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Review by Pat Regel
The opening of King Tutankhamon's tomb in the 1920s heralded the first wave of Egyptomania, which not only held Europe spellbound, but also Roaring Twenties America. Now, Christian Jacq has revived the Egyptian spirit with his first volume in the historical fiction series about Ramses II.
Jacq's new series about the pharaoh who ruled from 1279-1212 BC has created a national craze in France for all things Egyptian. The series has sold over 2.7 million copies, and all five volumes are number-one bestsellers in France. Thanks to the skillful translation by Mary Feeney, now Americans can read the first book in the series, "Ramses: The Son of Light."
This first volume covers the early years in the life of a young prince who would one day father 150 children and bring Egypt to the peak of political power and cultural influence. As the son of Seti I, Ramses begins his studies at the royal academy under the watchful eye of his royal guardian, Sary. But, as the boy matures, he discovers other lessons that he must learn outside the classroom -- lessons that teach him about the people he will one day rule and the enemies he will sooner or later be forced to confront.
Young Ramses is also initiated into the world of women through his wise and lovely mother, Tuya, and we see the life-long bonds beginning to form with two other beauties who will continually affect him -- one of them being Nefertari.
The English translation of this French work is uncomplicated, and the story-telling style is somewhat different from the writing style Americans are used to in their diet of historical fiction. This is a story of continual action separated into small segments.
Jacq's vivid descriptions appear almost as eyewitness accounts, but then, why shouldn't they? Here is an Egyptologist who has studied the period in depth through his scholarly archaeological pursuit -- who better to tell the story of one of Egypt's greatest pharaohs?
Good historical fiction is written by an author who can blow away the dust of the ages and skillfully plant one foot in the past and the other in the twentieth century -- Christian Jacq is such an author.
Pat Regel reads and writes in Nashville.
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