(view spoiler)[I loved The Hippopotamus Marsh and The Oasis. I couldn't put them down while I was reading them, so naturally I expected to love The Horus Road as well. Instead, I am extremely disappointed and could not bring myself to finish the book (finished at ~80%). I was close to giving the book 2 stars but I will still give it 3 stars simply because I adore Gedge's writing style--she really brings Ancient Egypt to life.Overall, this book has a kind of meandering quality to it as the battle which almost completely secures Ahmose's victory is his battle against Pezedkhu's army... which occurs in the middle of the book* . This means that a large part of the book was devoted to Ahmose's life at Weset. My main beef with this book, as you will see, can be summarized into one word: Aahmes-Nefertari.On the one hand, I really love the significant part she plays as Ahmose's right-hand. She is effectively the ruler of Weset from the governmental side, while Ahmose takes care of the war aspect. Since this book is largely about Ahmose's siege of Het-Uart (his strategy is stopping resources from reaching Het-Uart and trapping the Setiu inside until they surrender for want of water, food, etc.), and as laying the siege mostly consists of the Egyptian army sitting outside the city walls--something they can't do during the flood season--significant portions of the book are spent at Weset.Marital problems abound between Aahmes-Nefertari and Ahmose. The main problem is that, firstly, Aahmes-Nefertari desires to have her administrative work acknowledged by Ahmose, who wrangles with his pride since he is not comfortable presiding over meetings where Aahmes-Nefertari knows it all while Ahmose tries to give some semblance of being the actual king. Secondly, Aahmes-Nefertari feels as though Ahmose no longer feels passion for her as he used to. Whereas before, when Kamose still lived, the two of them worked in perfect harmony, with the imbalance of power on the home front, their unity has been shaken. I'm not sure if there was a problem with the execution of the problems between these two, however, since a large part of Ahmose's problem was also that he preferred being with his soldiers over being with his wife... HOWEVER, I don't feel like Ahmose did anything overtly wrong in his dealings with Aahmes-Nefertari, and I almost feel as though she is too emotional to rule as a queen. I'm not saying the king and a queen must necessarily have a rather cold, business-like relationship, and the extent of Aahmes-Nefertari's adoration for Ahmose is not a problem either since Ahmose is just as a crazy about her. However, I feel like Aahmes-Nefertari is too sensitive and lets her imagined negativities rule her. When Ahmose says "I owe my first night at Weset to my wife", Aahmes-Nefertari continues to grudge him for his use of the word "owe"... like, girl, that's NOT what he meant. It's just a way of expressing that he treasures you so much he can't give precedence to other things. When he finally retires for the night due to a headache, I was appalled at Aahmes-Nefertari's lack of self-control.My mind was also boggled when Aahmes-Nefertari insisted that Ahmose stay for the birth of Sat-Kamose when the flood season was almost over and Ahmose had to go back to Het-Uart. I understand that she is still shaken by the death of Hent-ta-Hent and Si-Amun II, making her afraid that all of her children save Ahmose-Onkh would be weak and that Ahmose may hate her because of that. But I think she has to understand that they are fighting a war. Perhaps hormones also played a part in her rising hysteria, who knows? But whenever the story shifted to Weset, I desperately wished to return to the sitting-around at Het-Uart, where at least Abana, Hor-Aha, etc., got things done. It was also a relief to go to Pi-Hathor and Esna--I needed a one-chapter break from the Soap Opera of Weset. While reading, I felt as though Aahmes-Nefertari was always on the verge of poisoning any kind of interaction between herself and Ahmose, so there were large sections of the book where I just felt like skipping over to the chapters where Ahmose left Weset again.*I'm having trouble organizing my thoughts but I just wanted to make a small note: I was pretty appalled too when Ahmose is face-to-face with Pezedkhu, who is about to shoot him, and Ahmose just stands there gaping at him. To be honest, I feel like it would have been more realistic for at least Ahmose's right-hand men to lose some confidence him then. YOU JUST STOOD THERE, AHMOSE. You could have at least looked panicked but defiant in the face of death but instead... you just stood there.Both The Hippopotamus Marsh and The Oasis were filled with discussions of strategy and battle. The Horus Road initially had some discussions concerning these, but once Ahmose turned back from Rethennu, the story was pretty much over for me. I skimmed over the final few pages and was