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Lord of the Two Lands
In 336 B.C., Egypt lay under the yoke of Persia, ruled by Governors appointed by the King of Kings in Persis. And in the Temple of Amon in Thebes dwelt the only living child of Nectanebo, the last fully Egyptian Pharaoh, who had been defeated in battle and slain by Darius's servants
But from the north a spirit of fire was moving across the World. A great warrior and general, the king of Macedonia, had risen to rule the Hellenic city-states. Now he was determined to challenge the might of the Persian Empire, to engage Darius himself in battle, and to defeat him. He was called Alexander, and the priests of Amon in Egypt saw that he was destined to rule their ancient land.
So they sent Meriamon, Beloved of Amon, daughter of Pharaoh, Singer and Priestess of the God, up from Egypt to the Plains of Issus, where a great battle had been fought, and the Persian king defeated. There she was to find Alexander, and persuade him to turn from the straight Eastward road and come south - where the double crown of Egypt awaited him.
LORD OF THE TWO LANDS is firmly based in the history of Alexander the Great, and then steeped in the rich, sun-drenched magics of ancient Egypt. It will transport you back to the time of heroes, when one man changed the face of the world.
But from the north a spirit of fire was moving across the World. A great warrior and general, the king of Macedonia, had risen to rule the Hellenic city-states. Now he was determined to challenge the might of the Persian Empire, to engage Darius himself in battle, and to defeat him. He was called Alexander, and the priests of Amon in Egypt saw that he was destined to rule their ancient land.
So they sent Meriamon, Beloved of Amon, daughter of Pharaoh, Singer and Priestess of the God, up from Egypt to the Plains of Issus, where a great battle had been fought, and the Persian king defeated. There she was to find Alexander, and persuade him to turn from the straight Eastward road and come south - where the double crown of Egypt awaited him.
LORD OF THE TWO LANDS is firmly based in the history of Alexander the Great, and then steeped in the rich, sun-drenched magics of ancient Egypt. It will transport you back to the time of heroes, when one man changed the face of the world.
401 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
23 people are currently reading
989 people want to read
About the author
Judith Tarr
121 books419 followersAKA Caitlin Brennan, Kathleen Bryan.
Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.
She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.
Judith Tarr (born 1955) is an American author, best known for her fantasy books. She received her B.A. in Latin and English from Mount Holyoke College in 1976, and has an M.A. in Classics from Cambridge University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Medieval Studies from Yale University. She taught Latin and writing at Wesleyan University from 1988-1992, and taught at the Clarion science-fiction-writing workshops in 1996 and 1999.
She raises and trains Lipizzan horses at Dancing Horse Farm, her home in Vail, Arizona. The romantic fantasies that she writes under the name Caitlin Brennan feature dancing horses modeled on those that she raises.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 50 reviews
August 3, 2016
Judith Tarr is a well known author within the SF/F community but I don’t think she has ever quite attained the broader recognition her books deserve. My favorite of her work is Lord of the Two Lands, a fantastical alternate history of Alexander the Great moving into Egypt. The main character, an Egyptian priestess named Meriamon, is sent as a lure, omen, and diplomat into the heart of the invading Greek army. What makes Tarr brilliant is her writing style: she uses short, punchy, fragmentary sentences that nevertheless manage to convey eminence depth of meaning, emotion, and characterization. Everything she writes is precisely implemented, bladed and cutting, even when joyful. For example:
After a long while she found another word. “Sekhmet?”
“Here.”
Soft paw, prick of claws. Murmur of inquiry: “Mrrrrttt?”
Trust me, in context, those few words will make you cry. The Lord of the Two Lands is as near to perfect as a book can get, filled with adventure, action, and tension yet also bittersweet and wildly romantic. It’s one of those I return to again-and-again, and as an author I am always slightly disheartened knowing I myself could never write such clean sharp prose.
After a long while she found another word. “Sekhmet?”
“Here.”
