Customer Reviews

Pharaoh

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3 star:		(1)
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The writer, Valerio Manfredi, is an expert Italian university professor and archaeologist who writes quite well ancient mediterrean history, be it on Rome, Egypt, Greece and Persia. He has written numerous historical books with fictional characters. I have read all of his books; and to me, this is one of his finest... in addition to his world famous trilogy on Alexander The Great. The "Pharaoh" is a real page turner and is Manfredi at his finest. It makes you think of all the historical fiction that are incorporated in The Bible, Judea, Egypt, Islam and Christianism related to ancient egyptian history and the flight of Moses with the Israelist, thus leading into modern times and the real conflict in that region all in the name of God. This book was written originally in Italian and published back in 1998, exactly 3 years before the attack on the Twin Towers in New York City! If you read it, you will see how this book with all of its historical facts and fictional characters can relate to religious fanatism and whose God is the true and may be the real one, if such a concept exists! The "Pharaoh" can very easily become a Hollywood film and thriller if casted and directed properly. I am quite surprised that no producer has picked this up to this date.

The book is fast paced and decently written. It is a fun read, though a bit melodramatic. As one would expect from Manfredi, the archaeology and the history are accurate and well-presented. I would recommend this book for an airplane or the beach.

Dr. Manfredi's brilliance as an historian and archaeolegist comes to life as he portrays his characters

as interlinking pieces of a puzzle. His intimate knowledge and experience of the land that plays off in

the background, together with the intrigue of all the characters makes very good reading. More please !

I loved Manfredi's trilogy about Alexander. This explains my disappointment regarding this book.

Some say the story is thrilling. I would say extremely unrealistic. His Middle East vision has more to do with someone's who spent a week on an Egyptian sandy red sea beach and then claimed to be a specialist than with an archeologist that actually spent a fair amount of time in that part of the world.

The archeological theory is extremely interesting and proofs his knowledge of his profession but, unfortunately, it is set in a poorly documented environment.

Is it useful to mention the highly improbable action parts and the childish depiction of characters ?

You know nothing about middle east. You have no clue about human relationships. You think that Terminator actually exists. Then you will LOVE this book.