Published: Aug. 28, 2011
Words: 92984 (approximate)
Language: English

Short description

Young Queen Ahmose must convince the Pharaoh to accept the girl Hatshepsut as his heir...or their family will be destroyed.

Extended description

Queen Ahmose knows her duty: To give the Pharaoh a son. But she is young, and has just watched her closest friend die in childbirth. If the Pharaoh plants his seed in her she will die the same way, in a pool of blood, surrounded by wailing women. She has her husband’s love, but a king must have an heir…and even the Pharaoh’s patience will run out. Meanwhile, a lesser queen – Ahmose’s own sister – has given him three sweet, bright children, all of them boys. Ahmose knows her grasp on the Pharaoh’s heart is loosening.

Desperate, she begs the gods for courage to become a mother. They give her more than courage: she is granted a vision of a shining prince, her son – a gift for Egypt who will bring glory to the land. He will be more than the son of a king. He will be the son of the god Amun.

But when the child arrives, it’s a girl.

Ahmose knows the vision was not wrong. Her daughter Hatshepsut has a male soul, and Amun intends the girl to rule. But the Pharaoh will no... (Read more) Queen Ahmose knows her duty: To give the Pharaoh a son. But she is young, and has just watched her closest friend die in childbirth. If the Pharaoh plants his seed in her she will die the same way, in a pool of blood, surrounded by wailing women. She has her husband’s love, but a king must have an heir…and even the Pharaoh’s patience will run out. Meanwhile, a lesser queen – Ahmose’s own sister – has given him three sweet, bright children, all of them boys. Ahmose knows her grasp on the Pharaoh’s heart is loosening.

Desperate, she begs the gods for courage to become a mother. They give her more than courage: she is granted a vision of a shining prince, her son – a gift for Egypt who will bring glory to the land. He will be more than the son of a king. He will be the son of the god Amun.

But when the child arrives, it’s a girl.

Ahmose knows the vision was not wrong. Her daughter Hatshepsut has a male soul, and Amun intends the girl to rule. But the Pharaoh will not scandalize Egypt by proclaiming a female successor, and in punishment, the gods take one of Ahmose’s beloved nephews. Her relationship with the Pharaoh is crumbling. Her sister’s remaining children are in danger. If she cannot convince the Pharaoh to accept Hatshepsut as his heir, everything Ahmose loves will be destroyed.

"In Lavender Ironside's ancient Egyptian historical, two sisters share a husband and a burning desire to be the mother of the next Pharaoh. With accessibly modern prose, vivid detail, and deadly sibling rivalry, The Sekhmet Bed is reminiscent of Michelle Moran's Nefertiti." ~Stephanie Dray, author of the critically acclaimed Lily of the Nile
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Tags

historical fiction, egypt, ancient egypt, hatshepsut, egypt historical, queen ahmose, the sekhmet bed

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Reviews

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Review by: Kevis Hendrickson on May 24, 2012 :
It's been a very long time since a book actually moved me. Not just make me think, grin, chuckle, or even look over my shoulder. But actually move me. This one did. When I started reading The Sekhmet Bed, I had no idea what the story was about other than it takes place in ancient Egypt. So I waded through the opening chapters, intrigued by the cast of regal figures come to life from the dusty pages of history. As the drama unfolded, I found myself lingering on each page while I savored the hypnotic cadence of the prose. I let the author guide me through a world of ancient temples, pharaohs, princesses, and gods. I feasted with queens, danced with harem girls, drifted down the Nile river on a sail barge, and bathed in the light of the moon while riding in a golden chariot. I heard the voices from the past, telling me their story, telling me about their triumphs and their losses, about the people they loved and how they died. I heard the voices of the divine. And then, I reached the end.

I imagine The Sekhmet Bed is the kind of tale that an ancient Greek Playwright might have had performed at the amphitheater. It's difficult not to find yourself moved by the sacrifice of Princess Ahmoset, or Ahmose for short, who trades her own happiness for the welfare of her people, subjecting herself to the often cruel whims of fate. Her trials with her sister, Mutnofret, who is always scheming to wrest control of their husband Thutmose, the reigning Pharaoh, as well as take back her birthright as rightful queen of Egypt, sets the stage for a series of heartbreaking, but emotionally charged confrontations. One can't help but root for Ahmose as she runs the gauntlet, even at times resorting to sleight of hand or force, to find ways to fulfill her destiny as the Gods chosen Queen of Egypt.

This is the first historical novel I've read that blends mysticism with history, blurring the lines between what's actually happening with the internal musings of its protagonist. Did the gods really speak to Ahmose through visions? Or was she the victim of an overactive imagination. The path she walks is perilous and often has deadly consequences for the people in her life. Whether or not her choices were made at the behest of divine figures or hurbis only heightens the drama.

