I've just started to read River God by Wilbur Smith, and shall follow this up with Warlock.

Has anyone read these or any other books that are fictional and set in Ancient Egypt?

Mxx

I have read The Reluctant God.It is about this girl Lorna Padgett whos father is an archaeologist,and Ameni who was the son of the pharaoh Senusert II.The two should have never met-let alone become friends.But a walk in the hills near Lorna's father excavation leads Lorna into strange territory--and to an exicting discovery that brings timeless adventure mystery and danger.It is one of the best books I have ever read and by the way it is written by Pamela Service

River God is fantastic. The Warlock is poor and has nothing to do with Ancient Egypt. Smith is a good writer but he never does a research on what he's writing about, although he should.

I would recommend Mika Waltari's Sinuhe or Thomas Mann's Joseph and his brothers (this latter is a bit lengthy, but a very good one especially if you also like Bible stories).

For example?

Mxx

Do you think Waltari did any research when writing Egyptian Sinuhe? But it's a great book. Did you read the original? That's really interesting.

I have an original English version of The Egyptian by Mika Waltari, and I've read the first chapter, but I haven't had time tor ead any more lately. I'll have to look into it. I've heard it's very good, and it's supposed to be set in Amarna-period, as well.

If you have a chance, read the original Egyptian "novel" Sinuhet, that is really wonderful! It's set in 13th Dynasty, if I'm not mistaken.

For example, in River God, most of the names aren't ancient Egyptian at all, sound more like Greek names. That's one of the reasons I said Mr Smith didn't do a research. Egyptian names aren't too hard to find. The other thing is that the pharaoh menioned in the novel has never existed as far as we know it. But it is a very good novel and when I first read it years ago I believed it to be a true story and it just added to its goodness.
The Seventh Scroll is a good adventure novel, I liked it. The only one book of the trilogy that I didn't like too much is The Warlock. While River God evoked the spirit of Ancient Egypt very well, Warlock somehow failed to do the same, although maybe I'd like it if I didn't expect it to be as good as River God. Also, somehow the characters are a bit flat, after the wonderful Tanus and Lostris it's a bit tiring to read about these ones. (except for Taita, he's the only interesting one in he whole book.)
Anyway, I'm not telling that you shouldn't read Warlock, I guess all Egypt-fans read it, but most of them think River God to be better.

I haven't read the original Sinuhe. I know what's the story about but didn' have the chance to read it. BTW I don't know if Waltari did a research but his novel is set in a real historical period and the events are described well, the whole story is believable with all the details.[/i]

I think the whole point of it being a work of fiction is that the Pharaoh was not a real one. If the novel was based upon a real ruler of Ancient Egypt there would be many people crying out "that's not right, he hasn't done his research!"

oh wait....

I found Taita to be the least plausible character in the book. What a coincidence that a slave such as him had all that knowledge and all of those contacts, all of which helped save his life on numerous occasions. But then that's another thing that make it a work of fiction. I really don't see why it would have to be based on real events and real people.

Mxx

If anyone wants to read a really good series on Egypt, set in the late 1800's-early 1900's, read the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters. They're EXCELLENT!!!!! You sould read them in order, they make more sense that way. The first one is "Crocodile on the Sandbank" and the most recent one was published the beginning of this year, and it's "Children of the Storm."

Has anyone read any of the Egyptian books by P.C. Doherty? I wanted to see if they were any good, but haven't found time to read one yet.

Doherty's books are very good. Some small mistakes may occur in them, for example callling Egypt "the land of nine bows" (in reality this name usually referred to the enemies of Egypt) but the story is good and exciting, filled with those little details I enjoy so much in historical fiction.

I've read two books that are about the Amarna period, and they were pretty interesting... Pillar of Fire but Judith Tarr and Wrap Her in Light by Sandra Anderson(?not sure of last name). The former was from the point of view of a servent in the service of Ankhesenamun and kind of twists it's way into the biblical story of Moses; the latter was centered around Ankhesenamun and a fictional scribe named Senumet. I didnt totally agree with the two books, but they were pretty good. Also I've heard about a book called The Lost Queen of Egypt by a Lucille...something, it's supposedly about Ankhesenamun, but it's been out of print and very rare...

Lucille Morrison.
I've never met anyone who could get that book but I know everyone wants to read it I was told it is a children's book but a good one.
I'd love to get my hands on it.

"memoirs of cleopatra"? Cleopatra doesn't much interest me, but the novel is supposed to be very well researched and accurate, with the egyptian ways of life vividly portrayed. Anyone read it?

