One of Three...

The Mask of Ra by Paul Doherty.




From product information on Amazon:

His great battles agains the sea raiders in the Nile Delta have left Pharaoh Tuthmosis II weak and frail, but he finds solace in victory and in the welcome he is sure to receive on his return to Thebes. Across the rives from Thebes however, there are those who do not relish his homecoming.

Having greatly enjoyed the other books of his that we'd read, and wanting something more to read while waiting for the third book in our Ahkenaten series, we tried these book. This is the first in a whole series of books about a justice/investigator type of person. Once again the evocation of life in Ancient Egypt is compelling, and the attention to detail is commendable. Perhaps because it's not Amarna related, I, personally, didn't enjoy it quite as much as the other books, but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it at all. I did.

Seems to me to be the Ancient Egyptian equivalent of the Cadfael stuff... historical murder mystery kind of thing. Sometimes it can get a little technical and long winded, but for the most part it was a very good read. The dwarf-servant is one of the highlights of the book for me. He's like the... fool-that-reveals-much kind of role... one of those classical helper figures. And the story keeps you working on trying to figure it out right to the last... or maybe that's just because I'm not so good at these things. :) A good read, that's my opinion.

Two of Three

An Evil Spirit Out of the West by Paul Doherty




From product information on Amazon:

This is the first novel in a trilogy set in one of the most turbulent and exciting periods of ancient history, written by the popular and highly acclaimed author Paul Doherty... Known as the Veiled One, Ahkenaten is a shadowy figure. When he is thrust into the political limelight when his elder brother dies, the ambitious and ruthless Mahu watches the young prince carve his own path to power and becomes his protector and confidant through a turbulent reign.

What is to say? I thoroughly enjoyed this book from beginning to end. The characters were well written, (though I wouldn't necessarily have described Mahu as ambitious... ruthless, yes, by necessity, but not particularly ambitious), the setting excellently evoked, well researched and presented, and the story just fascinating. It really brought the Amarna period to life for me in a way that other thing I've ready has. It does highlight how harsh the political intrigue was... how dangerous it was at the top... and perhaps that's part of the appeal, that it doesn't particularly romanticise all of that in the way that some stories that are set in Egypt do and that's something that I find /very/ attractive.

I'd recommend this book, and its sequel to anyone... everyone. Even if you have no particular interst in the Amarna period, go read this book. :)

And the Third

Season of the Hyaena by Paul Doherty




From product information on Amazon:

Paul Doherty brilliantly evokes the atmosphere of the hyaena world in which the ally standing beside you at one moment may turn and rend you at the next. Capturing ancient Egypt in all its beauty and brutality, he has created a powerful and riveting story.

Mahu, former Chief of Police and Keeper of the Secrets of the Heart is sitting down to record his memories. He sees uneasy quiet reigning in the Royal Circle at Thebes, after the disappearance of the Pharaoh Akenhaten and the abandonment of his new, sun-worshipping religion. Members of different factions are barely held together by loyalty to the six-year-old Emperor, Tutankhamun. Then extraordinary news reaches the Council: Akenhaten has returned to Egypt. The words are greeted with dismay by all who hear them, for surely Akenhaten is dead? Mahu can certainly vouch that the woman claiming to be the Emperor's wife, Nefertiti, is a fraud. Whoever the man is who has appeared in the Delta, he must be investigated.

This is the second book of a trilogy... and everything I said about the first book applies to this one too. The two books together are hard to put down... While I enjoyed this one, I think I liked the first one better... not necessarily for any lack, just... it's the nature of the story. Ahkenaten dissapeared far too soon... that's all. I suppose another disappointment was the seeming lack of Smenkhare in the mix after the disappearence of the 'Heretic.' While I realise this was just one of the theories about what occurred directly after Ahkenaten disappeared, it is by far my favourite, for many reasons, and perhaps I had a certain expectation that it would appear in the book. I won't say too much more because I don't want to give anything away. It's still good - still everyone should read it.