Casting the Gods Adrift

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Overview

In this thriller set in ancient Egypt, two boys accompany their father to the new capital city to help him bring animals to the pharaoh Akhenaten. The boys and their father are delighted-but have no idea what the pharaoh's strange new religion will mean for them.

Tutmose, an apprentice sculptor, and his nearly-blind brother, Ibrim, an apprentice musician, are content at the court of Pharoah Akhenaten, but their father rages against Pharoah's rejection of traditional ...

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More About This Book

Overview

In this thriller set in ancient Egypt, two boys accompany their father to the new capital city to help him bring animals to the pharaoh Akhenaten. The boys and their father are delighted-but have no idea what the pharaoh's strange new religion will mean for them.

Tutmose, an apprentice sculptor, and his nearly-blind brother, Ibrim, an apprentice musician, are content at the court of Pharoah Akhenaten, but their father rages against Pharoah's rejection of traditional Egyptian gods and plots a deadly revenge.

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Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly
In densely plotted chapters, brothers Tutmose and Ibrim set out with their father, Harkhuf, to deliver their cargo of exotic animals to the new pharaoh. As they navigate unknown waters on the way to the new capitol, Harkhuf and his precious cargo run aground on a sandbar in the crocodile-infested Nile. After the three are rescued by Pharaoh Akhenaten's own barge, the pharaoh assigns the brothers to learn the trades of their choice. Harkhuf, who faithfully served Akhenaten's father, is disturbed to learn that the new ruler has commanded that the people close down all other temples and that they worship him as the one true god. Detailed descriptions bring the setting to life, particularly those of the palace (the altars "were piled with fruit and flowers, and the walls were painted with rays of the sun, each ray ending in a hand"). The pace picks up when the family escorts the pharaoh on a visit to the Red Country, where his tomb is being erected for his eventual journey to the afterlife. Harkhuf can no longer abide the insults to his religious beliefs, and a vision prompts him to plot the murder of the pharaoh. A skillful plot twist brings the action to a close, and McCaughrean gives readers a glimpse into Egypt's future (and a reference to an archeological find that could well pique interest in further study). Readers hoping to find the humor and cheeky dialogue characteristic of McCaughrean's Greek and Roman myths may be put off by the more formal, almost educational tone of this Egyptian tale. Ages 9-12. (June) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature
In just over 100 pages, readers will be exposed to the history of ancient Egypt, pharaohs, extravagant palaces, murder plots, sibling relationships, fierce loyalty to religious convictions and then some! Tutmose and his brother Ibrim (along with their father, Harkhuf), by way of an unpredictable occurrence, are learning the trades of their dreams in the palace of Akhenaten. This Pharaoh has dictated that the people only worship the sun god Aten, which throws the boys' world into turmoil as their father's very livelihood and faith has been dedicated to a number of gods. The events that follow are suspenseful and tense until the conclusion. Evocative illustrations are scattered throughout the chapters of the book. The illustrator has been providing drawings for children's books for over thirty years and it shows; not only are they convincing of the time period (1354-1351 B.C.) in their black-and-white composition, but they are highly emotive. Children will not even realize they are being taught a great deal about an important time of historical change as this story unfolds. The award-winning author (one award being the Carnegie Medal) has written well over a hundred books that have been published in 25 countries. She lives with her husband, daughter and dog in Berkshire, England. 2002, Cricket Books,
— Cindy Carolan
School Library Journal
Gr 4-6-The most famous image of Nefertiti is a carved bust attributed to the sculptor Tutmose. This is the story of the artist as a child, son of Harkhuf the animal dealer. Tutmose and his brother, Ibrim, who is blind, go to live with the pharaoh Akhenaten, and Harkhuf receives honors such as being made a "Man of Gold." The boys love their new life; Tutmose studies sculpture and Ibrim learns to play the harp. But Harkhuf is a devout follower of the old gods, and Akhenaten has declared Aten, the Sun God, as the only true god. Tutmose is torn between his father's beliefs and those of the pharaoh. He is finally convinced that the pharaoh is right, and becomes a devotee of Aten. His father, however, turns fanatical and decides that Akhenaten must be destroyed, insisting that Tutmose help him. McCaughrean has told a fine story, and though the themes and vocabulary may be advanced for the intended audience, readers will most likely just enjoy the story. The characters are lively, and the plot moves nicely. Budding Egyptologists will savor this title with its historical references and detailed backdrop.-Angela J. Reynolds, Washington County Cooperative Library Services, Hillsboro, OR Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
Much-honored storyteller McCaughrean views the court of Pharaoh Akhenaten through the eyes of an awed young artist. Rescued from the Nile's waters and crocodiles after a shipwreck by Pharaoh's own barge, Tutmose and his brother Ibrim find themselves in the presence of a living god, who kindly offers them dream jobs as, respectively, an apprentice artist and a musician in his bustling new capital city. Tutmose's joy is tempered, though, by fears of his devoutly traditionalist father, Harkhuf, who sees Akhenaten's monotheism as a ticket to eternal misery after death, or even no afterlife at all. Complemented by Ludlow's realistically modeled figures, McCaughrean fills her tale with period detail, and winds it up to a tense climax in which Harkhuf's attempt to assassinate Pharaoh with a ceramic cat filled with asps nearly causes Ibrim's death instead. The author's thoughtful consideration of belief systems in conflict adds depth to Tutmose's lively account of life in Pharaoh's entourage, and the development of his own religious convictions. (glossary, bibliography) (Fiction. 10-12)
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780713646566
  • Publisher: A&C Black Publishers, Ltd.
  • Publication date: 8/28/1998
  • Pages: 96
  • Age range: 8 - 12 Years

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