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Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
In Richard J. Reese's Thutmose, Soldier Pharaoh, born into the royal court of ancient Egypt, Prince Thutmose grows up under the watch of Queen Hatshepsut while receiving military training beside secret lessons in hypnosis, religion, and politics from High Priest Ptahmose. As he prepares for the throne, hostility rises between Thutmose and his half-brother Menemhotep, whose mother believes her own son should inherit Egypt. Beyond Egypt’s borders, King Ammishtamru of Kadesh gathers allied rulers to resist the Egyptian expansion while a young priestess named Asherah is trained to influence powerful men through ritual and suggestion. When Thutmose ascends as pharaoh, he leads Egypt on a massive military campaign against Megiddo while conspiracies develop inside both the battlefield camp and the royal palace. As victories reshape the empire, rival ambitions surrounding the throne begin drawing soldiers, priests, queens, and spies into a dangerous struggle for power.
Richard J. Reese’s Thutmose, Soldier Pharaoh is a sweeping historical novel about Thutmose III, complete with sibling rivalry, military campaigns, and Egyptian rule across Canaan. Reese immerses readers in Egyptian Bronze Age practices, from chariot engineering lessons under craftsman Usermontu to the famed embalming rites. Thutmose isn't completely likeable immediately, but he certainly grew on me as he matured. For me, the apex of his growth comes when he enters Megiddo beside his exhausted soldiers. All the characters are fully fleshed out, and I most enjoyed it when the royal scribe, Tjaneni, was on the page. He has limited political power and provides a bit of an anxious human viewpoint, which works well. The descriptive visuals are amazing. Thebes feels alive, and a ruined city in what was previously Syria becomes a haunting scene as vultures circle the funeral pyres outside the shattered gates. Exhaustively researched and well written, readers who enjoy ancient historical fiction and Egyptian warfare will adore this book. Very highly recommended.
