Egypt's Golden Couple

When Akhenaten and Nefertiti Were Gods on Earth

By: John Darnell, Colleen Darnell

Narrated by: Siiri Scott

Two celebrated Egyptologists bring to vivid life the intriguing and controversial reign of King Tut’s parents

Akhenaten has been the subject of radically different, even contradictory, biographies. The king has achieved fame as the world’s first individual and the first monotheist, but others have seen him as an incestuous tyrant who nearly ruined the kingdom he ruled. The gold funerary mask of his son Tutankhamun and the painted bust of his wife Nefertiti are the most recognizable artifacts from all of ancient Egypt. But who are Akhenaten and Nefertiti? And what can we actually say about rulers who lived more than three thousand years ago?

November 2022 marks the centennial of the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun and although “King Tut” is a household name, his nine-year rule pales in comparison to the revolutionary reign of his parents. Akhenaten and Nefertiti became gods on earth by transforming Egyptian solar worship, innovating in art and urban design, and merging religion and politics in ways never attempted before. Combining fascinating scholarship, detective suspense, and adventurous thrills, Egypt’s Golden Couple is a journey through excavations, museums, hieroglyphic texts, and stunning artifacts. From clue to clue, renowned Egyptologists, John and Colleen Darnell, reconstruct an otherwise untold story of the magnificent reign of Akhenaten and Nefertiti.

©2022 John Darnell,Colleen Darnell (P)2022 Spotify Audiobooks

horrible narration

The voice actor for this book is unbearable to listen to. She consistently mispronounces words. She takes audible breaths that sound like she is surprised every 3 sentences. The way she puts emphasis on parts of the sentence and not others does not make any sense. She sounds like she is reading a travel brochure to a group of children. Super disappointed, and hoping they re-record with a new actor at some point.

Narration is mechanical but good information

I love Egyptology and so wanted to push through but I don’t think this work lends itself to audiobook. The narration was very “jerky” - somewhat mechanical and distracting, and citations made it somewhat hard to follow whereas if I’d been reading it it might have been more clear.
But good thorough information.

Better off being physically read

Although I still have about four hours left in the book, I think I have an opinion solidified. The detailed descriptions and the translation of the hieroglyphs are difficult to follow when listening. I feel like we are missing something with an audio version, and I don't normally say that. There are a couple of mispronnunciations that I caught. Who knows if there are more, but given this is a historical book, I would have imagined that consulting with the authors or other Egyptologists on pronunciations should have happened?

Very interesting book

Just listened to "Egypt's Golden Couple" by John & Colleen Darnell.  Very enjoyable.  The fictional scenes of Amenhotep III & Tiye and Akhenaten & Nefertiti are a little fanciful, but fun.  What is especially interesting is the analysis of the Amarna Art style introduced during Akhenaten's reign.  Including an in depth discussion of the religious bases of the changes and how the traditional artistic grid system played a part.  The roles of Tiye and Nefertiti are well told. The narration could have been better.

A great piece of historical writing.

Many of the other reviews did not like the narrator of this text. However, I enjoyed the narration overall, I think this was an excellent book.