Ramses: The Battle of Kadesh: Amazon.ca: Christian Jacq, Stephen Thorne: Books

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Product Description

From AudioFile

Christian Jacq takes his listeners to a period of turbulence in Egypt and the Levant, mixing time periods, historical figures with fictional characters, and palace intrigue with political infidelity. Stephen Thorne takes this fictional work and applies British accents to the Egyptians and Mediterranean accents to the others. While the flow of simplistic dialogue is unerring and enjoyable to the layman, Jacq's introduction of Ramses, Moses, and Homer in the same time period is disconcerting to students of ancient history. Volume varies from side to side, along with some bleed-through and editing blips, distracting the listener from the plot. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

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The powerful Hittites have declared war on Egypt, and Ramses must do the impossible: seize their impregnable fortress at Kadesh with his ragged army, even as his powerful bodyguard and right-hand man has been arrested, suspected of treason. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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4.0 out of 5 stars The Showdown at Kadesh, May 30 2004

By	Frank T. Klus (Phoenix, Arizona United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Ramses: The Battle of Kadesh - Volume III (Paperback)

Four divisions of the Egyptian army encamped below the fortress of Kadesh when suddenly the thundering sound of enemy chariots were upon them. The Hittites surprised them and decimated two of the divisions. Then Ramses, possessed of the spirit of Amon, glowed like the sun, and stopped the advancing Hittites in their tracks. Fighter, the Nubian lion, sprang into action. Reinforcements were coming up the coast road. The tide of battle turned. Christian Jacq's Ramses: the Battle of Kadesh, marks the third in a five part series on Ramses the Great of ancient Egypt.

Kadesh was one of the greatest battles of the ancient world. Egypt and Hatti were the two giant superpowers of their day; and both coveted the strategic littoral that we call the Middle East today. Hatti was a warrior nation that sought to extend its empire clear to Egypt. Egypt was a powerful land in the New Kingdom equally bent on extending its influence as far as possible. Kadesh marked the pivotal point in the superpowers' ambitions.

The Hittites gathered information on Egypt's readiness for war with an elaborate spy network that touched the pharaoh's palace itself. With their powerful enemy to their north preparing for war treacherous family members sought to undermine Ramses' power to seize the throne for themselves. Even the life of the queen was threatened. Ramses would have to destroy the spy network and the Hittites or his entire country may be enslaved.

Kadesh would not end the Hittite ambition. Ramses may have slowed them down but not stopped them. Traitors were still in his midst and Asha, the king's boyhood friend and Secretary of State, was in trouble. On to Volume Four.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Very entertaining, Feb 15 2003

By	Logan Daugherty (Louisville, KY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ramses: The Battle of Kadesh - Volume III (Paperback)

I found the previous book lacking in the energy of the first. However, The Battle of Kadesh returns with that energy. A quickly moving tale of Ramses' war against the Hittites also involves much more. Several subplots are resolved from previous volumes with the only major one remaining being the story of Moses. As I've stated before, it's not a deep read but it is a very enjoyable one. Jacq is certainly an undeservedly under noticed writer among fantasy authors.

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2.0 out of 5 stars McHistorical Fiction, Nov 18 2002

By	Smallchief - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ramses: The Battle of Kadesh - Volume III (Paperback)

The book concerns the political rivalry of the Egyptian and the Hittite empires culminating in the Battle of Kadesh, ca. 1280 B.C. If you're interested in ancient Egypt or historical fiction, give this one a miss. The story is simplistic -- about on the level of a Nancy Drew mystery -- with bits of exotic culture and supernatural conjuring thrown in to let you know that you've been transported back to the Land of the Pharaohs.

The author is described on the book jacket as a "respected Egyptologist" but I found little "Egyptology" in this book that could not have been acquired by a college student through casual reading. Change the names and take out a few references to exotic gods and the Nile and this story could be placed in any era and any country of the world. Indeed, one is struck by how similar the ancient Egypt of this book is to modern governments. Ramses, Pharaoh of Egypt, is presented as a man of twenty-first century sensitivities. An accurate portrayal of ancient Egypt? I don't think so. The author fails to divorce himself from the present and conjure up a credible vision of ancient Egypt.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A Perfect Historical Novel Of Suspense, Love, and Subterfuge
�The Battle Of Kadesh�, the third instalment in the acclaimed �Ramses� series, is thus far the best and most compelling. Read more

Published on Aug 21 2001 by Sarah Germain

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong and decisive...
This was easier going than the second, or maybe I am getting into the author's rhythm. At any rate - this book takes us up and through the initial confrontation between Ramses and... Read more

Published on Jun 25 2001 by Akethan

5.0 out of 5 stars Ramses: The Battle of Kadesh (Vol 3)
A great read, but I recommend reading the first 2 volumes before you read Kadesh.

Published on Oct 5 2000

4.0 out of 5 stars Ramses Review
Book I and II are fascinating. Book III is merely a continuation. It's as if the first book never ended. Christian Jacq keeps the action rolling. Read more

Published on Sep 23 2000 by H. Guthrie