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h_dobinson Citizen


Joined: 17 Jul 2009 Posts: 15 Location: Sunderland
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 3:46 pm Post subject: Fictional Books based in Egypt |
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How many books have you read about Egypt, ancient or modern?
I have read Christian Jacq, all of his books as they are fantastic.
Also there is Paul Doherty, his books are all crime related and didn't really get into them.
Can't find any other authors, any suggestions?
As I'am a writer of Egyptian fictional books, I'am always keen to read others. Anyone willing to read mine and give feedback are welcome. www.egyptianfiction.co.uk.
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Montuhotep88 Priest


Joined: 12 Dec 2008 Posts: 563 Location: Central Ohio
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 5:23 pm Post subject: |
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I think you're still missing some of the best...
Lauren Haney's "Lt. Bak" series is good. Though the plots tend toward formula, she does really excellent job in the "feels like you're there" department. She's between publishers right now, but I hope she gets more into print.
I'm also a fan of several of Pauline Gedge books; I'm stalled partway through the "Lord of the Two Lands' trilogy, but that's not from any fault of the books.
And of course, one must not miss Agatha Christie's "Death Comes as the End," partly based on the Hekanakhte letters. |
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anneke Queen of Egypt


Joined: 23 Jan 2004 Posts: 9305
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Nefertum Citizen

Joined: 14 Jan 2009 Posts: 57
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Posted: Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:51 pm Post subject: |
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There's Norman Mailer's Ancient Evenings. The setting is 19th and 20th dynasty AE, and basically follows the career(s) of a man who had four lives; first being born under Ramsses II, and following him through his re-births to end with his final life, under Ramsses IX. The principal narrator of the book is the man's great-grandson, who also happens to descend -- through his mother, iirc -- from Amenhirkopshef, Ramesses II's eldest son.
It's an interesting read, on the whole. There are a number of inaccuracies, a few gaffes, and some anachronisms, such as dahlias and tomatoes being mentioned. For the faint of heart, it should also be noted that some of the scenes are graphic and brutal, such as the description of the Battle of Kadesh and its aftermath, and there's a great deal of sex, not all of it of the pleasant variety. |
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Montuhotep88 Priest


Joined: 12 Dec 2008 Posts: 563 Location: Central Ohio
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Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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Reminds me... h_dobinson, if you enjoyed Christian Jacq's "Stone of Light" series, you almost certainly will enjoy John Romer's Ancient Lives, a nonfictional (for the most part, apart from some speculation) treatment of the lives of the people of Deir-el-Medina. |
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h_dobinson Citizen


Joined: 17 Jul 2009 Posts: 15 Location: Sunderland
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Posted: Tue Jul 28, 2009 2:08 pm Post subject: Ta. |
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Thanks for the replys, looks like I have missed out on loads of books.
Will have to get looking for them. |
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kylejustin Vizier

Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 1231 Location: victoria, australia
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 3:08 am Post subject: |
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there's one on cleopatra, that is very good. for destiny or desire by angela devine. it is very graphic in it's sex scenes, but it is very readable fiction, and does have some interesting things i still havnt figured out. _________________ heaven won't take me.......hell's afraid i'll take over..... |
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kylejustin Vizier

Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Posts: 1231 Location: victoria, australia
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Posted: Wed Jul 29, 2009 3:09 am Post subject: |
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this one isnt strictly fiction in the common sense, but most people with an interest in egypt will tell you it's fiction: the tutankhamun deception by gerald o'farrell. i laughed quite hard reading this!! _________________ heaven won't take me.......hell's afraid i'll take over..... |
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kingdaddydee Citizen

Joined: 25 Aug 2009 Posts: 1
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2009 7:11 am Post subject: TRY THIS ONE.......... |
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GOOGLE "THE NETHERWORLD OF KEMET EZRA'S TRIAL OF FAITH" it's a great read!  |
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Bennubird Citizen


