River God (Ancient Egypt, #1)

Jan 05, 2008 Gouty added it

Shelves: absolute-crap

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

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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.

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Feb 15, 2013 Gaile rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: emery-s-2013-challenge-gaile-kenney, egypt

Told from the POV of the slave Taita whom manhood was taken from him after he had already enjoyed a woman, this novel is an excellent read. It takes place around 1780 BC when Egypt is suddenly invaded.
Horses, wheels and chariots had not yet been seen in Egypt but the slave Taita, architect, artist and designer of unusual merit has his eyes peeled and has the ear of royalty.
Having cared for Lostris all her life, he watches her fall in love with the soldier Tanus but given instead to Pharoah, he i...more

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Sep 22, 2010 WH rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Feb 02, 2009 Emma rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, favorites, huge-books, books-i-own, africa

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 question of how Egyptian so...more 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 question of how Egyptian society flourished for thousands of years without him, considering the fact that he invents just about everything. But the fact that he's a slave, and a eunuch, set him apart from the prototypical hero. He's not exactly what you'd expect from a slave, however, as he's well loved and respected and wields a good deal of power and influence. And his his being a eunuch means the book isn't filled with the gratuitous sex scenes which plague so many others of its ilk! He was lovely. Smart, resourceful, gutsy and loyal, and definitely not suffering from that irksome macho-man syndrome. He might be a bit vain, but we get to see his flaws too. And he's pretty. Don't give up if the first few pages don't grab you immediately. It should grow on you.

The action just kept coming, and it's been a while since I was so hooked on a book, constantly wanting to know what happens next. It was an epic. Seriously. I loved it. Though the writing was a little cheesy at times, but it was still readable so that's a very minor quibble. There's something for everyone in this book. There were battles, wars, murders, marriages, medical emergencies, animals, gods, births, deaths, journeys, friendships, enemies... You won't have time to get bored.

I can't vouch for the book's historical accuracy, although obviously I would expect Taita's story to be completely fabricated, but it didn't seem too far off the mark in general aspects of Egyptian life. Besides, authors are allowed to take liberties in historical fiction.

I'm not sure how quickly I'll rush on to the next books in this series, if only because I want to preserve the memory of Taita as he is in River God. But this will certainly be a re-read somewhere down the line.(less)

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Apr 18, 2008 (KFK)Juliene2010(KFK) rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE

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 both...more

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Oct 03, 2007 Art Tirrell rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: adventure lovers

Shelves: alltimefavorites

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 the exercise of these alone are enter...more 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 the exercise of these alone are entertainment of the highest order.

After his responsibility to the queen, Taita's primary task in life is to oversee the creation of the treasures the pharaoh will carry to the next life. Along the way - if you believe Taita's egotistical and often condescending reports (and I loved believing) - he engineers the cutting of stones for the pyramid, personally carves the most exquisite of the golden treasures to be entombed with the ruler, influences most of Pharoah's decisions, protects his friends and destroys his enemies and oh yes, devises equipment and tactics which make the army invincible.

Ultimately, however, the Hyksos arrive, an enemy whose primary weapon - the horse - is unknown. The hoard drives toward the capital city, defeating the Pharoah's forces wherever they are met and finally it is necessary for Taita to oversee putting everything of value aboard barges and direct the flight to the south.

In the high place where the Nile valley ends and the vast plain of Africa begins, Taita and the remnants of the royal family go into hiding while Taita, deprived of his pyramid, struggles to conceive a way to create a safe tomb. Here, unfortunately, Smith has essentially exhausted his story material. The lengthy narrative covers decades, and becomes a relatively colorless telling of events - and as the end sections set up the precedents for The Seventh Scroll, (second novel in the sequence), of unfortunate necessity everything must be kept suitably vague. We never learn where the pharaoh is finally buried, and the whole story kind of subsides rather than coming to a rousing end.

