Pauline Gedge

The Horus Road by Pauline Gedge – Book REview

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The Horus Road, book 3 of the Lords of the Two Lands by Pauline Gedge

Title: The Horus Road

Author: Pauline Gedge

Series: The Lords of the Two Lands

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Incest, Infant death

Target Audience: Adults

Synopsis: The Horus Road is the riveting conclusion of Pauline Gedge’s three-volume epic, the Lords of the Two Lands, which chronicles the courageous and often tragic struggle of the Tao Princes to free their country from the foreign rule of the Setiu king Apepa.

Ahmose vows to continue the struggle that has taken the life of his father and brother. It is up to him to devise a strategy to capture the Setiu capital, Het-Uart, in order to free Egypt once and for all. But the devious Apepa will stop at nothing, no matter how ruthless, to rob the Tao family of its chance for total victory. Military might alone will not be enough for Ahmose to breach the city’s walls. He will need a miracle from Amun.

My Review

I always try to be as honest as possible in my reviews so I’m just going to admit from the start that I considered not finishing this book multiple times. My mind was constantly wandering while reading and there were whole paragraphs, maybe even pages, that my brain didn’t absorb at all. The reason I didn’t give up on it was because I still wanted to know how it would all end.

The Horus Road is engaging in spurts, but for the most part, I found it to be quite tedious. This trilogy is more about the characters than it is about the plot to retake Egypt.

I had certain expectations going into the book, as it is the third in a trilogy. My expectations were met but not in any way I might have predicted. That is one thing about these books that I really enjoyed. I honestly didn’t know what was going to happen next.

Sadly, the ending didn’t really do it for me. It felt like it was all building up to a victorious moment but when that moment came, it fell flat. It just wasn’t climactic.

I did really enjoy the writing style. It is clear that Pauline Gedge has done her research on ancient Egypt and knows how to incorporate that knowledge into her writing and characters. The characters themselves were relatable and interesting. They showed proper development throughout, though I never knew when someone was going to die.

Overall, my rating for the Horus Road is 3 out of 5 stars. I would recommend it to anyone who has read the first two books.

Thanks for reading!

The Oasis by Pauline Gedge – Book Review

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The Oasis, book 2 of the Lords of the Two Lands trilogy by Pauline Gedge

Title: The Oasis

Author: Pauline Gedge

Series: The Lord of the Two Lands

Sexual Content: None

Objectional Content: Incest

Target Audience: Adults

Synopsis: Using subtle means of political power and economic control, a foreign power known as the “Rulers of the Upland” has taken over Egypt to plunder its riches and eradicate its religion and culture. In “The Hippopotamus Marsh”, the stunning first volume of Pauline Gedge’s Lords of the Two Lands trilogy, the family of the last true King of Egypt chose to end 200 years of submission to King Apepa, and attempted to resurrect a dynasty, Seqenenra Tao began a courageous and tragic revolt that almost led to the destruction of his family. In this thrilling second volume, Seqenenra’s surviving son Kamose refuses an inheritance of failure, and chooses instead to continue his father’s fight for the freedom of Egypt and his family. He begins his desperate sweep north, collecting fighting men from the loyal towns and villages he passes. Will his savage brilliance bring him victory or defeat? And will his acts redeem him or drive him to the brink of madness?

My Review

The Oasis picks up where The Hippopotamus Marsh left off. Kamose begins his campaign to retake Egypt from the Setiu.

For a novel all about a war, The Oasis isn’t really that exciting. The focus is less on the war that is happening and more the mental and emotional impact it has on Kamose. This novel feels much like a character study and an in depth look at the toll being the leader of an army can have. The guilt of the things he has done weighs heavily on him. While at the same time he knows it is the only way to recapture Egypt and restore his family to their rightful place on the throne.

I never knew what to expect from this book. If I had any expectations, I don’t know what they were. I find that something amazing about Pauline Gedge’s books. I truly don’t know what to expect and I can’t predict how anything will go. Her writing is amazing. I love how well she describes the world without having to go into great detail. You can practically feel the hot Egyptian sun beating down on you.

The Oasis is a bit slow at points but in the last 100 pages it really picks up and I’m pumped for the next book!

My rating for The Oasis is 4 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to anyone who likes Egyptian fiction. Just read the Hippopotamus Marsh first.

The Hippopotamus Marsh by Pauline Gedge – Book Review

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The Hippopotamus Marsh, book 1 of the Lords of the Two Lands trilogy by Pauline Gedge

Title: The Hippopotamus Marsh

Author: Pauline Gedge

Series: The Lord of the Two Lands #1

Sexual Content: Minimal

Objectional Content: Incest

Target Audience: Adults

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis: After a gradual and mostly bloodless invasion, Egypt has fallen into the hands of a foreign power known as the “Rulers of the Upland.” Using subtle means of political power and economic country, plundering its riches and slowly subverting its religion and culture.

But there is one family in Thebes, claiming descent from the last true King of Egypt, that cannot accept the rule of the foreign king Apepa. Defying him becomes the only clear option for the persecuted yet proud Seqenenra Tao, Prince of Weset, whose shocking revolt sets in motion a series of events that will either destroy his family or resurrect a dynasty and an entire way of life for Egypt.

My Review

The Hippopotamus Marsh is a bit of a deviation for me from what I normally read. This is historical fiction, rooted in history, with no trace of fantasy at all. I have read other books by Pauline Gedge which were recommended to me by a friend. I enjoyed those books and I enjoyed this one.

I’ve always been interested in ancient Egypt and the different gods they worshipped. Pauline Gedge is amazing at bringing that ancient world to life. It is clear she has done her research and even includes a bibliography at the end of the book. The setting feels real and you can practically feel the heat of the Egyptian sun as you read.

Her choice of point of view leaves something to be desired, at least for me. The Hippopotamus Marsh is written in third person omnipotent, meaning that the character focus literally shifts between one character and another from one paragraph and the next. I’ve never really liked that. I like to be in the head of one character at a time and not switching around. The switch can be quite jarring.

The story itself is not quite what I expected. Once the head of the Tao family, Seqenenra decides that he can no longer abide the foreign king ruling Egypt, he sets in motion events that will either destroy his family or bring them to the highest level of greatness in Egypt. I was unable to predict how things were going to go and many things surprised me which was nice.

The characters felt like real people. They would make decisions that I could understand but at the same time shake my head at knowing that it would lead to nothing good. Lies lead to more lies afterall.

In ancient Egypt it was common for royal families to marry their siblings, so there is some incest in this book as Seqenenra’s oldest son and oldest daughter are married to one another. This was common practice and historically accurate. The sexual content is extremely minimal though.

Overall, I liked this book but I wouldn’t say that it wowed me to amazement. My rating for The Hippopotamus Marsh is 3 out of 5 stars and I would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction, especially Egyptian history.

Thanks for reading!