The Awakening Aten

The Aten Saga #1

by Aidan K. Morrissey

Book One of 'The Aten' Saga

The Awakening Aten envelops the reader in an Egypt of whispers and fears, of webs within webs, deceit upon deceit. Its themes of murder, intrigue, political and religious conflict, corruption, tomb robbing, war and executions are set against a background of fundamental ideological change.


Ancient Egypt is seen through the eyes of two families; one royal, the other commoner. Yuya, whose tomb is in the Valley of the Kings, is a foreigner who rises from slavery to become Regent to an infant Pharaoh and thus, the most powerful man in the world’s wealthiest empire. His children and descendants will remain at the very heart of the country’s destiny. Kha is a tomb painter and builder who experiences both the despair of imprisonment and the horror of war. As Overseer of the King’s Works he restores the Great Sphinx, and inscribes the ‘Dream Stela’ placed between its paws, still visible today. Through tragic and deathly events his family and that of Yuya become entwined.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction

448 pages, Paperback

Published June 28, 2019

Reviews

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like ancient historical fiction novels that have a huge amount of factual detail incorporated, then you should consider picking up a copy of The Awakening Aten. It is set in 1420 BCE Egypt and it is the first in a planned 5 Book Series.

I enjoyed this story so much and rather than write a review about the story itself I am writing about the things that stood out for me. It is just that when I try and write a review on the story it sounds so confusing because it is such a big story, and I don’t feel able to do it justice. That makes it sound like the story is confusing, and actually, once you get into it flows wonderfully and makes complete sense!

The story has quite a large cast and the main characters have a mention in a handy list at the front of the book. What I liked about this list was that is was broken down into family groups. The author has also noted which characters are real or fictional.

The cast covers a diverse range of backgrounds from those facing death to the King. In between, there are priests, mercenaries, artists, builders and princes just to name a few. This is where that handy list comes in useful as I started to get to grips with them all.

The story itself charts the lives of the key characters, the roles they play as well as the everyday things. Here the author manages to weave individual stories that gradually build into a far bigger picture.

The research and knowledge are very evident and the inclusion of some very interesting notes from the author adds to that feeling that the details were right. I am not knowledgable in this era of history, I do know bits and pieces like most others but things just felt right as far as I was concerned.

The story itself had so many things going on and though it follows the lives of the main characters, I also felt as though I was getting a grand tour of ancient Egypt and all that was involved at the time. The story has a lot of drama and it is explored through various means. There is murder, corruption, power-struggles, religion, social etiquette, tombs, mummification… in fact, pretty much everything I would expect from this period and then a whole lot more!

This was such a fascinating and very insightful novel with some fabulous detail. Following different families as they made their way through the story. It has left me very eager to read the next in the series.

This is a book that has left me wanting to read more and it is one I would definitely recommend.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know a lot about ancient Egypt and I am still relatively new to historical fiction. I am so glad I decided to read The Awakening Aten. This novel is remarkable. The amount of research that went into this is evident. What I loved most about it was author, Aidan K. Morrissey kept as much of the historical information factual. He only made up parts that can’t be found through research.

This is a very character driven novel. It is quite a handful of people to keep track of, but luckily, Morrissey gives us a handy reference in the beginning of the book. Each character is so richly developed that honestly, once I got the hang of who everyone was, I had no issues getting lost or confused.

The plot is told in rich details of real battles, culture and struggles. It was perfectly paced to keep me glued to the pages. This is a relatively long novel, but I read it in just a couple days. I had trouble putting it down because I felt so immersed in a culture I didn’t know much about. I learned so much through this, and I can’t say enough positive about this novel.

Fans of historical fiction will love The Awakening Aten. Though some of it is fictional, this novel is based on accurate facts and clearly well researched. Highly recommended!!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book as part of a blog tour with Random Things Tours. All opinions are my own.*

Find this review and more on my blog: https://www.jessicabelmont.wordpress.com

[Lora Milton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually don't read character lists at the beginning of a novel because in a totally fiction novel, they're meaningless until they actually do something and I regard it as lazy writing. This one was an exception because the vast majority of the characters are really people from history, even the cat!

