Book Description
First published in the United States in 1949 and widely condemned as obscene,
The Egyptian outsold every other novel published that year, and remains a classic; readers worldwide have testified to its life-changing power. It is a full-bodied re-creation of a largely forgotten era in the world’s history: the Egypt of the 14th century B.C.E., when pharaohs and gods contended with the near-collapse of history’s greatest empire. This epic tale encompasses the whole of the then-known world, from Babylon to Crete, from Thebes to Jerusalem, while centering around one unforgettable figure: Sinuhe, a man of mysterious origins who rises from the depths of degradation to become personal physician to Pharaoh Akhnaton.
Customer Reviews:
The Egyptian: A Novel.......2007-05-09
Well written and historically accurate. Many of the main character's decisions were not logical given the events at that time. Interesting and worth reading if you enjoy historical fiction.
Good Read.......2007-05-07
Good book, funny to think that in the 1940's it was banned for being to graphic . . tame by todays standards!
Get Yours Hands on any of Waltari's Work!.......2007-03-18
How I wish that all of Waltari's works would be reprinted and easily available! The Egyptian is simply one of the all-time best pieces of historical ficion ever written. If you're a fan of this genre, then grab this author's books. The Etruscan is a bit more mystical, but is an excellent read and Secret of the Kingdom takes a Roman viewpoint of the times leading up to Jesus's death. The Dark Angel is just that - a bit darker than the other novels, but all are chock full of unforgettable characters and settings. I can't recommend this man's works any more highly!
Why cut it?.......2007-01-20
I loved this book when reading it in my language, but after getting an english copy for a friend I noticed it is about half as long (some 300 pages missing) and heavily edited. Having read the original this seemed to completely ruin the book, leaving out way too many nuances from the story. I haven't found an uncut english version yet.
A wonderful book where you can escape into the past........2007-01-19
I first read this book when I was sixteen and saw it on my Grandmother's book shelf. Having nothing else to read at the time, I decided to give it a go and it instantly became one of my favorite books ever. Over the ensuing years I have read it about five times and recommended it to many friends. My husband is currently halfway through and is enjoying the book a great deal as well.
If you are a fan of historical novels, Egyptian history, or just good books in general, you will love this story. My imagination is richer for having read Mr. Waltari's fascinating tale.
Book Description
Another brilliant and out-of-the-ordinary murder mystery by the author of Year of the Hyenas, with an unusual and interesting detective, this time trying to pursue and rescue his own ex-wife, sold into slavery in the city of Babylon (in modern times, near Baghdad) at a time of violence and great danger, much like today.
Day of the False King continues the story of Semerket, Egypt's Clerk of Investigations and Secrets. The time is approximately 1150 B.C., and the conspirators who plotted the overthrow of Pharaoh Ramses III have been tried and executed. But the old pharaoh has succumbed to the wounds inflicted by his Theban wife, Queen Tiya; it is his first-born son who now rules Egypt as his chosen successor, Ramses IV.
Geographically placed at the center of the Old World, where East literally meets West, Babylon has forever been the crossroads for conquering armies and adventuresome merchants, and the prize of dynasts. From cruel tyrants to far-seeing visionaries, an ever-changing set of rulers have claimed Babylon's throne as their own. But they were not god-kings as in Egypt; in fact, there was no term for "king" in any of the Babylonian languages. Instead, they were called simply "Strong Man" or "Big Man." Then as now, only martial strength determined who ruled. Strangely, or perhaps inevitably, the rights of the individual were first codified and set down as laws here.
Around the time that Day of the False King takes place, the Middle East is undergoing -- just as it is today -- a tortuous, protracted transformation. The old regimes have vanished, setting the stage for the aggressive emergence of the new nations of Phoenicia, Israel, and Philistia; it is the fourth of these new peoples, the Assyrians, who will achieve dominance in the years ahead.
Babylonia in particular has suffered a series of cataclysms. The old Kassite Dynasty, themselves invaders from the north, has been toppled. The nation of Elam (soon to be known as Persia) has launched a massive war to conquer Babylonia from the southeast. Native tribes in the country also see this moment as their own chance to evict the foreigners and re-establish a dynasty of their own.
Into this roiling alchemy, Semerket's adored ex-wife, Naia, is thrust. She and Rami, the tomb-maker's son, have been banished to Babylon as indentured servants -- punishment for their accidental roles in the Harem Conspiracy against Ramses III.
