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The She-King #4
The Bull of Min
“I know,” Satiah called. Her voice was musical, light, confident as a king's. “It's the Bull of Min you remember, Thutmose. You remember, and you fear.”
Conspiracy and treason simmer in the northern reaches of the Two Lands. Thutmose is crippled by guilt over past wrongs. Hatshepsut is subdued by the grief of betrayal and loss. Meryet, the new Great Royal Wife, is the sole force holding the royal family – and Egypt – together.
When an unexpected challenger to the succession arises, all three are faced with impossible choices. To protect what she most loves, Meryet will match wits against a demon from the past. Hatshepsut stands on the brink of the ultimate sacrifice. And Thutmose, torn between throne and family, must commit an unthinkable act against Hatshepsut...or allow Egypt to fall into the hands of an unpredictable killer.
This novella (about 130 pages) is the final volume of The She-King, L.M. Ironside's saga of the Thutmosides of ancient Egypt.
Conspiracy and treason simmer in the northern reaches of the Two Lands. Thutmose is crippled by guilt over past wrongs. Hatshepsut is subdued by the grief of betrayal and loss. Meryet, the new Great Royal Wife, is the sole force holding the royal family – and Egypt – together.
When an unexpected challenger to the succession arises, all three are faced with impossible choices. To protect what she most loves, Meryet will match wits against a demon from the past. Hatshepsut stands on the brink of the ultimate sacrifice. And Thutmose, torn between throne and family, must commit an unthinkable act against Hatshepsut...or allow Egypt to fall into the hands of an unpredictable killer.
This novella (about 130 pages) is the final volume of The She-King, L.M. Ironside's saga of the Thutmosides of ancient Egypt.
197 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 22, 2014
76 people are currently reading
426 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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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 8, 2018
I can understand why Libbie Hawker was tempted to write this novella to close off her She-King series. At the end of the last book, Hatshepsut was still alive and had some years left to go in her reign, and who could resist Thutmose III’s famous skills as a general and his most renowned battle at Megiddo? But I really don’t think it brought anything to the table, and the series would’ve been better off ending with the third book.
The book felt rushed – that is, even beyond the breakneck pacing issues which have marred the previous three books. I say that because I spotted typos that I didn’t in any of the previous books (“wiled away” for ‘whiled away’, for example), and inconsistencies in the lore. At one point Thutmose calls Neferure his half-sister. Whilst this is true historically, in this book series Neferure is actually the daughter of Senenmut, and not Thutmose’s half-sister at all, a fact which Thutmose knows full well.
The Battle of Megiddo wasn’t as good as it should have been because the book kept cutting away to what was happening back home, missing out some of that story, whilst the manner in which Hatshepsut died really hacked me off and seemed completely out of character. Meanwhile, in order to give the book an overarching plot that goes beyond those two disconnected events, and in order to tie up the one last loose end from the Hatshepsut story that everyone knows about – that her name was erased – the author decided to let Neferure go full on crazy in this book. My irritation with the plot line was not just that it feels a little unfair to the real Neferure, but that it was so darned clichéd and cheesy. We’re talking moustache-twirling levels of villainy here. And the worst part was that the protagonists were far too passive in the face of such nonsense, their agency taken away from them, making the whole episode seem absurd and laughable.
““We’ve been so foolish,” Meryet said close to his ear, her voice pitched low. “We should have killed her long ago.””
The Bull of Min suffers from the failings of the previous three books, but amplified because it is afforded only a novella length, and so even less page space to try to convey transporting settings and subtle, complex characterisations.
I still hold out hope that Hawker’s later books will be an improvement, and I’ll be trying out her other series since I already own them.
3 out of 10
January 18, 2015
In this conclusion to the She King Series, Ironside cements her place alongside Pauline Gedge as a great writer of historical fiction set in ancient Egypt.
Hot damn this was a riveting conclusion.
It should be noted that you need to read the other books in the series before this one. This ties nicely into the historical record in a very plausible way.
