[HarryT]

Just finished "River God", by Wilbur Smith. I first read this many years ago when it was first published, but enjoyed it even more on a re-read, perhaps because I am now much better able to appreciate novels set in Ancient Egypt. The book is a somewhat "revisionist" retelling of Egyptian history during what's known as the "Second Intermediate Period" (approximate 1650BC), when Egypt was ruled by a series of weak and ineffectual kings, and control of the north of the country was lost to Asiatic invaders known as the "Hyksos".

The protagonist of the novel is a slave called Taita, who is a highly educated man and advisor to a powerful and corrupt official, Lord Intef, the vizier (rather like Prime Minister) of Upper Egypt. I won't say any more about the plot, because it would be a spoiler, but this is an excellent novel which I thoroughly recommend.

This was, I note, my 75th book of the year, so I'm well ahead of my usual goal of 100 books read during a year.