Desert god. Wilbur Smith. 2014.

When the ancient kingdom of Egypt comes under threat, the Pharaoh turns to Taita - freed slave, poet, philosopher and his most trusted advisor - to finally defeat their historic enemy, the Hyksos.

Taita has a cunning plan that will not only deliver a crushing blow to the Hyksos, but will also form a coveted alliance with Crete. In charge of the Pharaoh’s sisters Tehuti and Bekatha as well as a mighty army, Taita embarks on a perilous journey up the Nile, through Arabia to the magical city of Babylon, and across the seas.

But beyond battle and betrayal, there is another danger - the spirited young princesses’ attraction to two of the warriors leading the fight could not only ruin Taita’s plan but threaten the future of Egypt itself.