Soft paw, prick of claws. Murmur of inquiry: “Mrrrrttt?”
Trust me, in context, those few words will make you cry. The Lord of the Two Lands is as near to perfect as a book can get, filled with adventure, action, and tension yet also bittersweet and wildly romantic. It’s one of those I return to again-and-again, and as an author I am always slightly disheartened knowing I myself could never write such clean sharp prose.
March 20, 2017
What does Lord of the Two Lands offer the reader? Let’s see:
In 336 BC, Egypt lay under the yoke of Persia … but from the north, a spirit of fire was moving across the world. A great general, the king of Macedonia, had risen to challenge the might of Persia. He was called Alexander, and the priests of Amon in Egypt saw that he was born to rule their ancient land. So they sent Meriamon, daughter of Pharaoh, Singer and Priestess … to find Alexander and persuade him to turn from the straight Eastward road and come south, to where the double crown of Egypt awaits him.
Yes, yes, all that is accurate enough. “Firmly based in the history of Alexander the Great,” it says, which seems true to me, though I’m no historian to judge the details. The story certainly feels true, the way great historical fiction should. This is also the kind of book which has an author’s note in the back to explain the real history. I always appreciate that in any historical novel.
Also, the cover copy says, “Steeped in the rich, sun-drenched magic of ancient Egypt.” Very promising. I mean, I like straight historicals just fine, but I have always liked historical fantasy even better.
But none of that tells you the important thing, which is that Meriamon is a wonderful protagonist, that she is surrounded by wonderful supporting characters, that not all the magic is exactly sun-drenched – Meriamon’s shadow is also wonderful, if scary – and that all the way through the story, you soak up both the historical period and the magic until you have to believe it’s all true, that Alexander’s taking Egypt from the Persians happened just like that.
Though younger, Meriamon is something like Maskelle in Martha Wells’ The Wheel of Time -- a woman who, right from the beginning, is confident of her skills, her strength, and her choices. You don’t see this all that often, partly because so many stories, even when nominally adult, draw on YA-style characters and character arcs. You don’t generally get to start off with an already-competent protagonist.
So because of her inner confidence and hidden skills, Meriamon never, or hardly ever, has to worry about her personal safety. She can thus focus on her goals. She’s a very goal-centered woman, and she can be quite ruthless in working to get what she wants – Alexander to drive the Persians out of Egypt and take its throne himself. Actually, this reminds me of Tremaine in Martha Wells’ Ile-Rien trilogy. I’m guessing that if you like Martha Wells, you are likely to love Lord of the Two Lands; I’m only now seeing how both Tarr and Wells have created some of my favorite protagonists, and in similar ways.
The supporting characters surrounding Meriamon are also excellent. We get Alexander himself, of course – arrogant and determined and ruthless and clever. And Ptolemy, who of course went on to found the line of Greek pharaohs after Alexander’s death; and Thaïs, a Greek courtesan, also a real historical figure; and a whole bunch of others. Not least Sehkmet the cat. Also not least, Meriamon’s jackal-headed shadow.
I suppose this book – and Tarr’s other historicals, though this is my favorite – probably played a role in developing my taste for historicals set somewhere around the Classical period. Also my taste for stories where you practically drown in the sensuous, detailed setting. If you share those tastes, or are looking for a confident female protagonist, this is definitely one you should pick up.
In 336 BC, Egypt lay under the yoke of Persia … but from the north, a spirit of fire was moving across the world. A great general, the king of Macedonia, had risen to challenge the might of Persia. He was called Alexander, and the priests of Amon in Egypt saw that he was born to rule their ancient land. So they sent Meriamon, daughter of Pharaoh, Singer and Priestess … to find Alexander and persuade him to turn from the straight Eastward road and come south, to where the double crown of Egypt awaits him.
Yes, yes, all that is accurate enough. “Firmly based in the history of Alexander the Great,” it says, which seems true to me, though I’m no historian to judge the details. The story certainly feels true, the way great historical fiction should. This is also the kind of book which has an author’s note in the back to explain the real history. I always appreciate that in any historical novel.
