Luxor: Book of Past Lives: a story of brothers in times of greed and corruption

Luxor: Book of Past Lives by Julie Bettendorf is story set in both Ancient Egypt and 19^th century Egypt as the lives of two sets of brothers become intertwined. It is a story about brothers, about greed and about corruption.

1324 BC, during the reign of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, Nebamun is the high priest whose job is to become Anubis during the embalming process. He must prepare the body’s soul for the journey to the afterlife by reading incantations from the Book of Coming Forth by Day. His older brother, Iraman, is also a priest but was passed over the high priest position and is now a lowly job to eviscerate the dead. The tension between the brothers leads one brother to do the unthinkable and Nebamun is given a special task by the Pharaoh. 1874 AD, brothers Karim and Abdul are following the family tradition of grave robbing. They sell their small wares to a local dealer when the brothers stubble onto a great find. It will soon bring the attention of the authorities as the protection of antiquities is in full swing. How can the lives of two ancient men influence the lives of men centuries later?

I found this story to be entertaining and an interesting description of life and beliefs in Ancient Egypt. I enjoyed reading about the different gods and how the Ancient Egyptians lived their daily lives. I also enjoyed seeing how the ancient brothers played into the lives of the modern brothers. There were moments when I gasped in shock as the events unfolded. I also enjoyed seeing how the lives of the two brothers were connected even centuries apart. If you are interested in reading about a world that no longer exists and read an intriguing tale of family, greed and corruption, I recommend Luxor: Book of Past Lives. 

Luxor: Book of Past Lives

is available online at 

Amazon and Barnes & Nobles  

for $15.95