Books I Can't Forget #1: Queen of Kings
Books I Can't Forget is a series celebrating the novels that have lingered in my heart long after I finished the final page. These aren't reviews. They're love letters to the stories that helped shape me as a reader... and, eventually, as a writer.
I love historical fiction. Some of my favourite books are written by historians desperate to transport you to a time and place long gone.
I also adore the myths and legends of the ancient world. Like so many people, I've always been fascinated by Cleopatra. But the ending of her story, as romantic as history often makes it sound, always felt like a bit of a let-down.
So when I spotted Queen of Kings in my local bookshop, I couldn't resist opening it and reading the first few pages.
That was a mistake.
I had to dash for my bus.
So I bought it on Kindle instead... and promptly devoured it.
Oh. My. GOODNESS. (Or perhaps I should say... Goddess.)
Dark, intense and utterly evocative, this is one of those rare books that grabs hold of your imagination and refuses to let go. It pulls you effortlessly into ancient Egypt and keeps you spellbound until the very last page.
The premise
The story begins at the tragic ending we all know. Antony has fallen, and Cleopatra is trapped between impossible choices.
As an educated and deeply religious woman, she turns to Sekhmet, the Egyptian goddess of war, healing and destruction, striking a desperate bargain.
The price transforms her into something no longer entirely human.
She retains her memories, her love for her children and her desperate determination to protect them. But now she also carries the instincts of a lioness guarding her pride and the relentless hunger of a goddess who craves blood.
What follows is a journey of vengeance, sacrifice and survival that blends history, mythology and fantasy so seamlessly that it never once feels forced.
More than a decade later, what I remember most isn't even the plot.
It's the atmosphere. I can still feel the dry heat of the desert, smell the strange herbs and incense in a witch's chamber, and almost taste the metallic tang of blood in the air.
Some books tell a story. Others create a place you never quite leave.
I first bought Queen of Kings in 2012. When I finished it, I did something I've almost never done before or since. I bought it again. Not because I needed another copy. Because I wanted this beautiful book on my shelf.
Ironically, I've never actually read the paperback. It's my precious copy. Readers will understand. 😄
If a book can make me buy it twice, I think that's recommendation enough.
📖 If this sounds like your kind of story...
Check out the Kindle Edition | Paperback Edition
