Look, a book review!  Today’s book is The Sekhmet Bed (The She-King Book One) by L.M. Ironside.  I downloaded this on a whim for free when it showed up on BookBub one day (and by-the-by, if you are a book person and not signed up with BookBub, why not?  I’ve found some great books this way), because I’m a sucker for Ancient Egypt and Hatshepsut in particular.  I wasn’t sure how I would like this book, but I was sucked in, and ended up staying up until 2 am to finish it.

This book is the story of Ahmose, the second daughter of the Pharaoh, and how she must guide Egypt when she is unexpectedly thrust into the role of Great Royal Wife, over her older sister (who was expecting the post).  It is a love story, but it’s not a typical love story.  In a way, it’s a love story between Ahmose and Egypt, because everything she does is for her country.  Including facing her biggest fear: becoming pregnant and having an heir.

The language of the story is lush and vibrant, very evocative of the Nile and Egypt.  It swept me away, so much so that I didn’t realize how very late it was.  I didn’t even realize that the ball game had ended and the Red Sox had won.  That should tell you how much this book sucked me in.

It is also the story of the birth of Hatshepsut, the female Pharaoh, and I love the way Ironside portrays the family dynamics.  After all, women are not Pharaohs.  Women are Great Royal Wives, or concubines, or priestesses – but not Hatshepsut, for reasons that become evident as the book evolves.  It’s a great mix of magic and politics, which is exactly what I feel Ancient Egypt should be like.

This is an ebook only, and it’s the first in a series (obviously).  I will be buying the second book, The Crook and Flail, soon, and I would recommend this for folks who do like speculative fiction, Ancient Egypt, and politics.  Because that’s what this book is, in spades.