Rating: 
Summary: Without doubt, another big hit for Christian Jacq!
Review: I have read all of Christian Jacq's books in French and some in English, and everytime I am amazed. He's the author who started my passion for ancient Egypt, and since then it grows more with every new book he writes! He's an Egyptologist and so you can really dig in and not be afraid of what he might write because he's an expert in his field! This book talks about the Place of Truth which really existed in the time of the Pharaohs, and in this case in the time of Ramses the Great! You will learn amazing facts about how the ancient Egyptians really lived, and how their civilization was a great one. It's a book that anyone can read because it's all put into simple words. So do not be afraid and dig in! You will not be dissapointed, and keep an eye out for the other volumes! The 2nd one is already out, and numbers 3 and 4 will be coming out soon!
Rating: 
Summary: Review of The Stone of Light
Review: I like many people, am fascinated by ancient Egypt so I eagerly read this book. However I realized after reading it that the author could have changed a few words here and there and made it a totally different book. It could have taken place in a present-day country. He made almost no discriptions of the surrounding area and what was going on during the time. Although it did take place in Egypt the description of events that happen in the book could have happened anywhere. Every aspect that he mentioned of Egypt was generic and overdone.
Rating: 
Summary: Based on some facts, boring to amazing
Review: I love this novel, although compare to the Ramese series and the Black Pharaoh, this one is not as excited. The novel vividly describes the living of the tomb makers. You may be surprised when you find out that even a very little episode happened in the novel may be a historical fact (you can know more by reading the book "The live of the Pharaoh Tomb Builders" by John Romer). In the beginning I thought the novel is based on Jacq's own imagination, but later I have found out that the Place of Truth does exist in Egypt (Del Medina). You can even find out the pictures of the village from the Internet and discover that the description of Jacq in the novel is exactly the same as what you can see in them. The five gates, the houses, and the tombs of the Master, are very details in Jacq's description. The living of the villagers, the murder of Nefer, the leading of Paneb, the Key of Dream of Khen the Scribe of the Tomb, and the existence of theWise woman, they are all based on facts. Book 1 is quite boring, the others are better. This novel covers the period from Ramese II to Ramese III! People who are familiar with Egyptian history may know that after Ramese II, the power of Egypt declined until the reign of Ramese III, which belonged to another dynasty. Jacq did not reveal his name at first, only mentioned "the son of Sehknet". But he is able to reveal the ability of this son of Sehknet. People familiar with Egyptian history will know that he is of course no one but Ramese III. The strength of Jacq is that he is able to gather the scattered facts of Egyptian history, together with his own imagination, and weave a story. From his novel, you can read Egyptian history, not scattered monuments, tablets, and inscriptions, but a continuous novel. The weak of Jacq, however, is that his view of Egypt is somehow biased. In his eye, Egypt is a paradise. The Pharaohs are always justice. They love his own people, his country, reigning according to Ma'at, which I believe is not always true.
Rating:
Summary: Based on some facts, boring to amazing
Review: I love this novel, although compare to the Ramese series and the Black Pharaoh, this one is not as excited. The novel vividly describes the living of the tomb makers. You may be surprised when you find out that even a very little episode happened in the novel may be a historical fact (you can know more by reading the book "The live of the Pharaoh Tomb Builders" by John Romer). In the beginning I thought the novel is based on Jacq's own imagination, but later I have found out that the Place of Truth does exist in Egypt (Del Medina). You can even find out the pictures of the village from the Internet and discover that the description of Jacq in the novel is exactly the same as what you can see in them. The five gates, the houses, and the tombs of the Master, are very details in Jacq's description. The living of the villagers, the murder of Nefer, the leading of Paneb, the Key of Dream of Khen the Scribe of the Tomb, and the existence of theWise woman, they are all based on facts. Book 1 is quite boring, the others are better. This novel covers the period from Ramese II to Ramese III! People who are familiar with Egyptian history may know that after Ramese II, the power of Egypt declined until the reign of Ramese III, which belonged to another dynasty. Jacq did not reveal his name at first, only mentioned "the son of Sehknet". But he is able to reveal the ability of this son of Sehknet. People familiar with Egyptian history will know that he is of course no one but Ramese III. The strength of Jacq is that he is able to gather the scattered facts of Egyptian history, together with his own imagination, and weave a story. From his novel, you can read Egyptian history, not scattered monuments, tablets, and inscriptions, but a continuous novel. The weak of Jacq, however, is that his view of Egypt is somehow biased. In his eye, Egypt is a paradise. The Pharaohs are always justice. They love his own people, his country, reigning according to Ma'at, which I believe is not always true.
Rating: 
Summary: I can't believe this was all I had for travel reading!
Review: I must say that I enjoyed the Ramses series before I launch into this wholehearted criticism, so that everyone understands that I am capable of appreciating this man's work. The Ramses series was hardly a challenge to read, but the descriptions were so vivid that I was almost able to smell and feel the scenes as they took place on the page. I picked up this book looking for a similar experience-- an interesting travel book. How wrong I was. As said by other reviewers, the characters are one-dimensional and vapid. The villain might as well be a cartoon character-- he is so poorly put forth that Jacq has to have him say to himself, "They won't get away with this..." It's almost like Gargamel planning to punish the Smurfs. Maybe I am harsher than I have to be because I had just finished reading The Fountainhead when I started this book-- and depth is something that comes in a downpour in The Fountainhead. Anyway, I thought that this could perhaps be a good children's book, but Jacq talks quite a bit about rape and sex, which is a little inappropriate for a child of six or seven. And trust me, the sentence structure and content is too elementary for anyone much older than that. So it's useless to all people, big and small. I was stuck reading the whole thing because I was in Spain with no other unread books...I kept lamenting to my companion that I was reading the world's worst book, but I saw it through to the end. I won't be wasting money on a sequel. Long story short, buy this book under no circumstances.
Rating:
Summary: I can't believe this was all I had for travel reading!
Review: I must say that I enjoyed the Ramses series before I launch into this wholehearted criticism, so that everyone understands that I am capable of appreciating this man's work. The Ramses series was hardly a challenge to read, but the descriptions were so vivid that I was almost able to smell and feel the scenes as they took place on the page. I picked up this book looking for a similar experience-- an interesting travel book. How wrong I was. As said by other reviewers, the characters are one-dimensional and vapid. The villain might as well be a cartoon character-- he is so poorly put forth that Jacq has to have him say to himself, "They won't get away with this..." It's almost like Gargamel planning to punish the Smurfs. Maybe I am harsher than I have to be because I had just finished reading The Fountainhead when I started this book-- and depth is something that comes in a downpour in The Fountainhead. Anyway, I thought that this could perhaps be a good children's book, but Jacq talks quite a bit about rape and sex, which is a little inappropriate for a child of six or seven. And trust me, the sentence structure and content is too elementary for anyone much older than that. So it's useless to all people, big and small. I was stuck reading the whole thing because I was in Spain with no other unread books...I kept lamenting to my companion that I was reading the world's worst book, but I saw it through to the end. I won't be wasting money on a sequel. Long story short, buy this book under no circumstances.
Rating:
Summary: The Stone of Light: Nefer the Silent
Review: I really loved this book. I thoroughly enjoyed Christian Jacq's Ramses series & was delighted when I discovered he had written a new series. I love the way Christian Jacq brings the Ancient Egyptians to life. Their trials & tribulations, & as well as their joys & happiness. It is great the way he brings Nefer, Ubekhet & Paneb to life & of course who could forget Mehy & Serketa. They seem like real people. I can't wait for the next installment to see what happens.
Rating:
Summary: Childish...not for those over 10 years old
Review: I wrote a more scathing review and it never got printed here...so I'll keep it short. This book is not worth the time it will take to read it...unless you are in elementary school. The characters are dull, the conversations inappropriately mix thoughts of long ago with today's modern language style. The book ends as if you've read one chapter of a larger book. My recommendation? Read Margaret George's "Cleopatra" for the read of a lifetime! You won't be disappointed! 1,000 pages fly by and you can't put it down. Told in the 1st person, Cleopatra's life comes alive before your very eyes.
Rating:
Summary: Addendum to any other reviews
Review: I've read two in this series and ordering the next two today. I realized how accurately Chrisian Jacq has depicted ancient Egyptian life and "the place of truth" after viewing the "Eternal Egypt" exhibit at the Pyramid in Memphis. (I think the exhibit ends around mid-October.) I found myself saying,"Yes, yes - what Jacq wrote was true!" The novels are in a larger than usual novel format and size, plus easily readable and so interesting that ancient Eqypt comes to life.
Rating:
Summary: An initiatic path hidden behind the story
Review: If you are looking after an epic story such as Ramses series written by same author, maybe you will be disappointed. But I see much more in this "the stone of light" series: it shows that ancient Egypt was teaching philosophy of life in schools of mysteries. Place of truth is such a place, but it did not appear the way we were expecting. This school is life of everyday where everything should be made in a sacred way, where being an example of virtue means something. Absolute respect is due to people that deserve it because they work for the health of whole Egypt even if very few people know it. There are doing their duty every day, even if evil always tries to divert them from their task. What they are, their existence is a symbol of god power on earth and each day they try to canalize this sacred energy. I recommand this serie (4 volumes) to people interested in giving a sacred meaning to each of their living days. They will probably learn something. But it is a good story also so everybody should read it! -)
| 
