Eye of the Moon

This is the second story set in Ancient Egypt to have come my way for review in the past year. There was a time when stories set in this period were non-existent, so it is good to see writers using it as a backdrop for adventure. Eye of the Moon is a fast paced adventure story with a great deal of historical detail encapsulated within it, although the author admits in a note that she has changed some of the dates to fit her story.

Kara’s father involves her in engineering the escape of the rightful king of Egypt, after a palace coup puts his brother (later to marry Nefertiti) on the throne. The two paddle down the Nile towards Nubia, travelling on camels and donkeys and being captured twice. Kara kills a man in escaping from one of these incidents. When they are captured for a third time, their captor turns out to be her long lost brother. Then the story becomes a little implausible and the scene is set at the end for a sequel.

At times the prose is a little purple and the romances are very predictable, but this tale would appeal to those looking for a different kind of romantic adventure. Details of Egyptian life, including the many gods they worshipped, are imparted slowly and as part of the story so would not be off-putting. There is a map at the end but no glossary of gods which would have been useful.