In The Shadow of Pharaoh

2019 | Fiction & Poetry | History & Politics

Thirty-five centuries ago, a desperate young Egyptian queen sent a pleading letter to a Hittite king, Shubbiluliuma, an enemy of Egypt:

‘My husband has died. I have no sons. There is no heir to the throne of Egypt. Never shall I pick a servant of mine to make him my husband. Thou have many sons, they say. If thou send me one of thy sons, he shall become my husband and King of Egypt. I am afraid.’

Shubbiluliuma was sceptical and suspicious. Egypt and the Hittites were enemies. Was this an Egyptian ploy? He then sent an emissary to investigate, and satisfied that the story was true, he persuaded his son Zannanza to go to Egypt and marry the queen.
But Zannanza never reached Egypt. His entire party was ambushed and massacred.

This is the tale leading up to that fateful event. Follow the lives and love of two people, an artist, Menefer; and a Royal Guard, Rakhmet, who, about to be wed, are torn apart, reunited, but only to be torn apart again.
Their tale is set during the most turbulent eras in Egyptian history, the reign of the most controversial Pharaoh, Akhnaten.

Henry Neville (Author)