By the time I got to Part One I already could see that the author had done his research, and that's a big part of what makes a historical fiction novel enjoyable to me. I especially love books set in Ancient Egypt and though I found this one a little slow moving, I enjoyed having that era brought to life for me from a different perspective than I've read before.

Part of me wants to give this an extra star for the historical research, but the dialogue is stiff and the story just doesn't flow well. Still, it's worth persevering.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Random Things Tours and Matador Books for inviting me to take part in the blog tour for The Awakening Aten and providing me with a copy for review.

The Awakening Aten is a sweeping saga set in Ancient Egypt following two families through multiple generations. One royal and one common, this epic covers themes of religion, politics, war and tomb building among many others.

I loved the setting of The Awakening Aten the most. I have not read many, if any, books set in this time period and there was a lot of detail about the customs and way of life. The description of the tombs and burial rituals were very interesting. I personally did find it drags a little in places, but I am sure a fan of character driven novels and sweeping family epics would enjoy the pacing of it more.

It is obvious how much the author knows and loves the time period and it was a very informative and interesting read.

[Lel Budge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Partly based on factual elements of Egyptian history.

The story revolves around three men who escape jail, are then given positions by the King of Egypt and become rich and powerful….

There are a lot of characters and it does take quite a while to get these in your head and let the story flow, but once you do you become immersed in the politics, and the culture of the gods, with murder, lies and even tomb robbing….

A character driven epic with beautifully descriptive writing that brings this ancient world to life.

Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book and this is my honest, unbiased review.

[Rachael Dunn · Rating 1 out of 5]

When I found out that this book takes place in ancient Egypt, I was ecstatic. There are so few fiction books set during this period. It wasn't too far in that I realized it read like a textbook. The author is clearly knowledgeable about this time, but all the characters are flat, and he does a lot of telling instead of showing. I couldn't finish it.

[Shaelene (aGirlWithBookss) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Before I jump into the review I want to give a little back story.
I’m a huge egyptology nerd and have an entire shelf dedicated to the subject. I’ve read many non-fiction books detailing Egyptian pharaohs of many different periods, I’m a serial Egypt documentary watcher, I’ve even contemplated egyptology as a career path.
This book popped up as a ‘read now’ option on my NetGalley discover page, I immediately clicked on the book and read the premise. I was excited to get this book and started reading it right away.

The story follows three pheasant men who are busted out of jail and appointed positions by the King of Egypt. All rise through the ranks of power, become well acquainted at the palace and reap the riches.

Quite a few of the characters are based on real people in Egyptian history and the events that took place during that time.
The story spans three generations (I only made it to the second) which can get confusing as there are a lot of characters to remember and we are jumping back and forth between point of views.

The descriptions of the surroundings, political climate, gods, kings, and religion are rich in nature and paint a wonderful world that transports you back in time. I really enjoyed this aspect of the book, however, there are many reasons why I could no longer continue reading it.

— The characters were stiff, basic and didn’t feel real. Much of the dialogue felt amateur, cheesy responses, and reactions- very weak overall. Some of the plot points are also really cliched (liberating all your ‘innocent’ friends from prison after being appointed by the king?)

— Too many timeline jumps. We spend maybe 3-4 chapters with a character at a certain point in time, then we are jumping ahead 6 weeks, 9 months or 10 years. It made for a confusing and frustrating reading experience, which leads to my next point and the one that really got me...

— With the change of each timeline and new characters being introduced, it felt like I was beginning the book every 4 chapters. We got a rundown on where the characters were now, who this new character was, their job and life story, how they know this person, and then another person is introduced, and so on, and so forth.
After having this same format repeat itself, I felt like I was getting nowhere in the story. It became boring, frustrating, terribly slow, and started to read a bit like non-fiction. All of these things had me procrastinating and then forcing myself to read this book. Not a very enjoyable reading experience when you love the time period.

Again, I really wanted to like this book, I was looking forward to seeing Nefertiti's character grow, Akhenaten's new religion and the birth of little Tutankhamun - I felt it could’ve been good, but it was far from enjoyable.
Too many characters, too many timeline jumps, and very poorly written dialogue. The only strong point was the historical aspect with real figures from Ancient Egypt and the atmosphere.
It always breaks me a little bit when I DNF a book and I’m sorry I had to on this one.

2 stars, DNF at 41%
*Received a finished copy from NetGalley and Troubador Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

[Xerxes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given a ARC by Netgalley in exchange for a fair review

The Awakening Aten is a sweeping drama centered on the Rise of Atenism and the decline of Egypt's old religion.

I imagine that Yuya himself was an Israelite Jew pressed into the service of the Hittite Army.

Aidan has done a huge amount of research within this novel, faithfully creating what is essentially a diary of daily Egyptian life.

My main point for improvement was that not much happened in between the novels, we were moving scenes from Kha's son, Djoser to see how he becomes a man and transition himself into a political life that makes GOT looks very amateur. Egyptian Royal Politics was so inter-wound with their tombs, you'd be hard-pressed to find another culture that puts so much emphasis on its tombs. Now I understand why Egyptians kept building them so much. The tomb was your way to the afterlife.

A word of warning, the action is meaningful enough with a battle with the Hittites, and Aidan produces a fantastic sentence describing the fluttering of the flag across the wind as bodies are piled onto the floor. He also shows how Egypt's royal monarchy falls in corruption as the High Priests are basically what caused Atenism to erupt. That was my general impression. But if the Priests of culture get corrupt, then people like Martin Luther did in Germany with raising his new Protestant religion. King Thutmose also doubts the nature of the Gods, for if the Gods are not controlling the sins of men, then what use are they? Could one God give all of that?

However, I disagreed with this point of view. The main point there should have been a character who worshipped the Gods but hated that the Priests had made themselves rich and corrupt. He would have a solid counter-argument to Atenism, arguing that it was the will of the Priests to choose. If the Gods created this world, then it was human will that led to wars and massacres. It was humans after all that split away from Ra from becoming too rebellious. If we see another character like this in the next novel, I will be pleased.

Many times I thought the author described too much effort into explaining a lot of detail about Egyptian life. While helpful, I felt this is a problem with historical fiction novels as authors have to often describe the details you don't know about. Aidan is an Egyptologist so that makes me envious of him. Although there were many scenes which dragged on, and it felt like a family drama sometimes. This is not a fault, this is more of the fact that you're describing an army scene for example. Aidan showed Kha on the chariot and then he's asking the Officer what an army is. The officer went into a lot of detail, but I would have wanted to see the descriptions of the Medjay Guard in an action for example. Rather than describing it. But how can you balance both of show and tell in a scene like this? Kha is a scribe and thus he's never heard or seen an army in his life. Now say you wrote a Napoleonic story, it would be much easier to describe French Bluecoats and the Imperial Guard marching onto the battlefield, drums waving, and their muskets glinting in the sunlight as cannons roar around them. Whereas say with an Egyptian battlefield, I would have wanted a more active description, more cinematic action, more details of soldiers crushing their clubs into each other.

My feedback would be is to balance between describing, showing and telling. Sometimes I felt it was more of a history book, so the pace was slow in between. However, in the next sequel, I would like to see more emphasis on more political intrigue, more maneuvering, more action and less describing and telling.

Overall, I'd give this 4/5 for a solid effort. Aidan has done more research than anyone ever could, and I think he's done more of a fantastic job with this novel. Although I would say that in the next novel he focuses the story in the Pendulum genre and make the story more important while keeping the main aesthetic of the historical detail at hand. If you like Egyptian court politics, and drama this is for you.

This is like Steven Saylor's Empire, only in much more detail.

Worth the recommendation and thank you, Aidan, for creating a work of art!

[Susie Helme · Rating 4 out of 5]

