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Pharaoh

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About this listen

The Worldwide Number One Bestseller Wilbur Smith returns to Ancient Egypt in a captivating new novel that will transport you to extraordinary times.

EGYPT IS UNDER ATTACK.

Pharaoh Tamose lies mortally wounded. The ancient city of Luxor is surrounded, All seems lost.

Taita prepares for the enemy’s final, fatal push. The ex-slave, now general of Tamose’s armies, is never more ingenious than when all hope is dashed. And this is Egypt’s most desperate hour.

With the timely arrival of an old ally, the tide is turned and the Egyptian army feasts upon its retreating foe. But upon his victorious return to Luxor, Taita is seized and branded a traitor. Tamose is dead and a poisonous new era has begun. The new Pharaoh has risen.

Pharaoh Utteric is young, weak and cruel, and threatened by Taita’s influence within the palace – especially his friendship with Utteric’s younger and worthier brother, Ramases. With Taita’s imprisonment, Ramases is forced to make a choice: help Taita escape and forsake his brother, or remain silent and condone Utteric’s tyranny. To a good man like Ramases, there is no choice. Taita must be set free, Utteric must be stopped and Egypt must be reclaimed.

From the glittering temples of Luxor to the Citadel of Sparta, PHARAOH is an intense and powerful novel magnificently transporting you to a time of threat, blood and glory. Master storyteller, Wilbur Smith, is at the very peak of his powers.

Action & Adventure Genre Fiction Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Political Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense War & Military Fiction Middle East Ancient History Africa Ancient Egypt Pharaoh Military

Critic reviews

Praise for Wilbur Smith:

‘Best historical novelist – I say Wilbur Smith’ Stephen King

‘No one does adventure quite like Smith’ Daily Mirror

Praise for the EGYPTIAN series:

'Superlatively evocative…Smith’s descriptions hardly falter over 500 pages and [River God] has relentless momentum’
Observer

'Big, brave and blockbusting … brilliantly detailed descriptions of life on the Nile’ Mail On Sunday

'Grand mythical material…. the set pieces are fabulous’ Times Literary Supplement

'High adventure … there is never a lull in his majestic novel overflowing with passion, rage, treachery, barbarism, prolonged excitement and endless passages of sheer, exquisite colour’ The Washington Post

‘A rich, compelling look back in time [to] when history and myth intermingled’ San Francisco Chronicle

‘A grand tale of intrigue, deception, true love and exile’ Denver Post

'An epic of sex, death and intrigue in the Valley of the Kings … richly written … packs in the action … excellent’ Weekend Telegraph

All stars
Most relevant
A thoroughly absorbing book in this series. Hard to put down the characters are so well written!

Pharaohs by Wilbur Smith

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What made the experience of listening to Pharaoh the most enjoyable?

At first I didn't like the narrator, but as I listened further, I found the narrator added to the book quite a bit.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I found the plot quite formulaic, and in places contrived.

Not something that can often be said about a Wilbur Smith book. Or maybe Im getting more fussy as I get old er !

Have you listened to any of Mike Grady’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Nope my first one - but would be pleased to listen to his work again.

Any additional comments?

If you read River God, and then listen to this there is a significant drop in the quality of story and characterisation. In fact the characters feel lifted out of some of the previous books and just have different names.

It whiled away some time reasonable pleasantly, but if this were written by another author I would not be seeking out other books he had written.

Hmmmmm

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super story and the tone of the narrator really carried the story to make it entertaining

perfect interpretation narration of the story.

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By far the worst book he has written. Lacking in substance compared to the earlier in the series.

A pale comparison to earlier work

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so glad to have spent the time with this book I have sand in my eyes at the end

great 100 %

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