When it was all over, I had a tough time saying good-bye to the characters in Ms. Ironside's book. Many days after reading The Sekhmet Bed, I'm still thinking about them. They are a part of me now and exist somewhere alongside Huck Finn and Frodo. Needless to say, this is a story that stays with you long after the final pages of the book has been turned. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys an emotionally charged tale or, like me, wants to journey to a time and place that exists beyond the insipid pages of history books.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Laura Probst on Dec. 31, 2011 :
4.5 stars

I'll be honest. Normally I shy away from self-published and independently-published books for the mere fact that I have a very strident and strict editor in my head. When I read books, even mainstream, big house-published books, and find errors, that editor aches to pop out and start flaying the pages with a bold red pencil. Knowing that self-published works suffer even more as they lack the polish a professional editor can achieve, I just don't want to put myself through that kind of anguish, as I would no longer be reading the book for pleasure, but constantly seeking out and destroying all the errors. Not to mention many of the stories put out there are often amateurish, juvenile, and downright execrable. However, almost none of those things apply to The Sekhmet Bed, and my inner editor and I were able to enjoy the book with a minimum of red pencil usage.

I won't bother to synopsize (that's a word, right? If not, it is one now) the novel as it's been done so by others, in a clearer, more concise way than what I could achieve. I will say that publishers should be sitting up and taking notice of Ironside. She's managed to write a novel full of compelling characters as well as intense, atmospheric settings. Frankly, she leaves Michelle Moran in the dust; anyone who compares Ironside to Moran is insulting Ironside. The interactions between characters feel real and authentic; the insertion of mystical elements doesn't compromise the integrity of the historical setting as they're not presented as thought they're really happening (except to the person experiencing them, which is only natural; people who have divine visions believe they're real, even if no one else does or understand what they're talking about). The "bad guy" character, Mutnofret, is sufficiently despicable, yet she occasionally shows flashes of humanity in the way she wavers from her actions and shows doubt--which is how "bad guy" characters ought to be written. Even the protagonist isn't perfect as she does things which are questionable and acts out, behaving quite badly at times. About the only character who isn't as fully developed is Thutmose and that's probably because for a lot of the novel he isn't present.

It's obvious Ironside did her research as she was able to deviate from some of the accepted theories concerning the characters in an authentic manner, unlike some authors who maybe skim some of the research and decide, to hell with it, they're going to write the story the way they want to, no matter how things really happened. One of the interesting deviations was the way Ironside presented the marriage of Ahmose, Mutnofret, and Thutmose. The prevailing theory is that Thutmose was originally married to Mutnofret--who may or may not have been related to Ahmose as well as Amenhotep I--they had three or four sons, and then Mutnofret died well before Amenhotep I died and Thutmose married Ahmose. However, by making Mutnofret not only a contemporary of Ahmose, but her sister and sister wife, Ironside neatly introduces a built-in package of tension and strife into the royal household, giving her a rich storyline to mine for drama. This alternate history is presented in such an authentic manner, it's easy to believe that it could've been true.

Ironside also did what I've been ranting about for years: she used the true Egyptian names for divinities and titles rather than their Greco-Egyptian counterparts. That said, for some of the gods she kept their Greek names, i.e. Osiris and Hathor rather than Ausar/Asar and Het-Heru (which means 'House of Heru [Horus]', just as an aside), which seemed rather strange. However, I was just happy that she even bothered using the ancient Egyptian language in the first place. It has annoyed me for quite some time when I see historical fiction set in ancient Egypt and an author is using the Greek transliterations of Egyptian words. How difficult would it be to use Ausar, Auset, Heru, Tehuti, Nebt-Het and simply place a glossary in the front of the book? It doesn't take long to understand that Tehuti is Thoth or Nebt-Het is Nephthys and using their real names makes the novel that much more authentic.

Other than a few editing errors (punctuation errors, the occasional misspelling, missed capitalization) which are to be expected, the book was surprisingly well-written, taut and streamlined. Surprising for the mere fact that I didn't expect it to be so; I expected to find a lot more extraneous narration or choppy dialogue. There was none. Which means finally I've found a writer of ancient Egyptian historical fiction who can wipe the stench of Michelle Moran from my brain. Which also means I'm eagerly looking forward to the next installment in Ironside's series.