1420 BCE. In prison, Yuya interprets Perneb’s dream and tells him about the ten laws of the One God. Then, King Amenhotep’s (II) guards come for him. The king has had a dream. Yuya interprets it as foretelling famine, and the king appoints him Overseer of the King’s Granaries.
They are going to war against the Naharina (Mitanni), who are anxious for revenge after their defeat at Megiddo and have now formed an alliance of seven princes with Nubia and the Hittites. Royal tomb painter and architect Kha and stonemason Minmose are commissioned to immortalise the expected victory in stone.
The battle is won, but Kha is horrified by the carnage. A Mitanni princess is taken captive and given a Kemetian (Egyptian) name, Mutemwiya. Prince Thutmose has a dream instructing him to renovate the Great Sphinx, at the time buried up to its neck.
Haqwaset grows under the influence of grandfather Yuya; he becomes Amenhotep III. He has some 300 wives and concubines but prefers the company of his Chief Wife Tiye. He has designs for young Thutmose, his eldest, to be high priest of Ptah and Anen, Yuya’s son, to be high priest of Amun. He corresponds diplomatically with the rulers of neighbouring lands and entertains ambassadors. Tension grows between him and the priests of Amun.
Amun priest Nahkt plots to rob the tomb of Thutmose III and threaten the king himself.
The beginning leaves out from the familiar myth the juicier bits (the coat-of-many-colours, Potiphar’s wife) and instead focuses on the less interesting details (the stocking of the warehouses). I understand that the Amun/Aten conflict was one of class, but as it played out in religious matters, I would like to have seen more discussion of the relative merits of monotheism/Aten worship. Basing the plot around this class struggle would have been a ‘bigger’ plot, in my view, than a tomb robbery. The plot contrives a plausible scenario whereby certain persons and items were buried in certain tombs.
Morrissey goes with the identification of Yuya, father-in-law of Amenhotep III, as the biblical Joseph, a hypothesis with some merit. Thanks to the Egyptians’ tomb paintings and marvellous preservation of their dead, we know quite a lot about Yuya and the family of Amenhotep III, and around these details, Morrissey has constructed a narrative. This is also the period of the Amarna Letters, providing much juicy detail about the relations between Egyptian kings and other neighbouring royalty.
The is Book 1 of The Aten Saga series.

[Amy Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written novel, from someone who knows the period, and which can be read on several different levels.
For the lover of historical fiction it is rich in detail, containing descriptions of real battles, military strategy and the forces at the command of the Pharaoh. Boat and tomb building and religious festivals are all accurately depicted.
For lovers of character driven novels, there are so many to enjoy in this book. The irascible Haqwaset is one of my favourites. His struggles, both internal and external, are well handled. Guilt and how it affects several characters in different ways is a theme throughout.
Kha, Merit, Djoser, Maiherpri and Nahkt are all well-formed and rounded characters, with Yuya a constant presence, both on and off stage, being the thread that binds the main protagonists together.
The story of Barratarna is brilliantly told and, although I despised him when first introduced, I felt his pain and suffering, sympathising with him and his plight.
Anyone interested in the religion of the time, or tomb desecration, will not be disappointed.
The historical notes at the end of the novel I found fascinating . It is clear the author has done his research. There is so much to admire in this novel. I thoroughly recommend it.
I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

[L A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Matador and NetGalley for the Advance Review Copy in exchange for an honest review.

There's really not enough historical fiction written about Ancient Egypt in my humble opinion. Less Victorians, more Ancient Egypt please.

This is one of those books that I know is pretty good. It's decently written and the author clearly knows his stuff, but it just didn't grab me in the way I had hoped.

My main issue was the same issue I have with a lot of historical fiction where it seems like the author tries to shoehorn every piece of their knowledge on the subject into the story. It's interesting yes, but it distracts from the narrative. There's really only so much a casual reader needs to know about Granaries. There were times I felt like I was a tween again poring over a DK Eyewitness Book except this time there weren't any cool pictures.

The setting and historical aspects are very interesting but the characters didn't really engage me. They all felt rather same-y and blended into one. I also found the constant repetition of their names in dialogue really distracting.

Overall, I can't say there is anything really wrong with this book at all. The author knows his stuff, the story is interesting, Thutmose's cat is listed as a character...it just didn't float my reed boat.

[Lisa Medved · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Awakening Aten took me on a compelling journey to ancient Egypt where I was immersed in the day-to-day life of a culture and story completely different to anything I have ever experienced. Well-deserved praise to the author Aidan Morrissey for the incredible amount of research he has clearly undertaken, which has brought to life the stories of a host of real and fictional characters.

This novel includes it all: devastating battle scenes, the horrific plight of traitors and tomb robbers, political intrigues of temple priests as they fight for domination over kings, the anguish of betrayal and death, the poignancy of preparing a loved one for their journey to the afterlife.

