What do you think?
Rate this book
The Flood
'Mystery, conspiracy and catastrophe combine in this tense evocation of the ancient Middle East.' Steven Veerapen
2700 B.C.
Sumer.
Uruk’s growing supremacy over Sumer is threatened when its main levee collapses and a flood destroys the Ziggurat of Inanna and its intricate system of canals. Uruk’s priest-king, The En, is forced to call on the city’s army to help rebuild the structures before the Euphrates River rises again.
Zag, the chief scribe of Uruk’s military leader, is tasked with organizing the construction effort. But Zag, a widower with a drinking problem, is distracted. Unlike the great mass of the population, Zag does not believe the temple’s claim that the flood was caused by the gods alone. He vows to uncover the truth.
Zag’s suspicions seem to be confirmed when he encounters Shulgi, an unscrupulous character from his past, who claims he was paid to take bricks from the levee by a man who has since disappeared.
In pursuit of this missing person, Zag unearths the secrets of both the temple and the military, landing him in the middle of their growing, dangerous rivalry.
To help him navigate this danger, Zag works in conjunction with other scribes and artisans to determine who stood to gain from the disaster.
Time soon becomes an enemy too as Zag must determine who sabotaged the levee - before the city of Uruk is destroyed in the next flood.
Greg DiBiase is an American lawyer and writer. In his legal practice, he’s focused on the future, developing internet policy for the international domain name system. The rest of the time, he’s focused on the past, with a particular interest in the rise of humanity’s earliest cities.
Praise for Greg
'A smart, gripping debut.' Richard Foreman
'Informed and entertaining.' Aspects of History
2700 B.C.
Sumer.
Uruk’s growing supremacy over Sumer is threatened when its main levee collapses and a flood destroys the Ziggurat of Inanna and its intricate system of canals. Uruk’s priest-king, The En, is forced to call on the city’s army to help rebuild the structures before the Euphrates River rises again.
Zag, the chief scribe of Uruk’s military leader, is tasked with organizing the construction effort. But Zag, a widower with a drinking problem, is distracted. Unlike the great mass of the population, Zag does not believe the temple’s claim that the flood was caused by the gods alone. He vows to uncover the truth.
Zag’s suspicions seem to be confirmed when he encounters Shulgi, an unscrupulous character from his past, who claims he was paid to take bricks from the levee by a man who has since disappeared.
In pursuit of this missing person, Zag unearths the secrets of both the temple and the military, landing him in the middle of their growing, dangerous rivalry.
To help him navigate this danger, Zag works in conjunction with other scribes and artisans to determine who stood to gain from the disaster.
Time soon becomes an enemy too as Zag must determine who sabotaged the levee - before the city of Uruk is destroyed in the next flood.
Greg DiBiase is an American lawyer and writer. In his legal practice, he’s focused on the future, developing internet policy for the international domain name system. The rest of the time, he’s focused on the past, with a particular interest in the rise of humanity’s earliest cities.
Praise for Greg
'A smart, gripping debut.' Richard Foreman
'Informed and entertaining.' Aspects of History
256 pages, Paperback
Published December 20, 2024
1 person want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 2, 2025
The Flood was an awesome read! The main character, Zag, is a temple scribe in 2500 BC Sumer. As one of the few in society with the power to read and write, Zag documents the trades, treaties, and messages from the Gods that govern this rapidly advancing society. From his unique role, he uncovers truths that lead him to a shocking mystery.
This book is incredibly well-researched and builds a world where vengeful Gods, a dominant temple hierarchy, and a newly powerful middle class of merchants and artisans vie for power and wealth. This book was a page-turner until the end!
This book is incredibly well-researched and builds a world where vengeful Gods, a dominant temple hierarchy, and a newly powerful middle class of merchants and artisans vie for power and wealth. This book was a page-turner until the end!
December 30, 2024
This book transports you back to the world’s first city of Uruk in ancient Sumer. It is told from the perspective of a top scribe for the city who must carefully balance his allegiance to religious, military, and civic leaders all while attempting to uncover a mystery of what or who really caused a catastrophic flood that ruined half of the city. The narrator Zag is a complicated character with faults that threaten to have him fired or much worse over the course of the novel. Zag’s personal story and motivation for uncovering a potential conspiracy all unravel through the course of the novel, adding a personal touch to a historical tale. I also learned so much about the Bronze Age and could really picture what our earliest cities looked like! Definitely recommend.
December 28, 2024
This was one of the best books I read all year. The pacing was exceptional—I couldn’t put it down. The story of Uruk’s struggle to rebuild after the levee collapse and the flood was gripping, and I loved the rich historical detail. I’m excited that it’s the first in a series and definitely plan to read the follow-ups. Highly recommended!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews