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Empires of Bronze #2
Dawn of War
A tale of far-flung desert adventure set in the distant Bronze Age
Two great empires on the brink of war, one last hope for peace…
1294 BC: The fragile accord between the Hittite and Egyptian empires is crumbling. The ancient world braces itself for war on an unprecedented scale. Prince Hattu, the greatest of the Hittite generals, suffers dreams of terrible consequences – conjured by the Goddess Ishtar. But Hattu refuses to accept her prophecies, adamant that there is one last chance for peace.
This fragile hope lies in the borderlands of the east, where the two rival empires touch. Hattu gathers a chosen band and sets out for this distant, blistering desert land, determined and defiant. Yet the further he ventures, the darker and more twisted his mission becomes. Old ghosts rise around him and Ishtar haunts his every move.
The Goddess' divinations cannot be avoided, men say. Hattu will walk through fire to prove them wrong.
Two great empires on the brink of war, one last hope for peace…
1294 BC: The fragile accord between the Hittite and Egyptian empires is crumbling. The ancient world braces itself for war on an unprecedented scale. Prince Hattu, the greatest of the Hittite generals, suffers dreams of terrible consequences – conjured by the Goddess Ishtar. But Hattu refuses to accept her prophecies, adamant that there is one last chance for peace.
This fragile hope lies in the borderlands of the east, where the two rival empires touch. Hattu gathers a chosen band and sets out for this distant, blistering desert land, determined and defiant. Yet the further he ventures, the darker and more twisted his mission becomes. Old ghosts rise around him and Ishtar haunts his every move.
The Goddess' divinations cannot be avoided, men say. Hattu will walk through fire to prove them wrong.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
395 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 7, 2020
146 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Gordon Doherty
42 books293 followersI'm a Scottish writer, addicted to reading and writing historical fiction.
My love of history was first kindled by visits to the misty Roman ruins of Britain and the sun-baked antiquities of Turkey and Greece. My expeditions since have taken me all over the world and back and forth through time (metaphorically, at least), allowing me to write tales of the later Roman Empire, Byzantium, Classical Greece and even the distant Bronze Age.
All of my novels are available from good online stores in paperback and eBook format.
Happy reading!
My website: www.gordondoherty.co.uk
My Twitter: @GordonDoherty
My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GordonDohert...
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCybC...
My love of history was first kindled by visits to the misty Roman ruins of Britain and the sun-baked antiquities of Turkey and Greece. My expeditions since have taken me all over the world and back and forth through time (metaphorically, at least), allowing me to write tales of the later Roman Empire, Byzantium, Classical Greece and even the distant Bronze Age.
All of my novels are available from good online stores in paperback and eBook format.
Happy reading!
My website: www.gordondoherty.co.uk
My Twitter: @GordonDoherty
My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GordonDohert...
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCybC...
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 7, 2020
Wow! Now this is the kind of story I want as the author ramps up the odds against Prince Hattu.
Hattu is haunted by the Goddess Ishtar who saved his life when he was born… it came at a price.. a price that is still to be paid. He refuses to believe the prophecies put forth and will do anything to prove them wrong.
With the evil Volca out of the way there is a kind of peace for the Hittites but it’s not going to last long.
It soon becomes clear the Egyptians are on the war path and with Hattu now one of the Hittite’s best generals, he sets out to secure alliances but all he will find is hardship.
Along the way many will die… those trusted will show their true colours..and in the end it will leave Hattu broken.
Once again Gordon has provided the reader a real treat! Beautifully written and packed with detail..so much so I can’t believe it’s not an 800 page tome! Gordon just knows exactly the right mix of detail and plot to keep the tale flowing.
The detail of the differences between the armies, the structure, what they wear.. it all made for a fascinating immersive tale.
I highlighted lots of text while reading… why? Oh my god.. some of the things Hattu and other men are put through are horrendous and I paused quite often to share these events with my wife.. the details of torture were just brutal.. you just can’t imagine anyone doing these things to another.
The Sherdan Volca doesn’t stay quiet for long either and has a very big part to play. Will Hattu ever get the revenge he needs? I’m not sure he will if I’m honest.