Also, the cover copy says, “Steeped in the rich, sun-drenched magic of ancient Egypt.” Very promising. I mean, I like straight historicals just fine, but I have always liked historical fantasy even better.
But none of that tells you the important thing, which is that Meriamon is a wonderful protagonist, that she is surrounded by wonderful supporting characters, that not all the magic is exactly sun-drenched – Meriamon’s shadow is also wonderful, if scary – and that all the way through the story, you soak up both the historical period and the magic until you have to believe it’s all true, that Alexander’s taking Egypt from the Persians happened just like that.
Though younger, Meriamon is something like Maskelle in Martha Wells’ The Wheel of Time -- a woman who, right from the beginning, is confident of her skills, her strength, and her choices. You don’t see this all that often, partly because so many stories, even when nominally adult, draw on YA-style characters and character arcs. You don’t generally get to start off with an already-competent protagonist.
So because of her inner confidence and hidden skills, Meriamon never, or hardly ever, has to worry about her personal safety. She can thus focus on her goals. She’s a very goal-centered woman, and she can be quite ruthless in working to get what she wants – Alexander to drive the Persians out of Egypt and take its throne himself. Actually, this reminds me of Tremaine in Martha Wells’ Ile-Rien trilogy. I’m guessing that if you like Martha Wells, you are likely to love Lord of the Two Lands; I’m only now seeing how both Tarr and Wells have created some of my favorite protagonists, and in similar ways.
The supporting characters surrounding Meriamon are also excellent. We get Alexander himself, of course – arrogant and determined and ruthless and clever. And Ptolemy, who of course went on to found the line of Greek pharaohs after Alexander’s death; and Thaïs, a Greek courtesan, also a real historical figure; and a whole bunch of others. Not least Sehkmet the cat. Also not least, Meriamon’s jackal-headed shadow.
I suppose this book – and Tarr’s other historicals, though this is my favorite – probably played a role in developing my taste for historicals set somewhere around the Classical period. Also my taste for stories where you practically drown in the sensuous, detailed setting. If you share those tastes, or are looking for a confident female protagonist, this is definitely one you should pick up.
February 7, 2014
I had read one book by Judith Tarr before this, Lady of Horses--and it wasn't a happy experience. I was most irked by it being one of those stories that thinks creating a strong female character means making almost every male character a jerk, and the novel struck me as more feminist pre-history propaganda than plausible historical fiction. I also remembered the style (especially the sex scenes) as rather graceless. Yet I'd heard good things about Judith Tarr as a historical novelist over the years, so decided to give her another chance--and this is one of her better known books. I'm glad I did. This one I liked rather a lot.
That despite that it called to mind one of my favorite books, or rather a trilogy, and no I don't think it compares--but it probably is unfair to compare them. Tarr herself mentions those books in her afterwards--Mary Renault's novels about Alexander the Great: Fire from Heaven, The Persian Boy and Funeral Games. It's just about impossible to write fiction about Alexander the Great and not be in Renault's shadow. And at first, especially given I hadn't liked the other book by Tarr I tried, that rather made me look at this book with a jaundiced eye. And no, I wouldn't rank this with enduring literature the way I would the Renault books. But for what it is, a historically grounded fantasy featuring not just historical figures such as Alexander and Hephaiston and Ptolemy, but mixed with characters of Tarr's own? Well, I enjoyed this. The story centers around Meriamon, an Egyptian of Royal blood sent to seek out Alexander to make him pharaoh over Egypt and thus liberate them from the Persians. That in itself irked me a bit. Away from the spell Renault wove around me in my teens, it's hard for me to see a conqueror such as Alexander as liberator.
But eventually I took the book on its own terms, its own logic. It helped I liked Meriamon and the magic Tarr built around her. I was entertained throughout--never bored, never exasperated and thrown out of the story. Lady of Horses I never even finished. This held me to the end, and after this I would be willing to try Tarr again. I'd call this three stars rather than four both because I can't help comparing this to Renault and it's not quite so strong I'm eager to read Tarr again--but it was a good read.
