This is the first book in the Ancient Egypt series that I've read and the series is up to book 7. They do tell me it is sort of a one off, in that it focuses on a different character. This person is in the main series, but is not the main focus. That can be nice because it will expand the background of the story being told.
Hui is a boy, son of the governor of Luhan, a small city in Egypt. When we first meet him, he's seventeen and could be counted a man. But he hasn't really been tested by life. He, with a friend and a brother, is busy stealing into a bandit camp with the intention of robbing the robbers. It doesn't go well. In the act of thievery, they are discovered and the friend is killed. Hui and his brother escape with something called the Ka Stone, a meteorite.
Later, when an emissary from the Pharaoh comes to pick the stone up and take it to a temple for safe keeping and study, His father is killed. Hui is blamed and convicted of the crime. He escapes with the help of his sister. This starts his journey of self-discovery. He is severely tested as he is a thief on his own, a lowly member of a barbarian war band and a full member of the bandit band he stole from at the beginning of the book. His one driving passion is to revenge his father's death.
We don't know how long these trials last. The bandits are caught and mostly executed by the Egyptian army. Each member of the bandit group is interrogated. When it's Hui's turn, he tells his entire life story. The general who has caught him is impressed by that story and lets him live, putting him in the Blue Crocodile Squad. Hui excels at the tasks given him and rises in his position. He becomes a leader of men.
During this time there is a split in Egypt between the Upper and Lower Kingdoms. According to history, this happened every now and then. There was war between the Kingdoms. Just when the side Hui was on seemed to be winning, the barbarian war hoard attacked. Things looked pretty grim for Hui and his family.
I don't usually tell so much of the story in my reviews, but this book kind of required it. Lots of things happen in this coming of age tale. It is well told and very fascinating reading. I may possibly go back and read the earlier books in the Egypt series. So many books, so little time.
I received the copy of this book that I read fir this review from BookishFirst.
Hui is a boy, son of the governor of Luhan, a small city in Egypt. When we first meet him, he's seventeen and could be counted a man. But he hasn't really been tested by life. He, with a friend and a brother, is busy stealing into a bandit camp with the intention of robbing the robbers. It doesn't go well. In the act of thievery, they are discovered and the friend is killed. Hui and his brother escape with something called the Ka Stone, a meteorite.
Later, when an emissary from the Pharaoh comes to pick the stone up and take it to a temple for safe keeping and study, His father is killed. Hui is blamed and convicted of the crime. He escapes with the help of his sister. This starts his journey of self-discovery. He is severely tested as he is a thief on his own, a lowly member of a barbarian war band and a full member of the bandit band he stole from at the beginning of the book. His one driving passion is to revenge his father's death.
We don't know how long these trials last. The bandits are caught and mostly executed by the Egyptian army. Each member of the bandit group is interrogated. When it's Hui's turn, he tells his entire life story. The general who has caught him is impressed by that story and lets him live, putting him in the Blue Crocodile Squad. Hui excels at the tasks given him and rises in his position. He becomes a leader of men.
During this time there is a split in Egypt between the Upper and Lower Kingdoms. According to history, this happened every now and then. There was war between the Kingdoms. Just when the side Hui was on seemed to be winning, the barbarian war hoard attacked. Things looked pretty grim for Hui and his family.
I don't usually tell so much of the story in my reviews, but this book kind of required it. Lots of things happen in this coming of age tale. It is well told and very fascinating reading. I may possibly go back and read the earlier books in the Egypt series. So many books, so little time.
I received the copy of this book that I read fir this review from BookishFirst.