In the shadows of the pyramids: Novels set in Ancient Egypt

Bell214: Novels set at some point during the ancient Egyptian history are found in many genres: numerous series, non–series, or stand–alone novels set during this time period (many of them are in the historical fiction/mystery genre).



(Cleopatra, 1963, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056937)


● Cleopatra: Being an Account of the Fall and Vengeance of Harmachis (1889) by Sir Henry Rider Haggard

● Kleopatra (1894) by Georg Ebers

● The Egyptian: A Novel (1949) by Mika Valtari

● Moses: The Prince of Egypt (1958) by Howard Fast

● The Egyptian Sequence by Moyra Caldecott: Hatshepsut: Daughter of Amun (1989), Akhenaten: Son of the Sun (1986), Tutankhamun and the Daughter of Ra (1989)

● Ancient Egypt series by Wilbur Smith: River God (1993), The Seventh Scroll (1995), Warlock (2001), The Quest (2007)

● Lord Meren series by Lynda S. Robinson: Murder in the Place of Anubis (1994), Murder at the God’s Gate (1995), Murder at the Feast of Rejoicing (1996), Eater of Souls (1997), Drinker of Blood (1998), Slayer of Gods (2001)

● Pillar of Fire (1995) by Judith Tarr
Note: The novel investigates whether Pharaoh Akhenaten was the same person as Moses. Pharaoh Akhenaten was the Pharaoh that introduced monotheism into the Egyptian world (the sun God Aten), and rejected the worship of other gods. Pharaoh Akhenaten’s body apparently went missing after he died and Moses came forth into prominence.

● Pharaoh Ramses series by Christian Jacq: Ramses: The Son of Light (1997), The Eternal Temple (aka The Temple of a Million Years) (1998), The Battle of Kadesh (1998), The Lady of Abu Simbel (1998), Under the Western Acacia (1998)

● The Memoirs of Cleopatra: A Novel (1998) by Margaret George

● In Search for Khnum (1998) by Hussein Bassir

● Chief Judge Amerotke Mystery series by P.C. Doherty: The Mask of Ra (1998), The Horus Killings (1999), The Anubis Slayings (2000), The Slayers of Seth (2001), The Assassins of Isis (2004), The Poisoner of Ptah (2007), The Spies of Sobeck (2008)
Note: P.C. Doherty’s series is set in roughly 1479 B.C. and involves various mysteries that are investigated by Chief Judge Amerotke during the reign of Pharaoh Tuthmosis and later, after Tuthmosis dies in the first book (and is part of the mystery in the first book) during the reign of Pharaoh–Queen Hatusu.

● The Shepherd Kings (1999) by Judith Tarr

● The Black Pharaoh (1999) by Christian Jacq

● Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth (2000) by Naguib Mahfouz

● Stone of Light series by Christian Jacq: Nefer the Silent (2000), The Wise Woman (2000), Paneb the Ardent (2000), The Place of Truth (2000)

● Queen of Freedom series by Christian Jacq: The Empire of Darkness (2002), The War of the Crowns (2003), The Flaming Sword (2003)

● Kleopatra (2001) by Karen Essex

● Pharaoh (2002) by Karen Essex

● When We Were Gods: A Novel of Cleopatra (2002) by Colin Falconer

● The October Horse (Masters of Rome series) (2002) by Colleen McCullough

● An Evil Spirit out of the West (2003) by Paul Doherty

● Cheops (2003) by Paul West

● Voices from the Other World: Ancient Egyptian Tales (2004) by Naguib Mahfouz

● Ptolemies Quartet by Duncan Sprott: The House of the Eagle (2004), Daughter of the Crocodile (2006)

● Rhadopis of Nubia (2005) by Naguib Mahfouz

● Men of Bronze (2005) by Scott Oden

● Year of the Hyenas: A Novel of Murder in Ancient Egypt (2005) by Brad Geagley

● The Old Red Hippopotamus (2005) by Hussein Bassir

● Rai Rahotep series by Nick Drake: Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead (2006), Tutankhamun: The Book of Shadows (2008), Egypt: The Book of Chaos (2011)

● Antony and Cleopatra (Masters of Rome series) (2007) by Colleen McCullough

● The Woman Who Would be Pharaoh (2009) by William Klein

● Guardian of the Flame (2009) by T.L. Higley

Bell214: The Egyptian: A Novel (1949) by Mika Valtari

Note: The Egyptian (Sinuhe egyptiläinen, Sinuhe the Egyptian) was first published in Finnish in 1945, and in an abridged English translation in 1949.
The book follows the life of physician Sinuhe during the reign of several pharaohs and covers the Eastern Mediterranean region, all the way from Thebes to Babylon in the north, and Egypt in the south.