The Awakening Aten is a broad sweeping saga that covers a tumultuous period of ancient Egyptian history. The author’s storytelling skills transport The Awakening Aten from being so much more than historical commentary. It is an extremely well-crafted story of compelling characters living in fascinating settings. Chariot races, journeys via boat and camel, temple processions, even bathing rituals, music and mealtimes – everything is created with just enough detail to draw the reader into the story and allow the kohl-eyed characters to come to life.

[David Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first time I’ve read a novel set in Ancient Egypt. The story takes us through the reign of successive Pharaohs and their Queens, including Nefertiti, one of the more familiar names from that era. The two main characters, historically based, are a Joseph-like commoner who rises to become Regent to a child Pharaoh, and a freed slave who is destined to be a famous tomb-builder, his work surviving to this day.

The lives of these two men, their wives, their children and their Rulers are vividly brought to life. Aidan Morrissey has clearly done meticulous research into the wars and the rituals of 1400 BC. Some of the battles and many of the rituals are brutal in the extreme. Ill-starred lovers and the life of Kings – Morrissey’s themes are, like those of Game of Thrones, grandly Shakespearean. The Awakening Aten would make epic and enthralling television. An exhilarating read, especially for fans of ancient history and legend.

[Hutchreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I’m not a big fan of Egyptology – I just don’t ‘get’ it. However, my other half is, and has tried to get me to share his enthusiasm.
Well, this book has just about achieved that. It is well-written, an easy and engaging read, the story is fascinating, the characters are believable and their struggles relatable. It is obvious that the author is passionate and knowledgeable about this era, and the historical facts are presented in a way that makes them easy for people like me to absorb, but the accuracy and understanding is there to please the pedantic, like my partner!
A superb first novel, and I think I can safely describe it as an epic! I can’t wait to see what else this author has to offer.

[Anne McMillan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful, epic story of intrigue and survival, set in ancient Egypt. This author has accomplished a monumental task, bringing to life the hopes and dreams of various characters over time. This novel will thrill all those who are enamored of such a fascinating culture. There is a large cast of characters, thankfully notated at the beginning, which helps one to keep track, but their stories are so compelling and so richly detailed, I was drawn in immediately. The author, with evident expertise and knowledge of this region, invites us to enter an exciting, but sometimes dangerous world. Excellent historical novel. A must read.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm fascinated by the Amarna period and live in the city where the artefacts from the tomb of Kha are. This is means I was more than happy when I read this book.
It's well researched, enjoyable and entertaining.
I appreciated the fleshed out cast of characters, the historical setting and the plot.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a captivating and enjoyable book, the first book in a saga. It is partly historical and it gives you an excellent insight of the Egypt of the Pharaohs. If you enjoy reading historical novels and you are interested in old ancient culture, then this is the book for you. It is interesting and very easy to read.

[Phil Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great dive into Ancient Egypt

This is an informational masterpiece. If you know nothing of Ancient Egypt, reading Awakening Aten will resolve that. The author shows his diligence in research throughout this tale of mystery and intrigue.

[Haley The Caffeinated Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to come next week

[Ebb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic read! I love learning about Egypt and while many of the characters are real historical figures, their personality, motivations, and desires are fictional. The author weaves a fascinating family saga throughout multiple generations of kings, queens, royal family, and commoners to give us a history that is rich and full of interesting people. I really enjoyed the way Morrissey weaves religion, political power, family and tradition into a seamless story told from multiple perspectives. This book is the first in a series so I'm excited that there will be more in the future.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[David Peat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkable achievement. Not particularly interested in Egyptian history or historical fiction, this book may have swayed me. The author has obviously researched painstakingly to ensure the sense of time and place are correct; however, it is the inner stories which make this novel. Of course, the motivations are very human, but here they are subtle. Beautifully written and crafted, the necessary rape, murder and sometimes vile behaviour are well- observed. There is also a fabulous hidden coming-of-age story at the end. Brilliant

[Ember · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Awakening Aten delves straight into an Egypt full of whispers, fears, webs and deceit. Ancient Egypt is seen through the eyes of two families, one royal, one a commoner. Through tragic and deathly events these two families lives become entwined. The first book of a five-book saga, The Awakening Aten is more like a first person account rather than fiction thanks to Aidan's extensive research. I genuinely can't wait for the release of the rest of the saga!