During the journey Hattu forges new friendships and I loved the bond that was created between the Hittites and the Kaskan warriors. I also really enjoyed the addition of Iranzi who ends up being someone Hattu can really rely on.
War is still coming but after the events in this book I’m left wondering how will Hattu come back from the brink.. and will that bastard Volca ever die? He has more lives than a cat! Ha
Two of the main characters really came to life in my mind. Pharoah Seti.. at first blinded by greed…then vengeance. King Muwa also shines through. There’s a scene in the tin mines that really cements Muwa as being a great leader.. he’s not prefect.. no one is.. but he will do anything to show his people they can survive..that he can save them all.. even if it’s not true he knows just how to get the people on side.
Oh, side note for the author.. I think I’ll have nightmares about getting stuck in a small space now..cheers for that.. either that or spiders…urghhhh.. again cheers! Ha.
For me Gordon is simply a master with wordplay.. he knows how to write a tale in such a way it will never leave you. I think I’m going to need a better bookshelf at this rate to hold all his books!
The best and most brutal from Gordon to date.. loved it!
Hattu is haunted by the Goddess Ishtar who saved his life when he was born… it came at a price.. a price that is still to be paid. He refuses to believe the prophecies put forth and will do anything to prove them wrong.
With the evil Volca out of the way there is a kind of peace for the Hittites but it’s not going to last long.
It soon becomes clear the Egyptians are on the war path and with Hattu now one of the Hittite’s best generals, he sets out to secure alliances but all he will find is hardship.
Along the way many will die… those trusted will show their true colours..and in the end it will leave Hattu broken.
Once again Gordon has provided the reader a real treat! Beautifully written and packed with detail..so much so I can’t believe it’s not an 800 page tome! Gordon just knows exactly the right mix of detail and plot to keep the tale flowing.
The detail of the differences between the armies, the structure, what they wear.. it all made for a fascinating immersive tale.
I highlighted lots of text while reading… why? Oh my god.. some of the things Hattu and other men are put through are horrendous and I paused quite often to share these events with my wife.. the details of torture were just brutal.. you just can’t imagine anyone doing these things to another.
The Sherdan Volca doesn’t stay quiet for long either and has a very big part to play. Will Hattu ever get the revenge he needs? I’m not sure he will if I’m honest.
During the journey Hattu forges new friendships and I loved the bond that was created between the Hittites and the Kaskan warriors. I also really enjoyed the addition of Iranzi who ends up being someone Hattu can really rely on.
War is still coming but after the events in this book I’m left wondering how will Hattu come back from the brink.. and will that bastard Volca ever die? He has more lives than a cat! Ha
Two of the main characters really came to life in my mind. Pharoah Seti.. at first blinded by greed…then vengeance. King Muwa also shines through. There’s a scene in the tin mines that really cements Muwa as being a great leader.. he’s not prefect.. no one is.. but he will do anything to show his people they can survive..that he can save them all.. even if it’s not true he knows just how to get the people on side.
Oh, side note for the author.. I think I’ll have nightmares about getting stuck in a small space now..cheers for that.. either that or spiders…urghhhh.. again cheers! Ha.
For me Gordon is simply a master with wordplay.. he knows how to write a tale in such a way it will never leave you. I think I’m going to need a better bookshelf at this rate to hold all his books!
The best and most brutal from Gordon to date.. loved it!
May 2, 2020
-"ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review"-
Dawn of War is the 2nd installment in the Empires of Bronze series, set in the distant Bronze Age when Hittites ruled Anatolia, the Aisa Minor, and in its distant eastern borders, the mighty Pharaohs rule the desert land of Egypt.
'War with Egypt is an inevitability. And when it comes, it will be like no other. It will be the cruelest war ever waged, and the Gods will gather to watch.'
1294 B.C. Pince Hattu, once the famed the son of Ishtar is now the greatest of the Hittite generals who defend the empire's borders. When the fragile accord between the Hittite and Egyptian empires crumbled, goddess Ishtar comes to Hattu's dreams and prophesied about an impending war of unprecedented scale which will tear his life apart.
'A burning east, a desert of graves, A grim harvest, a heartland of wraiths, The Son of Ishtar, will seize the Grey Throne, A heart so pure, will turn to stone, The west will dim, with black boats’ hulls, Trojan heroes, mere carrion for gulls, And the time will come, as all times must, When the world will shake, and fall to dust…'
But Hattu refuses to accept her prophecies, adamant to secure one last chance for peace. His fragile hope of peace leads him and his Storm division in the borderlands of the east, where the two rival empires touch. But the further he ventures, the darker and more twisted his mission becomes. Old ghosts rise around him and Ishtar haunts his every move.
‘We will dash their armies, topple their crude cities, their wretched capital high on the hills of their cursed heartlands… all will fall, all will be razed to dust. When it is done, the Hittites will be no more.’
Review:
⚔️The Cover with prince Hattu and his band of Strom regiment crossing the Nuhashi desert is absolutely stunning and beautiful and the title Dawn of War is apt to the story, as it precludes to the great war.
⚔️I loved to read books that explore new civilization about which not much is known and this book exactly do that job. Empire of Bronze series brings back to life the Hittite empire that is almost forgotten in today's time. Yes, there are some books in which Hittites were mentioned briefly, but they are always narrated from the Egyptian perspective. This series for the first time tells the story of the Hittite empire from their own perspective which makes it in itself a unique series to pick up.
⚔️Every time I picked up Gordon's book I am completely amazed by the amount of research he had done to write it. In this book also his detailed research and hard work show on every page. The maps given at the beginning of the book were quite helpful to locate the places in the story and the glossary at the back was useful to know various ancient terms used in the Hittite and Egyptian empires. Also, like the author's note which shade light about the historicity of the story.
⚔️Gordon had yet again beautifully crafted a gripping plot, with lots of interesting twists and turns. This time Prince Hattu has to travel east to stop a brutal war and prove the goddess Ishtar's prophecies false. But between him and his success, stand the enormous white mountains, the vast lands of Retenu, the arid Nuhashi desert, and some treacherous vassal kings. But beyond that awaits an old enemy, with the army of Ra who will go to any extent to see Hattu and his family perish.
⚔️Gordon's writing is descriptive, fast-paced, and vivid. He had used multiple POVs to narrate the story which reminds me of Conn Iggulden's writing. His description of locations -- the Acropolis of Hattusa, the cramped mines of Nesa, the white mountain bordering the Retenu land, the arid Nahushi desert, the fortified citadel of Amur or the banks of Ugarit - is vivid and picture-perfect. I also liked how he had perfectly captured the character's emotions in words and played with their greatest fears to move the plot.
⚔️Each and every character is well written and immaculately developed. Even the minor characters like Atiya, Muwa, Tanku, Dagon, Babak, Iranzi, etc had their own character arc and subplots. Hattu's relation with the other characters is perfectly described and explored. I liked his presence of mind, observation skills and astuteness, the camaraderie and bonding that he shares with his storm division and his pet birds, and the frequent interactions that he had with his old tutors, Ruba and One-eyed Kurunta in his mind.
⚔️Gordon is a master-craftsman in writing battle scenes and this book is no exception to that. The book is filled with bloody gruesome action-packed scenes from the first page to the last. After reading 50% of the book I thought I have seen everything and there is no fight left, but how wrong I was. The first half was just a trailer, what comes next in the latter half was the actual battle. The hit and run chase will glue you to the last and reading the final confrontation is a visual treat, that's how vivid he writes.
⚔️I feel the climax of the book is a little predictable, but still, the way it was executed is surprising. Didn't expect it to be such a heart-wrenching ending, but nevertheless it was a worthy ending indeed. Further, without giving any spoiler, I would like to say the ending revealed about a certain character who I am guessing to be a main focus in the next book.
Overall, Dawn of War is a well researched, fast-paced, and gripping story that I completely enjoyed reading. I am definitely hooked to continue with this series and highly recommend everyone if you are looking forward to read a fast-paced action-packed historical fiction with well-developed characters then this book is a must-read for you.
My Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐
Dawn of War is the 2nd installment in the Empires of Bronze series, set in the distant Bronze Age when Hittites ruled Anatolia, the Aisa Minor, and in its distant eastern borders, the mighty Pharaohs rule the desert land of Egypt.