Please, please write more historical ancient Egypt fiction Ms Ironside/Hawker!
Hot damn this was a riveting conclusion.
It should be noted that you need to read the other books in the series before this one. This ties nicely into the historical record in a very plausible way.
Please, please write more historical ancient Egypt fiction Ms Ironside/Hawker!
October 12, 2019
Perfect close the The She-King series.
March 11, 2014
L.M. Ironside reminds me a lot of Pauline Gedge, who is, in my mind the QUEEN of Egyptian historical fiction.
Hatshepsut has always fascinated me (far more so than Cleopatra ever did). She was obviously a woman of strength, intelligence and determination. And yet, Ironside has taken a different path in telling her tale. This Hatshepsut is all too flawed and very human. She gave Egypt and its gods her blood, sweat and tears. Ironically, Egypt gave her immortality. She may have loved perhaps not wisely, but wholeheartedly and to see her slowly feel the price of the crown without diminishing her power was a very fine line which Ironside walks effortlessly. And keeping with what modern Egyptologists now know, the attempted erasure of her name had less to do with hatred and more to do with securing the dynasty for future generations. In short, pragmatism.
This was a story about women. Three women in particular: Hatshepset in the waning years of her reign and questioning all she has done for the sake of empire. Satiah, her biggest hope and eventually her greatest fear, and Meryet, a Great Royal Wife forged in the fire of Hatshepsut's flame.
The Bull of Min was one of those wonderful tales that I hated to see end. There's just not enough novels about Ancient Egypt to sate my appetite. And to bring to vivid life the tumultuous and vibrant world to life.
Hatshepsut has always fascinated me (far more so than Cleopatra ever did). She was obviously a woman of strength, intelligence and determination. And yet, Ironside has taken a different path in telling her tale. This Hatshepsut is all too flawed and very human. She gave Egypt and its gods her blood, sweat and tears. Ironically, Egypt gave her immortality. She may have loved perhaps not wisely, but wholeheartedly and to see her slowly feel the price of the crown without diminishing her power was a very fine line which Ironside walks effortlessly. And keeping with what modern Egyptologists now know, the attempted erasure of her name had less to do with hatred and more to do with securing the dynasty for future generations. In short, pragmatism.
This was a story about women. Three women in particular: Hatshepset in the waning years of her reign and questioning all she has done for the sake of empire. Satiah, her biggest hope and eventually her greatest fear, and Meryet, a Great Royal Wife forged in the fire of Hatshepsut's flame.
The Bull of Min was one of those wonderful tales that I hated to see end. There's just not enough novels about Ancient Egypt to sate my appetite. And to bring to vivid life the tumultuous and vibrant world to life.
November 1, 2015
This the fourth book in the She King saga so you shouldn't buy it unless you've already read the first three. (And if you haven't read the first three then you really should.)
I was sorry to finish this book, not only because it's one of the best depictions of ancient Egypt around, but because throughout this series, Ironside has drawn a wholly believable and absorbing set of characters. By the end of the fourth book I felt as though I knew them, and by its end I was sorry to have to say goodbye.
While the plot has never been lacking I feel that characterisation is Ironside's strongpoint. Each character is different; they have their own nuances and peccadilloes. Too many books leave their characters undeveloped, as though the story hasn't touched them. Not so here. Ironside's characters have grown and developed throughout the series so that you feel as though you are reading about real people.
LM Ironside is a self-published writer, but you would never know it if it wasn't pointed out to you. It's refreshing to read a self-published book as professional as this one - not only in its writing, but in its production as well.
In short I can recommend this book - and in fact the whole She King series - without reservation.
I was sorry to finish this book, not only because it's one of the best depictions of ancient Egypt around, but because throughout this series, Ironside has drawn a wholly believable and absorbing set of characters. By the end of the fourth book I felt as though I knew them, and by its end I was sorry to have to say goodbye.
