlightment. Tathea is trusted with a mysterious "Book" which is said to completely explain God's plan for mankind. To be perfectly honest, the book was a bit too long, and the characters, with their unusual "fantasy" names, were simply players to point out good and evil, accepting the law of God or not, and how they related to Tathea's quest to share her new-found knowledge of God with others. The book is not the best I've ever read, and I have to admit that I struggled through it. Using unusual names and exotic locations, Ann Perry's publishers have attempted to pass this book off as a fantasy work. This novel would be much better accepted by the public if it were simply marketed more truthfully. I was disappointed, and am now sorry that I bought the sequel, "Come Armageddon" before I had finished reading "Tathea." If you do plan to buy this book, expect an introspective novel which looks very closely at the frailties of human beings and how they react to spirituality. If you are expecting traditional fantasy fiction, you will be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting, but not a fantasy novel
Review: It is true as both professional reviewers and book readers alike have said, that "Tathea" is not a fantasy novel. The novel has been incorrectly marketed. Perhaps that is because the publishers weren't sure exactly how to market it. The novel begins with Ta-Thea an empress barely escaping her home land after her husband, the emperor of Shinabar and her son are murdered in an uprising. The first few pages do indeed seem like a fantasy novel, but as one continues to read on, the novel is simply a broad mix of characters and situations which symbolize a woman's search for spiritual enlightment. Tathea is trusted with a mysterious "Book" which is said to completely explain God's plan for mankind. To be perfectly honest, the book was a bit too long, and the characters, with their unusual "fantasy" names, were simply players to point out good and evil, accepting the law of God or not, and how they related to Tathea's quest to share her new-found knowledge of God with others. The book is not the best I've ever read, and I have to admit that I struggled through it. Using unusual names and exotic locations, Ann Perry's publishers have attempted to pass this book off as a fantasy work. This novel would be much better accepted by the public if it were simply marketed more truthfully. I was disappointed, and am now sorry that I bought the sequel, "Come Armageddon" before I had finished reading "Tathea." If you do plan to buy this book, expect an introspective novel which looks very closely at the frailties of human beings and how they react to spirituality. If you are expecting traditional fantasy fiction, you will be disappointed.
Rating: 
Summary: Another for my Short List
Review: Ta-thea, Empress of Shinabar, is awakened one night to find herself in the middle of a palace coup and everyone around her dead. With the help of a faithful servant, she manages to escape to the Lost Lands, where she seeks out a sage, demanding that he tell her the purpose of her life, the universe, and everything. He sends her off on a quest with a mysterious boatsman who appears from nowhere. The object of this quest is to learn the mind of God. According to the book jacket reviews, _Tathea_ is "riveting from the first page," "crafted with depth of thought," and "filled with symbolism." I can't help but wonder if the reviewers who wrote those blurbs actually read the book, or only some promotional material from the publisher. I found this book immensely dull, trite and self-conscious, a work that constantly drew attention to its own supposed profundity while actually sermonizing on pretty simplistic and not-very-original themes. After a hundred pages of monotonous situations, depthless characters and heavy-handed allegory, I couldn't take any more. This isn't a fantasy novel; it's a Fundamentalist tract. Reading it made me feel like I was being hit over the head with a dull axe. I've never read anything else by the author and I don't intend to. Ace did a disservice to all readers of fantasy by publishing this.
Rating:
Summary: Reading it changed my life...
Review: Tathea is essentially a lengthy (over 500 page) Christian parable. Regardless of the merits of its message, this book should not be represented as a fantasy novel. The characters are undeveloped and uninteresting. The main character, Tathea, journeys from place to place with only the thinnest of plot devices to connect the various episodes. Supposedly, each of her adventures deepens her understanding of "The Book," but in fact no such growth is evident in the character. I am surprised that the author, who has published dozens of books in the mystery genre, could produce somethng as poorly written as Tathea.
Rating:
Summary: Mormon propaganda
Review: This book promised far more than it was able to deliver. What started as a beautifully phrased story of a woman's journey to discover herself swiftly descended through thinly veiled religious allegory, a la "Pilgrim's Progress," to out and out homily. Ms. Perry's lovely phrasing was soon lost in repititious plot developement and pedantic moralizing. If you are looking for a moving story of one woman's struggle to overcome the many obstacles facing her, you won't find it here, at least, not after the first 75 pages or so. After that, you become numbed to Tathea's plight and frustrated by the shallow allegory. The many characters often become far more idealized than is comfortable and the insistence upon growth through pain soon dulls any sympathy the reader might otherwise feel. I find it ironic that in several telling scenes, Ms. Perry talks about the insubstantiality of drama without realization of humanity, drama which embodies only the ideals of a specific group or culture. Perhaps if she had followed her own advice, this would be a novel worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: pedestrian pilgrim's progress
Review: This book promised far more than it was able to deliver. What started as a beautifully phrased story of a woman's journey to discover herself swiftly descended through thinly veiled religious allegory, a la "Pilgrim's Progress," to out and out homily. Ms. Perry's lovely phrasing was soon lost in repititious plot developement and pedantic moralizing. If you are looking for a moving story of one woman's struggle to overcome the many obstacles facing her, you won't find it here, at least, not after the first 75 pages or so. After that, you become numbed to Tathea's plight and frustrated by the shallow allegory. The many characters often become far more idealized than is comfortable and the insistence upon growth through pain soon dulls any sympathy the reader might otherwise feel. I find it ironic that in several telling scenes, Ms. Perry talks about the insubstantiality of drama without realization of humanity, drama which embodies only the ideals of a specific group or culture. Perhaps if she had followed her own advice, this would be a novel worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Tathea
Review: This book was amazing, it grabbed ahold of me from the moment I picked it up. I was not able to put it down until I finished reading it late that same night. I have never before read anything by Anne Perry, and was just killing time at the Library when I saw it, and started reading. The characters have a depth and vitality that is unusual in fantasy books nowday. They also face a variety of challenges to become better people and improve their character through challenges which are at once both familiar and terrifying. The classic battle of good versus evil comes alive in a new and unknown way as one person berfit in the face of personal tragedy seeks meaning to life and understanding of what lies beyond. The sequal Come Armageddon is even better and having now read them I plan to buy both as soon as possible.
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