It doesn't matter. What has already gone has left the imagination reeling and sated. There's also the story that awaits in The Seventh Scroll - I had no idea what it would be, but let me tell you, it knocked my socks off.
If you are tired of the same old same old, I suggest you buy River God and treat yourself to a read that will stir your imagination like no other.
If Wilbur Smith lived on Lake Ontario, he'd have written "The Secret Ever Keeps". He lives in Africa, so I had to do it for him. If you love Smith, you'll love "The Secret Ever Keeps". http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601... (less)

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Aug 26, 2007 Jwala rated it 3 of 5 stars

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. He...more

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Dec 07, 2007 Marci rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 find...more

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Mar 12, 2012 Ioet rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ancient, egypt, historical, fiction, adventure, eunuchs, violence

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 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 once. He is the reason for failed revolts, the downfall of gangs of thieves, various brilliant surgical techniques, the mastery of the wheel, improved naval tactics, and oh yeah, you know those flower pillars in Egyptian temples? He came up with those.[return][return]By the time I'd reached the middle of RIVER GOD, Taita had already come to be like an old friend - I could always trust him to bust out some adventure and suitable knowledge or craftiness to save the day. In fact, everything in this book is extremely Taita-centered. He never fails. Not once. What Taita the slave sets out to do, Taita the slave succeeds in doing.[return][return]Whether that's good or bad is up to you. But if anything, this character serves as a vital tool in being able to fully experience every facet of ancient Egyptian life. The amount of detail packed in illuminates Egypt remarkably, and I'd recommend this to anyone looking to get a feel for every day life back then.[return][return]Despite Smith's vivid detail, however, the endless episodes of war and hunting began to weary me. It seemed that every dozen pages someone would die, but the main problem? I didn't care for any of them. The characters are flat as the Earth was in the year 1407. There's the dazzling prince, the beautiful maiden (or two), the coldly nefarious villain, etc. etc. They each do exactly what's expected of them. And the only refuge from this is, well, the action.[return][return]RIVER GOD is a daring book that sets out to breathe life and adventure into times of political uprising, intrigue, and brutality. It's a well-researched, relatively exciting jaunt through ancient Egypt, but at the core of everything, it takes on the tone of the obligingly violent action flick. For ancient Egyptian literature with mind-boggling political intrigue and great characters, check out works by Pauline Gedge such as Child of the Morning. For just another enjoyable day reading, RIVER GOD will do the job.(less)

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Oct 06, 2011 Mark Landen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

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 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 and Taita ironic: Taita was proud of his Egyptian culture and held it in high esteem, while Smith would have Taita use Smith's British terms and phrasings. For example, jewelery, sledge, manoeuvre, and so on, and I found this a point of amusement throughout the novel. In a single sitting I found myself reading about 1/4 of what I normally can, so if you're looking for a "beach read", there are other books that qualify. But read on, River God is worth taking your time and experiencing all it has to offer.

Other layers that added to the challenge include learning about the ancient Egyptian culture, tradition, religion, spirituality, economics, and geography. It was fascinating to absorb and learn, and perhaps it is atypical that I will stop reading and research topics encountered in the text. River God also has love stories, national scope, and an overall epic masterful story intertwined with all previously mentioned. Nearly every literary archetype is represented here and is welcome.

But something that I didn't expect happened; I feel I am a better person after reading River God. The maturation and lives of Taita, Tanus, Lostris, and others instilled a certain mentality and grace from the Egyptian culture and being. Smith expertly crafts wisdom into his audience through the characters' experiences and I found this to be utterly fascinating. Only one other work of fiction has affected me similarly, but not to the same depth and degree.

River God is like nothing I've read before. It is a challenging read and worth treating with reverence. If you allow yourself the complete experience, it is my belief you will feel you have changed in some way. There are few novels that can transcend their text and make this claim. River God is one of them.(less)

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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. I sometimes feel ashamed...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Ioet rated it 2 of 5 stars

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 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 once. He is the reason for failed revolts, the downfall of gangs of thieves, various brilliant surgical techniques, the mastery of the wheel, improved naval tactics, and oh yeah, you know those flower pillars in Egyptian temples? He came up with those.[return][return]By the time I'd reached the middle of RIVER GOD, Taita had already come to be like an old friend - I could always trust him to bust out some adventure and suitable knowledge or craftiness to save the day. In fact, everything in this book is extremely Taita-centered. He never fails. Not once. What Taita the slave sets out to do, Taita the slave succeeds in doing.[return][return]Whether that's good or bad is up to you. But if anything, this character serves as a vital tool in being able to fully experience every facet of ancient Egyptian life. The amount of detail packed in illuminates Egypt remarkably, and I'd recommend this to anyone looking to get a feel for every day life back then.[return][return]Despite Smith's vivid detail, however, the endless episodes of war and hunting began to weary me. It seemed that every dozen pages someone would die, but the main problem? I didn't care for any of them. The characters are flat as the Earth was in the year 1407. There's the dazzling prince, the beautiful maiden (or two), the coldly nefarious villain, etc. etc. They each do exactly what's expected of them. And the only refuge from this is, well, the action.[return][return]RIVER GOD is a daring book that sets out to breathe life and adventure into times of political uprising, intrigue, and brutality. It's a well-researched, relatively exciting jaunt through ancient Egypt, but at the core of everything, it takes on the tone of the obligingly violent action flick. For ancient Egyptian literature with mind-boggling political intrigue and great characters, check out works by Pauline Gedge such as Child of the Morning. For just another enjoyable day reading, RIVER GOD will do the job.(less)

