Reviewed by Cecelia Hopkins for Readers' Favorite

Demons of Babylon by Paul Curtis commences in the year 586 B.C. After an unsuccessful rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, King Zedekiah of Judea is blinded and hundreds of Jewish citizens are taken captive to Babylon. Calev is spared because he has linguistic skills and is useful to Nebuchadnezzar as a translator. Hannah is placed in his care by her dying father, who asks him to marry her. Calev is in no hurry to marry, but he strives to shield Hannah from the evils of the Babylonian court. As the couple rises among the hierarchy, they witness truly shocking events and become privy to secrets that could place them in danger.

Demons of Babylon by Paul Curtis is a historical novel with a romantic theme. I enjoyed seeing the author’s attempt to visualize the era and elaborate the known facts into a complete story. The punishments seemed horrific and the sex scenes were explicit, which matches what we have been told regarding the wickedness of the warring nations. I was challenged by the contrast drawn between two cultural and religious ideologies. In the Babylonian culture, non-binary love was acceptable, but offending the king or queen could result in death or disfigurement. On the other hand, extra-marital sex was punishable by stoning in the Jewish community. Neither belief system seemed perfect. Calev considered the father who killed his daughter a murderer, but when he takes revenge, Calev is arrested for murder and the perpetrator is exonerated. I was pleased when Calev and Hannah reconciled and decided to live by their own rules. Demons of Babylon by Paul Curtis will intrigue the reader who enjoys learning about ancient times and cultures.