Joined: 26 Feb 2009 Posts: 35 Location: Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, UK
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Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 12:23 pm Post subject: |
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Theres one set in the time of Tutankhamun it's called Nefertiti The Book of the Dead by Nick Drake, it's really good and you should like it if you like Christian Jacq. I know I do  _________________ Those who hate cats were probably mice in an earlier life.
L.P.H. TO ALL. |
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Naunacht Priest

Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 515 Location: U.S. NJ
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Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:19 am Post subject: Alexandria by Lindsey Davis |
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This is part of a series about Roman (reign of Vespasian) private informerMarcus Didius Falco. In this installation in the series, Falco is in Egypt with his family, partly on a vacation and partly on Imperial business--the emperor wants him to look in on some questionable goings on at the great library. Falco hopes to get some money to help pay for the trip--he's not hopeful--the emperor is a notorious skinflint.
While he's there the head Librarian is murdered and Falco is thrust into the investigation.
This is a well-researched albeit tongue in cheek mystery set in pretty plausible surroundings (rates very high on the "You Are There" scale) Falco, as always is a hoot, and the characters are well drawn and believable. As a librarian I loved the bit about the ancient scholar dying at his worktable in the library and no one noticing he's dead until he starts to smell--I've met a few of those.
If you like your ancient egyptian fiction with a few good laughs I heartily recommend it. |
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Meritamon Scribe


Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 298 Location: Thebes
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:01 am Post subject: |
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Nobody mentioned Elizabeth Peters yet? Her Egypt series is great.
Also... Michelle Moran's books are very good. The first is called Nefertiti. _________________
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neseret Vizier


Joined: 10 Jul 2008 Posts: 1033 Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:36 am Post subject: |
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Meritamon wrote: | Nobody mentioned Elizabeth Peters yet? Her Egypt series is great. |
Not everyone know that "Elizabeth Peters" is the nom de plume for Egyptologist Barbara Mertz, who also writes under the name of Barbara Michaels. Her Amelia Peabody series of mysteries sets in Egypt are very good, and well researched.
I have always enjoyed the mysteries of Lynda Robinson and her Lord Meren series, for the same reasons.
There were a series of "potboiler" romance novels (think Mills and Boone here, or Harlequin Romance) set in ancient Egypt back in the late 1970's-1980's (showing my age here!) by an author named Joyce Verrette. Three of them are quite different as they are set in the Middle Kingdom, while most ancient Egypt fiction novels are usually set in the New Kingdom and later.
These titles are still acquirable from Amazon and are as follows:
Dawn of Desire
Desert Fires
Winged Priestess
These 3 novels follow the relationship of King Amenemhat I and his wife, Nefrytatenen, who was mother of Senwosret I.
Verrette also wrote one novel set about the time of Ramses II:
Sunrise of Splendor
As fiction goes, they're OK. The research references to ancient Egypt are spotty, and sometimes darned near unbelievable claims or associations are made. But for a Saturday afternoon with rain outside and nothing otherwise to do, these volumes can keep you occupied.
HTH. _________________ Katherine Griffis-Greenberg
Doctoral Candidate
Oriental Institute
Oriental Studies
Doctoral Programme [Egyptology]
Oxford University
Oxford, United Kingdom |
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Meritamon Scribe


Joined: 22 Jul 2006 Posts: 298 Location: Thebes
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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neseret wrote: | Meritamon wrote: | Nobody mentioned Elizabeth Peters yet? Her Egypt series is great. |
Not everyone know that "Elizabeth Peters" is the nom de plume for Egyptologist Barbara Mertz, who also writes under the name of Barbara Michaels. Her Amelia Peabody series of mysteries sets in Egypt are very good, and well researched.
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Ah. Just wanted to remind everyone about that mystery series then.
As for Pauline Gedge, I really liked the books of hers I had read. But I think they are currently out of print. _________________
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Osiris II Vizier

Joined: 28 Dec 2004 Posts: 1752
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 9:18 pm Post subject: |
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Check out Amazon.com. They have all of Pauline Gedges' works.
If the new editions seem a bit pricey, go for one of the used they offer.
I get many of the used books (can't beat the price of 1 cent on some!) and they are always in like-new condition. |
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