Welcome back to my reading suggestion series, after one month’s break. Not that I haven’t read anything in May (quite the opposite) but all of that was non-fiction and not that appealing either (all work-related, rather boring stuff). And while this month I’m still pretty busy, I have found space for some (much needed) fun reading. This is what I can offer:
- Lives of the Ancient Egyptians by Toby Wilkinson. A case of immediate attraction due to subject (I simply love Ancient Egypt), this book lived up to my expectations. It includes, among other things, “stories of god-kings, from great rulers such as Khufu and Ramesses II to less famous monarchs such as Amenemhat I and Osorkon; powerful queens such as Tiye, the beautiful Nefertiti, Tutankhamun’s tragic child- bride Ankhesenamun, and the infamous Cleopatra; as well as ordinary women who are often overlooked in official accounts: Hemira, a humble priestess from a provincial Delta town, and Naunakht, whose will reveals the trials and tribulations of family life.” All of it written in an easy to follow, entertaining prose. Recommended.
- Jane Boleyn: The Infamous Lady Rochford by Julia Fox. A completely different book from a different historical period, but equally entertaining. I must confess I didn’t pay any attention to Lady Rocheford until watching The Tudors, after which I decided to learn more about this curious character. I found out that the TV rendition lied (pretty much all historical fiction series do) but it captured some quirks of this intelligent, unlucky woman. “Drawing upon her own deep knowledge and years of original research, Julia Fox brings us into the inner sanctum of court life, laced with intrigue and encumbered by disgrace. Through the eyes and ears of Jane Boleyn, we witness the myriad players of the stormy Tudor period. Jane emerges as a courageous spirit, a modern woman forced by circumstances to fend for herself in a privileged but vicious world.”
- Luna: Moon Rising (Luna, 3) by Ian McDonald. To be honest, I am not sure HOW I manage NOT to get my hands on this one earlier, given how much I love the author and I have deeply enjoyed the first two books of the series. But that’s it –probably because it came out in a moment my head was taken elsewhere and I missed it completely. So I am at it now, and I can’t put it down. In case you haven’t heard of it before, here’s the blurb.
“A hundred years in the future, a war wages between the Five Dragons―five families that control the Moon’s leading industrial companies. Each clan does everything in their power to claw their way to the top of the food chain―marriages of convenience, corporate espionage, kidnapping, and mass assassinations.Through ingenious political manipulation and sheer force of will, Lucas Cortas rises from the ashes of corporate defeat and seizes control of the Moon. The only person who can stop him is a brilliant lunar lawyer, his sister, Ariel. Witness the Dragons’ final battle for absolute sovereignty in Ian McDonald’s heart-stopping finale to the Luna trilogy.”
What about you? Any good reading in the last weeks? Let me know in the comments or via social media!
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