v. 2

Ramses II, the Son of the Light, is about to reach his coronation. He has all he should need to become a great pharaoh: his wife Nefertari and his mother both love him unconditionally, and he enjoys great strength from solid friendships formed in childhood, especially that of the Hebrew Moses. And yet still the young pharaoh must fight to hold on to the throne. For lurking all around in the shadows are new conspiracies against him. Will he succeed in avoiding the traps set in his path by his older brother? Can he avert the black magic of a mysterious sorcerer and ward off the schemes of the Hittites?The ambushes accumulate and Ramses' defences are exhausted. To vanquish their enemies, visible and unseen, the royal couple resort to the only possible course of action - they build a Temple of a Million Years.

v. 1

The Son of the Light

by Christian Jacq

Published 1 September 1997
Whenever the grandeur of Ancient Egypt is evoked, there is one name which comes immediately to mind - Ramses II, the pharaoh who reigned for more than sixty years. Here, he is still only fourteen years old. His father, Seti is worshipped by his people and has made his empire the most powerful in the world. But who will be his successor? Should it be his eldest son, Shanaar, a calculating schemer; or Ramses, still passionate and impetuous? Unbeknownst to Ramses, Seti sets about teaching him his supreme duty. The tests and traps, sometimes potentially mortal, begin to multiply. And meanwhile, will Ramses escape the machinations of his brother? Will he know how to choose between Iset the Beautiful and the mysterious Nefertari? He has only a few friends he can really trust: Moses, his Hebrew schoolfriend, who shares his spirited temperament; Setaou, the snake charmer; and Ameni, the scribe.

. 4

Lady of Abu Simbel

by Christian Jacq

Published 5 October 1998
Despite the tremendous shock of the Battle of Kadesh, Ramses has not managed to bring the formidable Hittite might to its knees. Rather than continue the struggle, he decides to engage in negotiation. But more important than anything to Ramses is the love he bears the Great Royal Consort, and he decides to offer Nefertari the most fabulous of gifts: at Abu Simbel two temples will be built - symbols of their eternal love. Meanwhile shadows are gathering, from Nubia to the sovereign's own capital of Pi-Ramses and Ramses must come face to face with Moses, the childhood friend whom he had lost sight of for so many years: Moses, who has returned to Egypt to demand the exodus of the Hebrew people.

v. 3

The Battle of Kadesh

by Christian Jacq

Published 1 June 1998
To save Egypt from the Hittites, Ramses II must face the might of their powerful army, whose weapons are vastly superior to Egypt's own. War seems inevitable, and it is at Kadesh, the impenetrable fortress of Northern Syria, that the first major battle is to take place.But how can Ramses prepare himself for such a battle when the health of his beloved royal wife, Nefertari, is failing rapidly? And how can he be vigilant at home in Egypt where a pro-Hittite underground network continues to grow?In order to save his dying Queen, Ramses needs to travel South in search of the Stone Goddess, but the imminent battle to save his entire civilization is to the North. Will Ramses' father, now a celestial god, answer his desperate pleas for help and guidance?

v.5

Under the Western Acacia

by Christian Jacq

Published 7 December 1998
After bringing outstanding prosperity to Egypt, Ramses had hoped to enjoy a serene old age. But he must continue to rule. Above all, Ramses must strive to preserve Egypt's hard-won peace. But under threat of a new war, the Hittite Emperor is exhorting him to wed his daughter; and the Libyans, greedy for revenge, are rebelling...Ramses is still the miracle worker, the Son of the Light, but the passing of the last forty years of his reign, has robbed him of one after another of his lifelong friends, leaving him more and more isolated as he confronts Egypt's enemies. And when, in his old age, the time to meet his final enemy comes, Ramses goes to sit in the shade of the Western acacia to prepare for his final journey. Only then can the scribe Ahmeni, who has faithfully served his sovereign for the sixty-seven years of his reign, lay down his brush...

No 3