Warlock
A Novel of Ancient Egypt
549 Pages.
Written by Wilbur Smith.
Sequel to River God and a tie-in with The Seventh Scroll.
CAPSULE REVIEW: A
EXTENDED REVIEW:
This book brings the battles and intrigues of ancient Egypt to life.
I’ve not read River God, which is the first book featuring Taita (the Warlock), but in my opinion, this book stands alone and you won’t feel like you missed something if you come to it without ever having read Smith’s work. This is also a much better book than The Seventh Scroll, which cuts back and forth between the modern day and the ancient past.
Smith has a good sense of pace. He builds his characters gracefully and has enough plot twists to keep you guessing. There is a good amount of research and historical information, but not so much that it bogs the story down.
Ancient Evenings, by Norman Mailer, was the last big fiction book I tried to read on ancient Egypt, but I found it a bit dull. Smith is anything but dull. There is more than a little blood and sex, however. Timid readers be warned.
SYNOPSIS:
Don’t read this if you haven’t read the novel! Unless, of course, you don’t care.
The kingdoms of Lower and Upper Egypt have been at war for sixty years. Upper Egypt is ruled by Tamose, and Lower Egypt by Apepi, king of the Hyksos.
But traitors on both sides are scheming to overthrow the status quo.
A close friend of Tamose, Lord Naja, betrays his ruler and slays him with the help of Lord Trok, a Hykso conspirator.
Tamose’s son, Prince Nefer, is too young to take the throne, but Naja declares himself regent and plots to assassinate the young prince before he can take his rightful place. Likewise, Lord Trok plans to kill Apepi and claim Apepi’s crown as well as his daughter. The daughter, however, Princess Mintaka, is betrothed to the young Prince Nefer.
With the crafty schemers and their loyal henchmen moving in, the only thing that can save the kingdoms and the love of the prince and princess, is Taita the Warlock.
Taita is an adept in magic, medicine, and science. He is also a eunuch, and having been mutilated at an early age, his thoughts have turned inward, developing a keen sense of observation (not unlike Sherlock Holmes). Having lived for almost 200 years, Taita has forgotten more than most men will ever learn.
Much like Obi Wan Kenobi or Merlin the Magician, Taita takes the young Prince Nefer under his wing and trains him so that he can strike down the usurpers and be the first pharaoh in generations to unite both the upper and the lower kingdoms.
Taita, himself, though, is challenged by a sorceror named Ishtar, who worships the evil Babylonian god, Marduk.
The forces of good prevail, however, and after numerous trials, Nefer and Mintaka are reunited and the fate of the kingdoms is assured.