As in Year of the Hyenas, most of the events and characters in Day of the False King are drawn from history. The Elamite invader King Kutir and the native-born Marduk truly vied for the throne of Babylonia. There really was a festival called Day of the False King, when the entire world turned upside down for a day, when slaves ruled as masters, when the most foolish man in Babylon was chosen to become king. Semerket the detective is plunged into the midst of these events in pursuit of his own goals: to serve his Pharaoh and to find the woman he loves.
Download Description
"Another brilliant and out-of-the-ordinary murder mystery by the author of Year of the Hyenas, with an unusual and interesting detective, this time trying to pursue and rescue his own ex-wife, sold into slavery in the city of Babylon (in modern times, near Baghdad) at a time of violence and great danger, much like today. Day of the False King continues the story of Semerket, Egypt's Clerk of Investigations and Secrets. The time is approximately 1150 B.C., and the conspirators who plotted the overthrow of Pharaoh Ramses III have been tried and executed. But the old pharaoh has succumbed to the wounds inflicted by his Theban wife, Queen Tiya; it is his first-born son who now rules Egypt as his chosen successor, Ramses IV.
Customer Reviews:
A very interesting book.......2007-02-21
In this sequel to Year of the Hyenas, Semerket, the Clerk of Investigations and Secrets, is sent by Pharaoh to Babylon to arrange for the visit of a statue with miraculous healing powers to Egypt. And, as an added inducement, Pharaoh gives Semerket letters of manumission for his wife and son, who are lost somewhere around Babylon. However, in the land between the rivers, nothing is what it seems, and there are schemes within schemes in this strange land. Can Semerket get to the bottom of what is going on? And, is there any chance of finding his loved ones alive?
Overall, I found this to be a very interesting book. The characters and the situation are quite interesting - colorful and yet thoroughly believable. Also, I found the mysteries to be quite interesting. My one complaint against the book is that the author did little to capture the fascinating culture that Mesopotamia enjoyed at the time. (Indeed, Nidaba's view of Ishtar as containing dualisms of male/female-war/love is very Greek (and subsequently Western), but would have made no sense to the ancient Mesopotamians. Inanna/Ishtar exemplified and ruled the passions - love and hate, lust and disdain, haughty pride and craven cowardice.)
But, that said, this was a fascinating book, one that I am very glad that I read.
Could not put the book down.......2006-09-06
Much like the first one, I read this book in a few days not wanting to put it down. I handed off to my wife and she handed it to our daughter with much the same result. It is very important to read the first book in the series to have context.
Throwing Semerket into another culture is a brilliant move.......2006-04-02
The second installment in this series, which follows the adventures of Semerket, Egyptian Clerk of Investigations and Secrets, in 20th Dynasty Egypt, does not disappoint. Semerket's ex-wife Naia and Rami, a young boy whom he befriended in Year of the Hyenas, have been sent as slaves to Babylon, and Semerket receives a fragment of a note indicating that they are in danger. Upon appealing to Rameses IV, the new Pharaoh, who owes Semerket his life and his throne, he is given permission to seek them and bring them back to Egypt, as well as a sensitive diplomatic mission to the ruler of Babylon. (Oops - I originally put "king" but when reading this over remembered that one very strong point made in the book was that Babylon, unlike Egypt, didn't have a king.)
In Babylon, which is seething under foreign occupation (shades of modern day Iraq?) Sermerket quickly learns that he can trust no one, not even his own country's ambassador. The raid on the plantation where Naia was a maid is rumored to have been undertaken by resistance fighters, but evidence points to Egyptian involvement. A remarkably clever and sophisticated slave, a seductive transvestite, and a pair of spies who stick to Sermerket like glue even after they're called off are only a few of the many colorful characters who help him solve the several mysteries he faces and find out what happened to Naia and Rami.
One of the risks of writing about a hard-bitten and embittered character such as Semerket is that he will either become totally unsympathetic or, if his life improves sufficiently, lose the "edge" that makes him so interesting in the first place. Moving him to a different culture was a brilliant move for Geagley, since Semerket is thrown slightly off balance by the strangeness and is forced to show some of his vulnerabilities. It remains to be seen whether he will continue to maintain the balancing act.
The book also provides some fascinating insights into the Babylonian politics of the time, some quotations from The Lament for Ur (which appears to have similarities to the biblical book of Lamentations, if only because the emotions felt by the survivors of a devastated city probably don't differ much), and ancient medical practice. I only wish that, on his website if not in the book, Geagley would provide some information about his sources and recommended reading for those who would like to learn more.
Wonderful Mystery Set in Ancient Egypt.......2006-03-21
I loved Brad Geagley's first book in this series about Semerket, the pharoah's "detective" and couldn't wait for the this one.
It is unique to have a mystery novel set in ancient Egypt. Geagley's knowledge of ancient politics is awesome.