'War with Egypt is an inevitability. And when it comes, it will be like no other. It will be the cruelest war ever waged, and the Gods will gather to watch.'
1294 B.C. Pince Hattu, once the famed the son of Ishtar is now the greatest of the Hittite generals who defend the empire's borders. When the fragile accord between the Hittite and Egyptian empires crumbled, goddess Ishtar comes to Hattu's dreams and prophesied about an impending war of unprecedented scale which will tear his life apart.
'A burning east, a desert of graves, A grim harvest, a heartland of wraiths, The Son of Ishtar, will seize the Grey Throne, A heart so pure, will turn to stone, The west will dim, with black boats’ hulls, Trojan heroes, mere carrion for gulls, And the time will come, as all times must, When the world will shake, and fall to dust…'
But Hattu refuses to accept her prophecies, adamant to secure one last chance for peace. His fragile hope of peace leads him and his Storm division in the borderlands of the east, where the two rival empires touch. But the further he ventures, the darker and more twisted his mission becomes. Old ghosts rise around him and Ishtar haunts his every move.
‘We will dash their armies, topple their crude cities, their wretched capital high on the hills of their cursed heartlands… all will fall, all will be razed to dust. When it is done, the Hittites will be no more.’
Review:
⚔️The Cover with prince Hattu and his band of Strom regiment crossing the Nuhashi desert is absolutely stunning and beautiful and the title Dawn of War is apt to the story, as it precludes to the great war.
⚔️I loved to read books that explore new civilization about which not much is known and this book exactly do that job. Empire of Bronze series brings back to life the Hittite empire that is almost forgotten in today's time. Yes, there are some books in which Hittites were mentioned briefly, but they are always narrated from the Egyptian perspective. This series for the first time tells the story of the Hittite empire from their own perspective which makes it in itself a unique series to pick up.
⚔️Every time I picked up Gordon's book I am completely amazed by the amount of research he had done to write it. In this book also his detailed research and hard work show on every page. The maps given at the beginning of the book were quite helpful to locate the places in the story and the glossary at the back was useful to know various ancient terms used in the Hittite and Egyptian empires. Also, like the author's note which shade light about the historicity of the story.
⚔️Gordon had yet again beautifully crafted a gripping plot, with lots of interesting twists and turns. This time Prince Hattu has to travel east to stop a brutal war and prove the goddess Ishtar's prophecies false. But between him and his success, stand the enormous white mountains, the vast lands of Retenu, the arid Nuhashi desert, and some treacherous vassal kings. But beyond that awaits an old enemy, with the army of Ra who will go to any extent to see Hattu and his family perish.
⚔️Gordon's writing is descriptive, fast-paced, and vivid. He had used multiple POVs to narrate the story which reminds me of Conn Iggulden's writing. His description of locations -- the Acropolis of Hattusa, the cramped mines of Nesa, the white mountain bordering the Retenu land, the arid Nahushi desert, the fortified citadel of Amur or the banks of Ugarit - is vivid and picture-perfect. I also liked how he had perfectly captured the character's emotions in words and played with their greatest fears to move the plot.
⚔️Each and every character is well written and immaculately developed. Even the minor characters like Atiya, Muwa, Tanku, Dagon, Babak, Iranzi, etc had their own character arc and subplots. Hattu's relation with the other characters is perfectly described and explored. I liked his presence of mind, observation skills and astuteness, the camaraderie and bonding that he shares with his storm division and his pet birds, and the frequent interactions that he had with his old tutors, Ruba and One-eyed Kurunta in his mind.
⚔️Gordon is a master-craftsman in writing battle scenes and this book is no exception to that. The book is filled with bloody gruesome action-packed scenes from the first page to the last. After reading 50% of the book I thought I have seen everything and there is no fight left, but how wrong I was. The first half was just a trailer, what comes next in the latter half was the actual battle. The hit and run chase will glue you to the last and reading the final confrontation is a visual treat, that's how vivid he writes.
⚔️I feel the climax of the book is a little predictable, but still, the way it was executed is surprising. Didn't expect it to be such a heart-wrenching ending, but nevertheless it was a worthy ending indeed. Further, without giving any spoiler, I would like to say the ending revealed about a certain character who I am guessing to be a main focus in the next book.