While the plot has never been lacking I feel that characterisation is Ironside's strongpoint. Each character is different; they have their own nuances and peccadilloes. Too many books leave their characters undeveloped, as though the story hasn't touched them. Not so here. Ironside's characters have grown and developed throughout the series so that you feel as though you are reading about real people.
LM Ironside is a self-published writer, but you would never know it if it wasn't pointed out to you. It's refreshing to read a self-published book as professional as this one - not only in its writing, but in its production as well.
In short I can recommend this book - and in fact the whole She King series - without reservation.
November 3, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed all four books in the series. Having being to Egypt many times I could visualise many of the places mentioned in the books, they were evocative of how I think of those times as having been. Wonderful and I would recommend them to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.
August 1, 2014
The Bull of Min is the fourth and final instalment in L. M. Ironside's haunting saga of Hatshepsut and the Thutmosides. In this novella, Ironside explores the end of Hatshepsut's life and reign and the repercussions of her unorthodox rule has not only on Egypt, but on her family: her daughter, Neferure, her successor and nephew, Thutmose III, and his wife, Meryet-Hatshepsut and son, Amunhotep.
It's hard to know what to say about The Bull of Min, because a) I risk repeating my previous reviews for the earlier installments of The She-King, and b) it's just that good.
Well, to start: I feel utterly ridiculous that it took me so long to read it. I just didn't have the reading time, even after thinking, "oh, 130 pages, it'll be a one-day-read". Even when I had enough time just to dip into it and was completely and utterly amazed by the prologue and later first chapter, every time I thought to sit down with The Bull of Min, I got distracted by something else.
Yet again, Ironside creates an Ancient Egypt that feels staggeringly authentic. The people are driven by the same human needs that drive people today, yet their personalities and actions feel realistic for the time and place they inhabit. They are not alien creatures nor startlingly modern. In addition, Ironside's brilliant skill lets the landscape of Egypt come alive before your eyes, at times making you feel like you are right there, feeling the heat of the sun or the weight of an oppressive cloud of dust.
I'm very tempted to liken the plot of The Bull of Min to a rollercoaster ride, but in all honesty, I've never been on one (yeah, my life is boring). Every time I sat down to read this book, though, I was dragged along by the great tumult of events and emotions. Yet when I did stop to smell the flowers, so to speak, there was beautiful, incredible prose and enough depth to keep me happy. Hurrah.
The Bull of Min explores the fate of Neferure, picking up from where Sovereign of Stars left off with her, and this – and the threat she poses to Thutmose and the line of succession – is the main thrust of the book. Ironside sketches out possible answers to the riddle of Neferure's fate and the question of what caused Thutmose III to begin the destruction of Hatshepsut's memory.
These answers may play hard and fast with history – it's not an area of Ancient Egyptian history I'm very familiar with to be able to judge clearly. I'm not going to go into detail because I don't want to spoil anyone. That said, it was a truly fascinating "what if" scenario to play around with and perhaps not impossible. Personally, it was something I could fully accept within the story and there no niggling voice hissing "but history!" in my ear.
I really enjoyed the chapters of Thutmose at Megiddo being juxtaposed against the chapters of Meryet-Hatshepsut ('Meryet') dealing with more quiet but still dangerous courtly intrigues in the aftermath of Hatshepsut's death. Hell, I really loved the character of Meryet, full stop.
And then there was Hatshepsut's death – an incredibly moving, heartbreaking scene in which the sorrow of the present characters was palpable. If there's a critique to be found of this novel, it's that I would have liked a little time exploring the immediate aftermath and reactions to Hatshepsut's death, particularly Thutmose's.
I can't believe I haven't even mentioned the Hatshepsut-Thutmose relationship yet. It is a thing of incredible beauty, more historically accurate than "he hated her and saw her as a throne-stealing harpy" crap seen so often and an utterly perfect recreation of their relationship. This is, for me, the best depiction of their relationship I've seen in fiction.
Finally, there was poor Neferure – a figure I loathed, pitied and was disturbed by. I found myself sometimes questioning whether she was mad, not least because at the very beginning of the saga we spent a whole book in the head of another god-chosen character, Ahmose, believing in the reality of her world. That said, I definitely preferred to think of her as mad than believing the gods would be so twisted.
