The Empire of Darkness

Out of all the ancient civilizations, it's Egypt that exerts the tightest grip on the modern imagination. The era of the Pyramids is such a mysterious, exotic time that it's difficult to imagine a point when books or movies won't be exploring it, and Egyptologist Christian Jacq has already made the most of his background knowledge by spinning Egyptian history into a sequence of bestselling novels. The Ramses series may have been a roaring success, but after the stand-alone novel The Black Pharaoh and the Stone of Light series it looks like Jacq is scraping the bottom of the barrel. His latest trilogy may be once again based on a documented conflict circa 1690 BC, but the end result is so mired in cliches and ridiculous plotting that it's frequently hilarious for all the wrong reasons. The titular Queen of Freedom is Ahhotep, a traditionally plucky and determined heroine who starts off as the princess of the city of Thebes when Egypt is invaded by the merciless armies of the Hyksos. There's only two choices - either collaborate and avoid a gruesome death, or form a resistance to wage a secret war against the oppressors. No prizes for guessing Ahhotep's choice once she's elevated to the role of Queen, and what follows is an eminently predictable tale of shadowy rebellion and ludicrously evil tyrants. Employing a well-worn central storyline that's an over-familiar standard in the fantasy genre, Jacq adds plenty of historical and political detail but very little description to bring the era to life. Matched with some abysmal characterization and the most hilariously psychotic villains in recent years, even dedicated fans will be shaking their heads in bemusement by the inconclusive end of this first volume, while newcomers would be better off aiming for the Ramses books or steering clear altogether. (Kirkus UK)