“It’s the best new novel I’ve seen in many years, and my hair is predominantly white.”
Bob Myers, author of Write Like an Egyptian
Reviews
“From the lavish world of fin de siècle Cairo, to the exotic tales of Pharaohs, gods, and djinn, Dead Egyptians serves up adventure at every turn. This is a steamy page-turner packed with Egyptian lore, an abundance of magic, and a lot of spice. Debut author Del Blackwater brings her characters to vivid life on every page. I’m already looking forward to the next installment in this wild ride of a series.”
Lynne Shaner, Author of Journey to Everland Bay
“Born to an English mother and an American Father, young Albion comes home to Egypt for the first time in the summer of his 10th year. A weeks long adventure by boat with his father is filled with wonders of nature, exotic cultural experiences and foods… ending at an archeological dig at the temple of Abydos where the true magic begins. Here, he meets a man who–although seemingly solid to Alby–is apparently invisible to everyone else. A man who, as it turns out, has known Albion over several lifetimes; who knows that his true nature and destiny is to become a Seer; a man who loves Albion like no other.
Dead Egyptians is an epic story of love lost and found, of understanding one’s place in the universe and in time, in finding one’s purpose and choosing to do the things that are right, even when they’re not easy. Highly recommended.”
Kat Fieler, author of Shadow Runner
“Brings back the magic and excitement of Egypt adventure novels. Dead Egyptians snaps you out of the modern day on page 1, and sends you deep into a world of imagination, ancient history, and a unexpected twists.”
Douglas A Burton, author of Far Away Bird
“The occult is as inseparable from Egypt as the sand and the pyramids. One comes with the other.
Exceptionally well-written and evoking in style Norman Mailer’s Ancient Evenings, (one of this reader’s favorite books), Dead Egyptians transports the reader to – and immerses us in – Egypt, a land full of magic and the ghosts of an ancient civilization, at a time when British imperialism wantonly laid claim to the land, its people, and its archeological treasures.
The story is set in Cairo at the turn of the twentieth century. A young British linguist named Albion, who, haunted by a vision he saw a child while visiting an archeological dig in Egypt with his father, returns to Cairo where he finds a job as a translator of ancient scrolls at the Office of Antiquities while he searches for he knows not what. Pulled into the opulent, decadent world of the British upper class in Cairo, Albion meets a young libertine named Aleister Crowley who introduces him to opium houses, illicit sexuality, and the dangerous – yet illuminating – world of the occult. While discovering secrets from centuries gone by, Albion will likewise learn the secret of his own life and that of the high priest Imhotep, the dead Egyptian who connects him to the past and the future.
If one didn’t have a love of ancient Egyptian lore before reading Dead Egyptians, this wonderful page-turner may well serve as the spark. Five Stars!”
Patti Liszkay, author of Tropical Depression
“It is very rare to find a book that has…everything! It has history, it has mystery, it has magic, it has romance, it has nerve-grinding tension, and jaw-dropping scenes of beauty. You may think you know Egypt, but you’ve never seen her like this. What an experience!”
Kathie Giorgio, Hope Always Rises and If You Tame Me
“Dead Egyptians takes the reader on a vast, rollicking ride through history, reincarnation, romance and more. The novel centers on Albion, a young man living in the ictorian/Edwardian eras, who loves all things Egyptian. This includes his immortal lover, Imhotep, as well as a friendship of mixed blessings with Aleister Crowley. Familiar gods appear and interfere with the characters throughout the tale and the reader will get a new appreciation of the question : do gods ever really die?
In Dead Egyptians, judgments on human morality and mortality are constantly at play, and readers will marvel how the gods award and punish Albion as he struggles to redeem himself in a world awash with mystery and struggle.”
Susan Martell Huebner, author She Thought the Door Was Locked
“Mystery, fantasy and intrigue abound in this incredible first novel. Dead Egyptians is a portal from a richly developed Edwardian Egypt to a much more ancient Egypt.”
Dale A. Morgan, author of String Too Short to Tie
“Can a historian gain anything from reading fiction? They certainly can! Starting from my nonexistent knowledge of Egyptology, this proved to be a great introduction. The author weaves the lives and beliefs of real historical characters into the narrative. So much so, that I found myself checking the glossary and at times Wikipedia and online maps for more. The book passes the ‘engagement test’ right from the first chapter. It was hard to put down and I found myself living with the characters in both time and space.
Set in Cairo around the year 1900. A young British, future linguist, named Albion Stanley, as a child had a vision during a visit to an archaeological site in Egypt with his father. Later he returns to Cairo, getting a job translating ancient scrolls at the Office of Antiquities. Albion gets involved with the decadent British upper class in Cairo and meets Aleister Crowley, a young occultist. As Albion uncovers ancient secrets, he also discovers the truth about his own life and relationship with Imhotep, a long-dead Egyptian high priest and architect who reunites him with his past.
Historical fiction at its best. I’ll be waiting for more.”
Independent Reviewer
“Full of the heat, magic and mystery of ancient Egypt, Dead Egyptians is a tale for the ages.”
Ross Hightower, author of Spirit Sight
“A fascinating account of Ancient Egyptian history, spirituality and culture as seen through the more modern lens of turn of the century Egypt. Exquisitely told.”
Peter Powers, MD, author of Heal Yourself
“With its intriguing title and its chilling encounters between our world and the world of death, Dead Egyptians raises not only hairs, but stirring questions for readers who probe beyond the characters and their “old” stories to ferret out meanings for our own times.
Blackwater’s amazing research, her world building, and her relatable characters, result in an entertaining and thought-provoking read, but a heavy question lurked everywhere: Do the experiences of Albion confirm that death is not what we may think, but rather a path to relentless accountability far beyond the grave to atone for all our earthly misdeeds? The author may not have intended to imply that outcome, but the fate of her main characters certainly does. Satisfaction comes from contemplating our own answers long after exiting this adventure.
A fantasy with strong historical roots, Dead Egyptians will hit readers in diverse ways, but, no doubt, it will hit everyone who takes the journey so well piloted by Blackwater.”
Frances-Marie Coke, author of When Banana Stains Fade
“Dead Egyptians is a grand adventure in book form! The premise is very intriguing—a young Englishman in Egypt meets his former lover who has been dead for thousands of years and they resume their relationship, while unraveling mysteries and deceptions, dealing with evil djinn, and trying to save Egypt’s precious artifacts from being shipped out of the country.
I thoroughly enjoyed being transplanted to this new world–not only a different country, one I have not visited, but also a different time, as much of the story jumps around through the ages, delivering history in the form of a very entertaining fiction.
The fantasy aspect is deftly handled and the romance between the living and the dead heartfelt. The writing is witty and I really enjoyed the characters. I recommend this book!“
S.M. Stevens, author of Beautiful and Terrible Things