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The She-King #1
The Sekhmet Bed
The second daughter of the Pharaoh, Ahmose has always dreamed of a quiet life as a priestess, serving Egypt's gods, ministering to the people of the Two Lands. But when the Pharaoh dies without an heir, she is given instead as Great Royal Wife to the new king - a soldier of common birth. For Ahmose is god-chosen, gifted with the ability to read dreams, and it is her connection to the gods which ensures the new Pharaoh his right to rule.
Ahmose's elder sister Mutnofret has been raised to expect the privileged station of Great Royal Wife; her rage at being displaced cannot be soothed. As Ahmose fights the currents of Egypt's politics and Mutnofret's vengeful anger, her youth and inexperience carry her beyond her depth and into the realm of sacrilege.
To right her wrongs and save Egypt from the gods' wrath, Ahmose must face her most visceral fear: bearing an heir. But the gods of Egypt are exacting, and even her sacrifice may not be enough to restore the Two Lands to safety.
Ahmose's elder sister Mutnofret has been raised to expect the privileged station of Great Royal Wife; her rage at being displaced cannot be soothed. As Ahmose fights the currents of Egypt's politics and Mutnofret's vengeful anger, her youth and inexperience carry her beyond her depth and into the realm of sacrilege.
To right her wrongs and save Egypt from the gods' wrath, Ahmose must face her most visceral fear: bearing an heir. But the gods of Egypt are exacting, and even her sacrifice may not be enough to restore the Two Lands to safety.
343 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 24, 2011
1398 people are currently reading
5846 people want to read
About the author
Libbie Hawker
38 books495 followersLibbie was born in Rexburg, Idaho and divided her childhood between Eastern Idaho's rural environs and the greater Seattle area. She presently lives in Seattle, but has also been a resident of Salt Lake City, Utah; Bellingham, Washington; and Tacoma, Washington. She loves to write about character and place, and is inspired by the bleak natural beauty of the Rocky Mountain region and by the fascinating history of the Puget Sound.
After three years of trying to break into the publishing industry with her various books under two different pen names, Libbie finally turned her back on the mainstream publishing industry and embraced independent publishing. She now writes her self-published fiction full-time, and enjoys the fact that the writing career she always dreamed of having is fully under her own control.
Libbie's writerly influences are varied, and include Vladimir Nabokov, Hilary Mantel, Annie Dillard, George R. R. Martin, songwriter Neko Case, and mixed-media storyteller Chris Onstad, to name but a few.
She previously wrote under the pen name L.M. Ironside (historical fiction).
After three years of trying to break into the publishing industry with her various books under two different pen names, Libbie finally turned her back on the mainstream publishing industry and embraced independent publishing. She now writes her self-published fiction full-time, and enjoys the fact that the writing career she always dreamed of having is fully under her own control.
Libbie's writerly influences are varied, and include Vladimir Nabokov, Hilary Mantel, Annie Dillard, George R. R. Martin, songwriter Neko Case, and mixed-media storyteller Chris Onstad, to name but a few.
She previously wrote under the pen name L.M. Ironside (historical fiction).
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July 17, 2015
Sekhmet: “One who is powerful.”
Sekhmet (Image: Wikipedia)
To the ancient Egyptians, Sekhmet was a warrior goddess with the head of a lion. As The Sekhmet Bed opens, Ahmose, the thirteen-year old younger daughter of the just-deceased Pharaoh, has little in common with a lioness. Her older sister has been groomed all her life to be a Great Royal Wife, while Ahmose prefers to focus on the spiritual. When their father dies without a male heir, Thutmose, one of his trusted generals, is named King. It seems straightforward enough that Thutmose, who is of humble origins, would be married to a king’s daughter to give his reign legitimacy. To the surprise of both sisters, it is Ahmose who is named Great Royal Wife to Thutmose while her older sister becomes his second wife. (There’s no way that could cause any trouble.) History tell us that Thutmose and Ahmose will eventually be the parents of Hatshepsut, one of the few women to rule Egypt, but naive Ahmose has a long way to go before that happens.
If historical fiction is most successful, as Hilary Mantel has said, by working with the “gaps” in history, then stories about the ancient world offer a lot of opportunities to fill in the blanks.
Hatshepsut is a relatively well-known figure in ancient Egyptian history, but 3,500 years later, there is a great deal we don’t know about her and her family. When we aren’t sure what was actual, the writer has to work with what is plausible. The motivations and decisions of the characters here are credible, offering one possibility for how events unfolded.
Where this novel really succeeds, though, is in the writing. L.M. Ironside (pen name of writer Libbie Hawker) writes with lyricism without falling into the trap of purple prose. The sense of the setting, of heat and flies and dust, of kohl and wigs and gold, of an unnaturally bright sun, suffuses the writing rather than showing up in one or two descriptive passages. The time and place here are not just a stage set with anachronistic characters dropped in.
There are occasional missteps - the “pidgin Egyptian” dialect spoken by one non-Egyptian character was jarring and didn’t seem historically and linguistically authentic. To be fair, though, I’m not sure how exactly someone would speak ancient-Egyptian-as-a-foreign-language.
Overall, there is a coherent vision of the interplay of setting, dialogue, story, and character. We can’t know exactly how these people thought and spoke. (As Ironside points out in the historical note at the end, the Egyptians generally did not use vowel sounds in their writing, so it’s hard even to guess what the language really sounded like.) Our images of the ancient Egyptians come primarily from the highly stylized portrayals on their tombs, defining them as obsessed with the afterlife because we know more about their elaborate burial rituals than anything else. Ironside succeeds in balancing that popular idea of pyramids and mummies and walking like an Egyptian with believable history lived by real humans.
Ahmose, Thutmose, and daughter (Image: Wikipedia)
A copy of this book for review was provided by the author.
Sekhmet (Image: Wikipedia)
To the ancient Egyptians, Sekhmet was a warrior goddess with the head of a lion. As The Sekhmet Bed opens, Ahmose, the thirteen-year old younger daughter of the just-deceased Pharaoh, has little in common with a lioness. Her older sister has been groomed all her life to be a Great Royal Wife, while Ahmose prefers to focus on the spiritual. When their father dies without a male heir, Thutmose, one of his trusted generals, is named King. It seems straightforward enough that Thutmose, who is of humble origins, would be married to a king’s daughter to give his reign legitimacy. To the surprise of both sisters, it is Ahmose who is named Great Royal Wife to Thutmose while her older sister becomes his second wife. (There’s no way that could cause any trouble.) History tell us that Thutmose and Ahmose will eventually be the parents of Hatshepsut, one of the few women to rule Egypt, but naive Ahmose has a long way to go before that happens.
If historical fiction is most successful, as Hilary Mantel has said, by working with the “gaps” in history, then stories about the ancient world offer a lot of opportunities to fill in the blanks.
Hatshepsut is a relatively well-known figure in ancient Egyptian history, but 3,500 years later, there is a great deal we don’t know about her and her family. When we aren’t sure what was actual, the writer has to work with what is plausible. The motivations and decisions of the characters here are credible, offering one possibility for how events unfolded.
Where this novel really succeeds, though, is in the writing. L.M. Ironside (pen name of writer Libbie Hawker) writes with lyricism without falling into the trap of purple prose. The sense of the setting, of heat and flies and dust, of kohl and wigs and gold, of an unnaturally bright sun, suffuses the writing rather than showing up in one or two descriptive passages. The time and place here are not just a stage set with anachronistic characters dropped in.
There are occasional missteps - the “pidgin Egyptian” dialect spoken by one non-Egyptian character was jarring and didn’t seem historically and linguistically authentic. To be fair, though, I’m not sure how exactly someone would speak ancient-Egyptian-as-a-foreign-language.
Overall, there is a coherent vision of the interplay of setting, dialogue, story, and character. We can’t know exactly how these people thought and spoke. (As Ironside points out in the historical note at the end, the Egyptians generally did not use vowel sounds in their writing, so it’s hard even to guess what the language really sounded like.) Our images of the ancient Egyptians come primarily from the highly stylized portrayals on their tombs, defining them as obsessed with the afterlife because we know more about their elaborate burial rituals than anything else. Ironside succeeds in balancing that popular idea of pyramids and mummies and walking like an Egyptian with believable history lived by real humans.
Ahmose, Thutmose, and daughter (Image: Wikipedia)
A copy of this book for review was provided by the author.
February 2, 2025
He hissed the horses into a canter, then a gallop. The wind tried to rip the wig from Ahmose's head. She steadied it, and steadied herself with the other hand, gripping the rail near where Thutmose held the reins. "My name is Ahmose she shouted into the night".
The Sekhmet Bed by Libbie Hawker
From Wikpedia:
"In Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet , also spelled Sakhmet, Sekhet, or Sakhet, among other spellings, is a warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing. She is depicted as a lioness, the fiercest hunter known to the Egyptians. It was said that her breath formed the desert".
MY REVIEW:
The Sekhmet Bed.
I love all sorts of Historical Fiction but stories of Ancient Egypt are possibly my favorite. And I am always amazed by the depth of research done by the writer in writing these books. It's a little awe inspiring.
This is the story of the great royal wife, Ahmose who is married at a very young age to General Thutmose, a courageous and mighty general and future ruler of Egypt.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. Ahmose has an older sister Mutnofret, who had been raised to believe she would be taking on the role of Royal wife.
But Ahmose is touched by the Gods. She can read dreams and she is given to Thutmose to lend respectability to his title of the ruler of Egypt.
Unfortunately, that causes a rift between the sisters that cannot heal and only gets worse with time. Mutnofret takes the position as second wife to Thutmose and she cannot forgive Ahmose for taking what Mutnofret believes is rightfully hers.
The situation is not helped by the fact that Ahmose has seen her best friend die while in child birth. This has traumatized her and she cannot bear the thought of laying with Thutmose and giving him an Heir.
As second wife, Mutnofret gives birth to several sons. Ahmose does eventually birth to a daughter..Hatshepsut.
The Gods want Hatshepsut to be named Heir by Thutmose. But when he is not able to accept the thought of a female ruler of Egypt, tragedy unfolds.
I found this book to be a quick but extremely well written and fascinating story of Ancient Egypt and of this Royal Family.
Everyone in the story is complex and have many sides to them. There is much that happens even though the book really is not that long.
Although this is book one in a series, it can be read as a stand alone as well. I liked this book alot. I did not adore it in the way I do with certain books hence the four rating. I am not sure why that is. All I can say is that I got pulled in but not as strongly as with other books. I still think it is a great read though.
What I liked most was the complexity of the characters and the descriptive writing about Egypt not to mention how educational the book is. It was not a furious page turner for me though, more like a slow burn although I did finish quickly.
It is a worthy read..great Historical Fiction and a solid choice for fans of this genre.
The Sekhmet Bed by Libbie Hawker
From Wikpedia:
"In Egyptian mythology, Sekhmet , also spelled Sakhmet, Sekhet, or Sakhet, among other spellings, is a warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing. She is depicted as a lioness, the fiercest hunter known to the Egyptians. It was said that her breath formed the desert".
MY REVIEW:
The Sekhmet Bed.
I love all sorts of Historical Fiction but stories of Ancient Egypt are possibly my favorite. And I am always amazed by the depth of research done by the writer in writing these books. It's a little awe inspiring.
This is the story of the great royal wife, Ahmose who is married at a very young age to General Thutmose, a courageous and mighty general and future ruler of Egypt.
