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Ramses Volume II: The Eternal Temple

Ramses Volume II: The Eternal Temple

List Price: $14.99
Your Price: $10.19
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Entertaining light read
Review: A five volume series may seem a daunting commitment but I assure you these are quick enjoyable reads. In the second installment, the young Ramses becomes Pharoah following his father's death and must build his own legacy. Surrounding by an interesting circle of friends and protectors (Moses, Setau the Snake charmer, a lion), Ramses organizes his faculty from unlikely persons, using instinct as much as intellect. His perspicaciousness, however, awkwardly misses the fact his brother, Shaanar, plots against him. In an interesting entanglment, Shaanar and others against Ramses become involved with a sorceror, Ofir, who claims to travel with the rightful heir to the throne, a descendant of Akhenaton, a pharoah who attempted to lead Egypt into monotheism.

The dialogue can be a little too pat sometimes but the characters are entertaining enough to excuse this oversight that may be the fault of the translator. Recommended for those who like their fantasy a bit unconventional.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Forces of Evil Set Upon Ramses
Review: At twenty-three years of age Ramses becomes pharaoh but will it be a short reign? His brother, Shanaar, hasn't given up hope of being pharaoh and is poised to use the king's friends against him. But Shanaar isn't alone. People close to him want to weaken him and an outsider wants to challenge him with black magic. Ramses is young and inexperienced but seems to have the gods on his side. What is needed now is the power of the eternal temple.

In Volume II of Christian Jacq's five-volume set The Eternal Temple brings to life the struggles of the young king to rule a divisive country. Seti I, who is seen as the gentle and wise ruler imparting his wisdom to his son, has died suddenly and now the young Ramses must steer a country alone with dark forces converging on him. Moses is beginning to hear God's call and questions the role of religion in Egyptian society. Yet he is loyal to Ramses, his boyhood friend. To make matters more difficult on Moses a stranger is encouraging him to accept Aton, the one true god. Now forces beyond Moses' control will force him to choose his own way. The Hittites are also stirring in Syria and the Nubians are rebelling. Ramses must be careful and he can't trust anyone.

The Ramses set is very easy reading and Jacq's writing style is crisp and keeps the action moving. The exciting characters such as Moses, Homer, Menelaus and Helen of Troy make this period one of the most exciting in the ancient world.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A New Twist on History
Review: Here's a book that both enthralls you and challenges your basic concepts. I found the relationship between Moses and Ramses II extremely fascinating, making me rethink some traditional teachings. Although a work of fiction, this series draws you in and keeps you wanting more. Just like canceling a tied game at halftime. My husband and I flipped a coin to see who would read it first. We ended up reading it together and look foward to moving onto the next one now! Definitely a book that can be read to and by anyone. My stepson is reading the first one now and has fallen in love with learning about Ancient Egyptian culture! No history teacher could have done better! Get them interested and let research and learning take over.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Good representation of Ancient Egypt with boring plot
Review: I found the second of the five books about Ramses very boring. First book (Son Of Light) seemed good to me, it had an interesting plot, but after (and while) reading its sequel I felt very disappointed. First of all - bad characters are banally bad and good characters - extremely good and luck is always on their side. Ramses is something like a superman, not a human. There are a lot of fictional moments in the book - like the way Ramses finds Abu Simbel, it was the elephant he saved in the first book that shows the place to him. Wow, what magnificent creatures were there in Ancient Egypt. And not to talk about the magic that is practiced and has real effect. The only character that develops in some way is Moses but his development seems so illogical and unnatural that it only strenghtens my disappointment from the book. And remember Sari - Ramses' teacher? He's so bad now that I can hardly believe such transformation in real environment. Sometimes dialogues between characters are so banal that they do not represent nothing you don't know or wouldn't expect.

The book has some good points though. It gives valuable information about Ancient Egypt mythology and if you abstract youself from the simplicity of the characters you could find Ancient Egypt's representation quite successful at moments.

One of the little moments that I like in the book is the birth of Ramses' daughter and the struggle for her life.

As a conclusion I would say that this book may be found interesting for people interested in Ancient Egypt but those looking for good story may find it boring.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ramses, The Eternal Temple
Review: I needed another series to keep my mind engaged while I waited for the next "Left Behind" book to be released. This one has been great. Outstanding fiction of a glorious age. Don't muddle your mind, worrying about historical realities, specifically the relationship of Moses and Ramses. It's a novel. Enjoy it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Egypt's Finest.
Review: I picked this up for my love of Ancient Egypt, and enjoyed this winding tale immensely. Follows time fairly well, with the exception of the inclusion of Homer - but still. A wonderfully detailed installment to the series with great coverage of the founding of Egypt's pinnacle.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Ramses, ramené de la mort...
Review: If you are an egypt recent lover, this intense zaga will foster you into a new-world-long-time-gone. Mr. Jacq only's fault was that he did not put real smell into the pages, you have to figure it out..., the rest of the job was magnificent.

You can experience the sensation of being just right there!! You fall in love with the characters, you feel the exhuberance of the Nile and the ships sailing accross up and down. If you go to Egipt and you are in front of the momie of Ramses at the Cairo's museum, you turn it into live thanks to the Ramses Zaga; this remains seem nothing against what he left behind. This wonderful pharon, who was already inmortal for its forever lasting rameseum and many other works, had another little hand by the pencil of Christian Jacq.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The next stage
Review: If you have read Son of Light this book is the next natural progression in the saga of Ramses' reign.

It is equally as entertaining and easy to read as Volume 1.

Don't pass up the opportunity to enjoy the next stage of Ramses life as Pharaoh.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Loved the entire series
Review: Only problem I had with this entire series of books is that the series ends. Loved the history and the story teller. Using the books to plan my trip to Egypt in the not to distant future....

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Could do better
Review: This author is undoubtedly a gifted story-teller. What irritates me is that he presents witchcraft and black magic as though they were real. One sorcerer throws a spell on Ramses'newly-born, and the baby can only be saved by another sorcerer called in by the Pharao! Other supernatural things happen throughout the book. Ramses himself performs miracles when he finds water in the middle of the desert. He also keeps a lion as a pet and regularly performs herculean feats. In my view, this takes away much of the educational value of the series. Historical novels may reflect the central part played by superstition in ancient societies, but legends should ultimately be seen to yield to rationality. This is why I think this book pales in comparison to, say, Gary Jennings'Aztec, or Noa Gordon's The Physician.


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