It is set in a fascinating period of Egyptian history, mostly during the reign of Pharaoh
Akhenaten of the 18th Dynasty, whom some have claimed to be the first monotheistic ruler in the world.
The hero of the novel is not Akhenaten, however, but the fictional character Sinuhe, the royal physician, who tells the story in exile after Akhenaten’s fall and death. Apart from incidents in Egypt, the novel charts Sinuhe’s travels in then–Egyptian dominated Syria (Levant), Mitanni, Babylon, Minoan Crete, and among the Hittites.

The main character of the novel is named after that of an ancient Egyptian text commonly known as The Story of Sinuhe. The original story dates to a time long before that of Akhenaten: texts are known from as early as the 12th Dynasty.
Supporting historical characters include the old Pharaoh Amenhotep III and his conniving favorite wife Tiy, the wife of Akhenaten Nefertiti, the listless young Tutankhamun who succeeded as Pharaoh after Akhenaten’s downfall, and the two common–born successors who were, according to this author, integral parts of the rise and fall of the Amarna heresy of Akhenaten, the priest and later Pharaoh Ay, and the warrior–general and then finally Pharaoh Horemheb.

Although Waltari employed some poetic license in combining the biographies of Sinuhe and Akhenaten, he was otherwise much concerned about the historical accuracy of his detailed description of ancient Egyptian life and carried out considerable research into the subject. The result has been praised not only by readers but also by egyptologists.
The book became an international bestseller, topping the bestseller lists in the USA in 1949. It remained the most sold foreign novel in the US before its place was taken over by The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. The Egyptian has been translated into 40 languages.

Note: Mika Toimi Valtari (1908–1979) was a Finnish historical novelist, best known for his magnum opus The Egyptian.

Bell214: The Egyptian Sequence by Moyra Caldecott

Hatshepsut: Daughter of Amun (1989)

Ancient Egypt 3500 years ago ― a land ruled by the all–powerful female king, Hatshepsut. Ambitious, ruthless and worldly: a woman who established Amun as the chief god of Egypt, bestowing his Priesthood with unprecedented riches and power.

Historicals facts: Hatshepsut (meaning, Foremost of Noble Ladies) (circa 1508–1458 BCE), the fifth pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt (circa 1479–1458 BCE), was the elder daughter of Thutmose I and Queen Ahmose, the first king and queen of the Thutmoside clan of the eighteenth dynasty. She is generally regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty.
Besides the Temple of Karnak, following the tradition of many pharaohs, the masterpiece of Hatshepsut’s building projects was her mortuary temple. Djeser–Djeseru is the main building of her mortuary temple complex at Deir el–Bahri, on the site she chose, near the entrance to what now is called the Valley of the Kings.

Bell214: Akhenaten: Son of the Sun (1986)

Note: It takes place between the other two books, but it was written first.

Based on the remarkable reign of Akhenaten in 18th Dynasty, this story is told as if by a contemporary of his, Djehuti–kheper–Ra. It follows history as closely as possible on the evidence we have, and describes the political machinations of the time. But it also traces the spiritual journey of the protagonists, the journey on which we are all engaged whether we know it or not.

The story begins with the suffering of a boy oracle, or medium, about to be sealed alive into a pyramid chamber for three days so that he may “astral–travel“ to the realms of the gods and plead for the waters of the Nile to rise, bringing life–giving silt to the farmlands. The story follows him through his lonely despair until he becomes the honoured companion of a king and an important figure in an extraordinary revolution.
At this time the high priests of the god Amun, brought to prominence by the female pharaoh Hatshepsut about a century before, are rich and powerful enough to challenge a king ...

Historical facts: Akhenaten (meaning Effective Spirit of Aten) (died circa 1336 or 1334 BCE), first known as Amenhotep IV, was a Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty of Egypt. Suggested dates for Akhenaten’s reign (subject to the debates surrounding Egyptian chronology) are from 1353–1336 BCE or 1351–1334 BCE.
He was born to Amenhotep III and his Chief Queen (the great Royal Wife) Tiye and was their younger son. Akhenaten was not originally designated as the successor to the throne until the untimely death of his older brother, the Crown prince Thutmose.
He is especially noted for attempting to compel the Egyptian population in the monotheistis worship of Aten (or Aton, the life–giving force of light, the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology, and originally an aspect of Ra), although there are doubts as to how successful he was at this.
Akhenaten’s chief wife was Nefertiti, made world–famous by the discovery of her exquisitely moulded and painted bust, now displayed in the Altes Museum of Berlin, and among the most recognised works of art surviving from the ancient world.
After his death and the restoration of traditional religious practice, he and his immediate successors were ignored and excised from history by later rulers. Akhenaten’s name never appeared on any of the king lists compiled by later Pharaohs and it was not until the late 19th century that his identity was re–discovered and the surviving traces of his reign were unearthed by archaeologists.

Bell214: Tutankhamun and the Daughter of Ra (1989)

Ankhesenamun has never been safe in all her short life ― not even with her beloved husband and half brother Tutankhamun.
Daughter of Pharaoh Akhenaten and the fabled Nefertiti, and married at one time to her father, she is forced to marry Tutankhamun by the powerful General Horemheb at a time of bitter political and religious division. Ankhesenamun is the delicate link between scheming factions.
Left vulnerable by the failure of her plans for the sacred egg of Ra and the death of her young husband, Ankhesenamun is forced into making one last extraordinary and desperate bid for life and happiness ...

Historical facts: Born as Ankhesenpaaten (circa 1348–after 1324 BCE.) and later renamed, Ankhesenamun, she was the third of six known daughters of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten and his Great Royal Wife nefertiti. The change in her name reflects the changes in Ancient Egyptian religion during her lifetime after her father’s death.
Ankhesenamun was definitely married to one king ― she was the Great Royal Wife of pharaoh Tutankhamun (who may have been her half–brother). Some time in the ninth year of his reign, at about the age of eighteen, Tutankhamen died suddenlyafter nine–year reign leaving Ankhesenamen alone without an heir at about age twenty–one. A ring shows that Ankhesenamen married Ay, Tutankhamun’s successor, shortly before she disappeared from history, although no monuments show her as a royal consort

Tutankhamun (born as Tutankhaten) (1341–1323 BCE) was an Egyptian Pharaoh of the 18th Dynasty (ruled 1333–1324 BCE in the conventional chronology), during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom.
Tutankhamun’s parentage is uncertain, but the most common hypothesis holds that he was the son of Akhenaten and his minor wife Queen Kiya.
He died under questionable circumstances, and the murder theory is suggested, although not accepted by all scholars.
More detailed CT–scans of Tutankhamun’s mummy undertaken by National Geographic (published in late 2005) suggested that he did not die from a blow to his head as earlier had theorized. The National Geographic forensic researchers instead presented a new theory that Tutankhamun died from an infection caused by a badly broken leg. When the results of the CT–Scan examination had been published, many scientists accepted its findings, but some still believe the mystery of Tutankhamun’s death is far from solved and continue to support the older murder theory.
The 1922 discovery by Howard Carter of Tutankhamun’s intact tomb (the most complete Ancient Egyptian tomb ever found) received worldwide press coverage and sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt, for which Tutankhamun’s burial mask remains the popular face and he became the world’s most famous pharaoh.
King Tutankhamun still rests in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings, in a temperature–controlled glass case.

Note: Moyra Caldecott (born 1927, Pretoria, South Africa) is a British author of historical fiction, fantasy, science fiction and non–fiction. She started academic career by obtaining degrees in English Literature and Philosophy and briefly lectured in English Literature at university level. She also took evening classes in palaeontology, religious studies and mythology.
Selected Bibliography: The Lily and the Bull (1979), The Egyptian Sequence, Etheldreda (1987), The Waters of Sul (1997), The Ghost of Akhenaten (2001)

Official Website: http://moyracaldecott.co.uk

Bell214: The Ancient Egypt Series by Wilbur Smith

River God (1993)

Note: River God is set around 1780 BCE during an age of strife and civil war, as the Upper and Lower Egypt’s fought invaders, and each other for the two thrones.

Ancient Egypt. Land of the Pharaohs. A kingdom built on gold. A legend shattered by greed ... Now the Valley of the Kings lies ravaged by war, drained of its lifeblood, as weak men inherit the cherished crown.

City of Thebes. The Festival of Osiris. Loyal subjects of the Pharaoh gather to pay homage to their leader, but Taita ― a wise and formidably gifted eunuch slave ― sees him only as a symbol of a kingdom’s fading glory. Beside Taita stand his protégés: Lostris, daughter of Lord Intef, beautiful beyond her fourteen years; and Tanus, proud young army officer, whose father was betrayed by Lord Intef, Chief Vizier of Egypt whose power is second in wealth only to the Pharaoh.

Tanus and Lostris are deeply in love, but unbeknown to them, their union is an impossibility. Taita is the slave of Lord Intef. It was Intef who had Taita gelded as a young boy after he found that he had slept with a young slave girl. Together Taita, Lostris and Tanus share a dream ― to restore the majesty of the Pharaoh of Pharaohs on the glittering banks of the Nile.
Through the voice of the incomparable Taita, Wilbur Smith draws the reader irresistibly into the daily lives of his characters: their hopes, their fears, their passions.

A glorious civilisation. An epic journey. A heroic battle. An enduring love. Here is a magnificent, richly imagined saga that explodes with all the drama, mystery and rage of a bygone time.