It wasn't supposed to be this way. Ahmose has an older sister Mutnofret, who had been raised to believe she would be taking on the role of Royal wife.
But Ahmose is touched by the Gods. She can read dreams and she is given to Thutmose to lend respectability to his title of the ruler of Egypt.
Unfortunately, that causes a rift between the sisters that cannot heal and only gets worse with time. Mutnofret takes the position as second wife to Thutmose and she cannot forgive Ahmose for taking what Mutnofret believes is rightfully hers.
The situation is not helped by the fact that Ahmose has seen her best friend die while in child birth. This has traumatized her and she cannot bear the thought of laying with Thutmose and giving him an Heir.
As second wife, Mutnofret gives birth to several sons. Ahmose does eventually birth to a daughter..Hatshepsut.
The Gods want Hatshepsut to be named Heir by Thutmose. But when he is not able to accept the thought of a female ruler of Egypt, tragedy unfolds.
I found this book to be a quick but extremely well written and fascinating story of Ancient Egypt and of this Royal Family.
Everyone in the story is complex and have many sides to them. There is much that happens even though the book really is not that long.
Although this is book one in a series, it can be read as a stand alone as well. I liked this book alot. I did not adore it in the way I do with certain books hence the four rating. I am not sure why that is. All I can say is that I got pulled in but not as strongly as with other books. I still think it is a great read though.
What I liked most was the complexity of the characters and the descriptive writing about Egypt not to mention how educational the book is. It was not a furious page turner for me though, more like a slow burn although I did finish quickly.
It is a worthy read..great Historical Fiction and a solid choice for fans of this genre.
June 7, 2012
4.5 stars
I'll be honest. Normally I shy away from self-published and independently-published books for the mere fact that I have a very strident and strict editor in my head. When I read books, even mainstream, big house-published books, and find errors, that editor aches to pop out and start flaying the pages with a bold red pencil. Knowing that self-published works suffer even more as they lack the polish a professional editor can achieve, I just don't want to put myself through that kind of anguish, as I would no longer be reading the book for pleasure, but constantly seeking out and destroying all the errors. Not to mention many of the stories put out there are often amateurish, juvenile, and downright execrable. However, almost none of those things apply to The Sekhmet Bed, and my inner editor and I were able to enjoy the book with a minimum of red pencil usage.
I won't bother to synopsize (that's a word, right? If not, it is one now) the novel as it's been done so by others, in a clearer, more concise way than what I could achieve. I will say that publishers should be sitting up and taking notice of Ironside. She's managed to write a novel full of compelling characters as well as intense, atmospheric settings. Frankly, she leaves Michelle Moran in the dust; anyone who compares Ironside to Moran is insulting Ironside. The interactions between characters feel real and authentic; the insertion of mystical elements doesn't compromise the integrity of the historical setting as they're not presented as though they're really happening (except to the person experiencing them, which is only natural; people who have divine visions believe they're real, even if no one else does or understands what they're talking about). The "bad guy" character, Mutnofret, is sufficiently despicable, yet she occasionally shows flashes of humanity in the way she wavers from her actions and shows doubt--which is how "bad guy" characters ought to be written. Even the protagonist isn't perfect as she does things which are questionable and acts out, behaving quite badly at times. About the only character who isn't as fully developed is Thutmose and that's probably because for a lot of the novel he isn't present.
It's obvious Ironside did her research as she was able to deviate from some of the accepted theories concerning the characters in an authentic manner, unlike some authors who maybe skim some of the research and decide, to hell with it, they're going to write the story the way they want to, no matter how things really happened. One of the interesting deviations was the way Ironside presented the marriage of Ahmose, Mutnofret, and Thutmose. The prevailing theory is that Thutmose was originally married to Mutnofret--who may or may not have been related to Ahmose as well as Amenhotep I--they had three or four sons, and then Mutnofret died well before Amenhotep I died and Thutmose married Ahmose. However, by making Mutnofret not only a contemporary of Ahmose, but her sister and sister wife, Ironside neatly introduces a built-in package of tension and strife into the royal household, giving her a rich storyline to mine for drama. This alternate history is presented in such an authentic manner, it's easy to believe that it could've been true.
Ironside also did what I've been ranting about for years: she used the true Egyptian names for divinities and titles rather than their Greco-Egyptian counterparts. That said, for some of the gods she kept their Greek names, i.e. Osiris and Hathor rather than Ausar/Asar and Het-Heru (which means 'House of Heru [Horus]', just as an aside), which seemed rather strange. However, I was just happy that she even bothered using the ancient Egyptian language in the first place. It has annoyed me for quite some time when I see historical fiction set in ancient Egypt and an author is using the Greek transliterations of Egyptian words. How difficult would it be to use Ausar, Auset, Heru, Tehuti, Nebt-Het and simply place a glossary in the front of the book? It doesn't take long to understand that Tehuti is Thoth or Nebt-Het is Nephthys and using their real names makes the novel that much more authentic.
Other than a few editing errors (punctuation errors, the occasional misspelling, missed capitalization) which are to be expected, the book was surprisingly well-written, taut and streamlined. Surprising for the mere fact that I didn't expect it to be so; I expected to find a lot more extraneous narration or choppy dialogue. There was none. Which means finally I've found a writer of ancient Egyptian historical fiction who can wipe the stench of Michelle Moran from my brain. Which also means I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment in Ironside's series.
By the way, I'm simply an armchair Egyptologist. I've been fascinated by the subject for many, many years, but I've never undertaken a scholarly investigation of the subject. My (scanty) knowledge comes from years of absorbing books and other works on the subject. So if something I've pointed out as being wrong isn't, in fact, wrong, then I accept that I'm the one who's wrong. Is that enough wrongs to make a right?
Disclaimer: I was asked by the author herself to read and write a fair and honest review of this book. No monies or other favors were promised or exchanged by either party in return for this review and I had never had previous contact with said author.
I'll be honest. Normally I shy away from self-published and independently-published books for the mere fact that I have a very strident and strict editor in my head. When I read books, even mainstream, big house-published books, and find errors, that editor aches to pop out and start flaying the pages with a bold red pencil. Knowing that self-published works suffer even more as they lack the polish a professional editor can achieve, I just don't want to put myself through that kind of anguish, as I would no longer be reading the book for pleasure, but constantly seeking out and destroying all the errors. Not to mention many of the stories put out there are often amateurish, juvenile, and downright execrable. However, almost none of those things apply to The Sekhmet Bed, and my inner editor and I were able to enjoy the book with a minimum of red pencil usage.
I won't bother to synopsize (that's a word, right? If not, it is one now) the novel as it's been done so by others, in a clearer, more concise way than what I could achieve. I will say that publishers should be sitting up and taking notice of Ironside. She's managed to write a novel full of compelling characters as well as intense, atmospheric settings. Frankly, she leaves Michelle Moran in the dust; anyone who compares Ironside to Moran is insulting Ironside. The interactions between characters feel real and authentic; the insertion of mystical elements doesn't compromise the integrity of the historical setting as they're not presented as though they're really happening (except to the person experiencing them, which is only natural; people who have divine visions believe they're real, even if no one else does or understands what they're talking about). The "bad guy" character, Mutnofret, is sufficiently despicable, yet she occasionally shows flashes of humanity in the way she wavers from her actions and shows doubt--which is how "bad guy" characters ought to be written. Even the protagonist isn't perfect as she does things which are questionable and acts out, behaving quite badly at times. About the only character who isn't as fully developed is Thutmose and that's probably because for a lot of the novel he isn't present.
It's obvious Ironside did her research as she was able to deviate from some of the accepted theories concerning the characters in an authentic manner, unlike some authors who maybe skim some of the research and decide, to hell with it, they're going to write the story the way they want to, no matter how things really happened. One of the interesting deviations was the way Ironside presented the marriage of Ahmose, Mutnofret, and Thutmose. The prevailing theory is that Thutmose was originally married to Mutnofret--who may or may not have been related to Ahmose as well as Amenhotep I--they had three or four sons, and then Mutnofret died well before Amenhotep I died and Thutmose married Ahmose. However, by making Mutnofret not only a contemporary of Ahmose, but her sister and sister wife, Ironside neatly introduces a built-in package of tension and strife into the royal household, giving her a rich storyline to mine for drama. This alternate history is presented in such an authentic manner, it's easy to believe that it could've been true.
Ironside also did what I've been ranting about for years: she used the true Egyptian names for divinities and titles rather than their Greco-Egyptian counterparts. That said, for some of the gods she kept their Greek names, i.e. Osiris and Hathor rather than Ausar/Asar and Het-Heru (which means 'House of Heru [Horus]', just as an aside), which seemed rather strange. However, I was just happy that she even bothered using the ancient Egyptian language in the first place. It has annoyed me for quite some time when I see historical fiction set in ancient Egypt and an author is using the Greek transliterations of Egyptian words. How difficult would it be to use Ausar, Auset, Heru, Tehuti, Nebt-Het and simply place a glossary in the front of the book? It doesn't take long to understand that Tehuti is Thoth or Nebt-Het is Nephthys and using their real names makes the novel that much more authentic.
Other than a few editing errors (punctuation errors, the occasional misspelling, missed capitalization) which are to be expected, the book was surprisingly well-written, taut and streamlined. Surprising for the mere fact that I didn't expect it to be so; I expected to find a lot more extraneous narration or choppy dialogue. There was none. Which means finally I've found a writer of ancient Egyptian historical fiction who can wipe the stench of Michelle Moran from my brain. Which also means I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment in Ironside's series.
By the way, I'm simply an armchair Egyptologist. I've been fascinated by the subject for many, many years, but I've never undertaken a scholarly investigation of the subject. My (scanty) knowledge comes from years of absorbing books and other works on the subject. So if something I've pointed out as being wrong isn't, in fact, wrong, then I accept that I'm the one who's wrong. Is that enough wrongs to make a right?
Disclaimer: I was asked by the author herself to read and write a fair and honest review of this book. No monies or other favors were promised or exchanged by either party in return for this review and I had never had previous contact with said author.
September 7, 2018
I decided to rewrite my review for this book, since the previous one, whilst it had some good points, could have had greater clarity, and because my opinion of this book has shifted a little after re-reading it.
I’ve always had mixed feelings about The Sekhmet Bed. I really want to like it. Ancient Egypt is a time and place I am absolutely passionate about, and I am ever eager to get my hands on the rare examples of historical fiction set in that era. It hasn’t always paid off, either. As with all genres, of course there are bad books out there, everything from cackling stock villains (Christian Jacq) to complete misunderstandings of ancient Egyptian values and culture (Michelle Moran). So when I read The Sekhmet Bed, it’s with great relief and happiness that here is a novel of ancient Egypt that is competently written, with a decent understanding of the society, and not laughably silly. Yet, I’ve never been able to shake the sense that something is off about it, just in the periphery of my vision but when I try to take a direct look at in I can’t spot any glaring errors. I just can’t deny that I am not sucked in to the story the same way I am when I read Pauline Gedge’s Egyptian novels. Well, in this new review I want to try and put my finger on that feeling, while being fair to the book’s strengths.
