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.
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.