That despite that it called to mind one of my favorite books, or rather a trilogy, and no I don't think it compares--but it probably is unfair to compare them. Tarr herself mentions those books in her afterwards--Mary Renault's novels about Alexander the Great: Fire from Heaven, The Persian Boy and Funeral Games. It's just about impossible to write fiction about Alexander the Great and not be in Renault's shadow. And at first, especially given I hadn't liked the other book by Tarr I tried, that rather made me look at this book with a jaundiced eye. And no, I wouldn't rank this with enduring literature the way I would the Renault books. But for what it is, a historically grounded fantasy featuring not just historical figures such as Alexander and Hephaiston and Ptolemy, but mixed with characters of Tarr's own? Well, I enjoyed this. The story centers around Meriamon, an Egyptian of Royal blood sent to seek out Alexander to make him pharaoh over Egypt and thus liberate them from the Persians. That in itself irked me a bit. Away from the spell Renault wove around me in my teens, it's hard for me to see a conqueror such as Alexander as liberator.
But eventually I took the book on its own terms, its own logic. It helped I liked Meriamon and the magic Tarr built around her. I was entertained throughout--never bored, never exasperated and thrown out of the story. Lady of Horses I never even finished. This held me to the end, and after this I would be willing to try Tarr again. I'd call this three stars rather than four both because I can't help comparing this to Renault and it's not quite so strong I'm eager to read Tarr again--but it was a good read.
January 1, 2016
This is the book that made me a Judith Tarr addict. An Egyptian priestess princess joins the army of Alexander the Great as a healer, and to persuade him to drive out Egypt's Persian occupiers. Meriamon has a spirit familiar who has stayed in my mind longer than most of the flesh-and-blood characters around Alexander.
2015 Reading: I do so love this book. I started listening to the audio version and found it not up to my standards (flat and nasal), so I reread the print version. My favorite fantasy read of 2015.
2015 Reading: I do so love this book. I started listening to the audio version and found it not up to my standards (flat and nasal), so I reread the print version. My favorite fantasy read of 2015.
August 24, 2022
I have no idea why I picked this book up, or who recommended Judith Tarr to me? But I was looking for something a little different and found it in my Kindle unread list. I wasn't super enthused about the idea of reading about Alexander the Great, but this turned out to be an engaging magical-alternate-history story that was grounded in some actual history and folklore. Well-written, not overly sentimental, with an Egyptian heroine that I could admire. Hovered a little between 3 stars and 4, but landed on 4 since it convinced me to pick up another Tarr book at some point.
December 30, 2019
I found this a slow start, but Meriamon gradually grew on me, and I wanted to know how her life turned out. The fantasy elements are at times a bit jarring, but the historical background is interesting and complex.
March 15, 2022
This was sitting on my shelf for years, as one of the many Egypt stories I would someday read. When Covid began I started reading all these maybe one day books. Now while I liked a lot of this story and how she described the shadow life, I got very annoyed at the part where she writes about the weighing of the heart. She got it all wrong, and I had credited her with so much on her research. To enter into the presence of the God's, your heart is to be as light as a feather. Not heavy. I re-read this section a few times to be sure I did not read it wrong, but it made me not trust anything further from this author.
April 5, 2021
I picked this up based on a recommendation from Gail Carriger's newsletter. Meriamon is the daughter of the last native Egyptian Pharaoh, and she's on a quest from the gods to bring Alexander the Great to Egypt to expel the Persians. I enjoyed her friendship with Alexander, her romance with Nikolaos, and, perhaps most importantly, her companionship with Sekhmet the cat. And she had Anubis as her shadow guardian! The tone of the novel was very interesting. I don't know that I've read anything like it before. The book is very matter of fact about life at the time, so trigger warnings for .