It is a wonderful book, magical in its ability to capture ones attention and make you love the Very Ancient Egypt. Then its' young, and suddenly very Royal Ankhesenamun, and Tutankhamun. It is Lucille Morrsion, who published "The Lost Queen of Egypt" in 1937, who really put the ideal that it was Ay that killed Tutankhamun. While he was forcing a marriage upon Ankhesenamun with himself, into the greater reading public mind. She also using, the best theories available to her, back in the 1930's. Indicates that Nefertiti was Akhenaten only wife, that she outlived him, and assisted Tutankhamun in the early days of his reign.

Morrison, uses a lot of verbal pictures of the city, of Tiye's visit, the Great Palace of Akhenaten, the tiles, the artwork into which she introduces a young half Cretan/Egyptian boy into the picture. He befriends both Ankhesenamun, and Tutankhamun, before the hardships of death, and failed theology destroys the Royal family. I don't remember his name Keti something like that anyway, he angers Akhenaten at first meeting. Because Akhenaten according to the theories of that day, was a brash independent artist with a new style. Ankhesenamun, saves him from her father's anger and helps him to achieve her father's admiration for his own artistic skills.

From there he befriends the daring, warrior trained like almost from birth Tutankhamun not yet betrothed to Ankhesenamun, he is just a child. But oh he already worships Horemheb who has seen to his education. The court actually kind of laughs at his military bravo. Ankhesenamun is much like Tutankhamun in the story but because she is a girl so much of what she really would like to do, is not allowed. Akhenaten has a special love for his 3rd daughter and allows her to learn to write after he finds out her Cretian friend has already helped her. He no longer is angry at him by this time.

There is a trip that the two boys goes on because Tutankhamun kind of dared to much at one point. Akhenaten is angry at him, and believes he is to influenced by war and all that ugly stuff. That he Akhenaten wants nothing to do with. Ankhesenamun is left to write to them as they travel distance lands. Meanwhile her sister dies, another is to become the Queen of Babylon, (a younger sister at that) While she is to become Tutankhamun's wife which is okay with her because she and Tutankhamun are kindred spirits.

Before long death is striking the Royal family, Tutankhamun is recalled and then he becomes King, Pharaoh and Ankhesenamun is Queen. They accept the restoration of the old gods because Nefertiti encourages the young children to do so. She is so grief ridden and burderned with her still 3 younger daughters. Tutankhamun, Ankhesenamun leave her, their sisters and moves to Thebes in the "care of Ay, and Horemheb". They tolerate their new names, the priestly sneers at their father Akhenaten. Tutankhamun as King is active, busy, loving the total command King brings him. Ankhesenamun is treated coldly by the whole court, especially when Tutankhamun isn't around. Often she has her old friend, Keti(?) but more often she doesn't even have him. He is friend with the King, and as a highly trained royal artistian he does have his won work to do. She is left with her Hittite slave.

Suddenly, the Hittite slave's brother shows up as the slave of a traitor spy for the King of Hittite. Keti(?) buys the boy. After the boy begins to serve Keti, he and Ankhesenamun have a falling out. He thinks she is to soft on her own slave. Tutankhamun goes on campaign in Nubia. He falls ill, so ill he returns only to die with Ay as the man directing his medical care. Keti and Ankhesenamun's falling out worsens during this time of Tutankhamun's worsening illness, because she speaks to him about her fear of Ay. Wants his slave to take a message she wants to write the King of Hittite for help just in case. Ankhesenamun hasn't trusted Ay for sometime because she has been left in Thebes and has seen far more than her husband. After Tutankhamun dies, Ay goes to the Royal artistians workshop and picks Keti's crippled older brother, for whom Keti has worked all these years. Ay wants a ring made, a very speical ring. Keti learns of it from his brother. Then he realizes how he has wronged his old friend and Queen, "Small bird" he once called her. He comes to her rescue as Ay more or less has her locked in her palace rooms alone save her Hittite slave.

It is a daring escape in the middle of the night Ankhesenamun casts off her never wanted royal trappings and dresses as a slave. She, her slave, Keti and his own slave make it to the Nile where Keti adopts his Cretian father's sailing life and becomes a Nile traveler. Finally after another smaller fight, Keti and Ankhesenamun discover they have always loved Tutankhamun, and each other. She agrees to let Ay kill her as he releases the news that the Queen has suddenly taken gravely ill, might die. But if she lives, she is going to marry him, Ay! She decides that she rather be a lost queen than a queen married to Ay. Espeically when she gets Keti.
It is a great book for a 7th grade nerd, to buy a copy of it today costs for a cheap copy 97 dollars, it was on my Amazon shopping list. It is out of print unfortunately. It is the book that got me hooked on Egypt. However, i got to my local library last summer and found their copy of it. Until they lose that copy i don't have to spend that kind of money

Thanks Meritaton for getting me back down memory lane