Scarab: Ay (The Amarnan Kings, #4) A Novel of Ancient Egypt by Max Overton

Scarab: Ay (The Amarnan Kings, #4) A Novel of Ancient Egypt Reviews

• 
  Dyana

  This is historical fiction about the last pharaohs (kings) of the 18th dynasty in Egypt. Book four in the series concentrates on Lord Ay who became king through a devious and scheming lust for power. This book was well researched and well written. There is also attention paid to detail which pulls you into time and place. The descriptive passages and details include life, culture, weather, religions and their respective temples, priests, and priestesses, battle scenes, landscape, lavish excess and the opposite, etc.
  
  When I reviewed the 1st book, I wasn't sure what was the purpose of the prologue and epilogue. It's becoming clear that they are necessary to explain how the Scarab stories came about. In the prologue, Dr. Dani Hanser is now being kept under guard by Syrian soldiers in the Orontes Valley by Dr. Ahmed Bashir, the Under Minister of the Syrian Dept. of National History. He has found out about the archaeological dig and hint's of a king's treasure has him very interested in what may be found. The story of Princess Beketaten A.K.A. Scarab is being translated by Dr. Hanser from hieroglyphics that cover the walls of her tomb. Bashir needs Dani, because she is the only one who can translate the story. A third chamber is found and the story continues.
  
  The story of Ay begins with the body of the boy king Tutankhamen laying in a natron bath at the Royal House of the Dead. His young queen, Ankhesenamen, is in turmoil. She needs to find a husband. She can't rule alone without one. If she doesn't find one, then her grandfather Ay proposes marriage to her, because he is the most experienced and logical heir - that's the only way he can become king. The Queen sends a secret letter to General Horemheb for help, but he is off chasing Hittites in the wilds of Nubia and is unlikely to return before the coronation. The letter says that Lord Ay has taken control of the city of Waset and intends to usurp the kingship at Tutankhamen's funeral and marry the Queen by force. He has 60 days to return. When she realizes that she has run out of time, she sends a letter to the enemy Hittite king Shubbiluliuma asking for one of his sons to marry her.
  
  Lord Ay finds out about the letter to the Hittite king, but Horemheb arrives before the coronation and enters the city of Waset. He vows that Lord Ay will not be allowed to take control and become king. Ay sends his adopted son Nakhtmin to meet with Horemheb at the Temple of Amun. Ay takes an oath not to bury the King until Horemheb returns from killing the Hittite son who is on his way. Of course, Ay reneges on the oath, marries the Queen, crowns himself King Kheperkheperure Irimaat Ay, Lord of the Two Lands, beds her once; and she disappears from the story and life?
  
  At this time Scarab has been imprisoned by Ay. He has her tortured and left in the desert to die with no food and water. This is where the story turns a bit mystical. She is rescued by the nine gods of Iunu who give her gifts to sustain her such as water, healing, etc. The god Geb gives her a stone "tigers eye" to replace the one she lost in the torture. She walks out of the desert and is rescued by Purna of the Shechites. They take her to the Khabiru (Jewish) tent city of Zarw where she is from. She tries to see her son Set, but is denied access by Judge Seti, Paramessu's father. She sets out to find Paramessu and gain permission to see her son.
  
  The rest of the book details Scarab's travels and several subplots:
  - Scarab meets up with her former companions, Khu and physician Nebhotep and forms a group called the Pillar who help her seek revenge on Nakhtmin, Ay's adopted son, crown prince and heir and his father Ay. Scarab has been using the power of the nine gods of Iunu when she needs help; but when she loses the talisman or rock they gave her, the gods disappear and help her no more.
  - Ex-general Jebu has become a bandit since Paramessu cut off his right hand. His mission is to kill Aziru, king of the Amorites. Instead, King Aziru reinstates him as commander of the army. He is to train the army to fight the northern army of Kemet.
  - The Amorites capture Scarab and Khu.
  - Both Nakhtmin and Horemheb are out to capture Scarab. Any man marrying her can stake a claim on the throne of Kemet as she is the last surviving member of the royal family.
  - Since the Amorites have Scarab, they devise a plan to sell her to the highest bidder. Nakhtmin and Horemheb meet in the city of Gubla for the auction. Who wins out and who dies???
  
