An Egyptian Princess: Historical Romance

by Georg Ebers

Georg Ebers' "An Egyptian Princess" is a masterfully crafted historical novel set against the rich tapestry of ancient Egypt, blending meticulous research with imaginative storytelling. Ebers employs a lyrical yet accessible prose style, inviting readers into the opulent world of pharaohs, intrigue, and the complexities of love. The narrative revolves around the titular princess, a figure who navigates not only her royal duties but also the perilous waters of personal desire, highlighting themes of loyalty and cultural identity within the broader context of Egyptian society during the time of Hatshepsut, one of its most powerful female rulers. A prominent German Egyptologist, Georg Ebers was deeply fascinated by ancient civilizations, and his scholarly background is evident in the vivid historical details throughout the novel. His studies in philology and history, coupled with extensive travels in Egypt, infused his writing with authenticity and a genuine appreciation for the era he depicts. Ebers was dedicated to bringing the beauty and complexity of ancient Egypt to life, using fiction as a medium to educate and inspire. Readers who appreciate the confluence of history and romance will find "An Egyptian Princess" an engrossing exploration of ancient themes rendered with scholarly precision. Ebers' ability to weave personal and political narratives makes this novel a must-read for enthusiasts of historical fiction and those eager to understand the intricacies of human experience across time.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Classics, Egypt, Fiction, Reference, Germany

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1864

About the author

German Egyptologist and novelist Georg Moritz Ebers discovered the Egyptian medical papyrus, circa 1550 BC, named Ebers papyrus, at Luxor (Thebes) in the winter of 1873/74.

Ebers early conceived the idea of popularizing Egyptian lore by means of historical romances. Eine ägyptische Königstochter was published in 1864 and obtained great success. His subsequent works of the same kind—Uarda (1877), Homo sum (1878), Die Schwestern (1880), Der Kaiser (1881), of which the scene is laid in Egypt at the time of Hadrian, Serapis (1885), Die Nilbraut (1887), and Kleopatra (1894), were also well received, and did much to make the public familiar with the discoveries of Egyptologists. Ebers also turned his attention to other fields of historical fiction—especially the 16th century (Die Frau Bürgermeisterin, 1882; Die Gred, 1887)—without, however, attaining the success of his Egyptian novels.

Reviews

[Mariya Mincheva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Все по-често и естествено посягам към литература от 19ти и 20ти век. Тук ме привлече и фактът, че авторът не е кой да е, а известен немски египтолог, от когото очаквах да науча доста за епохата.

От анотацията най-общо очаквах, че в романа са залегнали интригите между персийския и египетския двор, но фактологията, вплитането на реални личности и събития ми бяха малко прекалени. "Дъщерята на фараона" не е научно-популярна литература, но с всичките описания на личности и второстепенни събития от минали и бъдещи времеви линии категорично не е лек исторически роман.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a little bit hard to start, but fully captivating later on!
Perfect way to get more knowledge of ancient history (570-575 BC). By the eyes of Egyptian princess it tells about Darius the Great, how he became a king of Persia. I found a lot of interesting fact of previous dynasty of Cyrus and Cambyses.
But it not just a dry historical facts. It is a great roman about love and fate.
I read a few books of Ebers, but this one is definitely my favorite.
I think you will enjoy this book if you you like "Montezuma's Daughter" by H. Rider Haggard.

[Svetla Ivanova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Луд диктатор, който се жени за сестра си и поръчва убийството на брат си. Любов, ревност, страшни тайни. Обаятелни жени и героични мъже. В романа на Еберс "живеят" и истински, и измислени персонажи. От страниците се научава много за древния свят, но "суха" наука няма.

[البهلول أحمد مصطفى]

رواية "ابنة الملك المصري" لجورج إيبرز هي رواية تاريخية كُتبت في أواخر القرن التاسع عشر. تدور أحداث القصة في مصر القديمة وسط مناظر طبيعية خلابة وتعقيدات اجتماعية، وتتمحور حول شخصية رودوبيس، وهي عبدة سابقة أصبحت شخصية مؤثرة في المجتمع، اشتهرت بجمالها وحكمتها. يستكشف السرد مواضيع الحب والهوية والتحديات التي يواجهها الأفراد المهمشون الساعون إلى القبول والسلطة في مجتمع معقد. يقدم افتتاح الرواية وصفًا حيًا لفيضان النيل، مما يخلق خلفية هادئة ولكنها مثيرة. نتعرف على رجلين على متن سفينة تبحر في النيل - فانيس، شاب أثيني، وأريستوماخوس، محارب إسبرطي مسن، وصل إلى ناوكراتيس من اليونان. يعرب فانيس عن شوقه للقاء صديقته رودوبيس، أرملة شاركسوس، التي تبوأت مكانة مرموقة في المجتمع. الحياة التي تعيشها، تجذب القراء إلى غموض شخصيتها وديناميكيات المجتمع في ذلك الوقت.
https://www.mediafire.com/file/haezaz...

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly found a lovely old edition of this book at the Oxfam by our house. I'd not come across any books by Georg Ebers before but really liked the idea of 19th century fiction about Egypt written by an Egyptologist. The book was quite lovely. It was a lot like Greek drama with much of the action taking place of stage and people sitting around in rooms talking. There was a lot of discussion about the rights of women and how they were treated in various cultures. The book was partly set in Egypt, partly Greece and partly Persia. There was a good intermingly of people from different civilisations and while there while there was quite a bit of romance and war. Though with so much based on historical accounts there were far too many unpleasant things that happened for it to be really viewed as a historical romance. There was almost too much going on in the book and at times I felt like I'd lost track of who some of the characters were and all their motivations. I think this is definitely one that is worth reading a second time to pick up on all the things that were missed the first time. I also definitley want to try and find more books of his.

[Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is deceptively named. Even the preface (all four of them) are deceptive about the content. I began expecting to read about Egyptian culture only to be redirected to the Persian. The story (or the fictional part) was a good read with the expected drama. The historical part was more interesting for me (especially the references and notes). I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it if you are interested in the genre or historical period.

[Leah Gonzales · Rating 3 out of 5]

I plan on finishing this book. I was reading this while i was reading Nobodys girl and ended up forgetting about if and never picked it back up. What I did read was very good tho.