Book Review: The Sea King's Daughter by Barbara Michaels

The Sea King's Daughter
Author: Barbara Michaels
Publication: HarperCollins e-books; Reprint edition (October 13, 2009)

Description: Since Sandy Frederick first set foot on the volcanic Greek isle of Thera, this breathtaking place of ancient myth and mystery has haunted her dreams. Joining her estranged, obsessed father on a dive to find astonishing secrets from the ocean's floor, she cannot shake the feeling that she was meant to be here; that some ancient, inscrutable power is calling to her. But there are others who have been eagerly waiting for her arrival to drag her into a tangled and terrifying web of secrets, dark superstition, betrayal, blood, and death. And suddenly Sandy's heritage and her destiny could be her doom.

My Thoughts: This retro read stars recent college graduate Sandy Frederick. She has been raised by her mother and stepfather in Florida and has almost forgotten that her father is an archaeologist. When she is contacted by her father who wants her to help him with his current search for Atlantis.

Sandy is eager for the adventure, but she has questions about diving alone in waters that she doesn't know. She finds herself in the middle of a situation that has its roots in the past. Her father and some of his fellow scholars were assigned to the same island where they are now during World War II as part of the underground efforts against the Germans. The main characters of that time period have gathered again.

But Sandy is also having dreams about the long distant past where she is Ariadne, and the minotaur is active. I really liked the vivid descriptions of Sandy's dreams. All the descriptions of the land and characters were vivid.

There is also a romance. Sandy meets Jim who is a budding archaeologist who is working for her father's rival. The two of them have all sorts of adventures ranging from a mob of believers to a volcanic eruption. 

This was an entertaining story. Written as a contemporary romantic suspense title in 1975, it has aged into a nice historical romantic suspense story. 

Favorite Quote:

"The age-old struggle between evil and good is eternal, but the definitions vary, depending on which side you happen to be."

I recently bought this one. You can buy your copy here.