  Included in the book is a Who's Who and What's What in Scarab - Ay, The Main Characters and Places in Scarab - Ay, and Gods of the Scarab Books. The 2nd is a great resource for pronunciation of the difficult names. This series is well worth reading, especially for those readers who like ancient Egyptian historical fiction.
• 
  Paul Burnette

  Overton's series came of age (Bk 1), fought against her usurping Uncle Ay on the side of her brother Shmenkhkare (Bk 2), continues the battle alongside her older brother Shmenkhkare against the cruel and ambitious Ay and her younger brother Tuthankamen (Bk 3), finally falls under the power of King Ay's adopted son Nakhtmin, then turns the tables on her worst enemies, clearing the way for Horemheb to come to power and her ex-lover Paramessu to become Horemheb's successor and eventually her son Set to sit on the throne of Egypt (Bk 4). In The Amarnan Kinds Book 5: Scarab - Horemheb, Overton combines his story with the Biblical story of the Hebrews' escape from Egypt, with former King Ahkenaten resurfacing as Yahmose (Moses) aided in the Hebrews/Khabirus' exodus from slavery in Egypt by Jesua, a warrior follower of Scarab. This tale has been 'read' to us from the beginning by a British female archaeologist Dani, who has found Scarab's tomb, apparently, in modern-day Syria, on the walls of which the aging Scarab had recorded her life story. It emerges at the end of Book 5 that Scarab is not buried in the tomb in Syria, as we had thought all along, but that her husband Khu had taken her body to her brother Shmenkhkare's hidden tomb in Egypt and secretly buried her there. So the stage is set for Book 6, where archaeologist Dani, apparently a descendant of Scarab's, is going to wield the golden scarab she found in the Syrian excavation, to assist her as she deals with unearthing her ancestor's body and story and fending off the efforts of a Saudi Arabian official who threatens the lives of the British archaeologists as well as the integrity of the history of Scarab. If this sounds a bit far-fetched, it is to the credit of the storyteller Max Overton that it all goes down smoothly, and delightfully, as Scarab's marvelous resilience and resourceful character grow slowly from the little girl playing with a dung beetle in Book 1 into the queen wielding the power of the gods of Egypt in Book 5. She restores Ma'at, the balance of justice and peace, to her country, just as any good fictional heroine should. We wait on Book 6 of The Amarnan Kings: Scarab - Descendant to see if Dani can do as well as her ancestor against the greed and ambition of present-day despots!
• 
  Grampy

  This book was reviewed by Lee Ashford for Reader's Favorites.
  
  “The Amarnan Kings Series Book 4: Scarab – Ay” by Max Overton is historical fiction at its finest. If you’ve ever wished you could have been alive in ancient Egypt, this is the book series for you. This fourth episode in the series begins at a 1960 archaeological dig in Syria. Buried in an unusual cliff-side setting is an Egyptian tomb, with walls literally covered in fine printing which tells a story – this story. As the interpreter begins to read the writing for taping and transcription, we are transported to a period of time thousands of years earlier, witnesses to an unfolding drama involving Pharaohs, royal families, and pretenders to the throne. As this point the story switches to a first person account of events as recorded in the tomb. The author seamlessly transports us through time to a front row seat as history happens before our very eyes.
  
  If you have an interest in ancient Egyptian history, fictional or otherwise, this book will fascinate you. The author’s attention to detail is almost eerily convincing. One gets the notion that Overton has been transported through time in order to be precisely accurate in his descriptions of the life, culture, and superstitions of that time. When he vividly describes a desert journey, you will become thirsty. When he relates the torture imposed on various “enemies” of the King, you will feel their pain. When he walks you through ancient temples to forgotten gods, you will experience a sense of respectful awe. This story covers many years of time, and cannot adequately be condensed to a few paragraphs. However, the story told herein reads like a true story of a fictional cast of characters. This book will draw you in from the start, and not let you go until it’s time to start the next episode in this series. I highly recommend this book, as well as the rest of the Amarnan Kings series. This is a journey you will be glad you took.
  
• 
  Holly

  This entire series was an amazing way of looking at the 18th Dynasty as opposed to what we know from the history books. Why couldn't Smenkhare and Tut have died at the same time? There are so many other "why couldn'ts" and "what ifs." So many times throughout the first five books, and caught myself smiling at the in-depth research and story telling of these "what ifs." I would absolutely recommend this series to anyone who loves ancient Egyptian culture or anyone who loves court intrigue and epic story telling!
  
  This book was my least favorite of the series, but it still got 5 stars from this girl, so "least favorite" doesn't mean a whole lot! I wish more people knew of this series, and give a high five to Overton for placing 6 more books on my "favorite of all time" list. If you love anything Egyptian, read this entire series!
• 
  Sandy

  I love ancient Egypt and this series agrees with so much historical fact I wonder if he knows something we don't... :)
  
  As well as an appreciative reader, I also published this book (only accepted because I liked it:)
• 
  Sekhar N Banerjee

  Fascinating story telling
  
  So far, this volume has been the one filled with most suspense. As in previous volumes, within the constraints of known history, the author has created a masterpiece mystery novel.
• 
  Stephanie

  I wanted to love this book as much as the first three but I didn't. It started going into places, especially the supernatural, that I just didn't enjoy.