Bell214: The Seventh Scroll (1995)

A search for the 4000–year–old tomb of an Egyptian pharaoh along the Nile’s headwaters in Ethiopia is the focus of this intoxicating sequel to River God. This well–crafted novel is full of exotic adventure, Egyptology, tension, and intrigue.

Noted Egyptologist Royan Al Simma escapes an attempt on her life, but her husband, Duraid, is not so lucky. This husband–and–wife archaeological team was immersed in unraveling the secrets of the “seventh scroll.“

Written in a type of shorthand, the scroll dates back to the Hyksos invasion of Egypt and was recently discovered in the tomb of Queen Lostris, whose story is told in Smith’s River God. Grieving over the loss of her husband, Royan engages Sir Nicholas Quenton–Harper, a wealthy English collector, to assist her in completing the work she and Duraid had begun by locating the tomb of Pharaoh Mamose the Eighth, husband of Lostris.
Through collective teamwork, Royan and Nicholas travel to Ethiopia, at great peril to themselves, as they try to uncover a 4000–year–old secret.

Bell214: Warlock (2001)

This Egyptian epic follows Taita as he retreats into the forbidding deserts of North Africa to become a hermit after his beloved Queen Lostris dies.
Over the years he devotes himself to the study of the mysteries of the occult until he gradually transforms himself into the Warlock ...

Warlock tracks a power struggle in ancient Egypt between false pharaohs and a true royal heir, evoking the cruel glories and terrible torments of the era. The kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt have been at war for 60 years. Upper Egypt is ruled by Tamose, Lower Egypt by Apepi, king of the Hyksos. Treachery and assassination eliminate both rulers, allowing two false pharaohs to unite in an orgy of tyranny and oppression. Tamose’s son, Prince Nefer, is his father’s rightful heir, but the false pharaoh, Lord Naja, denies Nefer’s birthright and plots to kill the young prince.

Aided by the royal sorcerer, a warlock Taita, Nefer escapes Naja’s plots. Nefer and Taita outwit assassins, evil magicians, pursuing armies and even the treachery of Nefer’s own sister, as they raise their own army in the lost desert city of Gallala. Taita’s magic spells and occult powers protect, teach and guide Nefer on his tortuous path to regain the throne and save the woman he loves, Princess Mintaka, daughter of slain King Apepi.

However, as Nefer’s strength grows, so does that of his enemies, and it will take all of Nefer’s courage and Taita’s mystical powers to prevail when the chariot armies of evil sweep across the desert wasteland to the gates of Gallala. This is a very bloody and violent yarn, set in an age when merciless combat, torture, rape and sacrifice were common.

Bell214: The Quest (2007)

The Quest continues the story of the Warlock, Taita, wise in the lore of the ancient Gods and a master of magic and the supernatural.

Egypt is struck by a series of terrible plagues that cripple the Kingdom, and then the ultimate disaster follows ― the Nile fails. The waters that nourish and sustain the land dry up. Something catastrophic is taking place in the distant and totally unexplored depths of Africa from where the mighty river springs. In desperation Pharaoh sends for Taita, the only man who might be able to win through to the source of the Nile and discover the cause of all their woes. But none have any idea of what a terrible enemy lies in ambush for The Warlock in those mysterious lands at the end of their world.

Note: Critics of Wilbur Smith argue that his novels often contain sexist and racist assumptions and that they may have a political agenda. Wilbur Smith has denied any such assumptions. Fans of Smith argue that the assumptions or actions that these critics refer to simply reflect the values and culture of a society at the point in time the novels are set, and that the racist/sexist nature of some of Smith’s characters add historical accuracy and are not a reflection of his personal beliefs and opinions.

About the author: Wilbur Smith (born January 9, 1933, Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia/now Kabwe, Zambia), one of the world’s most celebrated novelists, published more than 30 novels, all meticulously researched on his numerous expeditions worldwide. His books have been translated into twenty–six different languages.

Bibliography: When the Lion Feeds (1964), The Dark of the Sun (1965), The Sound of Thunder (1966), Shout at the Devil (1968), Gold Mine (1970), The Diamond Hunters (1971), The Sunbird (1972), Eagle in the Sky (1974), The Eye of the Tiger (1975), Cry Wolf (1976), A Sparrow Falls (1977), Hungry at the Sea (1978), Wild Justice (1979), A Falcon Flies (1980), Men of Men (1981), The Angels Weep (1982), The Leopard Hunts in Darkness (1984), The Burning Shore (1985), Power of the Sword (1986), Rage (1987), A Time to Die (1989), Golden Fox (1990), Elephant Song (1991), River God (1993), The Seventh Scroll (1995), Birds of Prey (1997), Monsoon (1999), Warlock (2001), Blue Horizon (2003), The Triumph of the Sun (2005), The Quest (2007), Assegai (2009)

Official Website: http://www.wilbursmithbooks.com

Bell214: Pharaoh Ramses Series by Christian Jacq

Note: The Ramses series follows the life and career of Egypt’s greatest pharaoh, Ramses II.
Ramses ruled for over sixty years and is one of, if not the longest reigning Egyptian Pharaoh. Each volume encompasses one aspect of Ramses’ known historical life, woven into a fictional tapestry of the ancient world for an epic tale of love, life and deceit.
Ramses: The Son of Light (1997), The Eternal Temple (The Temple of a Million Years) (1998), The Battle of Kadesh (1998), The Lady of Abu Simbel (1998), Under the Western Acacia (1998)

Ramses: The Son of Light (1997)

More than 3,000 years ago, Ramses was born to power and privilege in the Royal household of ancient Egypt. The Son of Light is the first volume of his fictionalized history, and it’s the story of 14–year–old boy who must learn to surround himself with friends as he’s being groomed for the throne of one of the world’s most powerful nations.
His father, Seti, has created a powerful empire and favours Ramses as his successor, rather than Ramses’ scheming older brother, Shaanar.

Ramses is still only 14 years old. His father, Seti, is worshipped by his people and has made his empire the most powerful in the world. But who will be his successor? Should it be his elder son Shaanar, calculating schemer; or Ramses, still passionate and impetous?
Unbeknown to Ramses, Seti starts teaching him his supreme duty. But will Ramses escape the machinations of his brother? And how will he choose between Iset the Fair and the mysterious Nefertari? He has only three friends whom he can trust: Moses, his Hebrew schoolfriend; Setau, the snake charmer; and Ahmeni, the scribe.

Bell214: The Eternal Temple (The Temple of a Million Years) (1998)

Ramses is about to be crowned and faces a fight to hold onto his throne. Can the building of the Temple of a Million Years really help to vanquish his enemies, visible and unseen?

The new Pharaoh, Ramses, “Son of Light“, dreams of being one of Egypt’s greatest kings. But keeping the throne takes intelligence and cunning. Even his powerful bodyguard Serramanna cannot protect against a sorcerer wielding black magic, a mercilles Hittite invader, and Shaanar, his scheming brother.
And with a new religion rising like the mighty Nile, can ramses still trust his friend Moses, the Hebrew, and Setau, the snake charmer?
Now the young Pharaoh, with his passionate wife Nefertari at his side, hopes to vanquish his adversaries, with an audacious plan ― building a temple that can outlast them all …

Bell214: The Battle of Kadesh (1998)

A monumental epic and a vivid re–creation of the majesty and mystery of ancient times ... a warrior king.
Ramses faces the challenge of his reign when the powerful Hittites declare war against Egypt. His powerful bodyguard, Serramanna, suspected of treason, has been arrested, leaving Ramses to lead his ragged army alone.

To save Egypt from Hittites, Ramses II must face the might of their powerful army, whose weapons are vastly superior to Egypt’s own. War seems inevitable, and it is at Kadesh, the impenetrable fortress of northern Syria, that the first major battle is to take place.
But will Ramses be able to concentrate on preparing himself for battle when the health of his beloved royal wife, Nefertari, the victim of a sorcerer’s evil spell, is failing rapidly? With spies everywhere, only Ramses can save her.
And while he plans to march north, there is need for vigilance at home in Egypt, where a pro–Hittite underground network continues to grow.

Ramses is faced with a dillema: he must travel south in search of the Stone Goddess ― the last hope to save his dying queen ― but the imminent battle to save his entire civilization is to the north. Will Ramses’ father, now a celestial god, answer his desperate pleas for help and guidance?

Bell214: The Lady of Abu Simbel (1998)

Ramses must make the decision of treaty negotiation with the Hittites, a formidable foe. But military matters pale in comparison to matters of the heart, however, as Ramses decides to build temples honoring his wife, Nefertari.

Despite the tremendous schock of the battle of Kadesh, Ramses has not managed to bring the formidable Hittite Empire to its knees. But rather than continue the struggle, he decides to engage in negotiation. For in Ramses’ life the love he bears the Great Royal Consort Nefertari easily surpasses his enjoyment of the challenges of war.
To show his love for Nefertari to the world, Ramses decides to offer her the most fabulous of gifts: at Abu Simbel two temples will be erected, symbols of their eternal love.
But meanwhile, shadows are gathering, from Nubia to the Pharaoh’s own capital, Pi–Ramses. There Ramses must confront Moses, the childhood friend he had lost sight of so many years before, who has returned to Egypt to demand the freeing of his Hebrew people.
Faced with these problems, will the vigilance of the Pharaoh’s loyal servants and the magic of Nefertari, the Lady of Abu Simbel, be sufficient to protect the Son of Light?

