Christian Jacq Books

An Ancient Egyptian murder mystery from one of historical fiction's best-known names

Soul food has played a critical role in preserving Black history, community, and culinary genius. It is also a response to--and marker of--centuries of food injustice. Given the harm that our food production system inflicts upon Black people, what should soul food look like today? Christopher Carter's answer to that question merges a history of Black American foodways with a Christian ethical response to food injustice. Carter reveals how racism and colonialism have long steered the development of US food policy. The very food we grow, distribute, and eat disproportionately harms Black people specifically and people of color among the global poor in general. Carter reflects on how people of color can eat in a way that reflects their cultural identities while remaining true to the principles of compassion, love, justice, and solidarity with the marginalized. Both a timely mediation and a call to action, The Spirit of Soul Food places today's Black foodways at the crossroads of food justice and Christian practice.

Egypt, 17th century B.C. In the north, the barbaric Hyksos still rule with unimaginable brutality. Queen Ahhotep, meanwhile, has recaptured much of the south - but at a terrible price: her husband killed in combat and her elder son, Kames, mysteriously poisoned. Ahhotep refuses to be crowned pharaoh and prepares instead her second son, young Amose, to take power. But it's thanks to her that the Egyptians are now ready for the final battle. They lay siege to Avaris, the Hyksos capital - and once the city is taken, nothing further can stop them. After 100 years of occupation and thousands of violent deaths, it looks as though at last the Egyptian empire will rise again from the ashes - all thanks to the courage and determination of a woman.

Set in ancient Egypt, this epic novel by Christian Jacq weaves a rich tapestry of the era's people and their passions. The story unfolds across four volumes, immersing readers in the intricate lives, culture, and conflicts of the time, showcasing Jacq's skill in bringing historical figures and events to vivid life.

Ramses is now fifty; after bringing outstanding prosperity to Egypt, he could have hoped to enjoy a serene old age. But his legendary destiny does not permit this: he must still continue to rule. Above all, Ramses strives to preserve Egypt's hard-won peace, in spite of so many obstacles - the Hittite Emperor exhorts him to wed his daughter under threat of a new war; and the Libyans, greedy for revenge are rebelling... Ramses is still the miracle worker, the Son of the Light who is able to modify the climate, transform an enemy into any ally and win the support of the divine powers. But, with the passing of the last forty years of his reign, he cannot prevent time from robbing him of one after another of his lifelong friends, and with each death, he is a little more isolated in his quest to confront Egypt's enemies. And when, in his old age, the time comes for him to meet his final enemy, Ramses goes to sit in the shade of the Western Acacia to prepare for his last journey. Only then can the scribe Ahmeni, who has faithfully served his sovereign for the sixty seven years of his reign, lay down his brush.

Having discovered a monstrous conspiracy to overthrow the pharaoh, Ramses the Great, Judge Pazair has been deported for a crime he did not commit and sentenced to die in a prison camp. But the conspirators have reckoned without the love of Neferet, the young woman doctor Pazair has just married, and the courage of Suti, his friend with the hot head and the generous heart. Together, Neferet and Suti attempt to rescue Pazair so that he can resume his investigation. For there are many questions yet to be answered. Who murdered the veteran guards of the Great Sphinx? Who violated the Great Pyramid and stole the Testament of the Gods, which guarantees Pharaoh's legitimacy? Who killed Pazair's spiritual master?

Folklore, temple and tomb paintings, and hieroglyphic texts are drawn upon to explore the potent and pervading legacy of magic and ritual in ancient Egypt, a legacy that has survived to the present day. To the Egyptians, magic was an exact science with rules that were necessarily observed to placate the gods, ensure good fortune, cure the sick, and guarantee a safe passage through the underworld. This book provides insight into the full meaning of rituals that were designed to ensure health and happiness, preserve life, and smooth the moments of passage—birth, marriage, death, and the continuum of years.

An intriguing thriller from one of historical fiction's best-known names

In a mysterious village in the desert on the West Bank of the Thebes, lives a small group of craftsmen whose task is to excavate and decorate the splendid tombs of the pharaohs. Its name is The Place of Truth. Meanwhile, at Pi-Ramses, the capital, one ruler follows another in quick succession - after Ramses the Great came Merenptah; and now his successor Seti II is in open conflict with his own son Amenmes, who craves power. Despite this political unrest, the Place of Truth, under the leadership and protection of Nefer and his wife Ubekhet - the 'Wise Woman' - should remain a place of peace and harmony. But panic has gripped the inhabitants and the situation is going from bad to worse in the face of mounting catastrophe. Drinking water is poisoned, food is contaminated, and there have been several attempts by evildoers to scale the walls of the Place of Truth, which have been thwarted thanks to the courage of Paneb the Ardent. With every day bringing a new danger, the very existence of the Place of Truth seems threatened. And as the first rumblings of rebellion echo throughout Egypt, there seems to be no reason why Mehy, Chief Finance Minister of Thebes and newly appointed commander-in-chief of the armed forces, should not finally seize the Stone of Light and, with the assistance of a traitor whom no one has been able to identify, obtain the power which he has craved for so long...

To save Egypt from the Hittites, Ramses II must face the might of their powerful army, whose weapons are vastly superior to Egypt's own. War seems inevitable, and it is at Kadesh, the impenetrable fortress of Northern Syria, that the first major battle is to take place. But how can Ramses prepare himself for such a battle when the health of his beloved royal wife, Nefertari, is failing rapidly? And how can he be vigilant at home in Egypt where a pro-Hittite underground network continues to grow? In order to save his dying Queen, Ramses needs to travel South in search of the Stone Goddess, but the imminent battle to save his entire civilization is to the North. Will Ramses' father, now a celestial god, answer his desperate pleas for help and guidance?