Warriors of Maat

De: Monika Mangal

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Historical novel set in the late First Intermediate Period

Egypt, some four thousand years before our time: The glorious era of the great pyramid builders is long gone, and the kingdom is divided into two parts which are ruled from Neni-Nesut in the north and Waset in the south. Though the situation is not quite as chaotic as it was in previous decades, when autocratic nomarchs ruled supreme, the country is still a long way from its former greatness and stability. The border areas between the two kingdoms are particularly prone to unrest, ranging from minor clashes to large-scale battles. The inhabitants of the surrounding towns and villages are therefore no strangers to the forced recruitment of fighters from their midst.
Young Nebka, the only son of the headman of one such village, has been spared so far thanks to his father's prudence. But that changes when he suffers great personal loss during a particularly ruthless raid. Together with his best friend Rani, Nebka enlists in the army seeking revenge - and to spite his overbearing father.
Nebka soon realises that things are not going quite as planned, and his hopes of a quick victory begin to fade. This - and many other things - weigh so heavily on his mind that he is finally forced to make a momentous decision that will even put his friendship with Rani to the test. From then on, the only thing that keeps him going is the prospect of an imminent end to the simmering power struggle between the kings Merikare and Montuhotep. When Nebka is unexpectedly given the opportunity, however dubious, to make his own contribution, he is quick to accept - not realising what he is getting himself into. And as if that were not enough, he is soon confronted with a revelation that threatens to turn his whole life upside down...