I could go on. There's a lot to love about The Bull of Min and I could spend all night fangirling over the little and big details. But I won't. But seriously: read this book. Read the entire saga. I've been emotionally compromised.
(also: hai, I'm the Egypt nut from Down Under.)
It's hard to know what to say about The Bull of Min, because a) I risk repeating my previous reviews for the earlier installments of The She-King, and b) it's just that good.
Well, to start: I feel utterly ridiculous that it took me so long to read it. I just didn't have the reading time, even after thinking, "oh, 130 pages, it'll be a one-day-read". Even when I had enough time just to dip into it and was completely and utterly amazed by the prologue and later first chapter, every time I thought to sit down with The Bull of Min, I got distracted by something else.
Yet again, Ironside creates an Ancient Egypt that feels staggeringly authentic. The people are driven by the same human needs that drive people today, yet their personalities and actions feel realistic for the time and place they inhabit. They are not alien creatures nor startlingly modern. In addition, Ironside's brilliant skill lets the landscape of Egypt come alive before your eyes, at times making you feel like you are right there, feeling the heat of the sun or the weight of an oppressive cloud of dust.
I'm very tempted to liken the plot of The Bull of Min to a rollercoaster ride, but in all honesty, I've never been on one (yeah, my life is boring). Every time I sat down to read this book, though, I was dragged along by the great tumult of events and emotions. Yet when I did stop to smell the flowers, so to speak, there was beautiful, incredible prose and enough depth to keep me happy. Hurrah.
The Bull of Min explores the fate of Neferure, picking up from where Sovereign of Stars left off with her, and this – and the threat she poses to Thutmose and the line of succession – is the main thrust of the book. Ironside sketches out possible answers to the riddle of Neferure's fate and the question of what caused Thutmose III to begin the destruction of Hatshepsut's memory.
These answers may play hard and fast with history – it's not an area of Ancient Egyptian history I'm very familiar with to be able to judge clearly. I'm not going to go into detail because I don't want to spoil anyone. That said, it was a truly fascinating "what if" scenario to play around with and perhaps not impossible. Personally, it was something I could fully accept within the story and there no niggling voice hissing "but history!" in my ear.
I really enjoyed the chapters of Thutmose at Megiddo being juxtaposed against the chapters of Meryet-Hatshepsut ('Meryet') dealing with more quiet but still dangerous courtly intrigues in the aftermath of Hatshepsut's death. Hell, I really loved the character of Meryet, full stop.
And then there was Hatshepsut's death – an incredibly moving, heartbreaking scene in which the sorrow of the present characters was palpable. If there's a critique to be found of this novel, it's that I would have liked a little time exploring the immediate aftermath and reactions to Hatshepsut's death, particularly Thutmose's.
I can't believe I haven't even mentioned the Hatshepsut-Thutmose relationship yet. It is a thing of incredible beauty, more historically accurate than "he hated her and saw her as a throne-stealing harpy" crap seen so often and an utterly perfect recreation of their relationship. This is, for me, the best depiction of their relationship I've seen in fiction.
Finally, there was poor Neferure – a figure I loathed, pitied and was disturbed by. I found myself sometimes questioning whether she was mad, not least because at the very beginning of the saga we spent a whole book in the head of another god-chosen character, Ahmose, believing in the reality of her world. That said, I definitely preferred to think of her as mad than believing the gods would be so twisted.
I could go on. There's a lot to love about The Bull of Min and I could spend all night fangirling over the little and big details. But I won't. But seriously: read this book. Read the entire saga. I've been emotionally compromised.
(also: hai, I'm the Egypt nut from Down Under.)
September 2, 2016
An excellent and evocative finish to one of the best series I have ever read. As usual, Hawker captured my imagination and my attention. She took me into the world of Ancient Egypt, where I smelled the incense, closed my eyes against the hot wind, burned the offerings at the god’s feet, tasted the figs and honey cakes, waded among the lotus blossoms in turquoise pools, and suffocated along with Neferure as she made her escape. This author is a master of description.
