«Magisterial... Vividly conjured... This is not just lyrical writing, it is a deeply knowledgeable writer trying imaginatively to inhabit a far-distant culture on the basis of the best evidence... Romer does not peel back accreted myths about Egypt, he sandblasts them away... As an antidote to conventional narrative histories of Egypt this is salutary»

James McConnachie, Sunday Times

«Romer has woven an intricate tapestry of ancient evidence from the bottom up, accessible to the general reader without losing academic rigour or sensationalising the past for dramatic effect... A high-quality introduction for those orienting themselves with the period»

Trent Hugler, Spectator

«Deeply informed»

Andrew Robinson, Nature

«Romer is a seasoned field archaeologist, accomplished researcher, and canny observer. This book, the third and final of a series, synthesises Romer’s dynamic take on pharaonic culture through more than five decades of work in Egypt… Fresh, detailed, and often unexpected... A genuine pleasure to read… Romer’s essential point – that pharaonic culture simply cannot be fully comprehended in modern Western terms or ways of thinking – is valid and needs shouting from the rooftops. This sterling volume may be the best way of doing that for some time to come»

Campbell Price, Ancient Egypt Magazine