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Out of the Black Land

3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 · rating details · 59 ratings · 21 reviews

Eighteenth Dynasty Egypt is peaceful and prosperous under the dual rule of the Pharaohs Amenhotep III and IV, until the younger Pharaoh begins to dream new and terrifying dreams.

Ptah-hotep, a young peasant boy studying to be a scribe, wants to live a simple life in a Nile hut with his lover Kheperren and their dog Wolf. But Amenhotep IV appoints him as Great Royal Scribe....more

Paperback, 459 pages

Published August 2010 by Clan Destine Press

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Apr 01, 2013 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

Now THIS is what I'm talking about when I talk about good historical fiction!

Ms. Kerry Greenwood has taken on the monumental (ha ha ha) task of not only writing about Ancient Egypt (a period of ancient history that has been horribly, horribly butchered by authors too many times for me to count) but also taking on the reign of Akhnaten, the enigmatic and MUCH overused as a character pharaoh most famous for looking like an alien and attempting to start a monotheistic religion in a country that li...more Now THIS is what I'm talking about when I talk about good historical fiction!

Ms. Kerry Greenwood has taken on the monumental (ha ha ha) task of not only writing about Ancient Egypt (a period of ancient history that has been horribly, horribly butchered by authors too many times for me to count) but also taking on the reign of Akhnaten, the enigmatic and MUCH overused as a character pharaoh most famous for looking like an alien and attempting to start a monotheistic religion in a country that literally survived because of polytheism.

Much to my immense pleasure and surprise she not only succeeds in creating a truly amazing picture of an ancient culture she positively flourishes, telling an engaging, haunting story and creating wonderful characters as she goes.

Here we follow the lives of Mutnodjme the younger half sister of Akhnaten famous queen Nefertiti and that of Ptah-hotep a young scribe who is inexplicably posted to the role of Great Royal Scribe by the whimsical (at least when the story begins) Akhnaten who literally plucks him out of the river where he's swimming.

Greenwood slips back and forth between these two lives that will eventually cross and converge in a passionate love all against the backdrop of great political upheaval and the eventual chaos created when Akhnaten attempts to strip away the Egyptian pantheon in favor of his one god the Aten.

Normally I find these attempts at epic love stories in the ancient world incredibly cloying. Its not a simple thing to really paint a believable picture of a place like Egypt that doesn't either sound like a text book or a bad rehashing of Elizabeth Taylor doing Cleopatra.

What made this book stand out the most for me was Greenwood's wonderful use of language as a way to set the scene. She incorporates wonderful translations of actual Egyptian texts into dialogue and description that really embodies the feel of an ancient culture. These people speak the way you'd expect them to, they inhabit their world with all its social conventions and traditions and Greenwood makes no attempt to have them do anything else.

Her characters are exceptional as well somehow deeply engaging and relatable even without the ham handed attempts at modern speech or modern social ideas that one so often sees in these books. Egyptian culture, and daily life are fascinating enough without trying to add a bunch of modern nonsense.

Her Egypt is a fascinating place that I was very, very reluctant to leave.(less)

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Mar 12, 2013 Alisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

First of all, the cover does this book a disservice, because it says "Out of the the Black Land, a Mystery". I dislike mysteries, and I dislike historically-set mysteries above all, so my love of anything Egyptian warred with my mystery-distaste, and I almost didn't chose the book at all. But I quickly discovered it is not at ALL, in any way a mystery, and so I enjoyed it very much. The cover says it also 'erotic', and really, it's not. There is sex, but it's pretty short, and really not describ...more

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Feb 24, 2013 Kevin Lanahan rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction

The cover says it's a mystery. It's not.

I've really enjoyed the Phryne Fisher books, and thought some of the Corrina books were ok. This book was a drudge. The main characters don't actually do anything throughout the book except act as observers to the goings-on of the pharaoh's court and the sex scenes are awkward and unnecessary (seriously, how many times can someone use the word "phallus" in a book?") According to the notes, the author spent some time researching the book, but all we really...more

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Mar 07, 2013 Nancy W'f rated it 2 of 5 stars

Oh, my. I really, really wanted to like this book. I am always on the lookout for fiction about Akhenaten that is even half as good as Allen Drury's "A God Against the Gods," and this seemed like a strong contender. I have read Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher books and found them enjoyable, and a glance at her afterword seemed to show she'd done her homework. "Out of the Black Land" is written in the same style as Drury's book, and although Drury used multiple narrators instead of only two, this...more

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Apr 04, 2013 Denise rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, my-fav-authors, my-fav-books

When you've read a truly satisfying book you feel the same way that you would after an excellent meal. And this book, IMHO, was one of those.

