Shadow Hawk

Once again, a book review from the category of historical fiction. That is just where my life is right now as we homeschool the youngest of our four children. And it just so happens to be a really fun category, if you have to be stuck in one. 

Shadow Hawk, by Andre Norton is set during the time of the declining glory of Egypt. The Hyksos, a "barbarian people" have reduced the size and majesty of the great kingdom that once ruled so large a portion of the earth, and influenced most of the rest of it. The hatred between these two peoples was profound and they lost no opportunity to engage in battle. 

The hero of our tale is Rahotep, descended from royal blood but, because of all the politics and ruthless ambition among the upper class in Egypt, he is reduced to the captain of a group of archers on the frontier. His father is a viceroy of Nubia but Rahotep's half brother Unis, in every way inferior except by lineage, is next in line for his father's job. So Rahotep is relegated to lead his group of Nubian archers in territorial skirmishes against the Hyksos along the lonely frontier. 

What he doesn't understand, at this point, is that his father anticipated the schemes of his half-brother against Rahotep and had sent him to the frontier as protection. As long as his father lived, our hero was relatively safe (if you don't count the Hyksos). When news arrives, however, informing him that his father is dead, Rahotep knows his brother will try to destroy him.

Not only does his half brother Unis plan Rahotep's demise, he actually intends to throw off the governance of the Pharaoh and set himself up as ruler of Nubia, instead of serving as a loyal steward of one of Pharaoh's remote territories. When Pharaoh sends a request for troops to help take back land lost, Unis refuses. Rahotep knows what will come next and he decides he cannot remain in Nubia and participate in treason. 

Along with his faithful band of archers, Rahotep travels to Egypt to offer his services to Pharaoh. Although angry at receiving only a small band of archers in response to his request for troops, Pharaoh is soon deeply impressed by the worth of these warriors. Never before in Egypt have they seen the weapons these archers command. The bows wielded by these mighty men dwarf those used by the Egyptian armies and can send a shaft flying a much greater distance with greater accuracy than anything previous known. They quickly make themselves indispensable as Pharaoh's personal guard.

Of course, palace intrigue is no stranger to Pharaoh's courts and it isn't long before Rahotep finds himself framed for the attempted murder of Pharaoh himself. From that point on, there is a cat and mouse game to be played as the accused tries to find the true assassins without being parted from his ka.  

The intricately woven plot includes many near misses with disaster, but the faithfulness of Rahotep's archers helps the small band "dodge the bullet" repeatedly. The assassins ultimately accomplish their goal and kill the divine one, but not without revealing themselves to the sons of Pharaoh. They now have proof that Rahotep and his archers were always loyal and the true villains were headed by an ambitious faction of the priests. 

The story doesn't end there. The transition to the rule of a new Pharaoh is anything but easy. There are still those who plan to dethrone the ruling family. Rahotep proves his worth repeatedly during the transition phase and then again as the new Pharaoh decides to carry out his father's plan to raid and recapture a major city the Hyksos took from Egypt. 

Rahotep is basically an ancient version of Jack Bauer. (If you don't know who that is, he is the main character in the television series 24.) He gets himself into the most incredibly tight spots, only to come through a little bruised, battered, and singed. The story is so well written that it does keep you guessing until the end. Needless to say, the kids loved listening to this one. Each day when our read-aloud time was over, they would beg for "one more chapter!" Because the story had so many layers and twists and turns, I did have to stop and explain things to a couple of the kids to make sure they didn't become lost in a maze of events.

This is #7 in my quest of 52 in 52.  Up next: 800 Leagues on the Amazon by Jules Verne, which was going to be #7, but I didn't want to become too predictable.