Overall, Dawn of War is a well researched, fast-paced, and gripping story that I completely enjoyed reading. I am definitely hooked to continue with this series and highly recommend everyone if you are looking forward to read a fast-paced action-packed historical fiction with well-developed characters then this book is a must-read for you.
My Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐
July 21, 2020
BLURB
A tale of far-flung desert adventure set in the distant Bronze Age
Two great empires on the brink of war, one last hope for peace…
1294 BC: The fragile accord between the Hittite and Egyptian empires is crumbling. The ancient world braces itself for war on an unprecedented scale. Prince Hattu, the greatest of the Hittite generals, suffers dreams of terrible consequences – conjured by the Goddess Ishtar. But Hattu refuses to accept her prophecies, adamant that there is one last chance for peace.
This fragile hope lies in the borderlands of the east, where the two rival empires touch. Hattu gathers a chosen band and sets out for this distant, blistering desert land, determined and defiant. Yet the further he ventures, the darker and more twisted his mission becomes. Old ghosts rise around him and Ishtar haunts his every move.
The Goddess' divination's cannot be avoided, men say. Hattu will walk through fire to prove them wrong.
REVIEW
All of the new research and discoveries regarding the early history of mankind's penchant for building empires, and especially in the area of Anatolia, could provide a creative author enough fodder for an excellent series on a Bronze Age/pre-Trojan War empire - say maybe the Hittites. Wait, what's that? Empires of Bronze by Gordon Doherty is just the ticket? By dream-inducing Ishtar, I do believe you are correct. A master at putting his protagonists through seven shades of suffering and turmoil, the author has once again crafted a tale that keeps the readers on the edge of their seats, as Prince Hattu must survive not only the cruel elements of geography and weather, but the immensely talented, long reaching evil of Pharaoh Seti's pet villain, Volca.
Another thing I enjoy about Mr. Doherty's creative prowess is his ability to transport me back to that ancient time and place- a time of tin and copper - a time of bronze tipped spears - a time of chariots - a place destined to be one of the most fought over throughout our history. Looking forward to the next episode - The Army of Ra is on the way.
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A tale of far-flung desert adventure set in the distant Bronze Age
Two great empires on the brink of war, one last hope for peace…
1294 BC: The fragile accord between the Hittite and Egyptian empires is crumbling. The ancient world braces itself for war on an unprecedented scale. Prince Hattu, the greatest of the Hittite generals, suffers dreams of terrible consequences – conjured by the Goddess Ishtar. But Hattu refuses to accept her prophecies, adamant that there is one last chance for peace.
This fragile hope lies in the borderlands of the east, where the two rival empires touch. Hattu gathers a chosen band and sets out for this distant, blistering desert land, determined and defiant. Yet the further he ventures, the darker and more twisted his mission becomes. Old ghosts rise around him and Ishtar haunts his every move.
The Goddess' divination's cannot be avoided, men say. Hattu will walk through fire to prove them wrong.
REVIEW
All of the new research and discoveries regarding the early history of mankind's penchant for building empires, and especially in the area of Anatolia, could provide a creative author enough fodder for an excellent series on a Bronze Age/pre-Trojan War empire - say maybe the Hittites. Wait, what's that? Empires of Bronze by Gordon Doherty is just the ticket? By dream-inducing Ishtar, I do believe you are correct. A master at putting his protagonists through seven shades of suffering and turmoil, the author has once again crafted a tale that keeps the readers on the edge of their seats, as Prince Hattu must survive not only the cruel elements of geography and weather, but the immensely talented, long reaching evil of Pharaoh Seti's pet villain, Volca.
Another thing I enjoy about Mr. Doherty's creative prowess is his ability to transport me back to that ancient time and place- a time of tin and copper - a time of bronze tipped spears - a time of chariots - a place destined to be one of the most fought over throughout our history. Looking forward to the next episode - The Army of Ra is on the way.
5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 29, 2023
This was as good as the first book, a lot more bloodthirsty. If you’re a bit squeamish then you might struggle with some parts of the book.