December 11, 2010
Great book. The battles were well written about, the intensity of Alexander was easily perceived and the love story adds a sense of balance. I loved when they came upon the place where Alexandria was going to be built, as well as the magic of Egypt guiding them into the dessert.
February 4, 2017
This sounds amazing but I just couldn't get into the writing.
February 5, 2008
Look at Alexander's conquest of Egypt (they asked him for help, actually) through the fictional character of a young Egyptian priestess sent to assure his success.
October 7, 2017
This is really historical fantasy, because the heroine, Meriamon, has a sort of guardian spirit she calls her shadow which accompanies her everywhere. She is the daughter of Nectanebo, the last Egyptian pharaoh, who was overthrown by the Persian empire. She travels north to join Alexander the Great's retinue to convince him to come to Egypt and free them from the Persians. Alexander is a very likeable, smart, charismatic leader. Meriamon is frustrated at his dawdling in Tyre, trying to conquer the seemingly impregnable island city (he does). Things get a bit weird when they get to Egypt. For example, they are led by a couple of giant snakes to the oasis of Siwah, where more other-worldly events take place.
March 10, 2019
From Issus to Siwah, "Lord of the two lands" covers the earlier campaigns of Alexander the great and his quest for his own identity from the POV of a fictional Egyptian young woman. It's a fast read and historically accurate. The main characters are well established. I'm particularly impressed with the depictions of Hephaistion. Though not in many scenes he came off being highly competent, calm, loving and supportive just as the historical man would have had to be. The dynamic between him and Alexander was more credible than appeared in the famous Mary Renault trilogy.
April 8, 2018
It hurts me, because I actually really loved the novel. I was looking forward to the audiobook a lot - especially because I didn't expect there to be one.
Sadly I couldn't get through it. I tried three times, but I just couldn't stand the weird voice the narrator chose for the main character. To my ears it sounded ridiculous and since she naturally has the main plot and most page time, I couldn't even ignore her and concentrate on the other characters.
Sadly I couldn't get through it. I tried three times, but I just couldn't stand the weird voice the narrator chose for the main character. To my ears it sounded ridiculous and since she naturally has the main plot and most page time, I couldn't even ignore her and concentrate on the other characters.
January 4, 2019
I'm an avid reader, I love historical fiction and I'm Greek. Taking all that into consideration, from my vantage point, Mrs Tarr has done an excellent job with this book. The story is in general historically accurate, that is, when history and fiction meet. Meriamon as the main character is adorably portrayed, especially in terms of her spirituality. I thoroughly enjoyed "Lord of the Two Lands" and would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves good fiction.
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January 13, 2024"Vibe somewhere between a teen manga and a mainstream Hollywood character treatment"
...states my forgotten draft in its brevity. The lone reading update doesn't offer anything more complimentary:
"I keep waiting for this sense of 'fanfic' to wear off, but certain self-insert-ish Mary Sue-ness clings on to our MC. Not the most organic feeling device to bring the events alive"
...states my forgotten draft in its brevity. The lone reading update doesn't offer anything more complimentary:
"I keep waiting for this sense of 'fanfic' to wear off, but certain self-insert-ish Mary Sue-ness clings on to our MC. Not the most organic feeling device to bring the events alive"
July 24, 2022
A very well-researched and well-crafted historical fantasy book. It had a bit too much mysticism for my liking, as much of what happenned in the book happened on the spiritual plane, with magic and gods. I prefer to see more actions of people. But overall I enjoyed the book, for a good story and likable characters.
January 6, 2024
Sorry to give this book a rating of two since the writing is strong and the vocabulary excellent but I felt the book was hallucinatory, wildly imaginative and fragmented and, although I read it to completion, I just could not ever develop a liking for the story nor glean enough actual history from it to make it worthwhile reading.
July 30, 2024
So glad I decided to give this book a chance. Vibrant and lush storytelling, extremely interesting cast of characters and an Alexander the Great that makes you understand how one man could’ve done what he did. The magic elements never stripped away from the historical setting but only added to it in the best way possible. Loved it from start to finish!