A tale of ancient Egypt during the early reign of the heretic king, Akhnaten. A young peasant boy--Ptah-hotep--wants nothing more than to live a simple life with his best friend, fellow scribe, love of his life, Kheperren. The two boys dream of a small house by the river and a dog named "Wolf" in their future. But life has a habit of getting in the way of...more When you've read a truly satisfying book you feel the same way that you would after an excellent meal. And this book, IMHO, was one of those.

A tale of ancient Egypt during the early reign of the heretic king, Akhnaten. A young peasant boy--Ptah-hotep--wants nothing more than to live a simple life with his best friend, fellow scribe, love of his life, Kheperren. The two boys dream of a small house by the river and a dog named "Wolf" in their future. But life has a habit of getting in the way of dreams.

Amenhotep IV (soon to change his name to Akhnaten) appoints Ptah-hotep to be his Great Royal Scribe (a very high position in the land) and he must attend the Pharaoh at the royal court. He soon discovers that there are rivals and enemies behind every curtain.

To preserve the life of Kheperren he must send him away to serve in the army. The gossip-mongers at court would make their lives miserable not to mention the danger of poison in their wine cups. General Horemheb (head of the Egyptian armies) takes Kheperren under his wing as an army scribe and the years roll by.

Along the way, Ptah-hotep is introduced to the sister of Pharaoh's wife--Mutnodjime--and discovers that he can feel love for a woman as well as a man. The story blends the deep love between Ptah-hotep, Kheperren and Mutnodjime as their lives are affected by outside influences through the years. Upon the death of his father, Amenhotep IV assumes the full might of Pharaoh and unleashes his religious fanaticism. The temples of the old gods are closed down, their priests are forced to flee for their lives and the new religious cult of the sun god--Aten--begins. The royal court is moved to a new location and Egyptian society is disrupted as families fight for their survival and must swear new political allegiances. In this time of upheaval, the three lovers must tread cautiously just to survive.

This is a story that celebrates love. There are no religious rules that prevent the expression of that love by the three main characters. The story shows that love is still love regardless of the gender. I highly recommend this to readers who can maintain an open mind. (less)

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Jul 13, 2012 Alison Dellit rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, fiction, favorites

Great read. Kerry Greenwood combines this immense sense of fun, with extensive research into the period, and an interest in saying something about how our perceptions are shaped by culture. It's almost my perfect relaxation reading!

Apparently Greenwood was inspired to write this by the inscriptions featuring gay sex on the tomb of a senior Egyptian court official. The book certainly shows a people who, while recognisably human in emotion, have different expectations, morality and understanding o...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Marty rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-reading-challenge, seasonal-reading-challenge

Kerry Greenwood conducted some extensive research on Ancient Egypt (and Egyptology in general) and it shows in this novel of the Amarna period. The story is narrated by two insiders at the royal court: Mutnodjme, a half-sister to Nefertiti, and Ptah-hotep, a young student who is suddenly raised to the office of Royal Scribe. Akhnaten, obsessed with the monotheistic cult of Aten, is portrayed as a deeply unstable man with odd physical characteristics and who also suffers from impotence. Greenwood...more Kerry Greenwood conducted some extensive research on Ancient Egypt (and Egyptology in general) and it shows in this novel of the Amarna period. The story is narrated by two insiders at the royal court: Mutnodjme, a half-sister to Nefertiti, and Ptah-hotep, a young student who is suddenly raised to the office of Royal Scribe. Akhnaten, obsessed with the monotheistic cult of Aten, is portrayed as a deeply unstable man with odd physical characteristics and who also suffers from impotence. Greenwood suggests that Nefertiti, in love with the strange heir to the throne and desperate for a child, resorts to sleeping with Akhnaten's father, Amenhotep, with the blessing of both Queen mother Tiye.

Ptah-hotep, who was hoping for a quiet life with his lover, Kheperren, must protect himself from constant threats by the Pharaoh's unscrupulous advisors, as well as keeping the kingdom's accounts balanced as much as possible. Mutnodjme, formerly a priestess of Isis, does her best to serve the Queen Mother, the only person in the kingdom who can stand up to Akhnaten's outrageous demands without fear of death. Ptah-hotep and Mutnodjme eventually fall in love, but the increasing instability of the Pharaoh forces the two to take drastic measures to escape the palace with their lives.

Greenwood admits she is going against popular opinion by portraying Ay, chief counselor to Tutankhamen as a money hungry monster and General Horemheb as a hero. Still, her narrative has a ring of true, owing to Ay's incredibly brief reign and Horemheb's long and peaceful one. The details of daily life in Thebes and Amarna are fascinating. The love scenes are quite erotic, also quite accurate according to ancient contemporary poetry. The tension that Greenwood creates as the once mighty, well-organized kingdom begins to disintegrate makes this one of the more successful thrillers I've read in a while. It doesn't matter if you know already how the actual story of this period turns out. This is a fascinating book that is very hard to put down.(less)

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Feb 20, 2013 Kate Sometomato rated it 4 of 5 stars

Wow! The book was mislabeled in my library as a mystery - which it surely is not. Kerry Greenwood, the author, has a good series of humorous vintage mysteries, so I suppose that that one could expect that this novel might be one. However, the book is a novel about ancient Egypt, during the reign of Amenhotep III - through the disastrous reign of Ahknaten - and into the reign of General Horemheb. The story is erotic, humorous, suspenseful and very enjoyable - but definitely NOT a mystery.

Actually...more

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Jul 06, 2011 Nicole rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm still trying to decide what I think about this book. It tells the story of Nefertiti and Ahkanaten, as seen through the eyes of Nefertiti's sister and Ahknaten's scribe. Greenwood weaves together several threads - examining what culture was like for women, for scholars, for royals, and for soldiers.

It took some dedication to get far enough into the book that it grabbed me and required me to finish it. It felt a little like two books in one - the story that the author wanted to tell and the...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Donna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Just mention Ancient Egypt and I'm hooked. This historical mystery adds new dimension to the reign of Akhenaten and his queen Nefertiti seen through the eyes of three characters: Mutnodjme, sister of Nefertiti and royal princess, Ptah-hotep- Royal Scribe to Akhenaten, and his lover Kheperran, scribe
to future Pharaoh,General Horemheb . Scrupulously researched, Greenwood's book covers Egyptian life, customs, religion and sexual mores, focusing on the most infamous Pharaoh in Egyptian history. I co...more

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Mar 03, 2013 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

The story of Egypt's brief period of monotheism is told through the lives, and from the perspective of, several characters. While the subtitle calls this a mystery, it isn't a mystery in the sense of something happened and the characters are trying to figure out why. I'm uncertain what the mystery is as the primary plot seems to be the difficulties caused by a change in king and the course of events that prevents the various lovers from being together. While there are many explicit sex scenes, t...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ancient-egypt-fiction, historical-fiction, amarna-fiction, aussie-author-but-not-aussie-book

Out of the Black Land is a novel set during the reign of the heretic pharaoh, Akhenaten. The story is told through the eyes of two characters: the sister of Nefertiti, Mutnodjme, and Akhenaten's Great Royal Scribe, Ptah-hotep.

Kerry Greenwood's writing style is entertaining and enjoyable, and the storyline is fascinating – though any plot that involves the Amarna period has great potential. I devoured Out of the Black Land in a matter of days the first time I read it, and on the second read, foun...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian, historicals

It's always interesting to hear where the idea for a book came from. Kerry Greenwood was on a tour in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt when an inscription on the wall of a tomb triggered a desire to write a same-sex love story in a time and place where it wasn't something that was surprising, noticeable, wrong, or scandalous. What she has actually written is an elaborate, detailed, and fascinating story of an Ancient Egypt as a society which differs dramatically from current day mores.

I've never...more It's always interesting to hear where the idea for a book came from. Kerry Greenwood was on a tour in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt when an inscription on the wall of a tomb triggered a desire to write a same-sex love story in a time and place where it wasn't something that was surprising, noticeable, wrong, or scandalous. What she has actually written is an elaborate, detailed, and fascinating story of an Ancient Egypt as a society which differs dramatically from current day mores.

I've never thought of myself as much of a fan of Ancient "epic" novels, but what I actually don't like is novels that read like research projects. That's not to say that I don't like learning things, but there's a world of difference between being told a story and reading a dissertation. Interestingly Greenwood bemoans the general state of Egyptology in the Afterword to the book, and whilst she's obviously had one serious slog to do the research for this book, she delivers the details in a very engaging style.

