The Age of Ra, written by British author James Lovegrove, is about alternative history and theology more than science fiction. In it, the Ancient Egyptian gods have defeated all other pantheons and claimed dominion over the earth, dividing it into warriong factions. Lt. David Westwynter, a British soldier, stumbles into Freegypt, the only place to have remained independent of the gods' influence. There, he encounters the followers of a human leader known as the Lightbringer, who has vowed to rid mankind of the shackles of divine oppression. As the world heads towards an apocalyptic battle, there is far more to his freedom fighter than it seems...
And that's true, as far as the story goes. The majority of the novel is written from David's point of view and in the often-preferred and popular writing style of past tense. The novel also covers Ra's point of view in present tense and italics with an omniscient view for all the gods.
It starts out with David losing his squad and getting captured by an enemy unit. He makes his way to Freegypt with the help of the lovely Zafirah. She introduces him to the Lightbringer, who is later revealed to be David's brother Steven (who was thought dead). They chart a course of war against the gods. Meanwhile, Ra struggles to unit the other Egyptian gods under him and call for peace. Ra's troubled by the presence of the Lightbringer and wants the other gods to unit and strike him down.
It's later learned, at the climax that Steven works for the Egyptian god Set and was being used so he could further Set's revenge on Set's sister-wife Nephthys for her betrayal and her seduction of Set's brother Osiris. It all comes to a conclusion when David unmasks Steven and Set laughs as he commands the armies under his name to attack Nephthys' armies. The whole world is still at war with themselves but David, Zafirah, and others are sparred for their part in the war. Steven is killed while Ra, tired of the constant in-fighting, has decided to retire after centuries of ruling.
In the epilogue, it's speculated that David and Ra talk to each other, but nothing further than that. It's also implied, through that scene, that Ra share's David's wish of humans without the total influence of gods as only Anubis would be left alive because he is the lord of the dead.
All in all, a solid read that takes a mere three days to get through if one has the time and knows a bit about Egyptian lore. It took me minutes to research and hours to understand the Egyptian gods.
And that's true, as far as the story goes. The majority of the novel is written from David's point of view and in the often-preferred and popular writing style of past tense. The novel also covers Ra's point of view in present tense and italics with an omniscient view for all the gods.
It starts out with David losing his squad and getting captured by an enemy unit. He makes his way to Freegypt with the help of the lovely Zafirah. She introduces him to the Lightbringer, who is later revealed to be David's brother Steven (who was thought dead). They chart a course of war against the gods. Meanwhile, Ra struggles to unit the other Egyptian gods under him and call for peace. Ra's troubled by the presence of the Lightbringer and wants the other gods to unit and strike him down.
It's later learned, at the climax that Steven works for the Egyptian god Set and was being used so he could further Set's revenge on Set's sister-wife Nephthys for her betrayal and her seduction of Set's brother Osiris. It all comes to a conclusion when David unmasks Steven and Set laughs as he commands the armies under his name to attack Nephthys' armies. The whole world is still at war with themselves but David, Zafirah, and others are sparred for their part in the war. Steven is killed while Ra, tired of the constant in-fighting, has decided to retire after centuries of ruling.
In the epilogue, it's speculated that David and Ra talk to each other, but nothing further than that. It's also implied, through that scene, that Ra share's David's wish of humans without the total influence of gods as only Anubis would be left alive because he is the lord of the dead.
All in all, a solid read that takes a mere three days to get through if one has the time and knows a bit about Egyptian lore. It took me minutes to research and hours to understand the Egyptian gods.
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