It had all started with a dream, mournful sounds carried through the realm of slumber to Chione. In her dream, these sounds were connected to a tomb in Egypt, something that wanted to be found. Her dream was relayed to Clifford around the time reports of a new noise, possibly caused by shifting in the earth, had reached his ears from Egypt. With nothing to lose, he reported the possibility of a new dig site. A second dream spoke of its discovery and, like the dream before, it too came to pass, and thus they found themselves there. Despite her lack of a Ph.D., Chione had been selected to join what could be the most significant archaeological exploration in a long time. But before the tomb was even opened, the group was experiencing unusual phenomena. This find will affect each of them in ways they can't even begin to imagine. Buried beneath the sand, for time untold, it had been waiting for them. Each has something to offer, something is expected from them, but will they be willing to pay the price? Discover what lies beneath in Mary Deal's The Ka.

I've been to Egypt, and I've seen, heard, and read some of the lore within this book. With great skill Mary Deal had me feeling like I was right back there, in the thick of it. The pace is slow and steady, but will easily keep you turning the pages. The Ka is heavily character driven with a plot that keeps you guessing; it has everything from tomb robbing to paranormal events. If you're a fan of Egyptian themed reads, or anything with a paranormal edge, then this is a read for you. The level of detail speaks volumes to the time and effort that went into researching this book to give the plot a genuine story, from the difficulties of financing a dig, to superstition, complications, unlikely friendships, and of course what Egyptian tale is complete without mysteries, missing people, and death?

The Ka by Mary Deal involves the vivid dreams of a California archaeology student, Chione Ini-Herit, and her former love interest and fellow archaeologist, Aaron Ashby, as they and their team follow through on Chione’s dreams of finding and excavating a tomb in the Valley of the Queens in Egypt. Chione’s dreams, occurring 3,500 years after the death of Tauret, a priestess, lead them directly to Tauret’s tomb, giving an explanation of her position of power within the court of Tutankhamon. During the dig, the team uncovers Tauret’s magical coded spells to keep her love for her pharaoh alive long into the afterlife, and to ensure that the child they conceived will live on forever. As the dig progresses, and Chione is driven by her promise to Tauret, the team members begin to speak spells aloud as they are being transformed by the magical power to which they have been exposed. Finally, Tauret’s destiny is complete as Chione and Aaron realize they must come together to bring forth Tutankhamon’s promised heir.

The Ka transports the reader back 3,500 years to ancient Egypt, to the reign of Pharaoh Tutankhamon through the dreams, visions and spells of Tauret, Tutankhamon’s High Priestess and most treasured lover. Finding she is gifted with visions and dreams of Tauret, Chione Ini-Herit embarks on a journey that will challenge her feelings for Aaron, her former love interest, as she watches members of the archaeology team transform from archaeology experts back to their past lives as ancient children long forgotten. Mary Deal has presented the reader with clear visions of life and love in the courts of ancient Egypt through all the senses. It is a tangled web of archaeology, intrigue, love and magic woven throughout this book. The reader will lose track of time and surroundings as they are consumed by the captivating writing and absorbed into the lives of the main protagonists. A great read and I look forward to more works from Mary Deal!

Loaded with mystery, The Ka by Mary Deal is a fascinating story that involves magic, a timeless love, and archaeology, a well-plotted novel with strong characters. As a fan of Egyptology, I felt excited by the magical and mysterious setting, with the unexpected twists that punctuate the narrative. Chione Ini-Herit is an archaeology student who suffers from unusual dreams about things happening in Egypt. The strange thing is that what she dreams about actually takes place. When the founder of the California Institute of Archaeology accepts the offer to examine an archaeological site in the Valley of the Queens, he doesn’t know that an ancient tomb is about to alter their lives forever. How this happens is for the reader to find out.

The reader is immediately plunged into a world of magic, traveling with the characters to ancient Egypt, traveling back 3,500 years. Well-researched, the story explores the concept of the afterlife, only it is curious that the afterlife is this life with characters that have been bound together by the power of magical spells embedded in ancient hieroglyphs. I enjoy reading about the world of the pharaohs and the priestesses. Mary Deal has recreated this world beautifully in her novel, in the tradition of Christian Jacq’s The Mysteries of Osiris, only this time, readers are treated to great cunning in the plot and twists they won’t see coming. The Ka is fast-paced, intense and sophisticated, and the author shows a great skill in character development. Mary Deal creates awesome moments of suspense, holding the reader’s attention throughout the story. This is a book that can only be described with superlatives, a story that makes the past come alive, thanks to a masterful storytelling skill.