OUT OF THE BLACK LAND is a very elaborate book, taking the reader into the royal houses of Eighteenth Dynasty Egypt. It does this via two main narrators - Ptah-hotep, Royal Scribe, lover of Kheperren; and Mutnodjme, royal princess, sister to Nefertiti, lover of Ptah-hotep, wife of General Horemheb. The two main characters tell the story of events around the eventual death of Amenhotep III and the rise of Amenhotep IV who believes totally in monotheism. Amenhotep IV is a strangely afflicted man, impotent and increasing quite mad, he is prepared to overrule longheld religious beliefs ruthlessly. As the new Pharoah causes havoc in the land, Ptah-hotep and Mutnodjme deal with the consequences in their own personal lives.

Ancient Egypt Royalty had a considerably different attitude to sex than nowadays, and in OUT OF THE BLACK LAND there is a complicated series of love and sexual partnerships, marriages and family relationships. Ensuring an ongoing line for the Pharoahs was paramount and arrangements were made that would be considered extremely unorthodox these days, as would the extensive and seemingly incestous marriages that were established. As confrontational as this may be for some readers, it did seem to provide protection and support for people who would otherwise have been vulnerable, to say nothing of a society hierarchy and structure that everyone was used to and comfortable within.

OUT OF THE BLACK LAND does concentrate on the Royal houses and their connections, with little or no reference to the day-to-day lives of ordinary Egyptians as it charts the rise and fall of a despot, interwoven with tales of power games, intrigue and ongoing love and commitment that meld into the day to day life of these people. The same-sex love story that originally triggered Greenwood's desire to write this novel is simply a part of the overall story. It sits within all the other tales of ongoing love and support, the rise and fall of individuals, and the turmoil of a society. The lives and fortunes of Ptah-hotep and Kheperren, Mutnodjme and Horemheb are inextricably linked with that of Egypt as a whole. As society falls into turmoil, so do they. As society settles and matures, so do they. And that is probably the underlying story of OUT OF THE BLACK LAND. Greenwood writes about a world in which a same-sex love story isn't particularly exceptional, but she has created an elaborate, detailed yet extremely readable and accessible story about a society peopled with some exceptional characters.

(Disclaimer: Clan Destine Press is run by friend and colleague Lindy Cameron and I'm lucky enough to wrangle the web site for her).(less)

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Oct 06, 2011 Tien rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian-author, egypt, historical-fiction

I believed that I loved ancient egypt as setting but the last 2 books I've read in that setting (which includes this one) might shook me off my lofty perch.

Seriously, I expected differently from this book. I'm familiar with the Phryne Fisher and Corrinna Chapman series. Therefore, I expected something along similar lines but in ancient Egypt which could be a lot of fun. In comparison, whilst I have my personal reservations on those 2 series, there were so much more fun reads than this book. Gree...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Charlene Hecht rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have an interest in ancient Egyptian history so just the cover of the book drew me toward it. I give Greenwood a lot of credit for the research she had to do. Egyptian history is nothing short of confusing and contradictory. If you love an imagining of what it may have been like at this time period, you will enjoy the book. Intrigue. Sexuality. Women's rights. Religion. It's all covered.

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Mar 29, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like her lighter books so I was intrigued by this one. It grabbed me from the beginning with it's two main characters. I love the way she re-imagines Egypt in that time.

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Apr 10, 2013 Kristina rated it 3 of 5 stars

I very much like the characters and the setting, but the mystery is taking quite a while to get started. I'm still reading, though...

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Feb 02, 2013 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fascinating and utterly absorbing book set in Ancient Egypt, during the reign of Akhnaten. A huge amount of research must have gone into this, Greenwood skilfully weaves fact, theories and fiction into a very harmonious story.

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May 15, 2013 Liza added it

I could not bring myself to finish this historical fiction. I got maybe 10% through. Once again, there are no Africans in Egypt.

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Mar 27, 2013 Rob rated it 4 of 5 stars

Interesting take on the Amarna/Aten period in Egypt.

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Sep 19, 2012 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian, historical-fiction, review-copy

3.75-4.0 stars

More detailed review to come.

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About Kerry Greenwood

Kerry Greenwood was born in the Melbourne suburb of Footscray and after wandering far and wide, she returned to live there. She has a degree in English and Law from Melbourne University and was admitted to the legal profession on the 1st April 1982, a day which she finds both soothing and significant.

Kerry has written twenty novels, a number of plays, including The Troubadours with Stephen D'Arcy,...more

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Murder on the Ballarat Train (Phryne Fisher, #3)

Death at Victoria Dock (Phryne Fisher, #4)

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