Thunder at Kadesh

Empires of Bronze #3

by Gordon Doherty

It will be the cruellest war ever waged, and the Gods will gather to watch…

1275 BC: Tensions between the Hittite and Egyptian Empires erupt and the two great superpowers mobilise for all-out war. Horns blare across the Hittite northlands and the dunes of Egypt rumble with the din of drums as each gathers an army of unprecedented size. Both set their eyes upon the border between their domains, and the first and most important target: a desert city whose name will toll through history. Kadesh!

Prince Hattu has lived in torment for years, plagued by the memory of his wife’s murder. Thoughts of her poisoner, Volca the Sherden – for so long safe and distant by Pharaoh Ramesses’ side – have sullied his dreams, blackened his waking hours and driven him to commit the darkest of deeds. Now that war is here, he at last has the chance to confront his nemesis and have his vengeance.

But as the ancient world goes to war, Hattu will learn that the cold, sweet kiss of revenge comes at a terrible price.

Genres: Historical Fiction

464 pages, Paperback

Published September 24, 2020

About the author

I'm a Scottish writer, addicted to reading and writing historical fiction.

My love of history was first kindled by visits to the misty Roman ruins of Britain and the sun-baked antiquities of Turkey and Greece. My expeditions since have taken me all over the world and back and forth through time (metaphorically, at least), allowing me to write tales of the later Roman Empire, Byzantium, Classical Greece and even the distant Bronze Age.

All of my novels are available from good online stores in paperback and eBook format.

Happy reading!

My website: www.gordondoherty.co.uk
My Twitter: @GordonDoherty
My Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GordonDohert...
My YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCybC...

Reviews

[Sumit · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘Hattu is not what he once was. What happened to him all those years ago has changed him, eaten away at his soul. I fear that if he were to come with us to war, it would be for vengeance and vengeance alone against the one who slew his wife. He has done many brave things in recent years… but many less noble too.’



1275 BC. Prince Hattu has lived in torment for years, plagued by the memory of his wife’s murder. Thoughts of her poisoner, Volca the Sherden – for so long safe and distant by Pharaoh Ramesses’ side – have sullied his dreams and blackened his waking hours, as the peace treaty between the two empires had restrained's his hand to claim his vengeance. But the death of the Hittite ambassador in Egyptian court shattered the peace and pushed the empires for an all-out war. As horns blare across the Hittite northlands and the dunes of Egypt rumble with the din of drums, each gathers an army of unprecedented size. Both set their eyes upon the border between their domains, on a most prominent frontier desert city, Kadesh whose name will toll through history!

‘A burning east, a desert of graves,
A grim harvest, a heartland of wraiths,
The Son of Ishtar, will seize the Grey Throne,
A heart so pure, will turn to stone,
The west will dim, with black boats’ hulls,
Trojan heroes, mere carrion for gulls,
And the time will come, as all times must,
When the world will shake, and fall to dust…’

Now that war is here, Prince Hattu, at last, has the chance to confront his nemesis and have his vengeance, but it will cost him a terrible price.



🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆:

⚔️The cover with Hattu, Tanku, and Dagon riding Hittite chariot amidst the battle of Kadesh is eye-catching, and the title apt to the story. I like the detailed maps, military diagrams, and glossary provided inside the book.

⚔️The plot is based on the events surrounding the Battle of Kadesh which is considered as the first recorded major showdown between two great powers of the Bronze Age - involving nearly fifty thousand men on each side. Gordon had done his research well in beautifully portraying the history of these two powerful forgotten empires, their culture, pantheon, warfare, and day-to-day life into words. He had also clarified in the author note what part of the story is fiction and what part is history.

⚔️As always Gordon's writing is flawless. Right from the first page of the prologue I was intrigued. The fast pacing, compelling narratives, vivid descriptions, and continuous twist and turns in every chapter forced me not to pick any other book and finished it first. Further, the battle scenes of the book are so detailed, graphic, and innovatively written that you will feel like you are watching a movie. All these make his book absolutely unputdownable.

⚔️I'm not so cool with 18 years leap, but yes it certainly adds new shades to the old characters and brings many new interesting characters in the story. Hattu, being the protagonist is my favorite. I can clearly see how he and his friends, from being mere boys to matured war veterans have developed over the books. The inclusion of Urhi-Teshub and Puduhepa's narratives makes the story more interesting. However, the death of many important characters breaks my heart.