December 17, 2017
Good historical fiction that I just had a very hard time getting into. At times, it seems this tale would have been better told as a short story or as a lyric poem. The fiction layered upon the story of Alexander the Great and his role in Egypt were fascinating but explored in very subtle depths.
January 2, 2020
Interesting historical fantasy adjacent to Alexander the Great. Not hugely satisfied with the ending, but a lot of fun.
February 24, 2020
Beautifully told, with magic and wonderful characters.
March 24, 2021
A favorite that I have read again and again.
November 15, 2023
Historically, very interesting and informative for a novel. The writing dragged quite a bit in the middle of the book.
December 24, 2023
First half was 4, second half more like 3.5. could do with more romance as a crutch to make up for the plodding pace of the novel.
July 21, 2024
Any book about Alexander will suffer from being the shadow of Mary Renault and this one doesn't make it out from under it.
April 27, 2021
Four stars. Overall, I liked this. Tarr tackles only a slice of Alexander’s campaign, the period in the Levant and his time in Egypt. The main character is the fictional Egyptian priestess Meriamon, who comes to bring Alexander to her home and make him king. While there are hints of the Alexander Romance, which depicts Alexander as the true son of Nektanebo, the last Egyptian Pharaoh, Tarr takes it less literally. Nonetheless, the novel is chock full of Egyptian magic, which she describes in the same ways they would. So while it is, yes, historical fantasy (the magic actually works), it never feels alien or imposed. This is what I think historical fantasy ought to look like.
I really enjoyed the banter between Meriamon and Alexander, who comes across here as at once winsome and on the cusp of legendary. Ptolemy shows the bones of the man who will become king of Egypt later. Hephaistion actually gets a point-of-view scene or two (Alexander doesn’t), so he’s more fleshed out than usual. Tarr doesn’t shy from showing he and Alexander as lovers, which I appreciated, but that’s not her focus.
The novel is really a Romance in historical fantasy clothing, and that’s why it only got four stars from me. The love story part felt way too cliched at times. Spunky priestess is initially put off by, then wooed by an unattractive but funny man, who wins her over! I know Romances function on their tropes, but that part of the story lacked depth. I found myself skimming pages to get back to the rest of the story. None of her characters are super complex, but they didn’t really need to be. She’s not writing a psychological exploration like, say, Renault or Reames or even Lyon. It’s a “romp,” which is perfectly fine. It’s just not my sort of romp. I’d have liked more military action, more focus on Alexander, less on the love story. But if Romances are your thing, this might appeal.
Last, the rhythm of Tarr's writing is pleasant and easy, for the most part. I prefer clean prose, not flowery. But occasionally, her sparsity was too stark, and it became vague and unclear. Not a huge issue, but worth noting. Maybe I'm just pedantic, but I prefer to be told clearly, not have to guess what the hell is being implied.
I really enjoyed the banter between Meriamon and Alexander, who comes across here as at once winsome and on the cusp of legendary. Ptolemy shows the bones of the man who will become king of Egypt later. Hephaistion actually gets a point-of-view scene or two (Alexander doesn’t), so he’s more fleshed out than usual. Tarr doesn’t shy from showing he and Alexander as lovers, which I appreciated, but that’s not her focus.
The novel is really a Romance in historical fantasy clothing, and that’s why it only got four stars from me. The love story part felt way too cliched at times. Spunky priestess is initially put off by, then wooed by an unattractive but funny man, who wins her over! I know Romances function on their tropes, but that part of the story lacked depth. I found myself skimming pages to get back to the rest of the story. None of her characters are super complex, but they didn’t really need to be. She’s not writing a psychological exploration like, say, Renault or Reames or even Lyon. It’s a “romp,” which is perfectly fine. It’s just not my sort of romp. I’d have liked more military action, more focus on Alexander, less on the love story. But if Romances are your thing, this might appeal.