It’s set a couple of years after the first one and Prince Hattu sets off down south to gain allies in the inevitable war between the Bronze Age powerhouses Hittites and Egypt. Hattu and his band of 300 men go through absolute hell, trekking through scorching hot deserts, falling into ambush after ambush, escaping fortresses and a mad dash across the desert with the Egyptian army hot on their heels.
And that’s not all that happens to Prince Hattu, a tragedy back home rocks him to the core. There will be no peace now just war and Prince Hattu will be in the thick of it!
It’s set a couple of years after the first one and Prince Hattu sets off down south to gain allies in the inevitable war between the Bronze Age powerhouses Hittites and Egypt. Hattu and his band of 300 men go through absolute hell, trekking through scorching hot deserts, falling into ambush after ambush, escaping fortresses and a mad dash across the desert with the Egyptian army hot on their heels.
And that’s not all that happens to Prince Hattu, a tragedy back home rocks him to the core. There will be no peace now just war and Prince Hattu will be in the thick of it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2024
Great Second Part
The Empires of Bronze series is modern Sword and Sandal fiction at it's finest.
The author did his research well before writing the series, and he brings to life the people who lived in the ancient world in a way thay really connected me to them.
The characters are very well-written, with some incredibly heroic main characters, complex (and in some cases like with Saruc and Volca, utterly loathsome) villains, and everything in between.
There are some muted fantasy elements in the story as well, so be warned I guess if you are the boring type of person who doesn't like that kind of thing.
All in all, another great part of a great series.
The Empires of Bronze series is modern Sword and Sandal fiction at it's finest.
The author did his research well before writing the series, and he brings to life the people who lived in the ancient world in a way thay really connected me to them.
The characters are very well-written, with some incredibly heroic main characters, complex (and in some cases like with Saruc and Volca, utterly loathsome) villains, and everything in between.
There are some muted fantasy elements in the story as well, so be warned I guess if you are the boring type of person who doesn't like that kind of thing.
All in all, another great part of a great series.
May 30, 2020
Great yarn
I do not believe I have read Gordon Doherty before which is indeed my loss ,he is a fine writer . I cannot wait for book three of his Bronze Age saga which is helping to pass the time during our cofid 19 curfew.
I do not believe I have read Gordon Doherty before which is indeed my loss ,he is a fine writer . I cannot wait for book three of his Bronze Age saga which is helping to pass the time during our cofid 19 curfew.
July 10, 2023
I'm really enjoying Doherty's series set during the Bronze Age. In this second book, we hear rumblings of war on the frontier between the Hittite and Egyptian empires. Hattu, our crown prince and protagonist, is sent south to investigate and confront his own demons along the way. This series has single-handedly sparked my own interest in the time period and I've found myself looking for more information and books on the Bronze Age. Doherty's prose is well-written and well-paced, making devouring this book an easy prospect. I look forward to following where Hattu's journey takes him next!
May 31, 2020
This has been a really good series so far - the books are well written and I especially appreciate how they're focusing on both a time period and on a culture (Hittite) that I feel has not had any real coverage in historical fiction before. Anyone who is feeling like immersing themselves in the late Bronze Age from the perspective of one of Ancient Egypt's many neighbours, pick up and read this series.
June 17, 2020
Brilliant read as always, never put the book down. Good steady pace for the story full of twists and turns
August 10, 2020
This second book had me a little confused at times but overall i absolutely loved it...that twist at the end though...please tell me there is a 3rd book...😧😩
December 19, 2021
A brilliant read. Now I'm used to the authors writing style, i romped through the book.
March 29, 2023
A little more fiction (towns, events, ...) than normal for a Doherty novel. But remember, the more 'ancient' the story, the more speculation necessary to fill in the historical holes. Excellent!!
June 14, 2023
Too much description of torture and gore for my taste. It felt like psychopaths demonstrating skills. The plots are scarcely different from the previous book. Here ends my reading of the series.
November 12, 2024
Excellent, I read it in a few days whenever I had free time .
July 20, 2020
The first book in the series was good, but this second book results in Harry not only confronting Volca his sworn enemy but also taking on Pharoah Seri with the customary hardships.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews