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Jan 05, 2008

Gouty added it

I don’t usually advocate the burning of books, but in this guy’s case I’ll make an exception. He has some of the worst, turgid, cliché ridden prose in the English language. This guy must have a cliché macro programmed into his computer. “Oooh! I need a cliché. What one shall I use? I think I’ll use F7.” I do not know how this guy got published, not even once but multiple times. If you come across a book written by this guy take it to a safe place douse it in gasoline and set fire to it. You will More...

5 comments like (12 people liked it)

Aug 10, 2011

Stacey rated it:

I simply could not finish this 'book'. I got about 70% in, than gave up due to sheer boredom and frustration. Now, admittedly, this type of novel is not the usual I would go for but, due to being without any new books and it being one of my partner's favourite books, I thought I would give it a go. Big mistake.

Never before have I literally rolled my eyes at a book, but I found myself doing it at every chapter of 'River God'. Brimming over with clichéd events, characters and occurrences, S More...

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Apr 07, 2008

Marlene added it

I didn't give this book even a part of a star because I think that if you dislike a book so much that you can't read it, it doesn't deserve even a glimpse of a star. I read about a hundred pages of this book because it came so highly recommended, but I wished that I hadn't even read those. I was mostly offended by the graphic violence in those 100 pages. I'm for a book burning.

2 comments like (4 people liked it)

Sep 22, 2010

WH rated it:

Rhodesian born author Wilbur Smith is not as well known in the US as in the UK and many other countries throughout the world. However, his first major novel was published in 1964 and since that time he has written over 30 additional titles with sales exceeding $65MM. His historical fiction and adventure novels have continually received high praise, maintained a strong following, and for those who were fortuitous in starting a library collection of his earlier works, provided a fairly good return More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 02, 2009

Emma rated it:

How can you possibly resist a book about ancient Egyptians?

River God was a pleasure to read. At over 600 pages it still managed to keep the action flowing right until the end and it doesn't hurt that Taita is one of the sweetest and most likable characters I've come to know in a long time.

At first I wasn't too sure about this book. I bought it on a spur of the moment and didn't know what to expect from it. Taita comes across as a priss to begin with, and there is that que More...

1 comment like (12 people liked it)

Apr 18, 2008

(KFK)Juliene2010(KFK) rated it:

This book was one of the most amazing books to have ever graced literature. That may only be my opinion, but I believe it to be true.The book had action, drama, comedy and of course a bit of sexual story as well.
The book had many different fights and wars in it. Tanus was a skilled and vicious warrior and killed without hesitation. Tanus had skill, discipline and love for a woman. Taita also had the same love for the same woman and yet they were best friends. They both fought many battles More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Oct 03, 2007

Art rated it:

ONE OF THE BEST ADVENTURE NOVELS OF MODERN TIMES

Only drawback; it's long, too long, but for sheer imaginative scope, Wilbur Smith's River God tops everything I've ever read. The story is narrated by the charming eunuch slave Taita, whose secret passion for queen Lostris surprises - until we learn Taita reached manhood before being castrated in order to render him "safe" for service in the harem. He retains his passion, artistic drives and incredible ego, and More...

0 comments like (6 people liked it)

Aug 26, 2007

Jwala rated it:

I only read this book because it was highly recommended to me by someone. River God is supposedly about an epic journey and enduring love. Soap Opera history.I dont know much about Egyptian history, so I am not sure which historical elements within the book are accurate or inaccurate but the plot seemed a bit formulaic and I cant believe protaganist's utter perfection and endless accomplishments and talents. He single-handedly invented or saved every single aspect of Egyptian history and art. H More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Dec 07, 2007

Marci rated it:

i really liked this book. Taita is an incredible character. this was def. a page turner, i am running to the library today(im not allowed to buy more books unless absolutly nec. yes, i am a book a holic!) to pick up seventh scroll and warlock because i read at work and cannot bear to not have a book to occupy my time btwn xraying patients! the story was very authentic from what i know about egypt. and i was surprised to read Mr smith's note at the end that it was based on a true archeologic fin More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Oct 06, 2011

Mark rated it:

I attest that River God is a challenging, yet rewarding read. Since the Taita character is a genius and his survival is based on wordplay, Smith employs advanced prose, a deep and vast vocabulary, and jargon as well. For instance, the use of vocabulary is so extensive that often times Dictionary.com did not have the definition! And many times Smith uses a little known definition of a word. The use of nautical, equine, and military jargon was also common. I found the ethnocentrism between Smith a More...

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Sep 13, 2011

Jelmer added it

Some think this is absolute crap, but for me this was a pretty good read. I just couldn't keep my eyes of it, I spent half of my holiday reading this, probably because of the extreme detail. You can just see it in front of your eyes.

Let's start with the flaws
-The characters are incredibly Mary Sue, especially Lostris and Taita himself. He seems to be ridiculously skilled at everything. (note:In ancient Egypt scientists were kind of multitaskers, but still).
-The fetish. More...

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Jun 15, 2011

Ioet rated it:

The narrator of this book is an amazing all-in-one product, a mastery of the human race. He's the Leonardo da Vinci of his day, a self-proclaimed doctor, architect, priest, tutor, charioteer, playwright, painter, cook, tracker, astrologist, marathon runner, and all-around scholar. The only things he isn't, really, are two: a soldier (even he admits he's a coward), and a man (he's a eunuch).[return][return]Taita, the slave, singlehandedly changes the course of ancient Egyptian history - more than More...

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Feb 09, 2011

Zeruhur rated it:

L'egitto mi ha sempre affascinato, quindi sapevo che questo romanzo prima o poi sarebbe stata una lettura quasi obbligata.
Conosco Smith da molti anni ma, forse pena la scelta dei romanzi peggiore dell'autore, non sono mai riuscito a concludere un suo libro.
Questo non significa che non l'abbia apprezzato.
Ci sono due cose di Smith che colpiscono: lo stile (soprattutto nel rendere vivida l'Africa) e l'Africa stessa che trasuda dalle sue pagine. La grande dote di questo narratore (come ama definirsi More...

0 comments like

Dec 07, 2008

Dana rated it:

Wow! What a slam bang historical romance epic! Taita, slave and eunuch, tells the story of Lostris and her lover Tanus, lady and warrior of ancient Egypt. Lostris is sold into Pharaoh's harem, Egypt is overrun by Hyksos hordes with advanced technology in the form of chariots (with wheels, the first the Egyptians have ever seen) and recurved bows, Pharaoh is killed in battle, and Lostris leads her people south, to the source of the Nile, there to regroup and rebuild and return to reclaim Egypt More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 08, 2011

Nerida rated it:

I was a little intimidated by the fact that the author, Wilbur Smith, has written over 30 novels. Wow. This is the first book of his that I have read, and I hesitate to say that although it is a well written, well plotted story of ancient Egypt with lots of action, it seemed a bit formulaic. There is a handsome, noble hero and the young and beautiful but naive woman that he loves, the evil and perverted grand vizier, the weak-minded, vascillating Pharoah, as well as the clever, brilliant eunuch More...

0 comments like

Jun 15, 2011

Critical rated it:

River God is a splendid story. This historical fiction is a piece of brilliant story telling by Wilber Smith, rendering it a favorite re-read again and again. River God has proudly topped my favorite novel list for over 5 years and running and this humble review has been long in coming. How does one review such spot-on emotional delivery?

At its core, River God is a love story and as such, has all the requisite components. Our hero is tall, hard, handsome and honest, so unrealistically More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 08, 2010

Morag rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 04, 2010

Benjamin rated it:

This first of four (so far) novels in Wilbur Smith's Ancient Egypt line is simply a great fun read. I have just enough knowledge of ancient Egypt to know that the events of this novel take place in a time that we know little about and yet the story is a plausible one. He gets the religious aspects right, he gets the technology right, and he gets the warfare right. But there is more than just a story about ancient Egypt and that is what makes it so much fun.

I really enjoyed the way t More...

0 comments like

Jun 15, 2010

maricar rated it:

Grand in scope, yet intensely personal…an ambitious tale of lush and mythic proportions…

River God was a hotbed of contradictions for me. I plowed through its first few sections in a pace so sluggish even I was aghast. The introduction by the slave Taita of the young Lady Lostris and the dashing warrior-slash-boyfriend Tanus was not that compelling enough to make me want to stick through. Just a few millimeters thick (or thin, as it applied) into the novel and I tossed it aside, there More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Mar 09, 2010

Stef rated it:

"By Seth's great backside"...READ this book! It's just plain fun!

Right up there with 'The First Man In Rome' (another epic tale): fantastic story, characters you love to hate and hate to love. I couldn't put it down, and and was excited to read the next book which I think is 'Warlock' (which I can tell you in hindight you should skip <painful painful painful>...in fact you can go straight to what I think is book three).

River God follows the fate of the More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jul 23, 2009

Kenna rated it:

This has to be in the top 10 of my favorite books that Ive ever read! Beautifully written! The taste and feel of the book had me thinking that this really WAS a scroll found in an ancient tomb that told of this brave mans journey though ancient Egypt. Of course, Im not an Egyptologist so I have no idea if anything in this book is inaccurate but when its this beautifully written, who cares?!

*edit* I had completely forgotten the authors note in the back of this book and was delighted More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 04, 2009

Mandy rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

0 comments like

Jan 15, 2012

Helen rated it:

This is one of those books where no amount of sequels can ever do the original story justice. Seventh Scroll pales into insignificance by comparison (I've not touched the others yet) but is still a good book. This is about one of my main interests - ancient Egypt - so I was hooked right away. Wilbur Smith draws wonderfully colourful portraits of the time with his words, as well as well-formed characters. Taita the slave particularly; his loyalty, friendship, inteligence and (not entirely mis More...

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Nov 29, 2009

Jennifer rated it:

This book suprised me quite a lot. A friend said I "had" to read it and obligingly gave me her copy. It started a little slow and I felt that it would take me some time to really get into it. After the first 100 pages I was won over by this epic novel. It has EVERYTHING that a great story is asked to possess. There is a deep and undying love between the main character Taita and his mistress Lostris. He loves her more than any creature in the world, but he is servant and not her Lover. More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Apr 10, 2010

Louise rated it:

I read this book about 12 years ago and it absolutely blew me away. It awakened a desire to learn about history and travel to the places I was reading about. I have since been lucky enough to visit Egypt twice and take part of the Nile journey to see and experience the temples and monuments I had only read of or seen in pictures. Also to see Cairo where the museum could keep you for ever inside, and the City at night with the noise and bustle and Whirling Dervishes and markets and Mosques and ch More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Oct 08, 2011

Nerida rated it:

I was a little intimidated by the fact that the author, Wilbur Smith, has written over 30 novels. Wow. This is the first book of his that I have read, and I hesitate to say that although it is a well written, well plotted story of ancient Egypt with lots of action, it seemed a bit formulaic. There is a handsome, noble hero and the young and beautiful but naive woman that he loves, the evil and perverted grand vizier, the weak-minded, vascillating Pharoah, as well as the clever, brilliant eunuch More...

0 comments like

Jul 17, 2011

Neil rated it:

Wow, this is two new authors in a row that I really like.

Wilbur Smith has been writing novels for a lot of years, and I guess he has quite a following, but he’s new to me.

Bottom line: I really like his writing and his storytelling.

This is a story set in the time of Egypt when the Hyksos invaded and conquered the country, introducing the chariot to the Egyptians. In doing a little googling, I was able to identify quite a number of folks who weren’t happy with M More...

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Jul 06, 2009

Scilla rated it:

This novel takes place in Ancient Egypt around the the 20th century BC under a fictional Pharaoh, Mamose. It is written from the point of view of Taita, a eunuch slave, who is a skilled doctor (surgeon), engineer, accountant, milary strategist, architect, etc. Originally the slave to Lord Intef, the vizier in Thebes, he is given to Lord Intef's daughter Lostris, when she marries the Pharoah. Taita's other protege is Tanus, a young army officer who is in love with Lostris. This is a very good r More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jun 10, 2009

Dorothy rated it:

Taita, the eunuch slave, recounts a history of Egypt during one of its most unsettled periods. It is more than 1700 B.C.E. and Egypt is divided into two kingdoms - that of Mamose of the Upper Kingdom, in Taita's telling the legitimate king, and that of the red king, a usurper who rules the Lower Kingdom.

Taita's body is owned by the cruel Lord Intef, the man who made him a eunuch. But his heart and soul belong to the Lord Intef's beautiful and compassionate daughter, Lady Lostris, a More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 21, 2010

Sittonbull rated it:

History unfolds before your eyes as you glimpse into the brutality, romance and politics of the 1750 BC world of ancient Egypt through the eyes of Taitia... the eunuch slave. The twist that makes this interesting is Taitia, who narrates the story, is the bona fide genius consultant to the Pharaoh and the brilliant architect/inventor of every worthwhile idea in the book. You may think that mundane and boring, however, Smith is the master at keeping the pace moving so that you just don't want to More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

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