Rating: 
Summary: Return of Taita
Review: The third in a series of books about ancient Egypt, WARLOCK returns to Taita, an eunuch slave who has served several pharaohs. Readers who met Taita in the first books of this series will love being able to read about him again in his latest mission. After getting a vision from the deceased Lostris, the queen Taita faithfully served and loved, he returns from his solitary life in the desert to help her grandson, Nefer Seti. Taita protects Nefer as he is thrust into a dangerous position at the young age of fourteen. He aids Nefer in honing his natural warrior and intellectual abilities, all the while helping Nefer reclaim the throne from Naja, a traitor who killed pharaoh and assumed leadership of Egypt. This book is exciting from the very beginning, opening with a scene of the Pharaoh's fighting chariots racing towards battle. The plot keeps up its breakneck pace from there to the very end, filled with battles, tests of courage and endurance, as well as some magic and mystery. Wilbur Smith does a great job of adding extra twists to the story, which makes it all the more interesting. Smith's vivid language also draws the reader in, though in some scenes the action described is nauseatingly gruesome. Though this book is thick, the pages fly by in no time at all. Those who enjoyed RIVER GOD and SEVENTH SCROLL will love Warlock.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This was an excellent book. A traditional epic saga, involving love, violence, treachery and honour, Warlock transports the reader to the dangerous and somewhat mystical times of ancient Egypt. It was written in a similar style to River God, and although it matched it in terms of sheer entertainment, it was not as tight and brilliant as the first book in this series. Among its shortcomings were the apparent shallowness of significant characters, such as Meren, Shabako and Merykara, and the rather abrupt ending. People have complained that this book is overly violent, but they must take into account the fact that those were times when extra-judicial killings, rape and cruelty to animals were very common. To cross out with a pen any lines that contained violence -- as one reviewer here did -- so other people will never be able to read those parts (I'm assuming that it was a library book) is immature. There have also been complaints about the 'magic' in the book, such as that used by Taita and other shamans and Magi, as well as complaints about racial slurs made by the nameless narrator. It must be realised that the narrator isn't really supposed to be Wilbur Smith, the author living in the 21st century; but rather someone from ancient Egypt who probably believed in magic like most ancient Egyptians did, and who held the racial prejudices common to those times. All in all, a great and compelliing (if slightly flawed) read.
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