Warlock

HARDCOVERS

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(UK)

(US)

SOFTCOVERS

Synopsis

Hidden away in the vast and forbidding deserts of North Africa, Taita has passed the years since the death of his beloved Queen Lostris in prayer and study. He has become the Warlock, wise in the lore of the ancient Gods, an adept of magic and the supernatural.

Now Taita answers the summons from the beyond. He leaves the desert vastness and returns to the world of men, to find himself plunged into a terrible conflict against the forces of evil which threaten to overwhelm the throne and the realm of Egypt, and to destroy the young prince Nefer who is the grandson of Queen Lostris.

Characters
Taita		Wise and gifted Egyptian warlock and mentor to Nefer. Once a eunuch slave.
Nefer		True pharaoh of Egypt, grandson of Queen Lostris. Mentored by Taita before and after his father's assassination.
Pharaoh Tamose		Nefer's father, son of Queen Lostris and her lover Tanus. He is betrayed by his most loyal friend.
Lord/Pharaoh Naja		Ruthless Regent of Egypt who usurps the crown from Tamose. In his quest for total power, he marries Nefer's younger sisters Heseret and Merykara
Lord/Pharaoh Trok Urk		Army general who kills King Apepi and usurps his throne. In a biumverate, he rules Egpyt with his cousin, Naja.
Princess Mintaka		King Apepi's daughter who falls in love with young Nefer before being reluctantly betrothed to Trok.
Princess Heseret		Nefer's sister who later marries Naja and turns against her family.
Princess Merykara		Nefer's youngest sister who reluctantly marries Naja. She later falls in love with her brother's best friend, Meren.
King Apepi		Hyksos ruler on Lower Egypt, father of Mintaka. He, like Tamose, is also betrayed by his most loyal friend.
Meren Cambysis		Loyal friend of Nefer and grandson of Kratas. He falls in love with Merykara, Nefer's sister.
Kratas		Close friend of Taita. brutally murdered by Naja for resisting him.
Lord Asmor		Commander of Naja's private regiment. Later becomes King of Babylon
Colonel Hilto		Loyal commander in Nefer's army.
Bay		Hilto's Nubian slave who, with having special powers, befriends Taita quickly.
Ishtar the Mede		Powerful and evil tattooed sorcerer who workd with Trok in order to destroy Babylon. He is Taita's greatest enemy.
King Sargon		Elderly king of Babylon who loses his city and kingdom to the Pharaohs Naja and Trok.




Interesting Information
	First published in 2001 by Macmillan.
	UK first edition recommended retail price: £18.99
	Book dedication: For my new love, MOKHINISO. Spirits of Genghis Khan and Omar Khayyam reincarnated in a moon as lucent as a perfect pearl. (Note: this is the first dedication to his new wife)
	Book acknowledgement: I ask my readers to remember that WARLOCK is a work of fiction. Many of the places that I have written about do exist, but other never did - or at least those like Avaris have long ago been forgotten. Gallala is another case in point. Taita's spring dried up a thousand years ago and another earthquake destroyed the city and buried the ruins. Likewise, most of my characters are fictitious - even Taita lives on only in my imagination.
	Up until now, THE SEVENTH SCROLL was the sequel to RIVER GOD, but now WARLOCK takes on that honour moving THE SEVENTH SCROLL to being the third novel in the series, which continues the epic almost four thousand years after the time of Taita.
	The 'Eye of Horus' icon on the left begins each chapter.
	The term WARLOCK is not new to Smith's writing. He used the name as the hero's ship in HUNGRY AS THE SEA.
	The jacket illustration for the UK hardcover release was done by Syd Brak.
	WARLOCK is the first book to feature Wilbur Smith's website address: www.wilbursmith.net.




Reader Reviews
	From Andre' Mes -
	When I heard of the release of WARLOCK, I was doubtful as whether Smith could pull off another saga with the same brilliance that he exhibited back in 1995 when RIVER GOD hit the number one bestsellers lists. Eager at the release of this new novel, I started reading the book with the same feeling one gets when starting to watch a sequel of a classic movie. Trepidation soon gave way to intrigue as the narrative unraveled in true Smith style and I was mesmerized once again. Picking up about twenty years after RIVER GOD, WARLOCK follows the inimitable Taita as he guides young Prince Nefer through a labyrinth of schemes and plots in order for the prince to achieve his rightful place on the throne. I always marvel at how Smith keeps the reader hooked moving at a breath-taking pace right up until the last page. WARLOCK is a superb addition to the Egyptian series. When's the next one, Wilbur?

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