The Horus Killings

Rating:
Summary: Horus Killings Is a Disappointment
Review: Amazing is the word I would use to describe this book. The Horus Killings continues on after Mask of Ra and is a strong sequel that had me all the way through. Well researched, you would never guess that this is a work of fiction. Do not pass this book by!

Rating:
Summary: Very Enjoyable Book!!!! Light Mystery not History.
Review: I read many of the reviews...... after I read the book. In fact I agree with many of them, but I still give the book 5 stars ..... because I thought it was a very enjoyable book. I didn't buy it to learn Egyptian History. If I wanted that I'd get a textbook or documentary. I bought it because it seemed like a good mystery with lots of vibrant twists and turns. I don't doubt there could have been more development, but I consider it a 'light' thriller with lots of interesting characters and events. So, if you want light entertainment, then give it a read. If you truly want to read about Ancient Egpyt, then give it a miss.

Rating:
Summary: Not worth the money
Review: Paul Doherty was a much better writer before he started churning out book after book at maximum speed. "The Horus Killings" has irritating, ill-defined characters; a weak plot; and no real sense of historical grounding. I can't speak for the accuracy of the history behind this book, but Doherty certainly can't bring Ancient Egypt to life the way he can medieval England.
So read some of the early Hugh Corbett novels instead, if you want a more accomplished and interesting book by Doherty.

Rating:
Summary: Not worth the money
Review: Paul Doherty was a much better writer before he started churning out book after book at maximum speed. "The Horus Killings" has irritating, ill-defined characters; a weak plot; and no real sense of historical grounding. I can't speak for the accuracy of the history behind this book, but Doherty certainly can't bring Ancient Egypt to life the way he can medieval England.
So read some of the early Hugh Corbett novels instead, if you want a more accomplished and interesting book by Doherty.

Rating:
Summary: History as the basis for mystery
Review: Set in the early years of the rule of Hatchepsut (Egyptian New Kingdom, 18th Dynasty), this is a good tale filled with a wealth of historical information. P.C. Doherty is one of the most respected (and most prolific) writers of historical mysteries. He has a masterful talent for bringing accurate historical details to life for the 21st century reader--and creating memorable characters that you either love or hate. The plot here is rather thin, but the resolution is ultimately satisfying.

If you are looking for a non-fiction reference to the historical period covered in this novel, you might want to see "Hatchepsut: The Female Pharaoh" by Joyce Tyldesley. It is a very accessible biography and analysis of this fascinating woman.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable but....
Review: The Horus Killings is a quick read. Unlike the work of Pauline Gedge, I found the work somewhat devoid of detailed setting and character study. If you are seeking to read a book involving Ancient Egypt and are quite focused on plot, you will enjoy this book. It's an enjoyable mystery, full of suspense. Do not look for more than this because I fear you will not find it.

Rating:
Summary: Adequate historical mystery
Review: The Horus Killings is the second book in Doherty's sequence set in ancient Egypt circa 1480 B.C and having as its protagonist the Chief Judge of the time Amerotke.Like the novel immediately preceding it ,The Mask of Ra ,it is proclaimed on the cover to be a "novel of intrigue and murdrer in Ancient Egypt"and once again this is a fair description .There are murders-several in fact-but the author seems more interested in the court and dynastic politics than in the elements of detection .

Queen Hatusu rules Egypt and is having a hard time persuading the reactionary elements that a woman is entitled to rule the land .She summons the chief scholars and priests to a conference at Thebes to settle the matter and soon the place is awash in corpses-those known to be favourable to her cause are murdered and Amerotke aided by his dwarfish deformed servant Shufoy set out to trace the culprits and prevent more deaths .
The solution is perfectly "fair" and abides by the tenets of the classic whodunnit but tension is vitiated by two subplots -a case of possibly bigamous marriage ,and the deaths of two courtiers in a desert labyrinth both of whic are mere padding.

Well written and helped by some lively action scenes ,this still does not above the sturdily functional .Mr Doherty delivers competence rather than excellence in this series and it falls short of the standards he established with the period mysteries set in his naative England.

Rating:
Summary: Good but not for Ancient Egypt fans
Review: The story is interesting - it's a detective story set in Ancient Egypt. The problem is that this kind of Ancient Egypt exists only in the author's imagination. I can hardly believe he is actually teaching history. There are mistakes even the average reader will spot if (s)he knows a little about Egypt. Some things are completely made up, Mr Doherty should have been reminded that he meant to write a novel in historical setting, not a fantasy.

This is the kind of book that you should read if you really have nothing else to do. If you're not into history, you may like it, but if you want to read something more authentic, try Pauline Gedge's Child of the Morning or The Hippopotamus Marsh.