About the book
(Blurb from Jonathan Ball Publishers)
A RUTHLESS ENEMY. A CIVILIZATION IN RUINS. A QUEST FOR SALVATION.
For over fifty years Egypt has known nothing but war and devastation at the hands of the Hyksos, a bloodthirsty barbarian people from the distant east who continue to advance, crushing armies in their wake. Times are desperate, but throughout the conflict, a brave resistance fights on under the great Taita, a slave who has risen far beyond his ranks.
Piay, entrusted into Taita’s care by his parents at the age of just five, has been trained to become a great spy, unmatched by any other. Determined to prove his worth, he embarks on a dangerous mission to the lands in the north – to Mycenae and through the heart of Hyksos land and across the great sea – to find allies to help defend Egypt. As the situation becomes increasingly precarious, and the fate of the kingdom is hanging in the balance, can Piay succeed in his quest or will this mean the end of the glory that is Egypt once and for all?
My Thoughts
My Thoughts“Titans of War” is the 8th book in Wilbur Smit’s “Ancient Egypt” series. I’m probably falling into this series at a very late stage as I have only read “River God” and “The Seventh Scroll” several years ago. But, although I may be missing some of the full backstory, I didn’t find it difficult to get into this book. I also have always been interested in Egyptology, so that may have contributed to the fact that I quickly got caught up in this book.
In this historical novel, set in Ancient Egypt, you will meet Piay and his friend Hannu, who is tasked to find allies for Egypt in an attempt to defend them against the threat of the Hyksos.
As expected, this isn’t an easy task and the duo encounter some interesting characters (including pirates and murderers) and challenging situations along the way. And yes, I shouted “This is Sparta!” in my head every time “Sparta” is mentioned. Very mature, I know.
“Titans of War” will take you on an epic quest, packed with adventure, danger, travel and absorbing fight scenes. It was a gripping read, fast paced and a real page-turner. Short chapters add to the pace and tension. An excellent and engaging plot with numerous twists and turns. The main protagonists are well-developed, experiencing further growth on this epic journey – and multi-dimensional, and I was cheering for them all the way! I throughly enjoy the wit and dark humour in the storytelling.
Wilbur Smith was an absolute legend who defined the “historical fiction” genre. He dominated that scene for several decades, so there is an impressive back catalogue of his work available to enjoy.
So, in short, you will enjoy this book if you appreciate:
- Adventurous Quest
- Absorbing fight scenes
- Fast paced
- Well plotted
- Strong well-developed Characters
RRR (Roelia Reads Rating) 4/5
With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers for the opportunity to read this book.
Here are the books in the Ancient Egypt Series in order:
- River God (1993)
- The Seventh Scroll (1995)
- Warlock (2001)
- The Quest (2007)
- Desert God (2014)
- Pharaoh (2016)
- The New Kingdom (2021) (with Mark Chadbourn)
- Titans of War (2022) (with Mark Chadbourn)
