Giza Series

How were the three massive pyramids on the Giza Plateau built? Why were they built? Who constructed these enormous mountains of stone? In the first novel of the GIZA TRILOGY - THE PHARAOH these questions are answered, or at least plausible explanations offered to the reader... THE PHARAOH is the fictional account of the life and times of Pharaoh Khufu who ruled Egypt (Kemet) from 2589 - 2566 B.C. Khufu, who was considered by those he ruled over as a god-king was the builder of the largest of the three pyramids on the Giza Plateau. THE PHARAOH tells the story of Khufu’s life, from beginning to end – his childhood enrolment in the School of Scribes as well as his duties, firstly as prince and then as pharaoh. Khufu’s military conquests south into Kush to gather gold for his treasury so that his pyramid can be built are also portrayed, along with his close relationship in the royal palace with his wives and children and finally, his on-going conflict with the priests who try to undermine his power to increase their own. Above all, it is the story of Khufu’s greater vision to construct his magnificent House of Eternity, the pyramid that will ensure his immortality in the After Life – for all of eternity... THE PHARAOH is an epic novel illustrated with numerous diagrams and pictures and also researched with great accuracy. Though historical fiction, it helps recreate the times of Khufu and the construction of his pyramid, as well as telling the story of the lives of some of the everyday workers on the pyramid, bringing these long forgotten people to life once more. In the pages of the book, the reader will meet some of the quarry cutters, pullers of stone, overseers and supervisors, priests and scribes, along with specialist workers such as carpenters and stonemasons who together, built this impressive mountain of stone as the final resting place for their pharaoh. The pyramid built by Khufu on the Giza Plateau and named by him, 'Horizon of Khufu' is the last remaining SEVEN WONDERS of the ANCIENT WORLD.

THE THREE QUEENS is a fictional account of the life of Pharaoh Menkaure, builder of the third (and smallest) pyramid on the Giza Plateau, as well as his close relationships with his three queens. It covers the period from 2532 B.C. through to 2500 B.C., including the death of Menkaure’s son and heir, Shepseskaf. Unlike the other two books in the trilogy, THE THREE QUEENS is more about the personal life of the pharaoh rather than military conquests and other adventures. More detail is included in the book about the lifestyle and customs of Ancient Egypt than in the other two books. Where there are gaps in this knowledge such as a day in the life of the pharaoh, artistic but scholarly licence has been employed to fill this gap. Forms of entertainment, clothes, food, drink, and positions of employment within the royal court are also more closely examined. The pyramid, however, is not ignored. Menkaure’s pyramid was the smallest on the Giza Plateau, far smaller than the other two pyramids of his father and grandfather. His pyramid was also the last to be built on the Giza Plateau. Why was this? Just as important, why did Menkaure build the smaller satellite pyramids for his three queens next to his own pyramid? Was it love, vanity, or perhaps other reasons? In the pages of THE THREE QUEENS, the reader will be drawn into the complex and enigmatic world of the royal court of Pharaoh Menkaure, son of Khafre and grandson of Khufu - into the high point of this monumental and magnificent age of the pyramid builders.

THE SPHINX is the fictional (but well-researched) account of Pharaoh Khafre, son of Khufu and builder of the second largest pyramid on the Giza Plateau. He is also thought to be the builder of the Sphinx. Or was he? The novel is not only about the life of Khafre, his rule over Egypt (Kemet) and his many military conquests, but is also the story of the mysterious Sphinx. What did this massive and mysterious stone monument with the body of a lion and the face of a man really represent? Whose face is shown on the Sphinx? Is it Khafre’s face or perhaps that of Khufu, his father, or even Djedefre, his step-brother? There are many other mysteries concerning the Sphinx and the questions and answers to some of these mysteries are closely examined in the book. THE SPHINX continues on from the previous GIZA TRILOGY book, THE PHARAOH and is in itself an epic story of the pyramid age and its pharaohs. But in THE SPHINX, the reader will also be taken back to the very beginnings of Ancient Egypt five hundred years before, the time when the legendary King Narmer (or Scorpion King) united the two lands of Upper and Lower Egypt and the concept of the sphinx was first formulated. However, unlike THE PHARAOH, which is the story of the building of a pyramid and the life of the pharaoh who built this pyramid, THE SPHINX follows a slightly different direction, involving itself more with the religion and gods of Ancient Egypt. Always though, there is the presence of the enigmatic sphinx casting a shadow of deep mystery throughout the pages of the book.

ETERNAL EGYPT is a companion guide to the GIZA TRILOGY and is a tribute to Ancient Egypt and the remarkable people who built the pyramids on the Giza Plateau. The thirty one imaginative and well-researched short stories in ETERNAL EGYPT tell the story of the priests, scribes, craftsmen and soldiers who served the plateau long after the last of the pyramids were built and the last pharaohs buried there. How was the plateau and this vast army of workers organised? For how long did the pyramids remain undisturbed? When were they first entered and looted? Who organised this robbing? What did the later pharaohs think of the enormous mountains of stone, far grander than their own Houses of Eternity? Finally, when was the plateau abandoned? The stories in ETERNAL EGYPT, though historical fiction, examine these and many other questions, answering, or in the very least examining how the history of the plateau unfolded - from the chaos and unexpected collapse of Old Kingdom Egypt in c.2100 B.C. through to the Roman annexation of Egypt in 30 B.C. It is the story of devotion and greed, honour and disgrace, sacrifice and betrayal, and the many other human qualities that help bring this ancient time to life once more.