⚔️The climax of this book involves some high voltage drama, revelations, and realizations. I'm so hooked now to read the next book. Ishtar's prophecy is going to be fulfilled in the next book and if you are following the series then might have you already know what I mean. And if you haven't, then you have to read the books to know what it is.

Overall Thunder at Kadesh was a brilliant read - History at its best. Thank you Gordon for sharing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. If you like long-forgotten civilizations, epic battles, strong characterization, then this book for you. Highly recommended to all historical fiction lovers.

𝑴𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Paul Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLURB
It will be the cruellest war ever waged, and the Gods will gather to watch…

1275 BC: Tensions between the Hittite and Egyptian Empires erupt and the two great superpowers mobilise for all-out war. Horns blare across the Hittite northlands and the dunes of Egypt rumble with the din of drums as each gathers an army of unprecedented size. Both set their eyes upon the border between their domains, and the first and most important target: a desert city whose name will toll through history. Kadesh!

Prince Hattu has lived in torment for years, plagued by the memory of his wife’s murder. Thoughts of her poisoner, Volca the Sherden – for so long safe and distant by Pharaoh Ramesses’ side – have sullied his dreams, blackened his waking hours and driven him to commit the darkest of deeds. Now that war is here, he at last has the chance to confront his nemesis and have his vengeance.

But as the ancient world goes to war, Hattu will learn that the cold, sweet kiss of revenge comes at a terrible price.
REVIEW
I just happened to see someone tweet that they had just finished a book set in ancient times, and while they enjoyed it, they lamented the fact that the author didn't come close to Gordon Doherty's creative genius when it comes to describing battles. I just finished a Doherty book, and I can state with unimpeachable certainty that his battle describing prowess is on full display in Thunder at Kadesh. Talk about pulse racing action...yeah, he's got that down. Had to stop and catch my breath once in a while; give the massive chariots a moment to turn around and plow into their foes again. Now, don't get the impression that this is a one dimensional tale, far from it my peeps and fellow travelers. The drama, especially involving Hattu and Volca, is page turning stuff as well. Lots of surprises along this tale's storyline as various factions vie for dominance in the region. I also liked the inclusion of some of the future Trojan War combatants, Priam, Sarpedon, and even the young Hektor. A bit of a history lesson there, as well as some damn fine fiction. And, by the way, the ending is magnificent. 5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[David Baird · Rating 5 out of 5]

To say I’ve eagerly been awaiting this release would be an understatement.. I just needed to know if Hattu would get his revenge on Volca for the murder of his wife.

Volca isn’t the only threat Hattu and the Hittite’s face after a failed attempt at peace with the Egyptian empire.

The Pharaoh is amassing an army.. he blames Hattu for the death of his brother and his only goal is to do what his father could not.. kill Hattu and every single Hittite if he has too!

The size of the armies is mind boggling, around 50 thousand on each side.. this really is the battle to end all battles..

Each side has their setbacks in the race to Kadesh, the staging point for the war. The first there holding the advantage.

We see some very interesting subplots going on with Volca worming is way in at any chance.. he really is vile but god he’s the perfect bad guy..his luck will run out one day but will it end there for Hattu? Not likely.. some people were born for battle.

Hattu himself is blind with vengeance.. King Muwa his brother can see this but Hattu doesn’t care… He just wants to see Volca die by his hand. For this reason Muwa nearly leaves him behind but the men of the Hittite army admire Hattu and the King needs them to be confident..strong..and he will take any help he can get.

The goddess Ishtar still plagues Hattu’s dreams but we do see a glimmer of hope arrive… I’m not going to spoil that one 😊 let’s just say things get interesting.

There are some brilliant twists and turns but eventually war will catch-up to Hattu.. and it’s brutal..each side use their wits to trick the other but at the cost of thousands of lives.

When all is said and done many friends will be dead.. but Ishtar has other plans for Hattu.. and more pain and bloodshed await.

