Warlock

Lengthy but seamlessly composed, this epic historical drama by veteran author Smith (The Eye of the Tiger, etc.) tracks a power struggle in ancient Egypt between false pharaohs and a true royal heir, evoking the cruel glories and terrible torments of the era. The kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt have been at war for 60 years. Upper Egypt is ruled by Tamose, Lower Egypt by Apepi, king of the Hyksos. Treachery and assassination eliminate both rulers, allowing two false pharaohs to unite in an orgy of tyranny and oppression. Tamose's son, Prince Nefer, is his father's rightful heir, but the false pharaoh, Lord Naja, denies Nefer's birthright and plots to kill the young prince. Aided by the royal sorcerer, a warlock named Taita, Nefer show more escapes Naja's plots. Nefer and Taita outwit assassins, evil magicians, pursuing armies and even the treachery of Nefer's own sister, as they raise their own army in the lost desert city of Gallala. Taita's magic spells and occult powers protect, teach and guide Nefer on his tortuous path to regain the throne and save the woman he loves, Princess Mintaka, daughter of slain King Apepi. However, as Nefer's strength grows, so does that of his enemies, and it will take all of Nefer's courage and Taita's mystical powers to prevail when the chariot armies of evil sweep across the desert wasteland to the gates of Gallala. This is a very bloody and violent yarn, set in an age when merciless combat, torture, rape and sacrifice were common. Though timorous readers may wish to steer clear, those willing to brave the blood and gore will be carried away by the sweep and pace of Smith's tale. show less

Some Wilbur Smith books draw you in and stick with you, others don't. This one is the former. While it's not based on history (or only extremely loosely) the characters and action draw you in and there are some extremely memorable battle scenes. The violence in this book would makes the likes of Gary Jennings blush. It's not for the faint of heart.

This was a truly enjoyable novel, and despite the elements of magic in it, this book still felt real, as far as descriptions of clothing, food, surroundings, etc went in this time and place of the ancient world. The author really managed to illustrate various settings, from the harsh clime of the desert to the lavish living of the royal courts, as well as how people of various classes were treated. Although this is written well, I'm just glad I didn't live in such a time and place where my life could be ended in a number of cruel ways.

This sequel to River God has the same protagonist, the eunuch-sage Taita, but is set a generation-and-a-half after its predecessor in ancient Egypt. It has all of the drama of the first book, often in double helpings. As the title suggests, however, Taita's magic in this book is actual supernatural sorcery, instead of just cutting-edge bronze-age technology as it had been before. Now an elderly and famous figure, Taita continues in his role of mentor to Egyptian royalty and foiler of usurpations.

Author Smith writes with excellent pacing and provides vivid characters, but sometimes his prose falls a little flat. After he mentioned "the divine presence of the god," (281) I was ready to encounter "the wet presence of water." There's plenty show more of violence, including some bracing gore, and lots of sex (for a novel that's not really about the sex, as such).

Overall, I liked this second volume a little better than the first. The two could be read in either sequence without significant confusion or spoilers, although the first does set up the context of the Hyksos domination of lower Egypt that the second takes for granted. Since I had liked River God without being smitten with it, an extra impetus was required to get me into Warlock, in fact. That goad was provided by my recent enthusiasm for the tabletop game Kemet, and I was well-pleased to find that Warlock matched the spirit of that game quite neatly. show less

I want to call this one 'Taita grows up and decides not to be the center of attention and best at everything', because that's exactly what happens here. I loved River God, but thought that it got a bit ridiculous when Taita was the best at quite literally everything. It's still present here, but the author spends more time developing the other characters in a way that wasn't present in River God. There are definitely leaps of faith at parts, but overall a fun take on Ancient Egypt.

5/5 for a strong setting, complex characters, and tons of interwoven plot

I almost didn't read this book. I loved River God, but this one got disappointing reviews from others who loved River God. I will say that while I don't think it was nearly as good as River God, it's still a very good story, and well worth the time reading it.

I liked the first person voice of Taita better in River God, but using this narrative form allowed the author to more easily be telling several different lines of narration at the same time, which was perfect for this story.

It got a bit slow for a bit in the second half of the book, when the detail surrounding the preparation and running of the "Red Road" was being described, but with this exception, the story kept me engaged throughout. Lots of adventure, a little magic, and great show more storytelling.

I'm going to stop at this one though, as the next in the series gets such universally terrible reviews. I think I will pick up and try some of Wilbur Smith's other books though, as I think he's truly a master of storytelling. show less

After the awesome Rivergod I jumped into this with great expectations. Unfortunately I was left feeling rather dissapointed. The plot seemed a little weak and the characters uninteresting, a pity, because Rivergod was just so darn good ...