Bell214: Under the Western Acacia (1998)

Ramses is now fifty. After bringing outstanding prosperity to Egypt , he could have hoped to look forward to a serene old age. But he must still continue to rule. Above all, he strives to preserve Egypt’s hard–won peace, in spite of so many obstacles ― the hittite Emperor is exhorting him to wed his daughter under the threat of a new war; and the Lybians, greedy for revenge, are rebelling …

Ramses is still the miracle worker, the Son of the Light, but time robbing him of one after another of his lifelong friends. And with each death, he is a little more isolated in his quest to confront Egypt’s enemies.
And when, in his old age, the time comes for him to meet his final enemy, Ramses goes to sit in the shade of the western acacia to prepare himself for his last journey. Only then can the scribe Ahmeni, who has faithfully served his sovereign for sixty–seven years of his reign, lay down his brush.

Historical facts: Ramses II, also known as Ramses The Great (circa 1303–1213 BCE) was the third Egyptian pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty (1279–1213 BCE). He was the son of Seti I and Queen Tuya. Ramses II is often regarded as Egypt’s greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh. His successors and later Egyptians called him the “Great Ancestor.“
As king, Ramses II led several expeditions north into the lands east of the Mediterranean (the location of the modern Israel, Lebanon and Syria). He also led expeditions to the south, into Nubia and Lybia. The early part of his reign was focused on building cities, temples and monuments. He established the city of Pi–Ramses in the Nile Delta as his new capital and main base for his campaigns in Syria.
On his death, he was buried in a tomb in the Valley of the Kings; his body was later moved to a royal cache where it was discovered in 1881, and is now on display in the Cairo Museum.

Note: Christian Jacq (born 1947, Paris, France) is a French author and one of the world’s leading Egyptologists. He has a doctorate in Egyptian Studies from the Sorbonne, and founded the Ramses Institute, which is dedicated to creating a photograpic description of Egypt for the preservation of endangered archaeological sites.
Jacq has written several novels about ancient Egypt, notably a five book suite about pharaoh Ramses II, a character whom Jacq admires greatly.

Bibliography: The Ramses series, Stone of Light series: Nefer the Silent (2000), The Wise Woman (2000), Paneb the Ardent (2000), The Place of Truth (2000), The Queen of Freedom trilogy: The Empire of Darkness (2002), The War of the Crowns (2003), The Flaming Sword (2003), The Judge of Egypt trilogy: Beneath the Pyramid (2004), Secrets of the Desert (2004), Shadow of the Sphinx (2004), Mysteries of Osiris series: The Tree of Life (2005), The Conspiracy of Evil (2005), The Way of Fire (2005), The Great Secret (2005), Vengeace of the Gods series: Manhunt (2007), The Divine Worshipper (2008), novels: The Black Pharaoh (1999), King Solomon and Master Hiram (2002), Champollion the Egyptian (2002), The Tutankamen Affair (2003), For the Love of Philae (2003), The Great Magician: The Count of Thebes (2008), Tutankhamun: The Last Secret (2009), The Judgement of the Mummy (2009)

Bell214: The Memoirs of Cleopatra: A Novel (1998) by Margaret George

The story of Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile, has captivated generations. Margaret George spent years traveling through different parts of the Mediterranean to research this novel. The story starts off with Cleopatra VII’s memories of when she is just three years old and continues until her death. It is written in an autobiographical manner, to make the reader believe the story is Cleopatra’s actual memoirs.

This saga of ambition, power, and betrayal is told in the first person, from the queen’s earliest memories of her father’s tenuous rule to her own reign over one of the most glittering kingdoms in the world.
But it is also a tale of passion that begins when the twenty–one–year-old Cleopatra, desperate to return from exile, seeks out the one man who can help her, the Roman general Julius Caesar ― and does not end until, having survived the assassination of Caesar and the defeat of the second man she loves, Marc Antony, she plots her own death rather than allow herself to be paraded in triumph through the streets of Rome.

Margaret George combines history and legend with her own imagination to produce a fascinating portrait. Strangely, some of the more implausible events, such as Cleopatra’s being hidden in a rug and taken to Caesar, are fact, not fiction.

Historical facts: Cleopatra VII Philopator (January 69–30 BCE, Alexandria) was a Hellenistic ruler of Egypt, originally sharing power with her father Ptolemy XII Auletes and later with her brothers/husbands Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV; eventually gaining sole rule of Egypt in 51 BCE. As Pharaoh, she consummated a liaison with Gaius Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne. After Caesar’s assassination, she aligned with Mark Antony.
Her reign marks the end of the Hellenistic Era and the beginning of the Roman Era in the eastern Mediterranean. Clepatra VII was the last Pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
Cleopatra adopted common Egyptian beliefs and deities. Her patron goddess was Isis, and thus during her reign it was believed that she was the re–incarnation and embodiment of the goddess of wisdom.
After Antony and Cleopatra were defeated at Actium by their rival and Caesar’s legal heir, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian (who later became the first Roman Emperor, Augustus), Cleopatra committed suicide, the traditional date being August 12, 30 BCE, allegedly by means of an asp bite.
To this day she remains popular in Western culture. Her legacy survives in numerous works of art and the many dramatizations of her story in literature, film, and television.

Note: Margaret George (born 1943, Nashville, Tennessee) is an American historian and historical novelist, writing historical biographies.
Bibliography: Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers (1986), Mary Queen of Scotland and the Isles (1992), The Memoirs of Cleopatra (1997), Mary Called Magdalene (2002), Helen of Troy (2006)

Official Website: http://www.margaretgeorge.com

Bell214: Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth (2000) by Naguib Mahfouz

Note: Mahfouz’s book follows a young man twenty years after Akhenaten died. The man investigates the life of the “heretic” Pharaoh.

On the way from Sais with his father, the scribe Meriamun points out the ruins of Akhetaten, the city that the “heretic pharaoh“ Akhenaten built for his One and Only God. Seeking a balanced perspective on the events of that time, which split Egypt politically and religiously, Meriamun gets a letter of introduction from his father to many members of Akhenaten’s court, among them the High Priest of Amun, his chief of security Haremhab, and his queen Nefertiti. Each tale adds a new dimension to the enigma that is Akhenaten and the thoughts of those that were close to him allow Meriamun ― and the reader ― to judge for themselves whether Akhenaten was a power politician or a true believer.

Intrigued by the ruins of Akhetaten, the young noble Meriamun resolves to find out the truth about Akhenaten. And so he interviews everyone who knew him, from Akhenaten’s archenemy the high priest of Amun to his wife Nefertiti: his father–, sister–, and mother–in–law, his commanders and ministers, his priests, his physician, and his sculptor. All these people present their own perspectives on Akhenaten and the events of his life.

Dweller in Truth (al–`A’ish fi–l–haqiqa, 1985) is highly stylized. There is no drama or mystery in the framing narrative, which is really just a device, and little in the individual accounts, since they tell essentially the same story, albeit in rather different ways. There is no final resolution: we are left at the end to make up our own minds about Akhenaten from the conflicting voices we have heard. And with the focus on the psychological and the personal, there is little historical detail — as a reconstruction it is sparse, and perhaps implausible in its lack of violence. Despite all this,Dweller in Truth makes a compelling short novel. As well as the multi–faceted portrait of Akhenaten himself, there is a fascination in the ways in which the other characters reveal themselves in describing him. And it is hard to break off reading Naguib Mahfouz’s prose, which even in translation has a unique poetry.

Note: Akhenaten, Dweller in Truth is a novel written and published by Egyptian novelist and short–story writer Naguib Mahfouz in 1985. It was translated from Arabic into English in 1998. Naguib Mahfouz (1911–2006) won the 1988 Nobel Prize for Literature.

Bell214: Year of the Hyenas: A Novel of Murder in Ancient Egypt (2005) by Brad Geagley

A brilliant, original, and unique murder mystery, set in ancient Egypt in 1153 BCE, at the height of that kingdom’s glory and power, and follows a detective examining the death of an old female priest and who uncovers political intrigue.
From the oldest known court transcripts in history, Egyptologists have long known about the mysterious death of Ramses III, involving intrigue, ambition, greed, and crimes of passion on a huge, though hidden, scale. In Year of the Hyenas, Brad Geagley takes this event ― a struggle that nearly brought ancient Egypt to its knees ― as the backdrop for a story that is every bit as captivating as the distant civilization it resurrects.

At the heart of the novel is Semerket, the so–called Clerk of Investigations and Secrets, a detective half–paralyzed by problems of his own, with a reputation for heavy drinking and tactless behavior toward the great, the powerful, and the holy, a kind of Sam Spade of the ancient world, deeply (and dangerously) addicted to the truth. Hard–bitten, deeply flawed, he is retained by the authorities to investigate what is considered an insignificant murder of an elderly, insignificant Theban priestess. They fail to inform him, however, that they don’t expect him to solve the case. In fact, they don’t want him to.

But Semerket is not so easily fooled, and this is hardly an “insignificant“ murder. As he delves deeper for the elusive truth, he uncovers a web of corruption so vast that it threatens the life of the last great Pharaoh, Ramses III, and the stability of the kingdom. Even worse, uncovering the conspiracy means more than just putting his own life on the line ― for, unbeknownst to Semerket, his adored ex–wife Naia has fallen afoul of those who would bring down the reign of Ramses, and he soon finds himself having to choose between saving her and saving Egypt ....