What I love about Gordon’s work is that he never fails to offer up something epic.. something flawless and beautifully prefect… you can tell how much time he must put into these books.. there’s no way you could rattle a tale off like this without devoting yourself fully, no matter how good of a storyteller you are.. The author continues to put everything he has into his work and it pays off..you are right there with them in those destroyers alongside the men of Troy basking in the sun..what a sight those armies must have been.

I loved the detail given too when describing the different cultures, the vassal King’s and the way each group dressed.. the weapons they used.. that detail just sucked me in and had my own imagination firing.

The climax of the book reveals secrets you felt were coming.. but god it’s good.. there’s deception all around and it’s a good job Hattu has a goddess watching his back.

I know the day will come soon when we must say goodbye to Hattu.. history is already written.. but I can’t wait to see Gordon Doherty weave his magic with it. Just take my money now!

[Xerxes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Gordon for providing me with an ARC. These are my thoughts and opinions.

This is a wonderful, dazzling novel that puts you in one of the most epic battles of the Bronze Age Era. Thunder at Kadesh. The title is very apt. Cinematic visuals combined with excellent prose make you immersed in a well researched, well written historical world that comes alive to you. I always love historical fiction that focuses on the Bronze Age Era, especially Egypt, and Mesopotamia. I wish more fantasy would pick this up as a setting.

The Ancient Near East as you will know by its modern name today, the Middle East, is still a hotbed of conflict that hasn’t shown any signs of stopping. Consider this book as a prelude, a sort of history’s warning so to say. Before the days of the Romans and the Greeks, two massive empires in the Levant battled out for supreme dominance in the region of Ancient Syria. Or in those times, regions that were ruled by the Hittites. Both Egypt and the Hittites were gearing up for a battle that would rattle the backbones of both empires.

This map easily illustrates the situation to say:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Hitt_Egypt_Perseus.png
Now you might be wondering, that’s all fine and good, but how does this factor into everything that happened at Kadesh? Quite simply put, Egypt had been under the rule of the Hyskos for quite a while. And they managed to throw the yoke of the tyrants that the Hyskos were. The Egyptians, quite possibly embarrassed at this national humiliation resolved to rebuild their empire to the glory it once was. Under Thutmose I, the Egyptian Empire had reached its furthest extent to Canaan. The days of those times however were gone. Seti I expanded his armies into the provinces as shown in Green. The Egyptians were keen to bring back the days of the Tutmosid Kings that had expanded their empire so gloriously. To bascially put this into perspective: peace was made with the Hittites and so the Egyptians had a gala time conquering small-time kingdoms. They were the old kids on the block that were aiming to bring back their old glory. Lo and behold, the city of Kadesh lies in both camp’s interest. The conflict resolves and that is when you get Seti I first dying, and his son Ramesses II (Yes, that Ramesses the Great) wanting to defeat the Hittites.

That’s the historical point of context from what we can gather here. Gordon is an expert historian and superb at his research. He spent a lot of time studying both sides, their military, and the way their society functioned. His depiction of chariot warfare is perhaps one of the best ways I’ve seen it written. Chariot warfare is not easy to write, because we don’t have that many records of how people would fight them. Now you might say, well that’s not true as we have records, yes, true. But chariots were the tanks of their days. A chariot rider would have had at least two warriors beside him also including that they had to protect him. Or get sliced under the wreckage should chariots collide with one another. There is brutal combat in this book.

And lo and behold, we have the Trojans! They make a welcome appearance in this book. And by the Gods, they make an excellent debut. They are powerful and vicious warriors. I won’t say their names but you will soon realize where they come from. I do like the hint that Gordon put here because they were the vassals of the Hittites. The characters in this novel are staggering. Each character feels three-dimensional and each of them has an actual motive. You’ve got Hattu obsessed with Volca, who was bascially responsible for killing Seti I, his wife, and many other innocent people.

And Volca’s a Sherden, one of the Sea Peoples that were involved in this fight. You tend to sympathize more with the Hittites and you see that the Egyptians when they are forced to become brutal, become brutal. I was disappointed that we did not see more of Ramesses’s son, Khepe. I would have wanted more scenes with him. Ramesses the Great, however, is a brutal man that you would never wish to offend in real life. His grand advisors and priests are the most corrupt force behind him. I believe. But if it was for anything, Egypt’s downfall came at the hand of its priesthood long into the Greek and Roman days.

