A review by jlynnelseauthor
Year of the Hyenas: A Novel of Murder in Ancient Egypt by Brad Geagley

4.0

The author has a talent in bringing to life the ancient landscape and city life. Its not written as a generic washout of the culture, climate, and beliefs. Instead, these three items are richly detailed. The House of Purification visit was particularly vividly depicted by sights, sounds, and smells as well as the roles of the individuals working there. I enjoyed the strong ancient cultural feel to the story. The characters are also well fleshed out. Geagley pens out emotions well so the reader can also feel them along with his characters. Mid-way through the story, the investigation seemed to stall with little new evidence to entice the reader. But the story again picked up and ended in dramatic fashion. Well-written plotline overall with interesting characters. The main character, Semerket, is deeply flawed and must overcome himself for the good of his country. Its an engaging struggle. I did feel a little cheated by the author as he didn't flesh out the actual rescuing of the Pharaoh. The story built up to that moment, and then it was told in narration after the fact. The ending was well thought out, though, and ended the book so that I was left wanting to read the next storyline with these characters! Overall, it was an exciting and fascinating glimpse into the midset and lifestyle of the Ancient Egyptians, even if it is mostly fiction! I loved visiting all the sites of the ancient city!