Egypt: The Book of Chaos (Rahotep Series #3)

by Nick Drake

Overview

The future ofEgypt lies in the hands of the Medjay’s chiefdetective Rahotep in the final, gripping installmentof Nick Drake’s acclaimed Ancient Egyptian trilogy. Following Nefertitiand Tutankhamun, Egypt: The Book of Chaos putsRahotep on a high-stakes adventure across enemyempires and rogue states on a top-secret mission to secure the fate of thedynasty. Readers of Stacy Schiff’s Cleopatraand anyone fascinated by ancient cultures and unspoken secrets will beinstantly drawn in by Drake’s magisterial recreation of one of history’s greatunsolved mysteries. Incorporating his own research through the sites,monuments, ruins, and museums of Egypt, Drake brings vividly back to life anera long ago swallowed by the shifting sands of time in this powerful novel ofloyalty, ambition, struggle, and destiny.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780060765958
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	12/04/2012
Series:	Rahotep Series , #3
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	5.31(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.79(d)

About the Author

Nick Drake is the author of Nefertiti and Tutankhamun, the first two books in the Rahotep detective trilogy. He has published two award-winning collections of poetry, and his play was performed at the National Theater in London. His screenplays include the critically acclaimed Romulus, My Father (starring Eric Bana), which won Best Film at the Australian Film Awards in 2007. He lives in London.

Editorial Reviews

“This much can be stated with assurance: this novel will be a huge hit with fans of the series, of Egypt-themed mysteries, of period mysteries, of modern-day thrillers, and—what the heck—anyone not included in those groups.” — Booklist (starred review)

From the Publisher

This much can be stated with assurance: this novel will be a huge hit with fans of the series, of Egypt-themed mysteries, of period mysteries, of modern-day thrillers, and—what the heck—anyone not included in those groups.

Booklist (starred review)

"This much can be stated with assurance: this novel will be a huge hit with fans of the series, of Egypt-themed mysteries, of period mysteries, of modern-day thrillers, and—what the heck—anyone not included in those groups."

Booklist

British author Drake’s dramatic finish to his trilogy set in ancient Egypt is every bit the equal of its standout predecessors, Nefertiti and Tutankhamun. The 18th dynasty remains in jeopardy as the head of Egypt’s armies, General Horemheb, poses a threat to Tutankhamun’s widow, Ankhesenamun, who has limited political support. In a desperate gambit, the young Egyptian queen dispatches Rahotep, a police detective once known as “the best Seeker of Mysteries” in Thebes, to the land of the Hittites, the country’s bitterest enemies, to persuade their ruler to marry one of his sons to her. To make the hazardous journey, Rahotep must break a promise to his family and set aside a search for a killer “strangely skilled at beheading teenage Nubian boys.” Everything works, from the dogged but flawed hero to the seamless melding of the murder inquiry with the larger political intrigue. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

Ancient Egypt's chief detective undertakes a secret mission away from home just as the government at Thebes is inconveniently in turmoil. A disturbing tide of violence in Thebes leaves chief detective Rahotep, who narrates in crisp first person, a bit disillusioned. The murder and decapitation of several Nubian boys have given him a severe case of insomnia. Rahotep also works occasionally as a bodyguard for his wealthy friend Nakht, who fails to lift him from his dark mood. Things go from bad to worse with the abrupt death of the young Pharaoh, King Tutankhamun. In her struggle to hold her newfound power, his widow, Queen Ankhesenamun, reminds Rahotep of his close bond with her mother and his promise of protection. She sends him on a secret mission north with Nakht to persuade Suppiluliuma, the King of the Hitties, to sanction the marriage of one of his sons to the Egyptian Queen. Rahotep's daughters entreat him not to go, and with reason. The arduous trip involves nearly two weeks of daily northward travel. His adventure leads to the murder of one of his friends, who is a member of his caravan and, as the result of a papyrus left in the victim's mouth, the discovery of a dangerous opium ring. Maps, a cast list and quotations from The Book of the Dead are welcome accouterments to Drake's third Rahotep mystery (Tutankhamun: The Book of Shadows, 2010, etc.). It moves a bit slowly into the realm of mystery but offers a consistently fascinating and believable portrait of ancient Egypt.

Kirkus Reviews