The landscapes in this novel are very unique. The Empire of Bronze Series has been building up to this monumental battle at Kadesh. I think Hattu was too mewling, obsessed with killing Volca that it ruined his health. There are many Godly interventions written in this novel that are also well done. When I mean interventions, think of them as omens so to say. The Battle of Kadesh is written on such a magnificent scale that this novel could have been longer. I felt we spent too much time on the development of both armies building up their resources, gathering their allies, and then going for the final battle. Because Kadesh is bascially going like this: The Hittites spot the Egyptians too early. They attack. The Egyptians retreat. Ramesses leads a stiff-counter attack. The Hittites outnumber the Egyptians, they send more troops. They loot the Egyptian camp. Ramesses’s reinforcements arrive and the battle becomes a stalemate for now. While Egyptian records state that they won, Hittite records have also stated that they too won. That’s my basic understanding of what happened at Kadesh. I do hope I haven’t made a mistake!

And if you want an image to see how brutal this battle was, Gordon does a fantastic job in bringing it alive. It was truly a terrible battle. You’ll march through deserts, wonder in the palaces of both Hittite and Egyptian, and see the Gods in their full might. You’ll witness thirty thousand warriors on both sides, clashing swords while chariots collide and crunch at each other, generals and warriors boasting on both sides and taunting each other. You’ll see Prince Hattu prove his worth on the battlefield, and trying to correct a terrible mistake that led to Kadesh. You will see a lion cub soon becoming powerful…(and that’s a hint you’ll discover.) It is such a refreshing book, that I wish more fantasy was based on the Bronze Age. It was a time of great battles, wonderful achievements, yet a truly brutal era to live in. You will feel as if you are in this world. Amazing description, breathtaking cinematic battle scenes, and wonderful characterization.

It’s a 10/10 for me.

[Terry Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous accurate account of Kadesh.

Having read the full story of the Battle of Kadesh, I was delighted with the way Doherty mixed 85% fact and 15% fiction. As usual the details are vivid and sometimes brutal. Kadesh is one of the most accurately recorded battles and the earliest recorded war in its entirety. And also as usual history is maintained by the victors. Here as both nations claim victory, who won is in the opinion of the reader and in reference to the facts, their opinion decides their opinion.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

3rd book in the Empires of Bronze series by Gordon Doherty

Further tails of the exploits of Hattu and his brother the king of the Hittites. In this book is the lead up to and the outcome of the Battle for Kaddesh as recorded in many freezes in Egypt. The story is well told with a cast of great characters though some of them are absolute horrors! The description of the hand to hand Bronze Age battle is believable and horrifying. The danger to the main characters is visceral and some don’t make it. Once the battle is over Muwa the king returns to Hattusa the capital city but Hattu is left to ensure the Egyptians return to Egypt. By the time he returns to the capital many changes, not to his liking have occurred. The story continues in The Crimson Throne.

[Paul A · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Thunder at Kadesh" is probably my favorite book in the Empires of Bronze series so far. The characters that we have met over the course of the previous two books have matured into familiar faces that we root for, new faces with familiar names are introduced, and Doherty's ability to convey the chaos and danger of a Bronze Age battlefield has only gotten better. Kadesh is probably the best documented and largest battle of the Bronze Age and Doherty manages to do this epic clash justice in this title.

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had never heard of the Battle of Kadesh until I read Christian Jacq's Rameses series 12 years ago (Jacq went with the Egyptian version of the battle for the most part). It seems too that Kadesh was the high water mark for both empires as there was a long decline ending with Persia's conquest of Egypt in 525 BC. Doherty's tale is lively and hard to put down; historical fiction at its best.

[Steve Minnick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story and history of the ancient empires,pre-Rome

Gordon is a Great Storyteller and Writer. He weaves characters, based upon known persons, into the story and gives us an education of history as well as a rousing GREAT story.

I am a follower and will always be!!!!

[david p finlay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

What a tale fantastic descriptions. Great characters. And what a Dee cloud convoluted story just brilliant. Where do I get the next one.

[Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliantly written book! By far the best in the series I have read so far. When you think you have figured it out there’s a twist out nowhere. Looking forward to reading the next.

[greg seale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

love the characters and the historical notes to a place and time i have not really read before ready for the next in the series