Paaten's War

A Lost Pharaoh Chronicles Prequel (The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles Prequel Collection Book 3)

Fiction - Cultural
256 Pages
Reviewed on 01/06/2021
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Howdy! My name is Lauren. I have earned the Next Generation Indie Book Awards Historical Fiction Finalist medal and a nomination for the Montaigne Medal. I love watching the History channel, the Science channel, etc. because I love to see what new finds the world of archaeology has come across in their digs and the new theories that emerge. The recent consolidation of King Tut's treasures sparked the idea for The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles series and led to countless hours of detailed research to write these books. I can't wait for you to experience the history I've put into this series and its prequel collection.

If you want to stay updated on my new releases, sign up at www.laurenleemerewether.com.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jessica Barbosa for Readers' Favorite

Paaten has been taken as a prisoner of war by Egypt’s enemies, the Hittites. He has been beaten, starved, left in the cold, tortured, sold, and his loyalty to Egypt has been tested at every turn. Still, Paaten vows to honor and uphold the principles of Ma’at, and do whatever the gods ask of him when he returns to Egypt. He pleads and prays as he endures the difficult days and although he is determined to stay loyal to himself and to Egypt, there are times when he falters. Paaten finds that, as a prisoner of enemies, the battle he faces is much more difficult to endure. Alone and unable to trust anyone in this foreign land, he struggles to get through every trial that comes his way as he dreams of finally going home. Unfortunately, his troubles just continue to grow and soon he faces his biggest hurdle in returning to Egypt: his heart. Will Paaten ever return home to Egypt and fulfill the promises he made to himself during those long, cold nights? Or will he forsake his loyalty and beliefs? Read the third prequel of Lauren Lee Merewether's debut series, The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles: Paaten's War to find out!

Lauren Lee Merewether has done it again! I have read another brilliant and exciting work from The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles. Paaten’s journey is harrowing and full of dangers and pain. I hurt for him as I read through his suffering and struggles, I felt anger at the Hittites for their unabashed cruelty, and I longed for Paaten to go home with every prayer and plea I read. Paaten’s courage and unwavering loyalty are traits that I admire about him. He meets people like him while he is in captivity, people who have been taken as trophies or bought as slaves. However, unlike him, these men had all made the choice to live in luxury and turn their backs on their homes by assimilating into the heathens that were the Hittites. They betrayed their homes and themselves, broken by the pain of torture or greedy for promised riches. Understandably, there were times when even Paaten’s resolve faltered but he pushed through and did all he could to escape. I admire him greatly for his determination and strength of will. Paaten’s War is an ingenious historical fiction novel with a solid story structure and a distinctive plot that would capture anyone’s attention from the very first chapter. Merewether introduces the readers to Hittite and Egyptian culture with ease that quickly captured my interest. I got pulled along by the story, fascinated by the plot, the memorable characters, and the fascinating historical setting. Overall, I found this book to be incredible and I enjoyed reading it! Thank you!

Grant Leishman

Paaten’s War: A Lost Pharaoh Chronicles Prequel is a continuation of author Lauren Lee Merewether’s prequel stories to her ancient Egyptian tales beginning with Salvation in the Sun. Paaten was a Troop Captain in the Egyptian army. After a particularly torrid battle against the Hittites, Paaten found himself wounded and unconscious on the battlefield. When a Hittite warrior recognizes his rank within the Egyptian army, Paaten is taken hostage and put to work on a temple construction site, along with hundreds of other prizes of battle. When an intervention by the governor’s wife sees Paaten moved to the position of house slave and sex toy, he determines now is the time to escape and to return to his beloved Egypt, where he can faithfully serve his pharaoh and his gods, as he has pledged to do unto death. An encounter with a wild animal in the forest leaves Paaten near death and only the intervention of a beautiful, lonely and caring Hatti widow saves his life. As he is restored to health, Paaten must now choose between love and duty. He is torn between the duty to his comrades, his pharaoh and his gods, and the love of the extraordinary enemy woman who has nursed him back to health.

Paaten’s War is the second prequel to Merewether’s main series. It didn’t disappoint in painting a vivid picture of the world into which Paaten was born and the clear delineation culturally and developmentally between the Egyptians and their long-time mortal enemies, the Hatti. Author Lauren Lee Merewether has a simple, conversational style of writing that lends itself perfectly to the complicated and torn emotions of the two main characters and the cruelty of the societies into which they had been born. I’ve always been a sucker for romance stories, especially between two people who should be sworn enemies, and this book grabbed me from the very beginning and carried me along on a rollercoaster of emotions and frightening scenarios. I particularly loved Paaten’s strong moral code and his devotion to duty and the rules of his gods, especially in the face of attempted seduction and a promised easy life under the Hittites. Although relatively short, it is an enjoyable and satisfying read that gives the reader a great insight into the world in which the author has set her main series. As a primer to encourage a reader to continue reading this author’s excellent work, it fulfills the role admirably. I can highly recommend this read.

Pikasho Deka

Paaten's War: A Lost Pharaoh Chronicles - Book 3 is a historical novel by author Lauren Lee Merewether. Paaten, a troop commander in the Egyptian army, is captured in battle and imprisoned by the Hittites. Beaten, starved, and tortured on the orders of Commander Luhrahsu, Paaten is pressured to forgo his Egyptian identity and embrace being a Hittite slave. When Luhrahsu's chief wife Tamnasar attempts to seduce Paaten, he seizes the opportunity and flees Luhsahru's estate. Tired, hungry, and on the run, Paaten is attacked by a bear and saved by a Hittite woman named Niwa, who also tends to his injuries. As he grows close to Niwa, Paaten finds himself torn between his duty for his native country and his love for Niwa.

Paaten's War is a novel that will appeal to both fans of historical fiction and romance. Author Lauren Lee Merewether does a phenomenal job of capturing the essence of the Egyptian and Hittite cultures in her narrative, and it makes for a rich and immersive reading experience. The plot moves at a brisk pace, and the characters are compelling with well-developed backstories. My favorite aspect of the novel was the love story between Paaten and Niwa. The ending was left a little bit ambiguous, and I think that's because Paaten's future is tackled in the sequels. Seeing as how much enjoyment I derived from this installment, I look forward to reading them. I will highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction and romance.