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Dec 07, 2008 Dana Stabenow rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: anyone who liked She and Crocodile on a Sandbank, or any rollicking grand adventure tale.

Recommended to Dana by: Bob Penney

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 fo...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Jasmine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A riveting read told from the extraordinary mind of Taita - slave by chance but genius by nature. His is a novel of boundless love for his mistress, Lostris, and their companion, Tanus; the advancement of science and technology (and therein, his own immortalisation); and the quest to straighten the path set for him by Lord Intef. It is a story of the lengths one man will go to for those he loves, of overcoming fear and regret and of compassion afforded even to the less deserving.

In River God, Ta...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Eugenie Chung rated it 4 of 5 stars

I always find Egyptian culture and history facinating. Whenever there is an archelogical documentary on the television about Egypt, I would watch it. I was recommended this book by a colleague who found it very interesting.
The story is set in ancient Egypt, the time of the great pharaohs. It evolves around three main characters:
Taita- a eunuch with expertise in medicine and technology, kind of like the Michaelangelo or Da Vinci of his time
Lostris- proteges of Taita, the daughter of noble Lord...more I always find Egyptian culture and history facinating. Whenever there is an archelogical documentary on the television about Egypt, I would watch it. I was recommended this book by a colleague who found it very interesting.
The story is set in ancient Egypt, the time of the great pharaohs. It evolves around three main characters:
Taita- a eunuch with expertise in medicine and technology, kind of like the Michaelangelo or Da Vinci of his time
Lostris- proteges of Taita, the daughter of noble Lord Intef, the most beautiful maiden of the time
Tanus- a young army general, only son of a deceased noble Lord
It was a time of turnmoil when Egypt was divided into the upper and lower kingdoms. The pharaoh was in great trouble from the outside and inside of the country and he longed for a male heir.
The ambitious Lord Intef, the person behind the downfall of Tanus' father, offered his daugher to him and promised a son. However, this didnot stop the love between the star-crossed lovers Lostris and Tanus. Having lost the woman he loved and power, Tanus, with the insider's help from Taita, decided it was time for his revenge. And this forms the first part of the story with Tanus preparing and getting everything in place for his big plan.
Nearly half way through the story, Lostris 's father was killed for what he did and she became the mother of the Crown Prince, who was actually fathered by Tanus. Tanus on the other hand, became the most trusted general of the pharaoh. This leads to the second part of the story when the upper kingdom was facing invasion from the foreign babarians. They decided to leave the country and went into a long exile. After years of wondering into interesting places and adventure, they finally defeated the invaders and went back.
I think this is a very enjoyable read and the author made a lot of effort in descibing to us the way of life at that time. You will understand the culture and religion especially of that time. It is a fantastic tale of sex, war and revenge, very well written with interesting characters. I would highly recommend this to everyone. This is the first book of a triology and having read this, you can then move on to read the Seventh Scroll and the Warlock.
(less)

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Aug 20, 2012 Geralt rated it 3 of 5 stars

Just finished the book and I must say it leaves me in a dilemma. On the one hand it was an epic, likable adventure with love, battles and friendship set in ancient Egypt (great!), on the other hand it wasn't really convincing, its characters were often black and white, the historical aspects were butchered (not so great). The whole book was supposed to be a novelization of fictional ancient scrolls written by a genius slave Taita, thus many of my misgivings can be attributed to the "author's" pa...more Just finished the book and I must say it leaves me in a dilemma. On the one hand it was an epic, likable adventure with love, battles and friendship set in ancient Egypt (great!), on the other hand it wasn't really convincing, its characters were often black and white, the historical aspects were butchered (not so great). The whole book was supposed to be a novelization of fictional ancient scrolls written by a genius slave Taita, thus many of my misgivings can be attributed to the "author's" partiality - after all history is written by the victors, right? His Masters and friends are paragons of justice and virtue while his enemies are evil hyenas, guilty of unparalleled atrocities. The "author" himself invents pretty much everything apart from sliced bread: composite bows, ram poles for boats, wooden tribunes, water mills, spiked wheels, water toilets, devices to remove arrowheads from wounds, flag signals and lots of other stuff. Oh well.