Last, the rhythm of Tarr's writing is pleasant and easy, for the most part. I prefer clean prose, not flowery. But occasionally, her sparsity was too stark, and it became vague and unclear. Not a huge issue, but worth noting. Maybe I'm just pedantic, but I prefer to be told clearly, not have to guess what the hell is being implied.
January 27, 2018
You'd have no reason to know it yet, but I really enjoy Gail Carriger as an author. She writes laugh-out-loud funny steampunk books with big hearts. She blogs, too. And not too long ago, she gave out a couple of recommendations for historical fiction that isn't as well known as it should be. Judith Tarr's Lord of the Two Lands was one.
Lord of the Two Lands follows Alexander the Great in Egypt. Gail highlighted a small excerpt from the text that involved a cat. And it's available as a pretty inexpensive ebook So, I was triply sold.
This book covers a period of time that Mary Renault's Alexander books gloss over, so it's a good fit with my recent reading. This is Alexander, after Issus, in Phoenicia and Egypt. The main character is an Egyptian priestess named Meriamon, whose gods-given mission is to bring Alexander to Egypt after a vision reveals that he will free Egypt from its hated Persian conquerors and become Pharaoh.
From a historic perspective, this is of course the founding of the Greek Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, which ends three hundred years later with Cleopatra's dramatic and ill-fated fighting with Augustus's Rome. So it's a fascinating period of history. There are fine descriptions of ancient warfare and military logistics. Gods of all sorts are real and magic exists on different levels., but it's not overdone.
I had heard there was romance, and wondered how that would work with Alexander, who was historically, ummm, not that into women. I guess I should have known - he wasn't the focus. Meriamon's relationship with one of Alexander's companions is handled nicely, as are her interactions with Alexander.
Final Call: Four Stars
This is an entertaining, easy read that's also got a good head on its shoulders. If you like historical fiction, put it on your list.
This review was originally posted at roadmindwind.blogspot.com.
Lord of the Two Lands follows Alexander the Great in Egypt. Gail highlighted a small excerpt from the text that involved a cat. And it's available as a pretty inexpensive ebook So, I was triply sold.
This book covers a period of time that Mary Renault's Alexander books gloss over, so it's a good fit with my recent reading. This is Alexander, after Issus, in Phoenicia and Egypt. The main character is an Egyptian priestess named Meriamon, whose gods-given mission is to bring Alexander to Egypt after a vision reveals that he will free Egypt from its hated Persian conquerors and become Pharaoh.
From a historic perspective, this is of course the founding of the Greek Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt, which ends three hundred years later with Cleopatra's dramatic and ill-fated fighting with Augustus's Rome. So it's a fascinating period of history. There are fine descriptions of ancient warfare and military logistics. Gods of all sorts are real and magic exists on different levels., but it's not overdone.
I had heard there was romance, and wondered how that would work with Alexander, who was historically, ummm, not that into women. I guess I should have known - he wasn't the focus. Meriamon's relationship with one of Alexander's companions is handled nicely, as are her interactions with Alexander.
Final Call: Four Stars
This is an entertaining, easy read that's also got a good head on its shoulders. If you like historical fiction, put it on your list.
This review was originally posted at roadmindwind.blogspot.com.
March 24, 2012
This was such a satisfying book. Alexander's fate is the focus for the plot of the book, of course, but Meriamon/Mariamne is far more the center and soul of the whole story, even as she (as slightly unreliable narrator) doesn't want to see herself in such a role of power.
The characters surrounding Alexander and Meriamon are fascinating in and off themselves, from Alexander's love Hephaistion (I really enjoyed the way that Meriamon never really was on his radar because his whole focus is on Alexander) to Ptolemaios and his brother Niko, to the magician priest Lord Ay, to Meriamon's shadow, to Thais - hetaira to Ptolemaios who takes Meriamon under her wing, to the physicians of Alexander's army. I never lost track of who was what and everyone got as much space as needed to be individual and play his role in the book.