Merging historical fact and speculation with a nail–biting crime story that could be taking place in the present, Year of the Hyenas is a riveting and remarkable achievement.

Brad Geagley’s Official Website: http://www.yearofthehyenas.com

Bell214: Men of Bronze (2005) by Scott Oden

“Sing, O Goddess, of the ruin of Egypt …“
It is 526 BCE and the empire of the Pharaohs is dying, crushed by the weight of its own antiquity. Decay riddles its cities, infects its aristocracy, and weakens its armies. While across the expanse of Sinai, like jackals drawn to carrion, the forces of the King of Persia watch … and wait.

Leading the fight to preserve the soul of Egypt is Hasdrabal Barca, Pharaoh’s deadliest killer. Possessed of a rage few men can fathom and fewer can withstand, Barca struggles each day to preserve the last sliver of his humanity. But, when one of Egypt’s most celebrated generals, a Greek mercenary called Phanes, defects to the Persians, it triggers a savage war that will tax Barca’s skills, and his humanity, to the limit. From the political wasteland of Palestine, to the searing deserts east of the Nile, to the streets of ancient Memphis, Barca and Phanes play a desperate game of cat–and–mouse ― a game culminating in the bloodiest battle of Egypt’s history.

Caught in the midst of this violence is Jauharah, a slave in the House of Life. She is Arabian, dark–haired and proud ― a healer with gifts her blood, her station, and her gender overshadow. Though her hands tend to Barca’s countless wounds, it is her spirit that heals and changes him. Once a fearsome demigod of war, Hasdrabal Barca becomes human again. A man now motivated as much by love as anger.
Nevertheless honor and duty have bound Barca to the fate of Egypt. A final conflict remains, a reckoning set to unfold in the dusty hills east of Pelusium. There, over the dead of two nations, Hasdrabal Barca will face the same choice as the heroes of old: death and eternal fame … or obscurity and long life …

Note: Scott Oden (born June 24, 1967, Columbus, Indiana) is an American historical novelist writing books about Ancient Persia and Egypt. His lifelong fascination with ancient history began in 1976, when his third–grade teacher showed his class slides from the traveling Tutankhamun exhibit.
Bibliography: Men of Bronze (2005), Memnon (2006), The Lion of Cairo (2009)

Official Website: http://www.menofbronze.com

Bell214: The Rai Rahotep Series by Nick Drake

Nefertiti: The Book of the Dead (2006)

She is Nefertiti — beautiful and revered. With her husband, Akhenaten, she rules over Egypt, the most affluent, formidable, sophisticated empire in the ancient world. But an epic power struggle is afoot, brought on by the royal couple’s inauguration of an enlightened new religion and the construction of a magnificent new capital.
The priests are stunned by the abrupt forfeiture of their traditional wealth and influence; the people resent the loss of their gods — and the army is enraged by the growing turbulence around them. Then, just days before the festival that will celebrate the new capital, Nefertiti vanishes.

Rahotep, the youngest chief detective in the Thebes division, has earned a reputation for his unorthodox yet effective methods. Entrusted by great Akhenaten himself with a most secret investigation, Rahotep has but ten days to find the missing Queen. If he succeeds, he will bask in the warmth of Akhenaten’s favor. But if Rahotep fails, he and his entire family will die.

Bell214: Tutankhamun: The Book of Shadows (2008)

Tutankhamun, son of Akhenaten, has inherited an empire that seems to be at the height of its power and international glory. But the young King, just eighteen years old, is faced with the political and personal intrigues and conspiracies of the Court, where his godfather Ay, and the General Horemheb are locked in a bitter struggle for ascendancy.

Tutankhamun must steer the empire back from the brink of disaster and dissent to which his father Akhenaten’s rule led the Two Lands of Egypt, and re–assert the stability and authority of his famous dynasty.

Rahotep, chief detective of the Thebes division, has his own worries ― his daughters are growing up in a changing world of danger and instability, while out on on the streets of Thebes things are falling apart; poverty and dissent are breaking out into a nightmare of violence, gold and corruption seem all–powerful, and the city’s shadowy underworld is itself witnessing mysterious acts of shocking brutality.
Yet, when he receives a mysterious invitation to the secret halls of the Royal Palace, he cannot refuse. What he finds there, and the quest on which he embarks, will change his life, and put everything he thought he believed, and everything he loves, at risk.

Note: Nick Drake (born 1961) studied English at Cambridge University. He is a full–time writer whose work includes two prize–winning collections of poetry, fiction, and several stage works and screenplays.