I like stories set in ancient Egypt. "Sinuhe" by Mika Waltari was one of the best books I've ever read. And since I've heard that this book was similar in tone, I gave it a try.

The Good:
- it's a page turner. The suspense is kept up right until the end.
- the characters are likable (even though a bit cheesy at some points) and the story draws the reader into the world of love and politics in ancient Egypt
- the descriptions of the battles and dramatic hunts are convincing

The Bad:
- the author takes a liberal approach to the historical background. As far as I can tell only one name corresponds to a real person: Salitis, the Hyksos invader. The Hyksos bring recurved bows and chariots into the game (although some scholars presume that chariots were present in Egypt before the invasion). The rest is made up. Especially the pharaohs position wasn't as strong at this time as portrayed in the book. The described period is largely uncovered in historical archives, which left plenty of room for imagination.
- some descriptions are inconsistent with egyptian traditions, e.g. Taita often praises his own paintings as being "accurate". The Egyptian painters had a canon of the human body, which means that figures and faces were essentialy drawn the same way. Echnaton had tried to change that and was portrayed with a long face and a belly, but that was just him. The paintings were not supposed to be "accurate"
- even though Wilbur Smith is an Ex-Rhodesian author, the book has a slight "hollywood" feel to it, i.e. love conquers all, good triumphs over evil, etc.(less)

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Jun 01, 2012 Sasha rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wilbur Smith is the name I never noticed before,although I am life-long bookshop browser. Perhaps I was looking in the wrong direction or simply didn't know him,I clearly remember last year in South Africa checking out his novels in bookshops and thinking "hm,this sounds interesting" but this time I decided to give him a try. Boy,was it worth it.
"The River God" is his famous first (of many) books set in ancient Egypt and its a beautiful never-ending saga in full MGM splendor,with lots of chariot...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Nerida Hart rated it 3 of 5 stars

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

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Jun 15, 2011 Critical Mind rated it 5 of 5 stars

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 splendid...more 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 splendid that a few pages of my well-worn book have dried marks of drool. Our heroine is in equal measure brave and beautiful, and our point of view narrator tells the story with humor and narcissistic flair. What then is the difference? What turns elements found in any cheesy romance novel into something dynamic and so much larger-than-life that it lingers, long after you put it down?

The obvious genius of River God is the lyrical, readable storycraft. This story carries itself beautifully. The backdrop of ancient Egypt is vivid and the adventures packed with fist-pounding adrenaline. With every chapter, Smith draws his characters from the pages, crafting them until they are flesh and blood, transporting you into their Egypt, turning their struggles into yours, until you are reading, breathing, yearning for them, loving with them.

Subtler yet, is the real secret. Wilbur Smith tells a perfect tale of the human condition, a story about what really matters at the end of it all. What small portions of our lives mark our best memories? Moments where we we truly loved and had the courage to express it? Times where hardship only strengthened our hope and pain left no bitterness, no ill will, but in its stead fortitude, strength, and the best we could be? Enter the story of River God. I could recap the story, give you a review of where they went and what they did. But let me end with this.

This story is how we all wish to live. When they loved, it was with every breath, when they kept their honor, it was until it almost destroyed them, when they embraced the turns that life gave them, I wished upon myself the same courage and levity. This is a story of Tanus, Lostris, and Taita, and this is how they lived.

5 Stars.(less)

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Dec 08, 2010 Morag Gray rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone who is not fussy.

Shelves: junk-reading

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This has to be one of the worst books I have ever read. The writing is poor, the characters are two-dimensional (if that) and the plot is thin.

