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Ramese: Son of the Light

Ramese: Son of the Light

List Price: $69.95
Your Price: $69.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Scholastic reading club nominee...
Review: ...or at least that is how this, uh, piece of historical fiction should have been marketed. The plot is a juvenile mystery in which the greatest of Egypt's pharoahs (albeit in a younger guise) and his friend, Moses (yes, THAT Moses), are the sleuths. The prose is moaningly bad even for the 'tweens crowd for which this novel should have been aimed, and the characters are riduculously flat and clichéd. It also offers little to no detail of society or daily life in those times thus failing to believably "set the stage" and transport the reader. If you're really looking for some decent historical fiction, try Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series. Not the same time period or topic, but you adults in crowd will not feel intellectually insulted with each passing paragraph. I rate this a one star only because I cannot leave half a star. Why would it earn even half a star? Spelling.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Reads like a romance novel
Review: After reading Pauline Gedge's books (her books on Egypt are a must read), I was looking forward to more historical fiction on Egypt. However, I was sorely disappointed by this book. At first I thought it might be the translation - at one point Ramses says "Right on." One would think he was a modern American teenager rather than 2nd in line to the throne! Reading on though, I realised that it couldn't just be the translation -Ramses ends up in a fight with some grooms in the stables - you would think they should recognize him from his dress and manner! I couldn't finish the book. Unless you like romance novel style books or you are younger, I would go with Pauline Gedge's books - start with "Child of the Morning" or Lady of the Reeds."

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: An Old World Explored
Review: Amidst a world of magic and mystery a young boy grows to manhood. Drawn into a world of political ambition, treachery, and mysticism a young Ramses must face his ultimate challenges in order to stay alive. In the book Ramses Son of Light, the reader is swept into the ancient fertile land of Egypt, a land that lives in children's and adult's imagination as the realm of mummies and contrasts. Anyone who has ever dreamed of becoming the next Indiana Jones will enjoy the view of history from a fictional standpoint. Instead of exploring the past through dry often-biased text, we ride along with Ramses, the son of Seti, through his trials of manhood.
As a reader you see the things he sees as his father presents him with tests, to prove his worth to be regent. You feel his wildly pounding heart each time he meets with his father. Full of awe and wonder, you walk with him through the mysteries of Osiris. Christian Jacq, a renowned Egyptologist sets aside the formality of a scholar, and draws the reader to the Egypt as we imagine it was. The reader, setting aside their own disbelief, sees the youthful boy Ramses and watches him change within a seeming short period of time. This is the essence of the story, the strong characterization portrayed and the growing pains make you feel as if you are watching an older brother journey through his time. You feel the anger of Iset as time and time again her love disappears. You feel the matronly power of Tuyla as she guides her sons to the paths that they were destined for. Even though we are not necessarily exposed to a ruler who is "god-like" in today's society, you feel power emanating off Seti in each encounter. These people become more than a history lesson, they manifest with all the flaws and personality of someone you may know as a friend today. They become REAL.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Ramses II The Son of Light
Review: Christian Jacq uses his extensive knowledge of Egypt to weave a wonderful coming of age story in Ramses II The Son of Light. Jacq's novel incorporates history and intrigue to capture and transport the reader into the world of Ramses and the making of a pharaoh. From his first test, standing face to face with a wild bull, Ramses exhibits both the intellect and courage that will make him the most successful of Egypt's pharaohs.

As Ramses strives to become enlighteded through the wisdom of his father, the pharaoh, he is being undermined and challanged by his older brother, Shaanar, for the right to rule. Ramses must also contend with the two young women in his life, Iset the Fair, his passionate lover, and Nefertari, the woman who will become his wife. There are also the many friends and acquaintances, among them Moses and Homer, who play a role in his transformation from a boy to a leader of men.

Whether one is interested in history or just a good story, Ramses II The Son of Light will fit the bill. After reading the first book, one would be hard pressed not to read the entire series.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: dont' expect to learn from this book
Review: Dont' expect to learn much about the life of Ramesses II from this book. Just as the rest of the series,while it is a good book for a lazy day at the beach, it is full of historical speculations and mostly historicaly inacurate.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: What a stinker!
Review: For those of you thinking you're going to get an insightful look into Ancient Egypt through a well-written work of historical fiction, stay away. This is an extremely amateurish book. For one example, the author insists on telling us about the characters, using long strings of adjectives, instead of letting them speak for themselves. It's ridden with cliches, impossible to get involved in, and composed in the style of a very cheap romance. The publishers should be ashamed of themsleves.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Elegant and pleasant representation of Ramses' childhood
Review: I bought the first three books of the Ramses series, because I was interested in reading a book about Egypt. And after completed the first one I feel quite satisfied. Christian Jacq has the talent for representing his knowledge about ancient Egypt in a manner comfortable for common readers. One of the things I enjoyed very much in this book is the way the author makes you "sink" in the atmosphere of Egypt. There are also some moments and facts that are known from history and there are some experimental (or little irritating...) moments like the one with Homer, being contemporary of that time. I liked though the way Trojan war is incorporated with the time Ramses lived.

The story of the book is intriguing, and retaled in a 'calmer' way, making the book suitable for reading while in relaxed state. Imagine sunny afternoon, laying in a comfortable posture, thinking of nothing urgent... I think this book suits perfectly in this situation.

Another interesting aspect for me is the representation of the importance of the religion for the ancient egyptians. Seti (Ramses' father) for me seemed to be very sober and prudent man and in the same time he payed great attention to the religion and customs. This is how a great culture is being developed and maintained. This book made me read more about the egyptian mythology, which for me is very specific and sublime.

I'm curious about the next books, especially about the third one and the battle at Kadesh. I really hope the battle itself will be represented in more details than the battle between Ramses and the nubians in the first book.

Finally, my opinion is that this book deserves to be read. And if someone has interest in ancient Egypt I think he will be filled with pleasant feeling after closing it, like I was.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The greatest Pharaoh Lives Again!
Review: I have read this many times( along with the rest of the series)
The story is beautifully written. An amazing piece of litrature!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Ramses: Destined or Doomed?
Review: I personally thought that book was worthy of praise when I had completed it. The morality of it all was somewhat so important to the book that without it this marvelous book would have a straightforward, boring, and completely unrealistic plot. And so I recommend this book as well as the other Ramses books by Christian Jacq, you won't be dissapointed!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Ramses: Destined or Doomed?
Review: I personally thought that book was worthy of praise when I had completed it. The morality of it all was somewhat so important to the book that without it this marvelous book would have a straightforward, boring, and completely unrealistic plot. And so I recommend this book as well as the other Ramses books by Christian Jacq, you won't be dissapointed!


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