The Shepherd Kings

by Peter Danielson

Reviewed by Coral

A nomadic army is marching from the North, leaving a path of destroyed villages in its wake. No one seems to know where it will strike next. If it plans to march into Egypt, then the villages of Carchemish and Haran are in its path. But surely it can’t take on the might of the Egyptian army.

Living in Haran are the grandsons of Ahuni and Shepset; abandoned by their father, Kirta, Hadad and Shobai have led completely different lives. Shobai – selfish and thoughtless - was apprenticed and is a blacksmith like the others of their line. An injury Hadad – kind and caring – suffered as a boy has left him with a bad leg. Though never apprenticed, Hadad still picked up enough to make a living moulding clay and metal-working.

Also in Haran are Jacob, a king in self-imposed exile, along with his wives, concubines and many sons; Danataya, a woman left homeless after her husband-to-be abandons her for a woman with family connections; and Reshef, a man only out for himself, no matter the price.

With political intrigue swirling, with factions calling equally for arming Haran in preparation of war and disarming Haran to open their gates in peaceful surrender, will Haran survive?

I liked this book better than I did the first.

The disparaging language used in the first book was toned down and almost non-existent in this book, which was a big improvement.

Though I was sad to lose some of the characters from the first book, I think that most of the characters introduced here worked well. I thought there were a little too many secondary characters. And Hadad was a just a little too optimistic and naive for me. I get that he was supposed to show a spirit unbroken by everything life had thrown at him, but at some point I wanted him to get a clue and stop always believing the best in people when he had enough evidence of who they really were.

I have always been interested in the Hyksos (Shepherd Kings). How they kind of came about and conquered Egypt only to disappear again after Egypt expels them. Even if portrayed negatively I like reading books that feature them.

Grade: B