Customer Reviews

Under the Western Acacia (Ramses)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The entire "Ramses" series is a tale of not only the often misrepresented pharaoh but of daily Egyptian life. How can it be defined? It's historical, suspenseful, love story with a role model as it's root, it's cornerstone. The role of the pharaoh is displayed honestly in how he is not his own person, he is Egypt and Egypt is Ramses. His goal in life is not his own glory, but that of his country, his soul. Simply a must read. But be warned, once hooked, Egyptology and the passion for knowledge of it will be in your blood like the Nile and it will flood, always.

I have read this book first in French and then in English, and I absolutely love it. The translation is very good because it captures the senses of the original. The life of Ramses II is not what people usually expect, and it explains a lot about his relationship with Moses. This book can be read by all ages, and I strongly recommend it! You will love the other 4 volumes as well.

Having always been fascinated by Ancient Egypt, I was delighted to discover this series of books, which I devoured quickly. They give a good feeling of how strongly their religious beliefs influenced their day to day lives and also a sense of what life was like for the egyptians, although artistic license has been used to make up for lost facts. I like the writing style for the most part, but it did at times become repititive, possibly something has been lost in the translation from French into English. All in all, I haven't enjoyed a series of books like this for years, and it is certainly worth a read, especially if you are interested in this period.

I have read it till now, volume five and I can't seem to get enough. The whole story is beautiful. It doe snot really portray accurate historical facts but it is able to give the reader a glimpse of what egyptian culture is and their way of life at the peak of their civilisation.

The story is sad and happy at times, bringing you on a rollercoaster ride. I ended feeling very depressed because I found the story very sad. I traced the life of someone from birth till death. The death part makes you feel very very uncomfortable. The story is so beautifully written that I cannot think of any better books.

From wars to magic to romance to auocracy. This book gives it all! I salute Christian Jacq!

In the concluding story of the Ramses saga the middle-aged king is under pressure from the Hittites to prove peace is at hand by marrying the emperor's daughter. This would mean renouncing Iset the Fair, who became the queen after the passing of Nefetari, the beloved queen of Egypt. This presented a real dilemma for the king: nothing short of peace was at stake but the king must uphold the law of ma'at. What is the king to do?

Ramses would also have to deal with Uri-Teshoop who's scheming to undermine the peace and a growing threat from the Libyans, who would love to conquer Egypt. Ramses continues to steer the ship of state through these turbulent waters relying on leadership, genius, magic, and a little help from the gods to defeat the forces of evil that threaten to undermine Egypt.

The story ends almost where it began with the king slumped beneath the acacia tree he planted in the first year of his reign. His faithful sandal-bearer, Ahmeni, was at his side writing down the story of the life of the greatest pharaoh, Ramses the Great.

All books are just wonderful. The story can't tell us exactly what hapenned, sure, but we can have an idea of that time. It's a romance not a history book. It tells a story, not the history. And this story is really inspirational.

The whole series is certainly entertaining and for the most part a capturing read. This being said, it did not quite live up to my expectations of a series about ancient Egypt that was written by an expert. Historic facts were twisted to suit the plot, and the constant emphasis of the protagonists' supposed magic powers often made it hard to distinguish facts from fiction and somehow doesn't seem to fit in with the storyline as a whole. Also, the stereotypical use of the words "sublime" for Nefertari and "languid" for Dolora was definitely beginning to irritate me as early as the end of the third volume, not to mention the sudden change of Ahmeni from a normal to a voracious eater. All in all, I had fun reading this series, though -- I just wouldn't recommend it to anyone seeking *reliable* information on everyday life in ancient Egypt.

This is a really nice collection. I enjoyed it very much. It is so very well researched in both historical and religious terms. Jacq was largely very faithful to historical facts. He made one enormous assumption with no historical backing whatsoever, that Ramses II was King of Egypt during the time of Moses. His history of Moses and the events of his life resemble those told in the bible and Quran, but in a secular fashion. The story does go on, but then again the man did rule Egypt for a very long and eventful period. There are indeed several cardboard like people in the book, very one dimensional and therefore very predictable. If you like history, suspense, lots of action, this is a great collection, enjoy it. If you are planning a Nile Cruise, or have just been on one, you must buy this.

All of the Ramses series of books I have found to be a super read. They provide an educated insight into the lives of Egyptian people in the past plus have good plots, intrigue and character building in a very straightforward way. I have now finished the series and am missing them very much!

Like most of the books in the series, under the Western Acacia is a fascinating tale of Ancient Egypt. It brings modern-day thrills and excitement to the ancient history to create a book that is truly gripping. Please note it is not all historically accurate, although it is based around the truth, there is elaboration which could not have been known. It is also not a totally unbiased portrayal of Ramses. But as a piece of fiction (which is what the book is classed as) it is truly magnificent. Jacq takes educational history and mixes it with intrigue, sex and developed undercurrents. Well worth a read.