Paaten’s War: A Lost Pharaoh Chronicles Prequel is a continuation of author Lauren Lee Merewether’s prequel stories to her ancient Egyptian tales beginning with Salvation in the Sun. Paaten was a Troop Captain in the Egyptian army. After a particularly torrid battle against the Hittites, Paaten found himself wounded and unconscious on the battlefield. When a Hittite warrior recognizes his rank within the Egyptian army, Paaten is taken hostage and put to work on a temple construction site, along with hundreds of other prizes of battle. When an intervention by the governor’s wife sees Paaten moved to the position of house slave and sex toy, he determines now is the time to escape and to return to his beloved Egypt, where he can faithfully serve his pharaoh and his gods, as he has pledged to do unto death. An encounter with a wild animal in the forest leaves Paaten near death and only the intervention of a beautiful, lonely and caring Hatti widow saves his life. As he is restored to health, Paaten must now choose between love and duty. He is torn between the duty to his comrades, his pharaoh and his gods, and the love of the extraordinary enemy woman who has nursed him back to health.

Paaten’s War is the second prequel to Merewether’s main series. It didn’t disappoint in painting a vivid picture of the world into which Paaten was born and the clear delineation culturally and developmentally between the Egyptians and their long-time mortal enemies, the Hatti. Author Lauren Lee Merewether has a simple, conversational style of writing that lends itself perfectly to the complicated and torn emotions of the two main characters and the cruelty of the societies into which they had been born. I’ve always been a sucker for romance stories, especially between two people who should be sworn enemies, and this book grabbed me from the very beginning and carried me along on a rollercoaster of emotions and frightening scenarios. I particularly loved Paaten’s strong moral code and his devotion to duty and the rules of his gods, especially in the face of attempted seduction and a promised easy life under the Hittites. Although relatively short, it is an enjoyable and satisfying read that gives the reader a great insight into the world in which the author has set her main series. As a primer to encourage a reader to continue reading this author’s excellent work, it fulfills the role admirably. I can highly recommend this read.

Paaten's War: A Lost Pharaoh Chronicles - Book 3 is a historical novel by author Lauren Lee Merewether. Paaten, a troop commander in the Egyptian army, is captured in battle and imprisoned by the Hittites. Beaten, starved, and tortured on the orders of Commander Luhrahsu, Paaten is pressured to forgo his Egyptian identity and embrace being a Hittite slave. When Luhrahsu's chief wife Tamnasar attempts to seduce Paaten, he seizes the opportunity and flees Luhsahru's estate. Tired, hungry, and on the run, Paaten is attacked by a bear and saved by a Hittite woman named Niwa, who also tends to his injuries. As he grows close to Niwa, Paaten finds himself torn between his duty for his native country and his love for Niwa.

Paaten's War is a novel that will appeal to both fans of historical fiction and romance. Author Lauren Lee Merewether does a phenomenal job of capturing the essence of the Egyptian and Hittite cultures in her narrative, and it makes for a rich and immersive reading experience. The plot moves at a brisk pace, and the characters are compelling with well-developed backstories. My favorite aspect of the novel was the love story between Paaten and Niwa. The ending was left a little bit ambiguous, and I think that's because Paaten's future is tackled in the sequels. Seeing as how much enjoyment I derived from this installment, I look forward to reading them. I will highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction and romance.