Customer Reviews

Ramses - The Son of the Light

5 star:		(77)
4 star:		(44)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(25)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

This book kept me entertained, which is usually all I ask from a book. In the historical fiction genre, however, I usually assume that the basic plot elements are either provable fact or at least in some way believable to historians. While I read the book, I was shocked to find out that much of what I thought about this period was wrong; when I finished and did research on the subject, I was disappointed to find out that I had been misled by someone who knew better.

I know that many will defend this work on the grounds that it is fiction, but I believe that someone with Jacq's credentials has a responsibility to his readers. Many people will read this book and 'learn' that Ramses II was contemporary with Helen of Troy, and that Homer was contemporary with them both - which is only the greatest of the wild inaccuracies in this book. One misguided reviewer on this site states, "The fact that the author, Christian Jacq, has a doctorate degree in Egyptian studies made me presume that the contents should not be too far from the truth". In actuality, the contents bear little resemblance to any defensible version of history. It's not just that conversations and minor characters are created, which is expected. It's not just that unexplained events are explained away in a controversial manner, which is reasonable. The problem is that established facts in history are actually contravened here. If you read this book and take for granted that anything you read is true, you are taking a great risk.

I am not telling you to avoid this book. It is very entertaining, and it may interest you in Egyptology. Certainly it propelled me to research the Trojan War, among other subjects. Just make sure that you understand; this is not historical fiction along the lines of George, Penman, and Shaara. This is closer to the alternate history novels of Harry Turtledove. Read and enjoy, but do not take it to heart.

Christian Jacq has brought out a series of five novels detailing the life of Ramses II, one of his role models. The series largely fails as a historical novel series. Firstly, it is inaccurate historically. Yes, this can be OK in many cases, but here it is a deliberate mish-mash of historical figures and chronologies where Ramses II rubs shoulders with Moses, Menelaus, Homer etc etc. (although Moses is the most likely to be an actual contemporary, this still seems like hacking together people and events). As for entertainment value, it is interesting in the way that extremely light writing with implausible plotlines is a quick read as it doesn't require much concentration and doesn't wear you out. However, there is much better writing out there (both literary and "light") - here, I found the dialogue to be especially unreal.

Jacq does mythologise Egypt with the sacred mysteries and magic of the priests being real. He also does a lot to make the whole setting come alive, which is the biggest strength of the series. But this could all be done without the several ridiculous aspects of the books.

In this, the first book, Ramses begins his education from his father Seti who trains him to harness the powers of evil and destruction and to be benevolent to the people. However, Ramses must endure machinations from his jealous brother Shaanar although he is helped by his childhood friends such as Ahmeni who becomes his scribe. We are also introduced to a post-Trojan-war Menelaus and Homer.

A decent series if there's nothing better to read and it will increase your interest in Egypt, but there IS something better to read in terms of almost all the aspects of the series.

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."

Unfortunately, I had bought the series before I read the reviews and now regret the time wasted on this book. I realize different people like different styles and levels of difficulty. Although I did not expect a classic, I was hoping to at least get a feel for the history period through an enjoyable read. The book does not deliver !

To start with, the language is overly simplistic, most words being 1-2 syllables and senteces about 1-2 lines. I felt my language skills regressing with every page. Furthermore, the dialogue often incorporates modern expressions, I came away asking why the workds "cool" and "dude" were not acutally used. This in itself does not exactly set the background for era emersion.

Besides the language, the characters are incredibly flat. A perfect example is Iset the Fair, Ramses' first girlfriend. This part of the story started out promising. Iset and Ramses are very young (14 or 15 years old at that point.) Iset is a society girl, considered to be one of the most beautiful, intelligent and very ambitous ... made out to be some seductress who toys with men for her pleasure but we are told at every possible occasion that her life goal is to be a queen. Ramses is the strong, serious type that is aloof to the superficial existence of nobility, intrigue, games, etc. Obviously, Iset notices Ramses' physique and makes the first move by inviting him to a party. When he says no, she says the invitation is open if you change your mind and walks away. He is obviously enticed and ends up coming to the party. The stage was now set for a great story... a naive adolescent who for the first time faces the guiles of an experienced player. Who will win, will she corrupt him, will he escape her bewitching charms, how will she try to ensnare him... Unfortunately, the reader was just set up for a disappointment -- after 1 or 2 sentences to each other at the end of the party, Ramses and Iset have sex and from then on she renounces all ambition and becomes Ramses wet mop. This is typical of the whole book.

Another example, is the part of the plot where Ramses and his friend Ahmeni try to discover who was responsible for the attempt on Ramses' life. The author could have made it a suspensful aspect of the story... what the clues were, how they slowly came together, how the connection between the conspirators was discovered, etc. Instead, at the end, the name of the villain is simply disclosed WITHOUT giving the reader any details. The whole mystery is concluded in one sentence "At first incredulous, the crown prince yielded to the evidence. Ahmeni had put together a remarkable case; there were no loose ends." THAT's IT! It's very nice that Ramses' questions were apparently satisfied by his friend behind the scenes but what about the reader ... we also want to know the how, why, where and how the loose ends were tied.