I am equally eager for the next installment of Semerket's life.
False King.......2006-03-11
What a great mind this author has. I can hardly wait for his next book. This is a must read. Outstanding and wonderfully gifted person. If you are going to read any book this year put this book and the "Year of the Hyenas" the top of your list.
Book Description
In these fictional accounts, Ancient Egypt is made accessible, revealed through the eyes of young Her-Bak, candidate for initiation into the Inner Temple.
Customer Reviews:
sorry i must be lost.......2004-10-02
i tried to read this book....maybe i am not a genius but this can only be described as arty-farty claptrap...mine is an ex-library book that was taken out 5 times in 14 years...say no more.....save your pennies
What is a Neter?.......2001-01-13
I read this book about 7 years ago. I have purchased it several times. As I have recomended it to my friends, and of course I loaned my copy to them. I should have started my own library card system. The Author has spent his life, studying Kemet (Egypt) with his wife by his side. There are metaphysical things that he did not innerstand, but his attempt at understanding is excellant. I recommend this work for everyone that is seeking Maat, externally. As a start to understanding, what went on in Kemet (Egypt).
Average customer rating:
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Sinuhe, El Egipcio / Sinuhe, The Egyptian (Best Seller)
Mika Waltari
Manufacturer: Debolsillo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
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Spanish
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Histórica
| Género Ficción
| Literatura y ficción
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ASIN: 849759665X |
Customer Reviews:
From the Ancient Skies Comes an Engrossing Read!.......2004-08-24
Page Bryant is no stranger to non-fiction, but this, her maiden work of fiction, is surprisingly as adept as the magicians and priestesses about whom she's written. The characters are vividly portrayed and come together in a well-woven plot whose outcome is only vaguely anticipated until the very end of the book. The subject matter will appeal to those fascinated by ancient Egypt, metaphysics, or archeoastronomy, while the story line and pacing make suitable reading for people who just enjoy a good novel. As I suspect the author intended, the book will likely provoke further interest in magic, Egypt and astronomy. I can easily see this book made into a hit movie and I'm sure you'll not be disappointed in this one!
The Second Coming of the Star Gods.......2004-03-19
Stellar! This first novel by a respected metaphysical teacher weaves her vast spiritual knowledge with her fertile imagination and her acute insight. Not only is the story spellbinding, but the teachings contained within the text make this book unique in its genre. I have read everything -- both historical and fictional -- I could find about ancient Egypt over the past couple of decades and have not found another book that places me in the spiritual consciousness of the gods and mortals of ancient Egypt more vividly than this book.
What an enjoyable read!.......2004-03-16
Through almost 500 pages, the author skillfully interweaves the stories of 5 groups of characters from 4th-Dynasty Egypt: Pharaoh and his family, his advisors to the throne, several powerful magician-priests and priestesses, Pharaoh's half-brother - himself a powerful magician-priest, and 2 young apprentice priestesses. The lives of these characters become enmeshed as ancient prophecies begin to play out during a pivotal period just prior to the return of the star gods to ancient Egypt.
Second Coming of the Star Gods will hold the attention of many different kinds of readers. For some, it will be a rousing, Egyptian-themed sci/fi adventure book in the traditions of Zelazny or Leiber, where the "gods" commune with humans, imparting advanced knowledge. Others will look at it as historical fiction - a magical version of Mary Stewart or Taylor Caldwell or even Joan Grant, where daily life in Ancient Egypt really comes alive. Those who enjoy political intrigue will find the sibling rivalry that turns Pharaoh's half-brother into a usurper to the throne reminiscent of the power struggles of Cain and Able or Joseph and his brothers. For readers who are more metaphysically inclined, this book is full of the ethical dilemmas of black vs. white magic, and serious information about how to work shamanically with various types of star energies.
I understand that this is Page Bryant's first work of fiction. If this is any indication of her storytelling abilities, I hope it's not her last!
Customer Reviews:
pleasant surprise.......2007-07-31
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book when I stumbled across it in the library, but given that it was an actual children's book about ancient Gods and Goddesses, I was just happy to find ANYTHING that dealt with that subject matter. Graphic novel..? Uhm... okay... I normally don't read graphic novels or read them to my daughter, so this was out of character for me.
I was so pleasantly surprised. The author has done his research. I was fairly familiar with the mythology surrounding Isis already, but even I learned a few new things. The way the stories are told breathe life into them and I expect they would awaken a child's interest much more readily than some of the drab retellings out there. And for those of you who really know your Isis/Osiris mythology, the author neatly avoids explaining WHICH part Isis wasn't able to find. So no awkward unplanned-for discussions about anatomy, if your child (or you- you know who you are!) isn't/aren't ready for that just yet. I imagine that would be a concern for some people more than others, but hopefully I can put your mind at rest if this matters to you.
