In the heart of Egypt
Under the watchful eye of the gods
A new power is rising
In the city of Lahun, Hui lives an enchanted life. The favoured son of a doting father, and ruler-in-waiting of the great city, his fate is set. But behind the beautiful façades a sinister evil is plotting. Craving power and embittered by jealousy, Hui's stepmother, the great sorceress Isetnofret, and Hui's own brother Qen, orchestrate the downfall of Hui's father, condemning Hui and seizing power in the city.
Cast out and alone, Hui finds himself a captive of a skilled and powerful army of outlaws, the Hyksos. Determined to seek vengeance for the death of his father and rescue his sister, Ipwet, Hui swears his allegiance to these enemies of Egypt. Through them he learns the art of war, learning how to fight and becoming an envied charioteer.
But soon Hui finds himself in an even greater battle - one for the very heart of Egypt itself. As the pieces fall into place and the Gods themselves join the fray, Hui finds himself fighting alongside the Egyptian General Tanus and renowned Mage, Taita. Now Hui must choose his path - will he be a hero in the old world, or a master in a new kingdom?
Don't miss the rest of the epic Ancient Egyptian Series, River God, The Seventh Scroll, Warlock, The Quest, Desert God and Pharaoh, available now. And Wilbur Smith will return to Ancient Egypt in 2022.
Although I haven't read the full series yet, I read the first couple of books in Wilbur Smith's Egyptian series many years ago and remember them well. You don't need to have read any of the previous books though as The New Kingdom is the first book in the new Egyptian series, featuring the main character of Hui.
Wilbur Smith and Mark Chadbourn have written such an atmospheric and authentic novel that I wouldn't have been surprised to see grains of sand falling out of the book. I was transported to Ancient Egypt through the vivid and descriptive writing and enjoyed every single minute of my journey.
Hui leads a privileged life in the city of Lahun but conspiracy bubbles beneath the surface and Hui soon finds himself an outlaw on the run. We really see what Hui is made of when faced with danger as he encounters various tribes battling for land and power. It was lovely to see Taita (the protagonist of the previous books) making an appearance in the book and this is sure to delight fans of the series as much as it did me.
The writing is seamless and I really couldn't tell that it was written by dual authors; I was too busy devouring every word and immersing myself in Ancient Egyptian history. I have to say that I think the ending is perfect as it leads nicely on to the next book in the series (coming 2022) without leaving us on a cliffhanger. I can't wait for more!
Vivid, immersive and captivating, The New Kingdom is a must-read for fans of Ancient Egyptian history. It's a wonderful start to a new series that has not only left me eager for more but keen to revisit the whole series.
I received ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.
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