Taita the Eunuch belongs to Lord Intef. One of his jobs is looking after Intef's 14-year-old daughter, Lostris, and keeping her away from the man of her dreams, Tanus. Once Lostris becomes Pharoah's wife, Intef's treachery becomes apparent. Tanus is restored to his wealth and titles (stolen by Intef)and eventually becoems Egypt's greatesdt general.Egypt...more This has to be one of the worst books I have ever read. The writing is poor, the characters are two-dimensional (if that) and the plot is thin.

Taita the Eunuch belongs to Lord Intef. One of his jobs is looking after Intef's 14-year-old daughter, Lostris, and keeping her away from the man of her dreams, Tanus. Once Lostris becomes Pharoah's wife, Intef's treachery becomes apparent. Tanus is restored to his wealth and titles (stolen by Intef)and eventually becoems Egypt's greatesdt general.Egypt is overrun by a technologically more advanced people, the Hyksos. Pharoah dies, in spite of Taita's efforts to save his live. By the way, Taita is a skilled surgeon, an accomplished engineer, an architect, jewellery maker, playwright, poet, artist, weapons maker, strategist, military advisor and childminder. All this, sensitive, and incredibly beautiful, too, even in old age. Taita, Tanus and Lostris lead the remnants of the Egyptians to Cush where they rebuild and wait for Lostris's son to reach adulthood. Eventually the Egyptians begin the reconquering of their kingdom and Lostris declares her son to be the new Pharoah.

My early impression was that Wilbur Smith had done a whole lot of research on Ancient Egypt, and he was determined to let the reader know that he had. Great chunks of information are dropped onto the page. Spectacular crowd scenes pad out the plot, starting with a hippo hunt. Along the way we have a theatre scene, several beatings and executions, battles and the body count mounts. Taita's character does not develop over the course of the book - he is brilliant to begin with, and merely adds to his bloated skill-set. The time he takes to learn some of these skills - chariot driving, wheel-building, new languages, is ridiculously short. Tanus and Lostris come across as GI Joe and Barbie. Both are impossibly good, noble, love their country and their adulterous relationship is beautiful and honourable. As Tanus ages, the prince steps into his role of super-miltary beefcake.

I agree with Ovide - it would make a great film. Think of a Cecil B. de Mille type extravanganza. I wouldn't bother to go and see it, either. And I think Gouty's idea of the F7 cliche inserter is dead on. Pity WS didn't use the F8 CLiche Replacement key.(less)

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Sep 04, 2010 Benjamin Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, action-adventure, favorites

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 the author ch...more

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Jun 15, 2010 maricar rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, series

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 to gather a...more

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Mar 09, 2010 Stef rated it 5 of 5 stars

"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 ...in fact you can go straight to what I think is book three).

River God follows the fate of the Egyptian Kingdom through the eyes of Taita, a multi-talented and hi...more

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Jul 23, 2009 Kenna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-books-of-all-time

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 when I rerea...more

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Apr 04, 2009 Mandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fantasy-fiction, fantasy

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I don't know whether or not to classify this as fantasy. There was things that hinted at god involvement, but probably not enough to say it was fantasy. The main character could perform magic too. I guess, I'll call it both and let the reader decide what they want to call it.

I found this book interesting because it was set in Ancient Egypt. Although, I didn't care much for the main character. He was a Mary Sue type. He was good at everything and as I recall always right. To me that's more annoy...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Helen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: egypt, favs, fiction

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 misplac...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Dean Cummings rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hist-hist-fict, favorites

Over two decades ago, archeologists and Egyptologists discovered another tomb in the Valley of Kings and a collection of legible scrolls that date back to 1750 BC. The scrolls were written by a gifted slave named Taita who was loved by the Queen Lostris and her illegitimate husband, Tanus - a warrior of Ten Thousand. The scrolls tell the story of their love affair and the exploits of Egypt in a time when their dominion over the proximate world was made vulnerable by neighbouring tribes bent on p...more

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Nov 10, 2012 ☽ Moon ☯ 佛月球 Будда Луны rated it 3 of 5 stars

The antiquated remnants concealed in the undisclosed ruins left by the Ancient Civilizations that still await further excavation hold a certain allure, a spellbinding interest that captivate the imagination of the modern man as it leaves some parts of its historical lineage buried undiscovered beneath its seeming eternal underground of slumber, enclosing their ancient secrets in mysticism as it opens up a wide gap between the truth from what is just mere fiction.

River God is a manifestation of t...more

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Nov 29, 2009 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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. There is h...more

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River God (Ancient Egypt #1)

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