glad that the Horus Throne and Royal Regalia were retrieved, which is enough for me. I was looking into the "true history" behind the events of the novel and when I found out that the real Ahmose did indeed go on to have other wives, I became incredulous at Ahmose and Aahmes-Nefertari's "you are the only one for me attitude". Despite the amount of love sibling-spouses could hold for another, it would be perfectly normal for Ahmose to take on more wives and secure Aahmes-Nefertari as the Great Royal Wife and His Beloved while having an almost indifferent attitude to his other wives. SIGH.I haven't really read anyone being unsatisified the way I was, so I would say go ahead and finish the series for those of you who haven't read The Horus Road but read this review anyway. (hide spoiler)]
In the final installment to Gedge’s Lords of the Two Lands trilogy, the story of the Tao’s family attempt to reclaim Egypt from the Setiu invaders reaches a thrilling and riveting climax. I can’t say it’s the best book of the trilogy (deciding that would be something of a Sophie’s Choice), but I can say it’s a wonderfully written, compulsively readable finale.Ahmose Tao, Prince of Weset and self-proclaimed pharaoh now that both his father, Seqenenra, and brother, Kamose, have both died at the hands of those who claimed to be loyal yet ultimately betrayed them, has successfully reclaimed the entire land of Egypt. The last bastion of Setiu rule is their capital city, Het-Uart, a thickly walled repository of Setiu troops and scared citizens. Those impassable walls also held Ahmose’s sister, Tani, Apepa’s hostage these many years, as well as the physical symbols of Egypt’s divinity, the Horus throne, the double crown, the Crook of Mercy and the Flail of Justice. During the long months away from Weset, while Ahmose continues to lay siege to Het-Uart and finish the reclamation of his beloved country, a new center of Egyptian administration is taking shape under the capable hands of Ahmose’s wife Aahmes-nefertari and his mother Aahotep in Weset, both of whom effectively keep Egypt running by organizing and supervising the many small details required to keep a country working. Yet there’s a distance between Ahmose and Aahmes-nefertari which has nothing to do with their physical separation and as Het-Uart finally falls and a final betrayal to Ahmose’s reign comes to light, engineered by Apepa and orchestrated by Tani, Ahmose must decide if seeking reparation for such a awesome treachery is worth the price: the loss of his marriage and love of Aahmes-nefertariAs with the other books, the battle scenes are the poorest part of the novel, suffering from a lack of dynamism as the writing itself remains adroit. The only exception were the scenes describing the sieging of Het-Uart and, later, the Rethennu fortress of Sharuhen, which, perhaps because they were so much more intimate than the other large battle scenes, seemed to have a greater sense of urgency and were infused with a more authentic sense of the chaos which would surround such close-quarters fighting. Where Gedge really shines is in the complex interplay of her characters and their very human reactions and emotions. We see the fragility of Aahmes-nefertari as she tries bring together a nation in her husband’s absence while dealing with the trauma of childbirth and infant mortality; the desperation of Ramose as he attempts to rescue Tani, his idealized love; the cutting-to-the-quick of both Ramose and Ahmose as Tani reveals how she’s changed from the free-spirited girl they both knew years ago. Towards the end of the novel, these full-developed relationships intertwine to create a heartbreaking resolution of the story. That's said, Tani’s story is the most engrossing and the one which is the most vexatious. (view spoiler)[When we finally meet her after being closeted away by Apepa’s side for so many years, we see that she’s no longer Egyptian, but has adopted Setiu manners, to the point of even changing her name to Tautha. Her excuse? She was so long with Apepa, frightened and alone, missing her family, sure that Apepa would execute her for her family’s actions, but instead Apepa treated her with kindness and consideration. Soon she fell in love with him and consented to marry him. So that when Het-Uart finally falls and Egypt is free, she refuses to go home with Ahmose, instead holding fast to her marriage vows and claiming that her duty lies with her husband, Apepa and choosing the people of her husband over her own family. This sort of betrayal and cowardly behavior is so upsetting and abhorrent, it made me agree with Ahmose when he tells her “My only regret is that Ramose did no strangle you when he saw what you had become.” I mean, she even demanded an Egyptian burial for Apepa, using her status as a princess of royal blood to blackmail Ahmose into complying. (hide spoiler)]
What do You think about The Horus Road (2003)?
Ahmose succeeds in defeating the Hyksos king Apeppa. Ahmose was one of the most outstanding kings in the history of ancient Egypt.His son Ahmenhotep is born Hyksos were a foreign people who conquered Egypt about 1640 B.C. and ruled for about 100 years, until they were driven out by Thutmose I. The Hyksos let the Egyptians continue with many of their customs but left behind some important technological advances, including the chariot and the scimitar. Ahmose was amrried to his sister Nefertiri.Ahmose(1570-1546 BC) is considered the founder of the 18th dynasty, although strictly speaking it is not a new dynasty, because he ended the work begun by his grandparents, parents and brother (Kamose), reconquering Upper Egypt and expelling the Hyksos invaders who had run the country for over 100 years. He was famed and much appreciated by the Egyptian people for his military exploits. A lot is known about them, thanks to one of his faithful soldiers, Ahmose son of Ibana. This Ahmose son of Ibana wrote an autobiography of his own exploits, following the king, which remained in his tomb. Ahmose' autobiography is full of tales. Having been properly brought up by his powerful grandmother and mother, Ahmose married his very own sister Ahmose Nefertiri, and made her a queen even more important than they had been. This last title was hereditary and used by all succeeding queens till Hatshepsut, who gave it to her daughter Neferure when she became "king". The title fell into disuse during the solo reign of Thutmose III. Following the death of Ahmose, Nefertiri took on the role of regent for her young son Amenhotep I. Amenhotep I (sometimes read as Amenophis I and meaning "Amun is satisfied") was the second Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty of Egypt. His reign is generally dated from 1526 to 1506 BC. He was born to Ahmose I and Ahmose-Nefertari, but had at least two elder brothers, Ahmose-ankh and Ahmose Sapair, and was not expected to inherit the throne. However, sometime in the eight years between Ahmose I's 17th regnal year and his death, his heir apparent died and Amenhotep became crown prince. He then acceded to the throne and ruled for about 21 years.After Amenhotep died, wherever his tomb was located, his body did not remain there. Amenhotep I's body was found in the Deir el-Bahri Cache above the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and is now in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. His mummy had apparently not been looted by the 21st dynasty, and the priests who moved the mummy took care to keep the Cartonnage intact. Because of that exquisite face mask, Amenhotep's is the only royal mummy which has not been unwrapped and examined by modern EgyptologistsDuring the new kingdom (1567-1085)the capital of Egypt was Wesset which means "mace"to express the extreme authority of this city ,then the name was changed to "Thebes" and Homer described it as " City of the Hundred Gates".The Arabs called it "Luxor" means" The city of Palaces"because they were impressed by its magnificent edifices and huge buildings
—Elaine
Okay, we all know that Ahmose ends up liberating Egypt from the Hyksos. The appealing part of The Horus Road is the journey to victory, not so much the victory itself. Will Ahmose be able to continue on and finish what Seqenenra and Kamose died for? Of course he will, but nothing will ever be the same again in the Tao family.Ahmose is a three dimensional character, but after reading The Oasis, which is in Kamose’s perspective, he seems pale in comparison to his brother. Yet, throughout the novel, Ahmose steps into the large footprints left by his father and brother and eventually outshines both of them. Ahmose is a great character, but Pauline Gedge has not neglected secondary characters like the resourceful Ahmose-Nefertari or the tragic Ramose. She only gives us hints at the great woman Ahmose-Nefertari would become, but it is enough to make her steal every scene that she’s in.Since the end of the war is drawing near, the plot moves along at a fantastic pace that makes you never want to put this book down. Cities burn, kings run from danger and betrayal happens on both sides…what more could you ask for in the conclusion to this stunning trilogy? The ending is not a perfectly happy one, but it is satisfying and the characters stay true to themselves.I give this book 4/5 stars.
—Carrie Slager
