Fire of the Gods
Stealing Fire is the story of how Ptolemy became Pharaoh of Egypt and freed Alexander's spirit to go into the West, bound as it was to his body by the ancient rites of Egypt. Lord of the Two Lands, by Judith Tarr, is the story of how Alexander took up that responsibility in the first place. It's one of my favorite books about Alexander, and I have reread it at least ten times since it first came out years ago. That's why I'm utterly honored that it is in the Historical Fantasy Storybundle with The Emperor's Agent and Steel Blues.
As expected, veteran author Judith Tarr does a brilliant job with the Egyptian setting, and like her narrator, Mariamne, her love of the Black Land runs deep. Her picture of Alexander is equally intriguing, and though Lord of the Two Lands covers some of the same ground as Stealing Fire, it is from a different perspective -- that of the daughter of Nectanebo, the last Pharaoh of Egypt, who wants to free Egypt from Persian rule and return to the proper balance of things, with a pharaoh crowned by the old rites who can bind all troublesome spirits. Alexander could be that king if Mariamne can talk him into it. I especially love the way the gods of Egypt are taking a hand, and their relationship to their priestess strikes a chord. I also love the world of the camp, the army on the march, and I return to the familiar characters like Ptolemy, Thais and Hephaistion like a chance to spend time with old friends. If you enjoyed Stealing Fire, you must read Lord of the Two Lands. Must. It is not optional! This is a book that you will love! (And if you squint, I like to think that you can see Lydias. He's that homely boy holding Hephaistion's horse who has no lines.)
Lord of the Two Lands is available as part of the Storybundle for just a few more days. Go grab it while you can!
As expected, veteran author Judith Tarr does a brilliant job with the Egyptian setting, and like her narrator, Mariamne, her love of the Black Land runs deep. Her picture of Alexander is equally intriguing, and though Lord of the Two Lands covers some of the same ground as Stealing Fire, it is from a different perspective -- that of the daughter of Nectanebo, the last Pharaoh of Egypt, who wants to free Egypt from Persian rule and return to the proper balance of things, with a pharaoh crowned by the old rites who can bind all troublesome spirits. Alexander could be that king if Mariamne can talk him into it. I especially love the way the gods of Egypt are taking a hand, and their relationship to their priestess strikes a chord. I also love the world of the camp, the army on the march, and I return to the familiar characters like Ptolemy, Thais and Hephaistion like a chance to spend time with old friends. If you enjoyed Stealing Fire, you must read Lord of the Two Lands. Must. It is not optional! This is a book that you will love! (And if you squint, I like to think that you can see Lydias. He's that homely boy holding Hephaistion's horse who has no lines.)
Lord of the Two Lands is available as part of the Storybundle for just a few more days. Go grab it while you can!