As a side note, the illustrations of young hawk-headed Horus are ADORABLE.
I've borrowed this book for two weeks, and I fully intend on sharing it with my daughter tomorrow. I'd recommend it to Pagan parents like myself, to anyone interested in Egyptian mythology, or simply to those who enjoy a good graphic novel. This book works on a lot of levels and holds appeal for a lot of levels. Enjoy- I did!
Amazon.com
It's difficult to tell time in Israeli author Ronit Matalon's first novel translated into English, The One Facing Us; the narrator, Esther, slips as easily across eras as she does through the water of her Uncle Sicourelle's pool in Cameroon. Beginning with 17-year-old Esther's arrival in Central Africa to live with her uncle's family, and ending in Tel Aviv many years later, Matalon weaves a complicated saga of several generations in an Egyptian Jewish family. Though the novel begins in Cameroon, the story actually stretches back several decades to the years before Israel was declared an independent nation. Interlaced between chapters chronicling Esther's visit with her uncle, who hopes to marry her to his stepson, are the stories of her parents and grandparents: Her mother, Inés, and father, Robert; her grandfather Jacquo and grandmother Nona Fortuna; her uncles, aunts, and cousins--all members of a once-grand Jewish family in Cairo, now scattered to the four corners of the earth in the wake of political upheaval and personal tragedy.
Matalon marks her characters' passage through time with photographs: a snapshot of Uncle Sicourelle with his workers at the port of Douala; another of Sicourelle with his young stepson and Esther's father in Gabon in 1956; a picture of a 5-year-old Esther with her mother and grandmother. Some of the photographs are "missing"--all that's left is the caption Looking at a faded photo of her Uncle Sicourelle's wedding day, Esther remarks, "It is no longer possible to separate what the photographer saw from what time has done to the photograph. The future has wormed its way back into the past, tugging at the instant of the photograph's becoming." She might be describing her own efforts at family history. In The One Facing Us, Ronit Matalon has created a collage of memory, image, and narrative that is remarkable not only for the complexity of its vision but also for the lyricism of its prose and readers who enter Matalon's world won't want to leave one moment before they have to.
Book Description
Esther, seventeen years old, wild and rebellious, is sent from Israel to Cameroon to stay with her hardheaded uncle Sicourelle, who is charged with straightening her out. But Esther resists her uncle's plans for her future--which include marriage to a cousin--and in the privileged indolence of postcolonial Africa, she looks to the past instead. Using sepia portraits and scraps of letters, Esther pieces together the history of her family, a once-grand Egyptian-Jewish clan, and its displacement from Cairo in the 1950s to Israel, West Africa, and New York. As the worn photographs yield their secrets, Esther uncovers a rich tale of wives and ex-wives; revolving mistresses and crushing marriages; intrigues and disappointments; poignant contrasts between the living past and the dead present. In sensuous, inventive prose, Matalon penetrates the mysteries of cultural exile and family life to produce a first novel that is mature, authentic, and deeply moving.
Customer Reviews:
A Wonderful but Sad story of a Sephardic Jewish Family.......2001-03-20
This is a sad but quite interesting story of four generations of a Jewish Sephardic family that once lived in Egypt and then became dispersed around the world from Israel to Africa to America. The story is full of unfulfilled potential and human tragedies that feel very close and real. There are no particular heros, just normal human beings with all their struggles, dreams, and weaknesses.
The story is told in the voice of an Israeli woman who records her reactions to old photographs as stories of the history of her grand parents and great grand parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. The story is sprinkled with Egyptian Arabic expressions which made me feel very much at home. It reflects the diversity of the Egyptian Jewish community: an uncle who became a Zionist and moved to a Kibbutz, a father who couldn't live in Israel and moved to the US, a grandmother who reminds me very much of my own Egyptian grandmother. It just goes to show that people are the same regardless of their differences.
The book is very well written. I enjoyed it very much. It's not the easiest book to read because there is no particular plot. It's like modern art. Several photographs were missing in the version I read. Perhaps it is intentional ! It sure made me wish that I could see them. I really enjoyed it. I particularly recommend it for those who lived in Egypt or Israel.
If you've had enough beach books for a while, try this.......1998-09-05
Is this really her first novel? Matalon is a fine writer. The photographs are not just a device, they're a metaphor, but not a heavy-handed one. This isn't the easiest novel to read, which is a relief after some other recent fiction, even some good stuff. It feels good to have to work at reading sometimes, and it helps me to understand what the deconstructionists are talking about when they say the reader is part of the process. Sometimes you hear people say that they felt like they knew the characters. I don't feel that way about this Levantine family, and that's not a criticism -- I feel like I got as close to them as they would actually have let me (an Ashkenazi) if I had met them -- which isn't very close. I got an oblique look -- like looking at an old photograph, come to think of it. I look forward to more of Matalon's work.
Product Description
Taking as the basis of her study the premise that the boundaries of history and literature are difficult to define, and that the two disciplines represent two related types of narrative discourse, Samia Mehrez in a series of six essays delves into the work of three leading contemporary Egyptian writers: the Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz, Sonallah Ibrahim, and Gamal al-Ghitani. As the author says in her Introduction, the essays "attempt to bridge the gap between the literary and the historical, the personal and the collective, the aesthetic and the ideological. The three writers whose careers and works are discussed in these chapters represent some of the most crucial contributions to the larger signifying entity that has engaged the Arab reader in many transformative ways. . . . The authors and their works provide an indispensable (hi)story of the literary field itself, mapping, through their own development as artistic producers, the history of the context which they inhabit and in which they produce.
Average customer rating:
- Predictable but charming
- Real truths hidden within this book....you decide
- Native American X-Files...
- the Seventh Mesa
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The Seventh Mesa: A Novel
Mary Summer Rain , and
Mary Summer Rain
Manufacturer: Hampton Roads Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Rain, Mary Summer
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ASIN: 1571740120 |
Customer Reviews:
Predictable but charming.......2007-05-12
I was so excited to get my copy of The Seventh Mesa. I had read most of the author's ealier works and found them insightful. I was disappointed with this novel. It has the flowery descriptors used by MSR, but the plot, pace, and mystery itself were very basic and predictable. It was like reading a youth mystery with large words. I didn't even read it straight though. I got bored after a few chapters, skipped and skimmed, and it gave me about an hour of enjoyable distraction. This wasn't on the same level as the other things she had written. I suppose the teachings and prophecies of No-Eyes create more palatable subject matter.
Real truths hidden within this book....you decide.......2005-05-27
I have read a number of Mary Summer Rain books. I found this one to be amoung one the top 3 that I have enjoyed of the many books in my collection. I was drawn to come back and read more after I set it down. I love the introduction of characters in the beginning. It gives the reader background and brings them into the story. I kept asking myself through out the book, "are these some actual truths being shared in a fictional setting". Read for youself and you decide.
This book brings characters from unrelated settings together in a quest to return a valuable papyrus, that was taken from a hidden chamber under the seventh mesa in the desert. There is mystery and histroy found. Blending a number of cultures and even star people (aliens) all existed together with great knowledge. This underground chamber is waiting for man kind change and mature to reveal its mysteries back to man kind. I like the way Mary Summer Rain portrays Native American people in a correct light.
Native American X-Files..........2002-07-21
...with a smidge of Stargate as well. The plot's been done before but it can still be fun if given the right twist. The ending's rather obvious so I'm giving anything away by explaining that this is one of those stories where a small group of people are drawn together by fate or inhuman forces or whatever to discover that humans are descendants of aliens and that all ancient monuments were really built by them, etc. It's hard to tell though if the author is presenting this seriously as some sort of secret wisdom or if she is simply letting her imagination run wild.
I'm glad I got this book used because I never would want to pay full price for this (if I had, I might have been less willing to give three stars). The emotion behind it is very warm and light hearted, although the author's writing style kept me from full enjoyment. The prose is amateurish and naive to the point of distraction. It reminded me of early Nancy Drew, of all things. (Seriously. Try to read those again as an adult.) The story was very slow to get going, one of the plot points is abandoned towards the end, and I had to force myself to get to the finish. I was constantly reminded about why you should stick to writing what you know. For example, if you're going to make a character an anthropoligist, been sure you know a good deal about anthropology. Or if you set the story on a college campus, know something about what life there's like. And really know that a professor is not allowed to date one of his students, flaunt it all over campus, including in front of his boss, and have everyone accept it. The story is best when it sticks to the one thing the author seems to know, which is Native American culture and ceremonies. Nevertheless, the intent behind the book seems so well meaning, I just couldn't hate it. And I do think in the right hands it could even make a good tv movie.
the Seventh Mesa.......2001-06-23
This is a wonderful novel. There is a treasure of knowledge hiddden in the mesa. Four people learn about this sacred place and seek to find it. What they find is most amazing. This book will hold you attention from start to finish
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