By the way, I'm simply an armchair Egyptologist. I've been fascinated by the subject for many, many years, but I've never undertaken a scholarly investigation of the subject. My (scanty) knowledge comes from years of absorbing books and other works on the subject. So if something I've pointed out as being wrong isn't, in fact, wrong, then I accept that I'm the one who's wrong. Is that enough wrongs to make a right?
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Furrer Lynne on Dec. 02, 2011 :
Great first novel! The author is skilled at moving the plot along with believable dialogue and intrigue. I like the way she keeps predictability at bay by offering the reader other options before the actual reveal. You get sucked in, whether you want to or not because of the exotic Egyptian theme and location. The characters are all believable. The character names are a bit different. However, true to the author's explanatory message in the beginning, she has made the names easy to remember by shortening the names and by painting the character's personality in a way we easily remember while the pages turn to new events.

I only give 5 stars to books I read over and over, but I thoroughly enjoyed this story and thank you for letting me try it through your free ebook incentives. Very well worth buying this one!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Furrer Lynne on Dec. 02, 2011 : (no rating)
Great first novel! The author is skilled at moving the plot along with believable dialogue and intrigue. I like the way she keeps predictability at bay by offering the reader other options before the actual reveal. You get sucked in, whether you want to or not because of the exotic Egyptian theme and location. The characters are all believable. The character names are a bit different. However, true to the author's explanatory message in the beginning, she has made the names easy to remember by shortening the names and by painting the character's personality in a way we easily remember while the pages turn to new events.

I only give 5 stars to books I read over and over, but I thoroughly enjoyed this story and thank you for letting me try it through your free ebook incentives. Very well worth buying this one!
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Diane Dooley on Nov. 28, 2011 :
Ahmose is a young Egyptian of royal blood. When her father, the Pharaoh, dies without an heir, she and her elder sister are both married off to General Thutmose, that he might rule Egypt via his connection to the royal line.

Ahmose is a more than deeply religious girl. She is chosen of the gods and has the ability to read prophetic dreams. Despite being the younger sister she is selected as the first queen, setting off a traumatic and bitter rivalry with her beloved sister, Mutnofret.

The sisters must give Thutmose children, but Ahmose is harboring a secret. Having witnessed her young friend die in the agony of childbirth, she is utterly terrified of pregnancy and giving birth. Yet Ahmose must do her duty; she has foreseen that she will be the mother of the next Pharaoh. As her sister is delivered of boy child after boy child, Ahmose must fight to retain her authority as queen and the love of her husband.

* * *

High drama in Ancient Egypt! Ms. Ironside has created a compelling fictional account of the lives and struggles of these ambitious royals. It is beautifully written, with a fine grasp of historical detail combined with a confident and poetic use of language. Egypt comes alive: the heat of the desert sun, the aroma of scented wax cones melting, the juice on a plate of figs. The characters seem like real people: dutiful, passionate, scared, jealous, loving and determined. All in all, it was a wonderful read that I found difficult to put down. I’m hoping Ms. Ironside will continue the series.

I’ve been going back and forth on whether this is a four or a five star book. My one disappointment was that it covered very little in the way of politics. With Thutmose off subduing various factions for lengthy periods of time, I would expect Ahmose to be deeply involved in the smooth running of Egypt in his absence. This aspect of her life was given short shrift in comparison to the ferocious battle with her sister for supremacy in their husband’s eyes. On the other hand, the plight of royal women across centuries and countries has been to be more valued as a womb than as a person. The importance of pregnancy, fertility, and the repeated bearing of healthy (and preferably) boy children cannot be overstated. Ms. Ironside does this aspect full justice, including some of the most realistic and well-written childbirth scenes I have ever encountered in fiction. So, 4.5 stars and a hope for another book in the series.

Full disclosure: I first encountered this story in a writer’s community I am a member of. I read the synopsis, then wished the writer luck with what sounded like a great story. She asked me if I’d be willing to critique the first three chapters before she started submitting the manuscript to agents. I did so, fully believing that one day I’d be buying The Sekhmet Bed in a bookstore. I believe that this book had the backing of two literary agents, but failed to sell to a big publishing house. I’m delighted to be finally able to read the entire story. I’ve been waiting for a long time. It was well worth the wait.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Review by: Wendy Baylis on Sep. 18, 2011 :
A very interesting read. You had me from the start and the voice, descriptions, era, and plot motivation caused me to keep 'tuning' the pages.

You had a breathe of life in the setting and my concern for the MC, Ahmose, even when she made a couple of dumb choices, still cased me to root for her.

I can tell you did a lot of research into that time period. Your pace is very good and your choice of words in your descriptions were spot on. I also like the way their everyday actions and concerns were laid out.

I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys the taste of the old world Egypt with an interesting plot line. Best wishes.
(reviewed within a week of purchase)

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