Another reason why you are not moved by the book is that it completely lacks life-like situations, conflicts, etc... everything always goes Ramses' way without you knowing why. It's worse than a fairy tale where at least you have one big suspenseful moment (where you think the hero is doomed) before the eventual "happy forever after" part. Here, whenever Ramses comes to some danger/trouble, the resolution comes in a sentence or paragraph .. Ramses just wins, or kills, or someone immediately succumbs to his charms and leadership qualities. How believable is that?

Major parts of the book are not explained, bizarre though they seem. Even though Ramses' older brother is declared heir apparent, the father selects Ramses as pharaoh. Why? No explanation is given. Does the Pharoah come to love him, see greatness in him? If so, at what point? In the first chapter of the book, the Pharoah tests Ramses with the wild bull scene. At that point, the older brother is already appointed heir apparent and Pharaoh has never seen Ramses (14 years old) before this day. Why is he testing him? He couldn't have loved him or seen potential in him then since he never met him before. So why the test to a "stranger" when Pharoah already declared his heir apparent. It doesn't make sense.

Worst of all, there is almost no historical/ era detail to emmerse the reader in the time period. Though the author is apparently a big authority on ancient Egypt, where are the details and descriptions of the customs, the social relationships (between men and women, nobility and commoners, workers, parents and children. Aside from the temple visiting, this book could have been set in any period and in any country. When the names of the gods are cited, there are no asociated mythological stories to introduce the reader to this part of ancient Egypt. Most people are familiar with Greek or Roman mythology, wouldn't a saga about ancient Egypt give more than mere dry recitation of names.

I could go on and on criticising the book but I think the above are examples of the utter cheap writing involved.

I would agree with the other 1-star reviewers when I say that this book is utter rubbish. Apart from the thin plot, poor writing style and erroneous historical facts, my biggest gripe is with the characterisation. The characters are so simplistic as to be cartoonish. Each is either a "goodie" or a "baddie" and as such it is impossible to become engaged with them.

I thought it pertitent that Ramses should have a friendly, amicable lion as a pet, as at the time I had been comparing the novel to the Lion King and other great Disney cartoons!

I picked up this book complete in the knowledge that it would be mostly fiction albeit with a lot of historical reference thrown. however the real attraction was the possibility of somehow being transported to ancient egypt thru.

After having read the first installment and 40 pages of the IInd parrt i have reached the conclusion that a TINTIN in EGYPT title will bring me closer to the grandeur of Egypt than this piece of amateur writing.

Not for a minute did i get the feeling i was reading about happenings 3000 years ago (leave alone 3 years). I understand from the introduction that CJ is an "authority" on ancient Egypt. Fortunately for us this is mentioned - a 2nd grade schoolboy could bring more wonder in describing ancient Egypt - else one might get the feeling that you are readng 1st grade comprehension.

I am not going to waste more time thrashing this series but let me just use one eg to illustrate the sheer mediocrity on display.

In Part one RAMSES's pets are called WIDEAWAKE and INVINCIBLE.

Reach Part two and voila!! they are now called WATCHER and FIGHTER. I sincerely hope that by the end of this series poor old Ramses is able to retain his given name, if not much else.

I read all five of the Ramses book several years ago and was spellbound by them. Some of the negative reviewers on this site seem to be forgetting two things: (1) these books are indeed works of FICTION and are published as such and (2) Christian Jacq's credentials as an Egyptologist are excellent. If, by using poetic licence, he can draw into Ancient Egypt thousands of people who have never been interested in it before, then I say he has done the world a great service. There are plenty of dusty academic tomes for the pefect accuracy killjoys to feed on!

As one reviewer said, when I picked these up and read Mr Jacq's credentials I really expected a lot. Instead these are the worst by far ancient Egyptian historical novels I've ever read, and I've read many. They are totally historically inaccurate...they toss together Moses, Homer, Helen of Troy, all in the same era for no real reason...the writing is awful (maybe thats the translation?) Also, since I did read the first several, they go on and have Ramses who famously lived to over 90 (in an age when 40 or so was the average life span) and during those years sired approximately 100 children, the eldest ones he outlived, anyway...for reasons unknown to me the author decides to have him monogamous and father only 3 children and ADOPT the rest!!...this is a pharaoh of Egypt who would have had, like all pharaohs, a huge harem with women from all nations in it, starting from his early teens (see non-ficion books for this information.) This was their culture, they didn't live in ours! Don't try to force them to be us! Its just ridiculous all the way through, I had to finally stop. If you want some good Egyptian historical novels, ANYTHING by Pauline Gedge or Paul Doherty's trilogy about Akhenaten/ Tutankamun. Or see other peoples' listmania lists. Seriously, if you are interested in ancient Egypt please don't waste time and money on these!!!!!

While having a rather animated tone that could interest some that would otherwise run away screaming at the thought of a "historical" novel, the book carries it too far. Besides the afore-mentioned innacuracies (the contemporary presence of Helen of Troy, etc.)the novel's biggest problem for me was how the characters talked. It was like a after-school special set in Egypt, with Rameses coming off at times like a reject out of Dawson's Creek. Many of the characters were overly played as stereotypes -Seti as the father who never understands, the cranky older brother, manipulative ex, and so forth - to begin with, and sounding like petulant teenagers did not help the situation.

...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.