The time frame you get here is the build-up of Alexander's huge empire, with particular focus on how and why he came to Egypt and what his influence was here. Judith Tarr mentions her historical sources at the end and apart from Meriamon herself - and the magic - most of the things that happen are historically sourced (even as of course the people who wrote during and after Alexander's lifetime did not do so as objective observers).
I loved the descriptions of the magic and the amazing charisma and power of Alexander that really worked with the historical world-view of the time, and the visit to the Egyptian afterlife - and of course the loving descriptions of the horses and new developments in riding or warfare.
The World Fantasy Award nomination was wholly deserved. I wouldn't mind being able to read more about Meriamon after Alexander, but that is just because I don't want to part with her - the book is fulfilling as such.
The characters surrounding Alexander and Meriamon are fascinating in and off themselves, from Alexander's love Hephaistion (I really enjoyed the way that Meriamon never really was on his radar because his whole focus is on Alexander) to Ptolemaios and his brother Niko, to the magician priest Lord Ay, to Meriamon's shadow, to Thais - hetaira to Ptolemaios who takes Meriamon under her wing, to the physicians of Alexander's army. I never lost track of who was what and everyone got as much space as needed to be individual and play his role in the book.
The time frame you get here is the build-up of Alexander's huge empire, with particular focus on how and why he came to Egypt and what his influence was here. Judith Tarr mentions her historical sources at the end and apart from Meriamon herself - and the magic - most of the things that happen are historically sourced (even as of course the people who wrote during and after Alexander's lifetime did not do so as objective observers).
I loved the descriptions of the magic and the amazing charisma and power of Alexander that really worked with the historical world-view of the time, and the visit to the Egyptian afterlife - and of course the loving descriptions of the horses and new developments in riding or warfare.
The World Fantasy Award nomination was wholly deserved. I wouldn't mind being able to read more about Meriamon after Alexander, but that is just because I don't want to part with her - the book is fulfilling as such.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2012
An enjoyable, page-turning read. As someone who finds it depressing when Egypt ceased to be ruled by Egyptian pharaohs (however bad they were), the idea that the gods of Egypt have decided that Alexander is to be the next pharaoh was particularly lovely.
The characters are enjoyable, and fascinating, though I do want slightly more from them than I get. Particularly Hephaistion – I'd read a whole novel about him and Alexander. There probably is one, but I don't really know where to start looking. I also really liked the protagonist, Meriamon, and thought that her journey was very believable, and I'd love to read more about her too. Her romance with Niko was a nice touch, though the ending could've been more concrete.
I really, really LOVED the character of Alexander, after being somewhat traumatised by Duncan Sprott's take on him in The House of the Eagle (good writing, but fairly gross). I mean, it's like wow, I really want to read more about him being awesome.
I am wary of historical novels that use fantasy elements, which is one of the reasons I've avoided reading Judith Tarr's Egyptian novels for so long. Here, though, the fantasy is very subtle, disguised as the gods' will – it's more like reading a myth or legend about Alexander than a historical account.
In short: very enjoyable.
The characters are enjoyable, and fascinating, though I do want slightly more from them than I get. Particularly Hephaistion – I'd read a whole novel about him and Alexander. There probably is one, but I don't really know where to start looking. I also really liked the protagonist, Meriamon, and thought that her journey was very believable, and I'd love to read more about her too. Her romance with Niko was a nice touch, though the ending could've been more concrete.
I really, really LOVED the character of Alexander, after being somewhat traumatised by Duncan Sprott's take on him in The House of the Eagle (good writing, but fairly gross). I mean, it's like wow, I really want to read more about him being awesome.
I am wary of historical novels that use fantasy elements, which is one of the reasons I've avoided reading Judith Tarr's Egyptian novels for so long. Here, though, the fantasy is very subtle, disguised as the gods' will – it's more like reading a myth or legend about Alexander than a historical account.
In short: very enjoyable.
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