One of the negatives I mentioned in my old review was occasional poor word choice. The book has never had any modern slang creep in, but sometimes just a turn of phrase would seem very modern and just off-putting. In my old review I actually highlighted three quotes in particular, but running a search on the text this time round shows that those phrases are now completely removed. My first reading was of the smashwords version, so I am assuming that the author took critique on board and altered the text. So it is worth noting right now that this negative is not as much of a negative as it used to be. Yet still, something’s not quite right. This isn’t constant, mind you, but once in a while a sentence will pop up that jars. The same thing bothered me about the nicknames ‘Nofret’ and ‘Tut’; it simply seemed out of place.
The other side of that coin is good word choice. There are some scenes that succeeded in drawing me in, and notably they were often those that had rich descriptions and vivid imagery. The author can create a vision in the mind’s eye when she employs these skills, and even turn a fresh and delightfully inventive phrase from time to time. In those scenes I felt much more strongly connected to the moment, the characters, and the story. I think taking a quiet moment to bring the scene to life as vividly as possible really increases the impact of the story – it feels more immediate, more authentic and real. We invest a little more, as readers. But this kind of scene-setting and linguistic creativity isn’t in every scene, and I admit in some scenes where it was absent, I had trouble ‘seeing’ what was happening, I wasn’t as invested, and the temptation to skim was greater. I also forgot more easily what happened in those scenes.
In essence, I wanted more of this: “Shemu was the time for harvesting crops and repairing the irrigation canals; the sky was white with dust from labour in the fields surrounding Waset. Under the oddly pale sky the women’s garden transformed into a place of alien ripeness.” (p. 56)
And this: “He watched the road, his face still and serious. The light of stars and moon muted the colours of his skin. His profile leaped bright and stark against the black of the night sky. Even smudged, the kohl around his eye made it seem as dark and fierce as the eye of Horus… Whatever her future held, whatever the gods would give her with the rising sun, here she was in a ragged tunic, flying through the night, free as a leaping fish.” (p. 19)
And less of this: “I hate Mutnofret! She ruins everything. Everything!” (p. 170)
And this: “Shut your lying mouth! I’ve heard enough from it... You will pay for this. When the Pharaoh returns, he will know you for what you truly are, and so will all the people… Mutnofret screamed like a hunting hawk. She reached out a swift hand, never taking her eyes from Ahmose. She seized something from Ahmose’s bedside table in a shaking, hard fist. Ahmose watched a blur of carnelian and jasper raise into the air, leave Mutnofret’s hand, careen off the far wall with a sound like dropped pottery.” (p. 223 – 224)
I considered that part of the problem might be the fact that the protagonist and antagonist are teenagers. I try to avoid that, in general, but it makes sense that the dialogue of teenagers is hardly going to be scintillating stuff. This is exactly where my mixed feelings about this book come in. Historically, the concept of a teenager is very new, and in past times such as ancient Egypt, people that age would simply be expected to behave as a full adult – so would they really behave in a manner we today recognise as teenaged? On the other hand, regardless of the label, the age is still the same, so maybe they would? Or maybe they wouldn’t because societal expectations were completely different. I can’t really bring that particular niggle to a definitive conclusion. But there have been books with teenage protagonists with plenty of scintillating dialogue, so maybe I shouldn’t even be trying to excuse it.
Other niggles I had included the years skipping ahead, which felt way too fast and didn’t give me enough time to soak up one story point before we were on to another. And it occurred to me that part of the problem was the premise of the story. When Hatshepsut was pharaoh she told the story of the Sekhmet bed and Amun being her divine father in order to reinforce and justify her rule. But historically there is actually no evidence that Thutmose I ever had a co-regency with her or intended her to be his heir. After reading the book a second time, I think that Hawker made a mistake by trying to work this story backwards. I can understand how tempting it would be – a tale of defying social conventions, a divine birth, and the family tensions that creates would be much more interesting than a princess brought up with perfectly ordinary expectations. But it’s also more implausible, it actually lessens Hatshepsut’s achievement later on and her successful struggle against the odds, and it spawns the whole family drama thing which I strongly disliked.
Speaking of family drama, that has always been one aspect I struggled to get on board with in this book. Two teenage sisters catfighting for the affections of a king, and the baby drama that erupts from that. I have no tolerance for this sort of thing. It is really overdone, and I am tired of it. It’s not just that it crops up so often, but that readers are tired of female-on-female hate, especially over a guy who doesn’t deserve it; and for me personally this is even worse in a historic society where this sort of family arrangement was the norm and more often than not the peace was expected to be enforced. Now, I want to stress that in The Sekhmet Bed, the author really does work to try and subvert the trope. Our protagonist is not a perfect Mary Sue; she has considerable flaws. Our antagonist has her moments of genuine empathy. There are points in the story where the two women do support each other. And I really appreciated that. But it wasn’t enough to detract from the overall cliché of the set up. I think I would’ve been more accepting of it if Ahmose pulled Mutnofret up on her bullshit sooner, or the two women reached an equilibrium sooner, but it drags on and the tit-for-tat, and some truly idiotic decisions by our protagonist, just switched me off.
Halfway through the book, I realised what would have made a huge difference; one thing that would have drastically improved the story for me. The story was missing something, and that was when Thutmose went away on campaign. The story stays focused on Ahmose and Mutnofret stuck at home, meaning we as readers get subjected to ever more of the catfighting drama, and the story is just awash in this one conflict between two sisters. I’ve always said that in a historical story it’s a mistake to take focus away from the most interesting events, and be stuck in a side character’s point of view who didn’t directly experience them. It’s why first person with a less important figure isn’t a great choice for historical fiction. In the reign of Thutmose I, some of the most interesting events have to be his campaigns. Not to include them does seem like a missed opportunity. Even if you decided to keep the whole sisters in conflict plotline and not scrap it for something less tropey, it could still work if some of the heat and focus is taken off it by intercutting it with Thutmose as an additional protagonist and point of view.
5 out of 10
I’ve always had mixed feelings about The Sekhmet Bed. I really want to like it. Ancient Egypt is a time and place I am absolutely passionate about, and I am ever eager to get my hands on the rare examples of historical fiction set in that era. It hasn’t always paid off, either. As with all genres, of course there are bad books out there, everything from cackling stock villains (Christian Jacq) to complete misunderstandings of ancient Egyptian values and culture (Michelle Moran). So when I read The Sekhmet Bed, it’s with great relief and happiness that here is a novel of ancient Egypt that is competently written, with a decent understanding of the society, and not laughably silly. Yet, I’ve never been able to shake the sense that something is off about it, just in the periphery of my vision but when I try to take a direct look at in I can’t spot any glaring errors. I just can’t deny that I am not sucked in to the story the same way I am when I read Pauline Gedge’s Egyptian novels. Well, in this new review I want to try and put my finger on that feeling, while being fair to the book’s strengths.
One of the negatives I mentioned in my old review was occasional poor word choice. The book has never had any modern slang creep in, but sometimes just a turn of phrase would seem very modern and just off-putting. In my old review I actually highlighted three quotes in particular, but running a search on the text this time round shows that those phrases are now completely removed. My first reading was of the smashwords version, so I am assuming that the author took critique on board and altered the text. So it is worth noting right now that this negative is not as much of a negative as it used to be. Yet still, something’s not quite right. This isn’t constant, mind you, but once in a while a sentence will pop up that jars. The same thing bothered me about the nicknames ‘Nofret’ and ‘Tut’; it simply seemed out of place.
The other side of that coin is good word choice. There are some scenes that succeeded in drawing me in, and notably they were often those that had rich descriptions and vivid imagery. The author can create a vision in the mind’s eye when she employs these skills, and even turn a fresh and delightfully inventive phrase from time to time. In those scenes I felt much more strongly connected to the moment, the characters, and the story. I think taking a quiet moment to bring the scene to life as vividly as possible really increases the impact of the story – it feels more immediate, more authentic and real. We invest a little more, as readers. But this kind of scene-setting and linguistic creativity isn’t in every scene, and I admit in some scenes where it was absent, I had trouble ‘seeing’ what was happening, I wasn’t as invested, and the temptation to skim was greater. I also forgot more easily what happened in those scenes.
In essence, I wanted more of this: “Shemu was the time for harvesting crops and repairing the irrigation canals; the sky was white with dust from labour in the fields surrounding Waset. Under the oddly pale sky the women’s garden transformed into a place of alien ripeness.” (p. 56)
And this: “He watched the road, his face still and serious. The light of stars and moon muted the colours of his skin. His profile leaped bright and stark against the black of the night sky. Even smudged, the kohl around his eye made it seem as dark and fierce as the eye of Horus… Whatever her future held, whatever the gods would give her with the rising sun, here she was in a ragged tunic, flying through the night, free as a leaping fish.” (p. 19)
And less of this: “I hate Mutnofret! She ruins everything. Everything!” (p. 170)
And this: “Shut your lying mouth! I’ve heard enough from it... You will pay for this. When the Pharaoh returns, he will know you for what you truly are, and so will all the people… Mutnofret screamed like a hunting hawk. She reached out a swift hand, never taking her eyes from Ahmose. She seized something from Ahmose’s bedside table in a shaking, hard fist. Ahmose watched a blur of carnelian and jasper raise into the air, leave Mutnofret’s hand, careen off the far wall with a sound like dropped pottery.” (p. 223 – 224)
I considered that part of the problem might be the fact that the protagonist and antagonist are teenagers. I try to avoid that, in general, but it makes sense that the dialogue of teenagers is hardly going to be scintillating stuff. This is exactly where my mixed feelings about this book come in. Historically, the concept of a teenager is very new, and in past times such as ancient Egypt, people that age would simply be expected to behave as a full adult – so would they really behave in a manner we today recognise as teenaged? On the other hand, regardless of the label, the age is still the same, so maybe they would? Or maybe they wouldn’t because societal expectations were completely different. I can’t really bring that particular niggle to a definitive conclusion. But there have been books with teenage protagonists with plenty of scintillating dialogue, so maybe I shouldn’t even be trying to excuse it.
Other niggles I had included the years skipping ahead, which felt way too fast and didn’t give me enough time to soak up one story point before we were on to another. And it occurred to me that part of the problem was the premise of the story. When Hatshepsut was pharaoh she told the story of the Sekhmet bed and Amun being her divine father in order to reinforce and justify her rule. But historically there is actually no evidence that Thutmose I ever had a co-regency with her or intended her to be his heir. After reading the book a second time, I think that Hawker made a mistake by trying to work this story backwards. I can understand how tempting it would be – a tale of defying social conventions, a divine birth, and the family tensions that creates would be much more interesting than a princess brought up with perfectly ordinary expectations. But it’s also more implausible, it actually lessens Hatshepsut’s achievement later on and her successful struggle against the odds, and it spawns the whole family drama thing which I strongly disliked.
Speaking of family drama, that has always been one aspect I struggled to get on board with in this book. Two teenage sisters catfighting for the affections of a king, and the baby drama that erupts from that. I have no tolerance for this sort of thing. It is really overdone, and I am tired of it. It’s not just that it crops up so often, but that readers are tired of female-on-female hate, especially over a guy who doesn’t deserve it; and for me personally this is even worse in a historic society where this sort of family arrangement was the norm and more often than not the peace was expected to be enforced. Now, I want to stress that in The Sekhmet Bed, the author really does work to try and subvert the trope. Our protagonist is not a perfect Mary Sue; she has considerable flaws. Our antagonist has her moments of genuine empathy. There are points in the story where the two women do support each other. And I really appreciated that. But it wasn’t enough to detract from the overall cliché of the set up. I think I would’ve been more accepting of it if Ahmose pulled Mutnofret up on her bullshit sooner, or the two women reached an equilibrium sooner, but it drags on and the tit-for-tat, and some truly idiotic decisions by our protagonist, just switched me off.
Halfway through the book, I realised what would have made a huge difference; one thing that would have drastically improved the story for me. The story was missing something, and that was when Thutmose went away on campaign. The story stays focused on Ahmose and Mutnofret stuck at home, meaning we as readers get subjected to ever more of the catfighting drama, and the story is just awash in this one conflict between two sisters. I’ve always said that in a historical story it’s a mistake to take focus away from the most interesting events, and be stuck in a side character’s point of view who didn’t directly experience them. It’s why first person with a less important figure isn’t a great choice for historical fiction. In the reign of Thutmose I, some of the most interesting events have to be his campaigns. Not to include them does seem like a missed opportunity. Even if you decided to keep the whole sisters in conflict plotline and not scrap it for something less tropey, it could still work if some of the heat and focus is taken off it by intercutting it with Thutmose as an additional protagonist and point of view.
5 out of 10
September 16, 2013
Disclaimer: I picked this up as a freebie. It got bumped up my reading list because the author posted some intelligent comments on a friend’s review.
Historical fiction is iffy. Too often characters became saints or sinners and that is it. This book is the first in trilogy and recounts the birth of one of the more famous female pharaohs – Hatshepsut. The focus is on Ahomse, her husband Tut, and her sister/co-wife Nufert.
Here’s the thing, too often the rival is displayed as the evil witch and the heroine the poor sinned against character. I am thinking of the Other Boleyn Girl here. This is not the case here. Nufert may be a bit of bitch, but her anger is understandable. Ahomse maybe a bit of a saint, but she does have some of a bitch in her. Ahomse grows and what she does isn’t always right. It is rather refreshing to see such a while use of shading in characters. This shading more than make up for the few typos that appear in this self-published novel.
There is brilliant sense of place. Ancient Egypt feels real here.
Well done book. Someone give this author a contract.
Historical fiction is iffy. Too often characters became saints or sinners and that is it. This book is the first in trilogy and recounts the birth of one of the more famous female pharaohs – Hatshepsut. The focus is on Ahomse, her husband Tut, and her sister/co-wife Nufert.
Here’s the thing, too often the rival is displayed as the evil witch and the heroine the poor sinned against character. I am thinking of the Other Boleyn Girl here. This is not the case here. Nufert may be a bit of bitch, but her anger is understandable. Ahomse maybe a bit of a saint, but she does have some of a bitch in her. Ahomse grows and what she does isn’t always right. It is rather refreshing to see such a while use of shading in characters. This shading more than make up for the few typos that appear in this self-published novel.
There is brilliant sense of place. Ancient Egypt feels real here.
Well done book. Someone give this author a contract.
January 25, 2018
Such a beautiful novel and one I highly enjoyed!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
July 25, 2015
I'm always a little bit apprehensive about picking up a Kindle book (by which I mean a book published only through ebook distributors), though honestly I'm not sure why. I've read plenty of crap that came straight from New York, after all, and plenty of direct-to-ebooks that turned out great. It's probably just fear of bad grammar, to be honest. And... I think I'm more likely to pick up books outside of my comfort zone when they're free/cheap on Kindle, so there's that.
This book was at once totally out of my comfort zone and kinda not. Historical fiction is borderline for me, and there is an element of fantasy here too, though it's never quite clear how literal the gods' interventions are meant to be. But it was totally out of my comfort zone in a very literal sense, in that while reading it I was deeply uncomfortable - in, I think, exactly the way the author intended.
This book is the first in a series about the rise and kingship of Hatshepsut, Egypt's 'female Pharaoh'. It focuses on her mother, Ahmose, and her coming of age/coming to terms with the idea of childbirth. Ahmose's sister, Mutnofret, is also wife of the current Pharaoh, and a constant tension exists between them.
It was that tension that had me on edge for the entire book. Ahmose is elevated to a station she never wanted by unexpected tragedy, and Mutnofret takes it as a personal offense. This is absolutely painful to read, because no matter how much Ahmose strives to communicate with her sister, Mutnofret never really seems to hear and their relationship sours and sours as the politics of being the Pharaoh's wives demand more from them. Because Ahomose is the protagonist, it's often easy to sympathize with her... at first. She's certainly not innocent of wrongdoing by the end.
This is exactly what I mean when I say I want to see more complex female relationships in novels. Politics, personal affection, competition for their husband's favor, religion, sexuality, and fear all impact the sisters' interactions and it felt so incredibly, agonizingly REAL.
The secondary engine of this book's plot is Ahmose's coming of age, centered around her deep fear of dying in pregnancy. (Understandable!) I'm somewhat more ambivalent towards this than I was towards the sisterly drama, but that's mostly because early on Ahmose discussed sexuality in such a way that I thought maaaaaaaaaybe she'd turn out to be canonically asexual. Unsurprisingly it was not to be, but I got my hopes up a little there. (Also, there were several intense, detail-filled descriptions of pregnancies and labor and that's just so not my thing on so many levels.)
I don't know nearly enough about Egypt to speak to the historical accuracy of this book, but as a reader I can absolutely say that it was engrossing and certainly felt realistic and well-drawn. Judging by the notes at the end and the high ratings this book has received, I'm guessing there aren't any glaring mistakes at the very least.
Eventually I'd like to read the rest of the series, but that's more dependent on when I can justify purchasing more books than anything else. Still, this first installment - definitely recommended; it was masterfully done.
This book was at once totally out of my comfort zone and kinda not. Historical fiction is borderline for me, and there is an element of fantasy here too, though it's never quite clear how literal the gods' interventions are meant to be. But it was totally out of my comfort zone in a very literal sense, in that while reading it I was deeply uncomfortable - in, I think, exactly the way the author intended.
This book is the first in a series about the rise and kingship of Hatshepsut, Egypt's 'female Pharaoh'. It focuses on her mother, Ahmose, and her coming of age/coming to terms with the idea of childbirth. Ahmose's sister, Mutnofret, is also wife of the current Pharaoh, and a constant tension exists between them.
It was that tension that had me on edge for the entire book. Ahmose is elevated to a station she never wanted by unexpected tragedy, and Mutnofret takes it as a personal offense. This is absolutely painful to read, because no matter how much Ahmose strives to communicate with her sister, Mutnofret never really seems to hear and their relationship sours and sours as the politics of being the Pharaoh's wives demand more from them. Because Ahomose is the protagonist, it's often easy to sympathize with her... at first. She's certainly not innocent of wrongdoing by the end.
This is exactly what I mean when I say I want to see more complex female relationships in novels. Politics, personal affection, competition for their husband's favor, religion, sexuality, and fear all impact the sisters' interactions and it felt so incredibly, agonizingly REAL.
The secondary engine of this book's plot is Ahmose's coming of age, centered around her deep fear of dying in pregnancy. (Understandable!) I'm somewhat more ambivalent towards this than I was towards the sisterly drama, but that's mostly because early on Ahmose discussed sexuality in such a way that I thought maaaaaaaaaybe she'd turn out to be canonically asexual. Unsurprisingly it was not to be, but I got my hopes up a little there. (Also, there were several intense, detail-filled descriptions of pregnancies and labor and that's just so not my thing on so many levels.)
I don't know nearly enough about Egypt to speak to the historical accuracy of this book, but as a reader I can absolutely say that it was engrossing and certainly felt realistic and well-drawn. Judging by the notes at the end and the high ratings this book has received, I'm guessing there aren't any glaring mistakes at the very least.
Eventually I'd like to read the rest of the series, but that's more dependent on when I can justify purchasing more books than anything else. Still, this first installment - definitely recommended; it was masterfully done.
September 5, 2013
Ancient Egypt? Check.
The beginnings of Hatshepsut's rise to power? Check.
Rivalry between siblings? Check. (but understandable).
In short, this was an awesome read and I can't understand why NY passed this over.
The beginnings of Hatshepsut's rise to power? Check.
Rivalry between siblings? Check. (but understandable).
In short, this was an awesome read and I can't understand why NY passed this over.
October 14, 2014
Probably has a ton of research at its background, yet ended up being chicklit in Ancient Egypt. What a letdown.
September 5, 2018
Bullet Review:
It was...okay. The seemingly endless teenaged sister catfighting over a man was too much - I have little patience for this trite storytelling device. I also felt that the pace was way too uneven - the catfighting went on far too long, dragging down the story, and other times, we would zoom through history, not taking a moment for these characters to have time to establish themselves and for the surroundings to flesh themselves out.
I believe this is the author’s first novel, and it shows. That said, for a first attempt, this is commendable.
Full Review:
We open "The Skehmet Bed" with Ahmose, King's Daughter of Amunhotep, learning of her father's death and becoming the Great Wife to Thutmose I, the commoner general who succeeds Amunhotep (as Amunhotep did not have a son to make heir). However, her older sister, Mutnofret, is also made a secondary wife to Thutmose and thus begins a rivalry that lasts nearly the entire book as the two quibble over Thutmose's affections and who can provide the King with a son and heir.
This is a buddy reads I did with my dear friend, Iset, whose review you should definitely check out as well.
Ancient Egypt historical fiction is pretty sparse (at least in comparison to the more widely known Tudor and Regency eras of fiction), but personally, I find that a more intriguing premise than another take on Henry VIII and his many wives. There is so much more to explore - the world of the ancient BCE is so vastly different (and yet the same) as today, it really can challenge a reader's perceptions when Ancient Egyptian fiction is written well. This is what I found to be the case with Pauline Gedge's fantastic trilogy, "The Lords of Two Lands".
This is why I am somewhat disappointed at the end of "The Sekhmet Bed". There was such promise - telling the tale of a somewhat obscure (to the general public) cast of characters - and yet, I felt we never got to realize the full potential of the surroundings, the story and the characters.
I always dive into characters first in these reviews, as they are the tentpoles of a story. Well written characters can be let loose into a world and then we watch as their hopes and dreams and fears and dreads come to pass. (I'm reminded of Game of Thrones when I say this.) Our cast of characters in "The Sekhmet Bed" is startlingly small - really only Ahmose, Mutnofret and Thutmose (barely). If you really cast a broad net, you could include Nefertari, Meritamun, Twosre and Ineni, but the former two disappear from the story after a point and the latter two are props to talk about the Ahmose-Mutnofret-Thutmose conflict. The story is told exclusively from Ahmose's perspective, which I felt hampered the story. Ahmose is certainly no Mary Sue, but neither is she the most engaging character. Granted, she is a teenager for a good chunk of the book, but honestly, other than the endless bickering with her sister, Mutnofret, Ahmose isn't given a lot to do. This gets more into the pacing of the story itself, but honestly, her life goes by in leaps and bounds and I kept wanting the author to hold back the reigns and let us BE in the moment for longer than half a chapter. I don't understand the love she has for Thutmose - they are almost never seen together unless arguing. I want to see what she's working on when she's holding office or leading the temple in praises. Honestly, Ahmose felt like a super lonely woman, as she only really ever talks to Ineni and Twosre, characters that are only minimally fleshed out.
I can tell that the author tried hard to keep Mutnofret, Ahmose's sister and second wife to Thutmose, away from being yet another shrill, jealous catty woman. However...sometimes that worked, and sometimes, it just didn't. There are times when I wanted to slap Mutnofret and the way she treated Ahmose, her own flesh and blood - and then there were times, I 100% stood behind her. And then there's Thutmose, an enigma of a figure and the object of these women's bickering and desires. He goes away, he comes back...he makes promise to Ahmose and then when something bad happens to her, he doesn't listen. I was definitely not pleased with the end, an event that is overlooked far too quickly.
And before I forget, let's talk a bit about Hatshepsut. I must admit, I was a bit torqued off, not just at the endless bickering between Ahmose and Thutmose over making her the heir, but also how, once again, a powerful historical female leader has to be given male attributes in order to explain why she's a leader and not just another "simpering woman". Ahmose insists that Hatshepsut is a man soul in a woman's body and that's why Hatshepsut should be King. In the context of this book (whereupon the story of Hatshepsut's godly origins is real - kinda, unlike how in history, she devised this story to give her claim to the throne more credence), I suppose this makes sense, but it irritates me that the only way a woman can be shown to be a leader or someone of power is if she ascribes to male attributes - being a brat, adventurous, eschewing female things, running, playing outside, etc.
This book was about 350 pages according to my Kindle, and yet I feel the dichotomy of the book being too short and too long at the same time. The book flies through time as if there's a train to catch and there were many, many times I wanted to just sit back and let the characters play out, watch them develop, watch the love between Thutmose and Ahmose, live life in the palace, maybe even see Thutmose's campaigns (which would have been a GREAT change of pace from the bickering, bickering, bickering of these two women!). And yet, I also felt that the book just went on so long...yet another scene where Mutnofret wants the throne, another scene where words are passed about how Ahmose needs to have a child.
I know I've written a lot, and it seems super critical. The point is: there was a really good thread and promise of a story. There were some beautifully written portions, and I felt that the end was just a bit better than the beginning. Personally, if you cut out the catfighting and spent more time just living with these characters in this magnificent world, I think this story would improve 10 fold. Unlike many other historical novels, I think it treads the line of sounding not too modern (though the usage of "funny" at one point jolted me out), while being highly readable.
I have the Crook and Flail, so I'm hopeful it makes some improvements in the areas I mention. Again, to be 100% clear, this isn't a terrible book by any means, and if this is Hawker's first book, I commend her on it as well as the copious research she did (I love the author's note!).
It was...okay. The seemingly endless teenaged sister catfighting over a man was too much - I have little patience for this trite storytelling device. I also felt that the pace was way too uneven - the catfighting went on far too long, dragging down the story, and other times, we would zoom through history, not taking a moment for these characters to have time to establish themselves and for the surroundings to flesh themselves out.
I believe this is the author’s first novel, and it shows. That said, for a first attempt, this is commendable.
Full Review:
We open "The Skehmet Bed" with Ahmose, King's Daughter of Amunhotep, learning of her father's death and becoming the Great Wife to Thutmose I, the commoner general who succeeds Amunhotep (as Amunhotep did not have a son to make heir). However, her older sister, Mutnofret, is also made a secondary wife to Thutmose and thus begins a rivalry that lasts nearly the entire book as the two quibble over Thutmose's affections and who can provide the King with a son and heir.
This is a buddy reads I did with my dear friend, Iset, whose review you should definitely check out as well.
Ancient Egypt historical fiction is pretty sparse (at least in comparison to the more widely known Tudor and Regency eras of fiction), but personally, I find that a more intriguing premise than another take on Henry VIII and his many wives. There is so much more to explore - the world of the ancient BCE is so vastly different (and yet the same) as today, it really can challenge a reader's perceptions when Ancient Egyptian fiction is written well. This is what I found to be the case with Pauline Gedge's fantastic trilogy, "The Lords of Two Lands".
This is why I am somewhat disappointed at the end of "The Sekhmet Bed". There was such promise - telling the tale of a somewhat obscure (to the general public) cast of characters - and yet, I felt we never got to realize the full potential of the surroundings, the story and the characters.
I always dive into characters first in these reviews, as they are the tentpoles of a story. Well written characters can be let loose into a world and then we watch as their hopes and dreams and fears and dreads come to pass. (I'm reminded of Game of Thrones when I say this.) Our cast of characters in "The Sekhmet Bed" is startlingly small - really only Ahmose, Mutnofret and Thutmose (barely). If you really cast a broad net, you could include Nefertari, Meritamun, Twosre and Ineni, but the former two disappear from the story after a point and the latter two are props to talk about the Ahmose-Mutnofret-Thutmose conflict. The story is told exclusively from Ahmose's perspective, which I felt hampered the story. Ahmose is certainly no Mary Sue, but neither is she the most engaging character. Granted, she is a teenager for a good chunk of the book, but honestly, other than the endless bickering with her sister, Mutnofret, Ahmose isn't given a lot to do. This gets more into the pacing of the story itself, but honestly, her life goes by in leaps and bounds and I kept wanting the author to hold back the reigns and let us BE in the moment for longer than half a chapter. I don't understand the love she has for Thutmose - they are almost never seen together unless arguing. I want to see what she's working on when she's holding office or leading the temple in praises. Honestly, Ahmose felt like a super lonely woman, as she only really ever talks to Ineni and Twosre, characters that are only minimally fleshed out.
I can tell that the author tried hard to keep Mutnofret, Ahmose's sister and second wife to Thutmose, away from being yet another shrill, jealous catty woman. However...sometimes that worked, and sometimes, it just didn't. There are times when I wanted to slap Mutnofret and the way she treated Ahmose, her own flesh and blood - and then there were times, I 100% stood behind her. And then there's Thutmose, an enigma of a figure and the object of these women's bickering and desires. He goes away, he comes back...he makes promise to Ahmose and then when something bad happens to her, he doesn't listen. I was definitely not pleased with the end, an event that is overlooked far too quickly.
And before I forget, let's talk a bit about Hatshepsut. I must admit, I was a bit torqued off, not just at the endless bickering between Ahmose and Thutmose over making her the heir, but also how, once again, a powerful historical female leader has to be given male attributes in order to explain why she's a leader and not just another "simpering woman". Ahmose insists that Hatshepsut is a man soul in a woman's body and that's why Hatshepsut should be King. In the context of this book (whereupon the story of Hatshepsut's godly origins is real - kinda, unlike how in history, she devised this story to give her claim to the throne more credence), I suppose this makes sense, but it irritates me that the only way a woman can be shown to be a leader or someone of power is if she ascribes to male attributes - being a brat, adventurous, eschewing female things, running, playing outside, etc.
This book was about 350 pages according to my Kindle, and yet I feel the dichotomy of the book being too short and too long at the same time. The book flies through time as if there's a train to catch and there were many, many times I wanted to just sit back and let the characters play out, watch them develop, watch the love between Thutmose and Ahmose, live life in the palace, maybe even see Thutmose's campaigns (which would have been a GREAT change of pace from the bickering, bickering, bickering of these two women!). And yet, I also felt that the book just went on so long...yet another scene where Mutnofret wants the throne, another scene where words are passed about how Ahmose needs to have a child.
I know I've written a lot, and it seems super critical. The point is: there was a really good thread and promise of a story. There were some beautifully written portions, and I felt that the end was just a bit better than the beginning. Personally, if you cut out the catfighting and spent more time just living with these characters in this magnificent world, I think this story would improve 10 fold. Unlike many other historical novels, I think it treads the line of sounding not too modern (though the usage of "funny" at one point jolted me out), while being highly readable.
I have the Crook and Flail, so I'm hopeful it makes some improvements in the areas I mention. Again, to be 100% clear, this isn't a terrible book by any means, and if this is Hawker's first book, I commend her on it as well as the copious research she did (I love the author's note!).
October 8, 2014
First of all The Sekhmet Bed needs an editor. So loss of one star for being shoddy in that department. When I buy something, I don't expect flaws in the merchandise.
Now for the most important part, the story. The first part was very good. I liked the mother and grandmother, but not the sister. I found her character to be flat.
From the marriage onward, the novel becomes repetitive. It doesn't move forward quickly enough and the same things are harped at in different words.
All in all, a disappointment.
Now for the most important part, the story. The first part was very good. I liked the mother and grandmother, but not the sister. I found her character to be flat.
From the marriage onward, the novel becomes repetitive. It doesn't move forward quickly enough and the same things are harped at in different words.
All in all, a disappointment.
August 5, 2016
I enjoyed the first third of this novel but unfortunately was left less than dazzled for the remainder. I rather enjoyed the author's notes in the back of the book, which is probably proof that I prefer Ancient Egypt more as non-fiction, and I agreed with her choices when it came to names and such. However, I think what ultimately resulted in my not liking the book was the author's choice of making Mutnofret the sister of Ahmose, in this case because she liked the tension it created. I, for one, disliked the tension it created. Overall, the relationship between Ahmose and Mutnofret overpowered any other possibility for the novel and reminded me greatly of Michelle Moran's AE novels (not, in this case, a good thing).
First of all, I felt as though the first third of the novel was best because it included the least amount of drama (especially the baby kind) and included the characters I liked most: Nefertari and Meritamun. These two were by far the most convincing characters, both exuded strength and capability and I wish they had been more present in the novel. Either one of these characters would have resulted in a more interesting novel, Meritamun battling her disease or Nefertari's general strength and fortitude. Of course there may be less information on them historically, but as characters they were the clear winners.
As for Ahmose, our main character, I liked her in the beginning prior to being married. However, the person chosen because she was level-headed unlike her fiery sister proved not to be so throughout the novel. I'm not sure if this was accidental or a purposeful choice by the author, but I would have much preferred a stronger and more consistent character. Ultimately the relationship between Ahmose and Mutnofret proved the undoing as it was the majority of the focus. This is where I felt as though a non-relation, or even a more distant relation, would have been beneficial. The novel could have concentrated on Ahmose coming into her own as a woman and a queen. In the end, there was just too much baby drama lurking throughout the pages and it stifled growth, except for the uterine kind. Also, while I do enjoy AE religion I felt as though the god-talking and dreaming was too heavy-handed and made Ahmose less of reliable narrator for me personally (could be my atheism talking here).
The aforementioned baby drama is most likely where I took the most stars off because for me personally it is absolutely unenjoyable. Ultimately I have no interest in listening to characters talk about wanting babies, being pregnant, going into labor or raising the children. I know, I'm a rare breed but I truly find it uninteresting and unappealing. Now, as it is a part of life I can handle a dash here or there but when it is a main focus the book ultimately can not keep my interest. So the ever-present baby drama in The Sekhmet Bed was disappointing, largely due to the relationship between sisters. It also relegated Tut, the Pharaoh, to a lust/romantic role much like the future Pharaoh in Michelle Moran's books was treated. If Tut was even present (he was largely away at war), he was shown having or wanting sex, and with his children. Why did we never see him rule (and being away battling doesn't count as he is just a placeholder character then)? I wish Tut had been more than just a tug of war toy between the sisters.
There was ultimately too limited a focus for the novel due to the baby drama, which is disappointing. There is so much to AE, so much that can be done, that to have a time period be reduced to "chick-lit" level drama was disappointing. I wish the author had focused more on ruling Egypt and describing AE as a whole, rather than describing labor and a terrible relationship between sisters.
Also, Hatshepsut as a child was rather unlikable and it made me concerned about how she will be as an adult in this series. The Hatshepsut depicted here could easily grow to be the unlikable ruler that is so often seen in NF and historical fiction based on her (which I don't feel she was likely to be). I also felt as though the choices made my Ahmose in pushing Hatshepsut in a certain direction in terms of gender were ultimately wrong, and not just in a modern day gender equality way (although I do quite believe in that). Why not just allow her to grow into being herself if she was so confident of her kas? I think a more convincingly strong leader would grow from a child allowed to choose for herself and be herself.
Ultimately The Sekhmet Bed failed to impress me due to the narrow viewpoint of the story. I would have much preferred more of the greater AE than the palace intrigue. Overall, the story will appeal to many people, people that enjoy babies, pregnancies and sister relationship drama more than this girl does. As they say, no two persons ever read the same book.
First of all, I felt as though the first third of the novel was best because it included the least amount of drama (especially the baby kind) and included the characters I liked most: Nefertari and Meritamun. These two were by far the most convincing characters, both exuded strength and capability and I wish they had been more present in the novel. Either one of these characters would have resulted in a more interesting novel, Meritamun battling her disease or Nefertari's general strength and fortitude. Of course there may be less information on them historically, but as characters they were the clear winners.
As for Ahmose, our main character, I liked her in the beginning prior to being married. However, the person chosen because she was level-headed unlike her fiery sister proved not to be so throughout the novel. I'm not sure if this was accidental or a purposeful choice by the author, but I would have much preferred a stronger and more consistent character. Ultimately the relationship between Ahmose and Mutnofret proved the undoing as it was the majority of the focus. This is where I felt as though a non-relation, or even a more distant relation, would have been beneficial. The novel could have concentrated on Ahmose coming into her own as a woman and a queen. In the end, there was just too much baby drama lurking throughout the pages and it stifled growth, except for the uterine kind. Also, while I do enjoy AE religion I felt as though the god-talking and dreaming was too heavy-handed and made Ahmose less of reliable narrator for me personally (could be my atheism talking here).
The aforementioned baby drama is most likely where I took the most stars off because for me personally it is absolutely unenjoyable. Ultimately I have no interest in listening to characters talk about wanting babies, being pregnant, going into labor or raising the children. I know, I'm a rare breed but I truly find it uninteresting and unappealing. Now, as it is a part of life I can handle a dash here or there but when it is a main focus the book ultimately can not keep my interest. So the ever-present baby drama in The Sekhmet Bed was disappointing, largely due to the relationship between sisters. It also relegated Tut, the Pharaoh, to a lust/romantic role much like the future Pharaoh in Michelle Moran's books was treated. If Tut was even present (he was largely away at war), he was shown having or wanting sex, and with his children. Why did we never see him rule (and being away battling doesn't count as he is just a placeholder character then)? I wish Tut had been more than just a tug of war toy between the sisters.
There was ultimately too limited a focus for the novel due to the baby drama, which is disappointing. There is so much to AE, so much that can be done, that to have a time period be reduced to "chick-lit" level drama was disappointing. I wish the author had focused more on ruling Egypt and describing AE as a whole, rather than describing labor and a terrible relationship between sisters.
Also, Hatshepsut as a child was rather unlikable and it made me concerned about how she will be as an adult in this series. The Hatshepsut depicted here could easily grow to be the unlikable ruler that is so often seen in NF and historical fiction based on her (which I don't feel she was likely to be). I also felt as though the choices made my Ahmose in pushing Hatshepsut in a certain direction in terms of gender were ultimately wrong, and not just in a modern day gender equality way (although I do quite believe in that). Why not just allow her to grow into being herself if she was so confident of her kas? I think a more convincingly strong leader would grow from a child allowed to choose for herself and be herself.
Ultimately The Sekhmet Bed failed to impress me due to the narrow viewpoint of the story. I would have much preferred more of the greater AE than the palace intrigue. Overall, the story will appeal to many people, people that enjoy babies, pregnancies and sister relationship drama more than this girl does. As they say, no two persons ever read the same book.
March 13, 2014
'The Sekhmet Bed' is an interesting novel set in ancient Egypt, with two royal sisters competing for the throne, each in her own very peculiar way. The prize is very high and they are prepared to go to any lengths to achieve it.
This story develops slowly, but pleasantly. The two main female characters are very vivid and alive. The secondary characters are less so. I gave it less than four stars mainly because of this. I would love to see the male characters livelier, more complicated, more three-dimensional, persons in themselves and not only the backgrounds to serve the developing plot.
The historical research seems to be very deep and encompassing. It serves to both enhance and slow down the story. While I was delighted to learn this hardly known period in the rich history of ancient Egypt, I would also love to see this story told in a less descriptive way. Sometimes I’d find myself skipping whole paragraphs of excessively detailed scenes, trying not to lose track of the action.
Especially toward the end, when the story slowed down considerably, with even the main characters beginning to lose their vividness.
There is also a problem with names. I understand how difficult it is to avoid using too many foreign-sounding names. Yet, there are ways to reduce the confusion, to pick sometimes the original but less foreign-sounding, or at least less similar-sounding names for the secondary characters. Too much linguistic/historical accuracy interferes with the pace of a good novel, distracting more than enlightening, makes an average reader stumble over too many foreign sounding words and terms.
Reading ‘The Sekhmet Bed’ I found myself needing all my concentration in order to separate each newly introduced character from the others. It interfered with the flow of the story.
Save from the mentioned above, it’s an interesting novel and I had a pleasant time reading it.
This story develops slowly, but pleasantly. The two main female characters are very vivid and alive. The secondary characters are less so. I gave it less than four stars mainly because of this. I would love to see the male characters livelier, more complicated, more three-dimensional, persons in themselves and not only the backgrounds to serve the developing plot.
The historical research seems to be very deep and encompassing. It serves to both enhance and slow down the story. While I was delighted to learn this hardly known period in the rich history of ancient Egypt, I would also love to see this story told in a less descriptive way. Sometimes I’d find myself skipping whole paragraphs of excessively detailed scenes, trying not to lose track of the action.
Especially toward the end, when the story slowed down considerably, with even the main characters beginning to lose their vividness.
There is also a problem with names. I understand how difficult it is to avoid using too many foreign-sounding names. Yet, there are ways to reduce the confusion, to pick sometimes the original but less foreign-sounding, or at least less similar-sounding names for the secondary characters. Too much linguistic/historical accuracy interferes with the pace of a good novel, distracting more than enlightening, makes an average reader stumble over too many foreign sounding words and terms.
Reading ‘The Sekhmet Bed’ I found myself needing all my concentration in order to separate each newly introduced character from the others. It interfered with the flow of the story.
Save from the mentioned above, it’s an interesting novel and I had a pleasant time reading it.
January 24, 2018
This is Book 1 of the She-King series. It's the story of Ahmose, born the second daughter to the Pharoah. She is quite content with her life in this role and has no dreams of greater glory. All of that changes when the Pharoah dies without setting in place an heir to his throne. Much to her dismay, she is given as a gift to the new King, a commoner of all things. Ahmose finds herself as Great Royal Wife. However, Ahmose is no ordinary person. Ahmose is gifted. She can read dreams. Ahmose is now the object of scorn by her older sister Mutnofret, who always assumed she would be Great Royal Wife. She begins to hate her younger sister who is now in "her" coveted role - a role Ahmose never wanted in the first place! Instead, she is forced to share a husband with Ahmose, the great Pharoah Tut. Ahmose gives birth to a girl child named Hatet. As a lover of historical fiction, and especially Egypt, I found the author's research well done. Her words are well chosen, to the point where you feel you are there amongst both the rulers and the commoners alike. You can smell the flowers, feel the breeze, and enjoy the cool water. I highly recommend this series.
October 18, 2021
Retitled “the Real Housewives of Ancient Egypt.”
The historical aspects of this book were actually pretty good. Hence the three 3 stars. And I wish the author had focused more on the plot points that really expressed that. That’s what I came for - some good ancient Egyptian historical fiction.
But no - most of the book was an example of women in their absolute most detestable state (and to make it worse, I can’t blame them - would I act any better had I been forced into a polygamous relationship? Hard no.).
But still, the drama was beyond uncomfortable. When one sister actually started beating the other with a tree, that was when I truly wanted to toss myself off a pyramid. If I never read another historical fiction featuring two sister wives in a competition for their husband, I will be just fine.
The historical aspects of this book were actually pretty good. Hence the three 3 stars. And I wish the author had focused more on the plot points that really expressed that. That’s what I came for - some good ancient Egyptian historical fiction.
But no - most of the book was an example of women in their absolute most detestable state (and to make it worse, I can’t blame them - would I act any better had I been forced into a polygamous relationship? Hard no.).
But still, the drama was beyond uncomfortable. When one sister actually started beating the other with a tree, that was when I truly wanted to toss myself off a pyramid. If I never read another historical fiction featuring two sister wives in a competition for their husband, I will be just fine.
August 12, 2013
A masterpiece of historical fiction. Well-developed characters provide drama and propel the story forward, despite the uncertainties the author confesses in her historical note. This story successfully opens the larger tale of Hatshepsut while also making a cogent whole of the circumstances of her birth and preparation to become the She-King.
Ironside deserves extra credit for treating the religion of ancient Egypt seriously. Too many modern authors are tempted to wink and smirk at ancient beliefs, or--even worse--cloak them in New Age silliness. Good job.
A very good read.
Ironside deserves extra credit for treating the religion of ancient Egypt seriously. Too many modern authors are tempted to wink and smirk at ancient beliefs, or--even worse--cloak them in New Age silliness. Good job.
A very good read.
Read
August 31, 2025dnf 😥😥
November 28, 2011
Ahmose is a young Egyptian of royal blood. When her father, the Pharaoh, dies without an heir, she and her elder sister are both married off to General Thutmose, that he might rule Egypt via his connection to the royal line.
Ahmose is a more than deeply religious girl. She is chosen of the gods and has the ability to read prophetic dreams. Despite being the younger sister she is selected as the first queen, setting off a traumatic and bitter rivalry with her beloved sister, Mutnofret.
The sisters must give Thutmose children, but Ahmose is harboring a secret. Having witnessed her young friend die in the agony of childbirth, she is utterly terrified of pregnancy and giving birth. Yet Ahmose must do her duty; she has foreseen that she will be the mother of the next Pharaoh. As her sister is delivered of boy child after boy child, Ahmose must fight to retain her authority as queen and the love of her husband.
* * *
High drama in Ancient Egypt! Ms. Ironside has created a compelling fictional account of the lives and struggles of these ambitious royals. It is beautifully written, with a fine grasp of historical detail combined with a confident and poetic use of language. Egypt comes alive: the heat of the desert sun, the aroma of scented wax cones melting, the juice on a plate of figs. The characters seem like real people: dutiful, passionate, scared, jealous, loving and determined. All in all, it was a wonderful read that I found difficult to put down. I’m hoping Ms. Ironside will continue the series.
I’ve been going back and forth on whether this is a four or a five star book. My one disappointment was that it covered very little in the way of politics. With Thutmose off subduing various factions for lengthy periods of time, I would expect Ahmose to be deeply involved in the smooth running of Egypt in his absence. This aspect of her life was given short shrift in comparison to the ferocious battle with her sister for supremacy in their husband’s eyes. On the other hand, the plight of royal women across centuries and countries has been to be more valued as a womb than as a person. The importance of pregnancy, fertility, and the repeated bearing of healthy (and preferably) boy children cannot be overstated. Ms. Ironside does this aspect full justice, including some of the most realistic and well-written childbirth scenes I have ever encountered in fiction. So, 4.5 stars and a hope for another book in the series.
Full disclosure: I first encountered this story in a writer’s community I am a member of. I read the synopsis, then wished the writer luck with what sounded like a great story. She asked me if I’d be willing to critique the first three chapters before she started submitting the manuscript to agents. I did so, fully believing that one day I’d be buying The Sekhmet Bed in a bookstore. I believe that this book had the backing of two literary agents, but failed to sell to a big publishing house. I’m delighted to be finally able to read the entire story. I’ve been waiting for a long time. It was well worth the wait.
Ahmose is a more than deeply religious girl. She is chosen of the gods and has the ability to read prophetic dreams. Despite being the younger sister she is selected as the first queen, setting off a traumatic and bitter rivalry with her beloved sister, Mutnofret.
The sisters must give Thutmose children, but Ahmose is harboring a secret. Having witnessed her young friend die in the agony of childbirth, she is utterly terrified of pregnancy and giving birth. Yet Ahmose must do her duty; she has foreseen that she will be the mother of the next Pharaoh. As her sister is delivered of boy child after boy child, Ahmose must fight to retain her authority as queen and the love of her husband.
* * *
High drama in Ancient Egypt! Ms. Ironside has created a compelling fictional account of the lives and struggles of these ambitious royals. It is beautifully written, with a fine grasp of historical detail combined with a confident and poetic use of language. Egypt comes alive: the heat of the desert sun, the aroma of scented wax cones melting, the juice on a plate of figs. The characters seem like real people: dutiful, passionate, scared, jealous, loving and determined. All in all, it was a wonderful read that I found difficult to put down. I’m hoping Ms. Ironside will continue the series.
I’ve been going back and forth on whether this is a four or a five star book. My one disappointment was that it covered very little in the way of politics. With Thutmose off subduing various factions for lengthy periods of time, I would expect Ahmose to be deeply involved in the smooth running of Egypt in his absence. This aspect of her life was given short shrift in comparison to the ferocious battle with her sister for supremacy in their husband’s eyes. On the other hand, the plight of royal women across centuries and countries has been to be more valued as a womb than as a person. The importance of pregnancy, fertility, and the repeated bearing of healthy (and preferably) boy children cannot be overstated. Ms. Ironside does this aspect full justice, including some of the most realistic and well-written childbirth scenes I have ever encountered in fiction. So, 4.5 stars and a hope for another book in the series.
Full disclosure: I first encountered this story in a writer’s community I am a member of. I read the synopsis, then wished the writer luck with what sounded like a great story. She asked me if I’d be willing to critique the first three chapters before she started submitting the manuscript to agents. I did so, fully believing that one day I’d be buying The Sekhmet Bed in a bookstore. I believe that this book had the backing of two literary agents, but failed to sell to a big publishing house. I’m delighted to be finally able to read the entire story. I’ve been waiting for a long time. It was well worth the wait.
March 8, 2015
I have always been fascinated by the history of Ancient Egypt and the mystique surrounding it. I love historical fiction. When I came across The Sekhmet Bed by L.M. Ironside, I simply could not resist it. I bought the book some months ago on my Kindle, but got around to reading it just recently.
The Sekhmet Bed (The first book in a 4-book saga) is engaging from the first paragraph itself. Pharaoh Amunhotep passes away without naming a heir to the throne without having a son of royal lineage. Mutnofret is the elder daughter and Ahmose is the younger daughter of Pharaoh Amunhotep and his wife, the Great Royal Wife Meritanum. Ahmose is considered God-Chosen since she has the gift of interpreting dreams through divine connection.
Meritanum and his mother, God's Wife Nefratari choose General Thutmose (who was also Pharaoh Amunhotep's close friend) to succeed as the Pharoah even though he is not of royal blood. To legitimize this, Ahmose is to marry Thutmose and be the Great Royal Wife. Mutnofret, the elder of the sisters is devastated. Even as Mutnofret also marries Thutmose as second wife, she sulks, rages and schemes ways of undermining Ahmose.
Soon after the wedding, Thutmose goes on a successful campaign south to secure the borders of Egypt, and then later north to drive back the invaders who had occupied Egyptian territory for long. In time, Mutnofret gives birth to three sons, while Ahmose gives birth to a daughter after a considerably delayed consummation of her marriage. Ahmose is convinced that the God's have chosen her daughter Hatshepsut to be the heir as Pharaoh and not simply as Great Royal Wife.
The story that unfolds is fascinating, filled with palace intrigues, and a range of human emotions. Ironside spins a wonderful tale based on historical personalities with tremendous imagination. The storytelling is a bit wordy, but riveting.
Some years ago, my wife and I went on a vacation to Egypt and visited some temples dedicated to Hatshepsut. The vivid storytelling of Ironside, combined with the rush of memories from our vacation made this an awesome experience. Within minutes of finishing this book, I purchased the other books in the saga. Right now, I am letting the story of Ahmose and Thutmose soak into me. I will start off on Book 2 in a couple of weeks! Queen Hatshepsut was one of the most fascinating rulers of Ancient Egypt in an otherwise male dominated world! Should be an interesting read!
Earlier my favorite author of books on Egypt was Christian Jacq. I think that Ironside is as good an author as Christian Jacq.
The Sekhmet Bed (The first book in a 4-book saga) is engaging from the first paragraph itself. Pharaoh Amunhotep passes away without naming a heir to the throne without having a son of royal lineage. Mutnofret is the elder daughter and Ahmose is the younger daughter of Pharaoh Amunhotep and his wife, the Great Royal Wife Meritanum. Ahmose is considered God-Chosen since she has the gift of interpreting dreams through divine connection.
Meritanum and his mother, God's Wife Nefratari choose General Thutmose (who was also Pharaoh Amunhotep's close friend) to succeed as the Pharoah even though he is not of royal blood. To legitimize this, Ahmose is to marry Thutmose and be the Great Royal Wife. Mutnofret, the elder of the sisters is devastated. Even as Mutnofret also marries Thutmose as second wife, she sulks, rages and schemes ways of undermining Ahmose.
Soon after the wedding, Thutmose goes on a successful campaign south to secure the borders of Egypt, and then later north to drive back the invaders who had occupied Egyptian territory for long. In time, Mutnofret gives birth to three sons, while Ahmose gives birth to a daughter after a considerably delayed consummation of her marriage. Ahmose is convinced that the God's have chosen her daughter Hatshepsut to be the heir as Pharaoh and not simply as Great Royal Wife.
The story that unfolds is fascinating, filled with palace intrigues, and a range of human emotions. Ironside spins a wonderful tale based on historical personalities with tremendous imagination. The storytelling is a bit wordy, but riveting.
Some years ago, my wife and I went on a vacation to Egypt and visited some temples dedicated to Hatshepsut. The vivid storytelling of Ironside, combined with the rush of memories from our vacation made this an awesome experience. Within minutes of finishing this book, I purchased the other books in the saga. Right now, I am letting the story of Ahmose and Thutmose soak into me. I will start off on Book 2 in a couple of weeks! Queen Hatshepsut was one of the most fascinating rulers of Ancient Egypt in an otherwise male dominated world! Should be an interesting read!
Earlier my favorite author of books on Egypt was Christian Jacq. I think that Ironside is as good an author as Christian Jacq.
February 13, 2016
Book 1, in the She-King series
This historical fiction delves deep into the history of Ancient Egypt and provides a modern twist so as readers we can enjoy the entertainment the story is meant to provide.
The series is a family saga of the Thutmosides, one of ancient Egypt’s most fascinating royal families. This first novel is about Ahmose, a deeply religious girl, chosen of the gods who has the ability to read prophetic dreams. Married at a very young age to General Thutmose, Ahmose has to share her husband with her elder sister Mutnofret who is his second wife. High drama brews in the household as Ahmose must fight to retain her authority as queen and the love of her husband.
The story is beautifully written, everything comes alive in a confident and poetic language. The characterization is nicely done and the players are well-rounded and fascinating. The descriptions are striking and appropriate: from the mosaic floors to the shining Nile waters. The story carries smoothly through the drama- filled lives although some scenes slip into melodrama. Of course there is romance but also discord both provides an exciting read.
The usual disclaimer at the end of the book tells us that many depictions in the story are in fact inspirational and factually incorrect. I am ok with blurring the lines as long as it is said.
“The Sekhmet Bed” is a highly imaginative tale and a good story to pass time with.
This historical fiction delves deep into the history of Ancient Egypt and provides a modern twist so as readers we can enjoy the entertainment the story is meant to provide.
The series is a family saga of the Thutmosides, one of ancient Egypt’s most fascinating royal families. This first novel is about Ahmose, a deeply religious girl, chosen of the gods who has the ability to read prophetic dreams. Married at a very young age to General Thutmose, Ahmose has to share her husband with her elder sister Mutnofret who is his second wife. High drama brews in the household as Ahmose must fight to retain her authority as queen and the love of her husband.
The story is beautifully written, everything comes alive in a confident and poetic language. The characterization is nicely done and the players are well-rounded and fascinating. The descriptions are striking and appropriate: from the mosaic floors to the shining Nile waters. The story carries smoothly through the drama- filled lives although some scenes slip into melodrama. Of course there is romance but also discord both provides an exciting read.
The usual disclaimer at the end of the book tells us that many depictions in the story are in fact inspirational and factually incorrect. I am ok with blurring the lines as long as it is said.
“The Sekhmet Bed” is a highly imaginative tale and a good story to pass time with.
Read
January 4, 2016Beautifully written study of the beginnings of Egypt's 18th Dynasty, told from the perspective of Pharaoh Thutmose I's young Great Royal Wife, Ahmose, 14 when the story opens. Ahmose has a special connection to the gods, who have destined her for the role of mother to Egypt's only female pharaoh. The history is well researched but engaging, never overwhelming, and the conflict between Ahmose and her older sister for Thutmose's attention is plausibly rendered. This is self-publishing at its best.
Want to read
February 10, 2014oh, yes
yes, yes, yes.
soon, my sweet. very soon.
yes, yes, yes.
soon, my sweet. very soon.
August 26, 2023
I,was looking forward to reading this story of Ancient Egypt and Hatshepsut's story.
The story started well. Ahmose is seen as an interesting, alert, focussed young girl. She sees herself as a priestess one day. But her World changes with the death of her father. Her mother and grandmother lay a plan for Egypt that pushes Ahmose to be wife to the new Pharoah....with her older sister as second wife.
The story stalls and gets less interesting at this point. The sisters squabble. Ahmose jealously wants to be first in their husband's eyes, yet she's a preteen who isn't ready for the physical side of marriage. The sisters fight throughout this section. It's quite tedious.
The story does start to get better in the latter parts. But the end is, I found abrupt. In a sense that makes sense as it leaves a bit of a cliff hanger for the second book of this series.
This is the author's first book. It shows but her talents also show. The story is unevenly paced, the cat fighting between sisters is overdone, for example. But some of the writing is excellent. It brings the reader into the story. I may look into the second book of this series to see if the author remedies the pacing and writing issues. I hope she does.
The story started well. Ahmose is seen as an interesting, alert, focussed young girl. She sees herself as a priestess one day. But her World changes with the death of her father. Her mother and grandmother lay a plan for Egypt that pushes Ahmose to be wife to the new Pharoah....with her older sister as second wife.
The story stalls and gets less interesting at this point. The sisters squabble. Ahmose jealously wants to be first in their husband's eyes, yet she's a preteen who isn't ready for the physical side of marriage. The sisters fight throughout this section. It's quite tedious.
The story does start to get better in the latter parts. But the end is, I found abrupt. In a sense that makes sense as it leaves a bit of a cliff hanger for the second book of this series.
This is the author's first book. It shows but her talents also show. The story is unevenly paced, the cat fighting between sisters is overdone, for example. But some of the writing is excellent. It brings the reader into the story. I may look into the second book of this series to see if the author remedies the pacing and writing issues. I hope she does.
May 24, 2016
More reviews available at my blog, Beauty and the Bookworm.
One of my first thoughts about this book was that it had insta-love. The protagonist, Ahmose, falls in love with the general Thutmose upon their first meeting and marries him shortly after. Fortunately, however, romance was not the focus of the book, and it was actually a much richer narrative than I expected from that not-so-lofty beginning.
Ahmose is the second, younger daughter of a pharaoh who left no heirs upon his death. Thutmose is named pharaoh by Ahmose's mother, the queen, and her grandmother, who occupies a lofty, powerful position called the God's Wife. Ahmose, who is thought to be god-chosen and can interpret dreams and omens, is wed to Thutmose as the Great Royal Wife in order to help give legitimacy to his reign. Her older sister Mutnofret, the woman who was always supposed to be Great Royal Wife, is wed to Thutmose as his second wife. The story follows this family, particularly Ahmose, as they struggle through a difficult time in Egypt. Mutnofret is a viper, and terrifies Ahmose with violent stories of sex so Ahmose will refuse to lie with Thutmose, so she will not bear any children and Mutnofret will be able to oust her from her position. Thutmose is gone most of the time, and Ahmose is left alone to deal with Mutnofret and with the struggles of ruling Egypt in her husband's absence. There is romance, but it is not the focus of the story; rather, the story focuses on Ahmose's struggles both politically and personally, and her maturation is easily seen through the progression of the book.
I'm not an expert on ancient Egypt, but it seems like Ironside (a penname, I presume) has done her research. She does include a little section at the end which details the areas in which she has speculated on history or deviated from known history, and that's quite admirable. Her writing is very rich and detailed, giving her Egypt a beautiful life on the page. All of her characters were multi-dimensional, not just Ahmose; even one of Mutnofret's maids, a very minor character, has multiple dimensions. The only real complaint I have is that there is an episode in which Thutmose turns downright abusive toward Ahmose, and yet there are not any real consequences for his actions. I mean, I guess you could say there are divine consequences, but I would have liked to see some backlash from Ahmose herself, rather than her remaining a relatively complacent wife. While the incident doesn't exactly glorify abusive relationships, it doesn't exactly frown upon them, either, being as Ahmose instantly forgives Thutmose for his actions. Literally instantly. On the same page as the abuse.
With that in mind, however, this was a great read, and I'll probably return to the other books in the series.
4 stars out of 5.
One of my first thoughts about this book was that it had insta-love. The protagonist, Ahmose, falls in love with the general Thutmose upon their first meeting and marries him shortly after. Fortunately, however, romance was not the focus of the book, and it was actually a much richer narrative than I expected from that not-so-lofty beginning.
Ahmose is the second, younger daughter of a pharaoh who left no heirs upon his death. Thutmose is named pharaoh by Ahmose's mother, the queen, and her grandmother, who occupies a lofty, powerful position called the God's Wife. Ahmose, who is thought to be god-chosen and can interpret dreams and omens, is wed to Thutmose as the Great Royal Wife in order to help give legitimacy to his reign. Her older sister Mutnofret, the woman who was always supposed to be Great Royal Wife, is wed to Thutmose as his second wife. The story follows this family, particularly Ahmose, as they struggle through a difficult time in Egypt. Mutnofret is a viper, and terrifies Ahmose with violent stories of sex so Ahmose will refuse to lie with Thutmose, so she will not bear any children and Mutnofret will be able to oust her from her position. Thutmose is gone most of the time, and Ahmose is left alone to deal with Mutnofret and with the struggles of ruling Egypt in her husband's absence. There is romance, but it is not the focus of the story; rather, the story focuses on Ahmose's struggles both politically and personally, and her maturation is easily seen through the progression of the book.
I'm not an expert on ancient Egypt, but it seems like Ironside (a penname, I presume) has done her research. She does include a little section at the end which details the areas in which she has speculated on history or deviated from known history, and that's quite admirable. Her writing is very rich and detailed, giving her Egypt a beautiful life on the page. All of her characters were multi-dimensional, not just Ahmose; even one of Mutnofret's maids, a very minor character, has multiple dimensions. The only real complaint I have is that there is an episode in which Thutmose turns downright abusive toward Ahmose, and yet there are not any real consequences for his actions. I mean, I guess you could say there are divine consequences, but I would have liked to see some backlash from Ahmose herself, rather than her remaining a relatively complacent wife. While the incident doesn't exactly glorify abusive relationships, it doesn't exactly frown upon them, either, being as Ahmose instantly forgives Thutmose for his actions. Literally instantly. On the same page as the abuse.
With that in mind, however, this was a great read, and I'll probably return to the other books in the series.
4 stars out of 5.
August 7, 2014
The Sekhmet Bed is mostly serious, thoroughly researched novel based off of real historical figures with a fictionalized storyline that stays within the realm of reason. This is an important piece of information, because I went into this book thinking (hoping?) there would be some more magical god-related stuff in here, and no cigar.
But as the storyline progresses, this will hardly matter--The Sekhmet Bed is filled with drama, emotional tension, and suspense, and becomes a page turner of sorts, even without dramatic battles or magical appearances of gods.
The characters are the drivers of this book, as they are extremely well-developed and multi-faceted, and their evolution over the years plays a fascinating role. I found myself rooting for several different characters over the course of the story, especially on the romantic side of things. And yes, there is romance (and a bit of sex) but it is, for the most part, as understated as Ahmose's wedding feast gown.
This was the first self-published book I have ever read, and I am happy to say it was an excellent introduction to this brave new world of indie books. The quality is indistinguishable from a traditionally published novel, and amount of research that went into writing it is even better. I will look forward to reading the next books in the She-King series by this author.
But as the storyline progresses, this will hardly matter--The Sekhmet Bed is filled with drama, emotional tension, and suspense, and becomes a page turner of sorts, even without dramatic battles or magical appearances of gods.
The characters are the drivers of this book, as they are extremely well-developed and multi-faceted, and their evolution over the years plays a fascinating role. I found myself rooting for several different characters over the course of the story, especially on the romantic side of things. And yes, there is romance (and a bit of sex) but it is, for the most part, as understated as Ahmose's wedding feast gown.
This was the first self-published book I have ever read, and I am happy to say it was an excellent introduction to this brave new world of indie books. The quality is indistinguishable from a traditionally published novel, and amount of research that went into writing it is even better. I will look forward to reading the next books in the She-King series by this author.
March 2, 2015
The Sekhmet Bed
Star Rating: 4.5 Stars, Buy it
Self Purchase, Kindle Edition.
I’m not sure if the characters in the book are based on real people from way back when or not. The story is a page turner and well done. The characters are believable and of course my favorite is Ahmose, who is the main character in the book. I found this to be a well done story with some anxiety provoking moments but nothing too intense that I couldn’t handle. I’ve already purchased the next one in the series to see where this goes. It definitely made me a bit emotional and several times I got so wrapped up in the book that I almost missed my metro stops.
Publisher summary: Is Ahmose's divine gift a blessing or a curse? The second daughter of the Pharaoh, Ahmose has always dreamed of a quiet life as a priestess, serving Egypt's gods, ministering to the people of the Two Lands. But when the Pharaoh dies without an heir, she is given instead as Great Royal Wife to the new king – a soldier of common birth. For Ahmose is god-chosen, gifted with the ability to read dreams, and it is her connection to the gods which ensures the new Pharaoh his right to rule. Ahmose's...
Star Rating: 4.5 Stars, Buy it
Self Purchase, Kindle Edition.
I’m not sure if the characters in the book are based on real people from way back when or not. The story is a page turner and well done. The characters are believable and of course my favorite is Ahmose, who is the main character in the book. I found this to be a well done story with some anxiety provoking moments but nothing too intense that I couldn’t handle. I’ve already purchased the next one in the series to see where this goes. It definitely made me a bit emotional and several times I got so wrapped up in the book that I almost missed my metro stops.
Publisher summary: Is Ahmose's divine gift a blessing or a curse? The second daughter of the Pharaoh, Ahmose has always dreamed of a quiet life as a priestess, serving Egypt's gods, ministering to the people of the Two Lands. But when the Pharaoh dies without an heir, she is given instead as Great Royal Wife to the new king – a soldier of common birth. For Ahmose is god-chosen, gifted with the ability to read dreams, and it is her connection to the gods which ensures the new Pharaoh his right to rule. Ahmose's...
June 16, 2015
I've read a few self-published books since getting my Nook and discovering an online world of indie books. This is the first one of which I just absolutely cannot understand why it did not get picked up by a publisher.
The writing grabbed me right away and transported me to ancient Egypt. I was engrossed in the story of Thutmose, Ahmose, and Mutnofret. I am very excited to read the rest of the books in this series and hope L.M. Ironside (edited to say the author is now writing as Libbie Hawker) will write even more books set in Ancient Egypt as there's not that many out there and there's clearly plenty of untapped stories.
Cross-posted on Gemna's Book Gems
The writing grabbed me right away and transported me to ancient Egypt. I was engrossed in the story of Thutmose, Ahmose, and Mutnofret. I am very excited to read the rest of the books in this series and hope L.M. Ironside (edited to say the author is now writing as Libbie Hawker) will write even more books set in Ancient Egypt as there's not that many out there and there's clearly plenty of untapped stories.
Cross-posted on Gemna's Book Gems
August 7, 2025
Language can be tiring at times as the author switches from Greek to Egyptian god names and the mild sexism can get on your nerves. The author takes a few liberties and some historical inadequacies are present, but the characters are engaging and fun to see interact with one another. Captures the feel of ancient Egypt flawlessly.
Read
July 3, 2016Mutnofret frustrated me so much at the beginning (and Ahmose's responses to her, too) that I'm surprising myself now by saying that I missed her plotting and passion when she finally got hers! Also <3 Tut so much, even if he did sometimes think with what was in his pants.
I'm curious to see what's next for little Hatet, Ahmose, and Tut.
I'm curious to see what's next for little Hatet, Ahmose, and Tut.
September 19, 2018
A fascinating look at ancient Egypt’s royalty and its inherent gender roles/expectations. I learned a lot about ancient Egyptians’ relationships to gods and how their royal system works. Hawker writes convincingly about a time and place far back in history and captures the sights, smells, and sounds of the royal palace and temple where most of the story takes place. She also creates tension really well between the two sisters who are both vying for the new pharoah’s affection. I appreciated how Ahmose, the main female character, was resistant to certain traditions and customs because of the risk to her own health (like having a baby at a very young age). She was rebellious enough that I was drawn to her but compliant enough that she helped me understand the reverence of gods during the time period. I do not plan to continue with the series, as I think I got everything out of the story that I wanted to but I appreciate the time I got to spend learning about the road that led to Hatshepsut’s birth and subsequent reign.
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