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Product Description
Product Description
To save Egypt from the Hittites, Ramses II must face the might of their powerful army, whose weapons are vastly superior to Egypt's own. War seems inevitable, and it is at Kadesh, the impenetrable fortress of Northern Syria, that the first major battle is to take place. But how can Ramses prepare himself for such a battle when the health of his beloved royal wife, Nefertari, is failing rapidly? And how can he be vigilant at home in Egypt where a pro-Hittite underground network continues to grow? In order to save his dying Queen, Ramses needs to travel South in search of the Stone Goddess, but the imminent battle to save his entire civilization is to the North. Will Ramses' father, now a celestial god, answer his desperate pleas for help and guidance?
About the Author
Born in Paris in 1947, Christian Jacq is one of the world's leading Egyptologists. He is the author of many novels on Ancient Egypt, including the bestselling RAMSES series and THE MYSTERIES OF OSIRIS series. His novels have sold more than 27 million copies worldwide and have been translated into 30 languages. Christian Jacq lives in Switzerland.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Pocket Book
'The Battle Of Kadesh', the third instalment in the acclaimed 'Ramses' series, is thus far the best and most compelling. It chronicles the next few years in Ramses' reign, during which the Great Pharaoh must confront the near invincibility of the Hittite forces who crave expansion at Egypt's expense. Before he can concentrate on war, however, Ramses' reign is being undermined by a network of different alliances against him, most notably that of Ofir, the sorcerer, trying to use black magic to weaken the Pharaoh's defences; And an underground network of Hittite spies intent in bringing about Egypt's downfall. Heading these operations is Shaanar, Ramses' jealous elder brother who is consumed with his desire to rule. When the Battle of Kadesh finally dawns, Ramses is left alone to confront the entire barbaric Hittite army, forcing him to call upon his late father's divine assistance. Will his prayers be answered ?
This book had me up reading until the early hours of the morning. With spectacular landscape descriptions, charismatic protagonists, and suspenseful plots it truly is impossible to put down.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Pocket Book
I would agree with much that has already been said about this book - and this series. A lot more could have been achieved with the subject matter than has been. Jacq has certainly not decided whether he is writing a fantasy novel or an historical novel, but with the Battle of Kadesh he seems to be veering more towards fantasy. Certainly, in the earlier volumes divine intervention was quite rare, and could readily be explained away on scientific grounds. I presumed Jacq was portraying events as the Egyptians would have considered them. However, with this book the Ramses saga does start to plunge off into the worlds of the fantastic, which those who prefer strict historical fiction may find disconcerting. Having recently read Wilbur Smith's River God, I found the latter a much more convincing portrayal of life in ancient Egypt, albeit set at an earlier period in the kingdom's evolution. One aspect I did like about this book is the way the two societies of Egypt and the Hittite Empire contrast so vividly: the law-abiding, comfort-loving Egyptians field an army of timid, god-fearing soldiers and incompetent generals against the Hittites, a cruel, viciious, and war-like empire with vast territorial ambitions. The Egyptian love of the law and justice is very different from the Hittites' 'survival of the strongest' philosophy. In previous volumes, Egypt's arch-rivals were portrayed as a distant empire, which few Egyptians other than Ahsha and Shaanar (and the Syrian spy Raia) really understood. Now we get a much more in-depth look at the merciless enemy and the internal politics of their harsh nation. In summary, I would still say this series has brought Egypt to life for me, and I've bought a biography of Ramses and the PC city-building game Pharoah as a consequence. It did inspire me to learn more about Egypt. Being a Greek specialist personally, this is something of an accolade.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Pocket Book
The story of Ramses has everything; intrigue, passion, adventure, war, sex and in the hands of a very good writer would make for compulsive reading. Unfortunately, while his knowledge isn't in doubt, Jacq is not the man to give the legend life.
Jacq seems unsure whether to write about the myth or the man, resulting in a story that sits uneasily between being a fact based novel or pure fantasy. To my mind the stronger novel would have been to concentrate on the historical and forgo the mysticism that allows the author to get Ramses out of trouble all to easily. Ramses alone against an army? No problem - just give him a little help from the gods. This elevation of Ramses to something more than a man removes most of the drama from the book. You know that he's never in any real danger because some mystical force or another will come to his aid.
With more effort or a clearer direction from the author this series could have been a classic. There is so much potential in the story and characters that, ultimately, this is a disappointing and unsatisfying read.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Not Jacq's best
I've read a fair few Christian Jacq novels, and I have never before found them as hard to get into as this one. Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2008 by Nakhti
Could this be more poorly written? No.
This series has got to be the worst of historic fiction. I had to read all for review purposes for a small local paper. Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2005 by Bookbrowser
Fantastic
This book was brilliant. I had already read the first two novels, and I think it's great how Jacq uses the facts and incorporates them into his novel to make a great story. Read more
Published on 12 July 2000
Book three in a series of five.
Book three in a series of five, the best so far really had me on the edge of my seat, how will book four follow this!
Published on 11 Mar 2000
Compulsive but prone to annoying bouts of mysticism.
I agree with other reviewers that the books are a little lightweight. My major problem is the Deus Ex Machina that Jacq uses to explain how Rameses gets himself out of a hole. Read more
Published on 20 May 1999
Quick easy gripping read if not a tad too light
I am thoroughly enjoying the Ramses series. The characters are very appealing and the suspense gets each book read in a one sitting session each. Read more
Published on 10 May 1999
Simply Breathtaking !
Christian Jacqs third installment to the Ramses series is just as good as the others. It picks up where it left off with Ramses preparing for the Hittite Invasion. Read more
Published on 11 Dec 1998
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