I very much liked how Hawker went directly into this story without a lot of hashing over of the previous books, which always kind of annoys me and removes me from the setting, and, as with all the books I’ve read by this author, I loved the character development. Neferure is not sympathetic, at least she wasn’t to me: I muttered “Kill her,” or something to that effect a few times as I read, but due to the great character development, I could see her point of view, even if it was grudging.
Wholly satisfying, and I say goodbye to all the wonderful characters I grew to love (and hate) with regret.
I very much liked how Hawker went directly into this story without a lot of hashing over of the previous books, which always kind of annoys me and removes me from the setting, and, as with all the books I’ve read by this author, I loved the character development. Neferure is not sympathetic, at least she wasn’t to me: I muttered “Kill her,” or something to that effect a few times as I read, but due to the great character development, I could see her point of view, even if it was grudging.
Wholly satisfying, and I say goodbye to all the wonderful characters I grew to love (and hate) with regret.
July 20, 2014
I have been entrenched in ancient Egypt for weeks reading the She-King saga. What an amazing and excellent and utterly readable depiction of the Thutmosides era. So involved have I been with Ahmose, Hatshepsut, Neferure, and Thutmose I, II, and III, that I'm not sure how I'll start another book! I looked forward to continuing my reading every day and I'm a little sad that it's over.
June 20, 2014
I devoured this in two days and am now suffering withdrawals because the series is over. This version of the Hatshepsut story features the best handling of the defacement of her monuments that I've read in fiction. Thutmose is as dynamic a character as Hatshepsut, and I loved Meryet.
December 10, 2014
Awesome! Best of the series! Love the treatments of ALL the main characters. Won't say anymore just the anyone who loves AE just HAS to read this series! Thanks LM for your research and your wonderful prose!
June 16, 2015
A great conclusion to the series! This book resolves the shocking and tumultuous ending to Sovereign of Stars in a satisfying way.
Cross-posted on Gemna's Book Gems.
Cross-posted on Gemna's Book Gems.
March 25, 2023
I just finished the series of 4 books which are a loose history of Hatshepsut, the female king of Egypt. I enjoyed them as a story, but each book took liberties with people and timelines to tell it. The author admits this. The books flowed easily from the first to the last. I loved the character growth and could easily visualize who they each were. The descriptions of the seasons, locations, sights and smells brought me there. They were written in the style of a novel and not a textbook, which I prefer when reading historical novels.
May 12, 2017
I mean, it was good, but Neferure/Satiah going off the deep end and trying to murder an innocent child...Idk. It was...kinda boring, and honestly, to me religious fanaticism is a very off putting thing.
That being said, same thing with the last book, I LOVED every other character. Thutmose and Meryet were awesome, and good and dutiful people who did the best with what they had, and I can respect that. An excellent end, all complaints aside.
That being said, same thing with the last book, I LOVED every other character. Thutmose and Meryet were awesome, and good and dutiful people who did the best with what they had, and I can respect that. An excellent end, all complaints aside.
July 26, 2017
Loved the whole series of the She King. Fascinating stories. I read all four books in one week. Couldn't put them down. I must confess I am a fast reader. Definitely recommend if you are a lover of Egyptian historical fiction as I am.
October 5, 2017
Loved this book!
October 6, 2017
This was my least favorite of the series, but still would recommend the series to book lovers! Overall good work Linnie!
November 22, 2017
a good ending to the story. :)
April 12, 2018
Bad end to series
Very disappointing end to a series that, up until now, I enjoyed. Unrealistic, bad flow and sooo many historical inaccuracies.
Very disappointing end to a series that, up until now, I enjoyed. Unrealistic, bad flow and sooo many historical inaccuracies.
February 26, 2022
the final chapter fucking destroyed me. the payoff of these books is 100% worth im going to cry
October 7, 2023
My review!!
July 22, 2014
Possible spoilers, at least for book three.
Overall The Bull of Min was not only a continuation of book three but also a continuation of irritations for me as a reader. Neferure is yet again on the street corner yelling things about god and saving your soul (figuratively of course, though I wouldn't put it past her character to do it literally). I really wish she had just gone away.
The prologue of this book, while it confirmed suspicions from the ending of book three, was too drawn out and did not hold my interest. Also, as soon as I heard the name "Satiah" I knew the direction the author was going as I knew that was a name of one of Thutmose III's consorts. So I was in for yet another crazy manipulation of history by the author and the characters by Neferure. Needless to say I was not excited for the outcome.
While I still did not warm to Thut, I did appreciate that he seemed to regret sending Senenmut away. The direction Hatshepsut's character went was saddening, although I really have to question if the would have been a choice she really would have made. Here I can accept the author's imagination, though I would prefer to think of her as a more stubborn, hold on till the end type.
The continuation of Neferure's presence also made there be a bit more baby drama, which I had really wished to escape by book four. Although I must note that I did in fact like the character of Meryet. Though I wasn't a fan of her doing this:
Meryet exhaled. She had not known she’d held her breath until Hatshepsut was gone.
Why? Just WHY? Stop with this authors! So many of you are guilty!
Overall I think Ironside is a good writer, The She-King just contained too many personal pet peeves and too much manipulation of history for my liking. I will, however, continue to read the author's works.
Overall The Bull of Min was not only a continuation of book three but also a continuation of irritations for me as a reader. Neferure is yet again on the street corner yelling things about god and saving your soul (figuratively of course, though I wouldn't put it past her character to do it literally). I really wish she had just gone away.
The prologue of this book, while it confirmed suspicions from the ending of book three, was too drawn out and did not hold my interest. Also, as soon as I heard the name "Satiah" I knew the direction the author was going as I knew that was a name of one of Thutmose III's consorts. So I was in for yet another crazy manipulation of history by the author and the characters by Neferure. Needless to say I was not excited for the outcome.
While I still did not warm to Thut, I did appreciate that he seemed to regret sending Senenmut away. The direction Hatshepsut's character went was saddening, although I really have to question if the would have been a choice she really would have made. Here I can accept the author's imagination, though I would prefer to think of her as a more stubborn, hold on till the end type.
The continuation of Neferure's presence also made there be a bit more baby drama, which I had really wished to escape by book four. Although I must note that I did in fact like the character of Meryet. Though I wasn't a fan of her doing this:
Meryet exhaled. She had not known she’d held her breath until Hatshepsut was gone.
Why? Just WHY? Stop with this authors! So many of you are guilty!
Overall I think Ironside is a good writer, The She-King just contained too many personal pet peeves and too much manipulation of history for my liking. I will, however, continue to read the author's works.
February 19, 2017
Interesting theory about Hatshepsup and her disappearance from Egypt's history
April 1, 2014
A entertaining story, and an interesting idea. One thing I really enjoy about this author is that she fully recognizes where she strays from history, and she explains why she makes these changes in her novel and how she is able to make the jump. I also really enjoy her writing style, it's very easy and seems to roll off the page very nicely. Over all I recommend this series for those that enjoy historical fiction.
July 16, 2014
I loved this book and felt like it was a fantastic ending to a somewhat tragic story. My only problem is that I was sad that this series is over. I really loved this series and highly recommend it to anyone who loved Egyptian historical fiction. I also think its a good starting point for someone who has not read Egyptian history before.
April 1, 2016
'n Heel aanvaarbare einde vir die reeks, waar die feite mooi aansluit by die fiksie. Was 'n goeie reeks, maar beslis nie so goed soos die reeks The book of coming forth by day nie, ook deur Libbie Hawker.
May 5, 2014
Not a bad story, but the author was reaching a bit. Overall, I enjoyed the series.
June 30, 2014
Overall, I really enjoyed this series. It was a fun read. Great summer reading!
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews