Egypt (Rai Rahotep #3)
By Nick Drake
Published Year: 2011
Page Count: 275 pages
Medium Used: Kindle PW
Genre : Historical Fiction, Ancient Egypt, Murder Mystery, Suspense, 2024-read.
Rating : 2.5/5
This book is the last installment in the Rahotep Series by Nick Drake. I think in the triology, this book is the most disappointing and underwhelming to me. Most of the book takes place in kingdoms and places outside of Egypt. The evocative nature of Ancient Egypt - as when the Pharoahs and Queens were ruling it - is not there in this book. I was amazed by the atmosphere that was created in the first book, Nefertiti. This is a rapidly put together story without much thought, I felt. Its easy to see how most of the story is a concoction and not based on real or known historical facts.
Ankhesumun is 21 years old when her husband, the boy king, Tutankhamun dies in a hunting accident. She is married to Ay who is really an old despot with rapidly failing health. Their marriage lasts for 4 - 5 years when he dies of his infirmities. The war general and lord, Horemheb has been eyeing the kingship for a while and Ankhesunamun feels lost and helpless against him and his command over the military. She pleads with Rahotep, the seeker of mysteries, her envoy to foreign lands, Nakht, chief of her security, Simmut, to carry a message to their arch enemy - the Hitties. She requests them to offer a prince from their kingdom to become her husband in return for peace and improved trade relations between the two countries. These two rivals have been fighting hard wars abroad to gain dominance and control over the kingdoms like Syria, Babylon,Mittani etc. The Hitties don't trust the queen but nevertheless agree to send one of their sons - a music, poetry, art loving weakling to be made the king of Egypt. The prince doesn't make it to Egypt and gets killed enroute. This escalate the war tensions between the two countries and as history bears witness, paves an easier path for Horemheb to the throne.
Weaved as a separate but dependant thread to the above story is a mystery regarding a newly created drug cartel in Thebes which stinks up the military with corruption and secret opium trade. After a series of murders of young Nubian boys and his friend Katy, Rahotep takes up his vengeance with the drug lord and also pulls in Horemheb into the mix. It could have been well done if not for too many coincidences and unbelievable, surreal plot twists.
There are some redeeming qualities to the writing. I thought there is much to learn about the opium production and consumption from the story. The means the drug lord uses to transport large quantities of opium into Thebes from North fields of poppies is shocking and also interesting. I think Rahotep character is shown as a brave fighter but it didn't sink well with the other aspects of his gentle personality. How could he kill renowned thugs and emerge out a winner while other better men have lost?
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