The Twelfth Transforming

In The Twelfth Transforming, bestselling author Pauline Gedge returns to ancient Egypt to reveal the mysterious reign of Akhenaten, the impetuous pharaoh who threatened to ruin his country. The dramatic story of Akhenaten's disastrous ruling is also the tale of Empress Tiye, a mother struggling to save her land from the catastrophe of her son's choices. Gedge's vivid descriptions of imperial court life among the lushness of the Nile and the desiccation of the desert lands will enthrall readers seeking an evocative tale of power, dynasty, family and curses, all set in the enchanting world of ancient Egypt.

The reign of Pharaoh Akhenaton is troubled by a struggle for power involving the pharaoh's proud mother, his uncle, the leader of Egypt's army, and the beautiful Nefertiti.

Reared by her Pharoh father to assume his throne upon his death, Hatshepsut--a real historical figure--has to contend with her weak half-brother before she can realize her dream.

The twelfth century saw a wide-ranging transformation of the Irish church, a regional manifestation of a wider pan-European reform movement. This book, the first to offer a full account of this change, moves away from the previous concentration on the restructuring of Irish dioceses and episcopal authority, and the introduction of Continental monastic observances, to widen the discussion. It charts changes in the religious culture experienced by the laity as well as the clergy and takes account of the particular Irish experience within the wider European context. The universal ideals that were defined with increasing clarity by Continental advocates of reform generated a series of initiatives from Irish churchmen aimed at disseminating reform ideology within clerical circles and transmitting it also to lay society, even if, as elsewhere, it often proved difficult to implement in practice. Whatever the obstacles faced by reformist clergy, their genuine concern to transform the Irish church and society cannot be doubted, and is attested in a range of hitherto unexploited sources this volume draws upon. Marie Therese Flanagan is Professor of Medieval History at the Queen's University of Belfast.

When Huy is sent away from his family’s farm to a prestigious school for a chance at a better life as a scribe, he is soon befriended by the family of the local governor. But just as Huy starts to feel at home with his aristocratic new friends, an unexpected attack shockingly takes his life. After five days in a crypt being prepared for his own burial, Huy miraculously revives. His mysterious return to life makes him a pariah, and although he longs to lead a normal life, Huy finds himself haunted by visions of the deaths of those around him. An ingenious and suspenseful novel of ancient Egypt, The Twice Born is a treat for all fans of historical or fantasy fiction.

In the earliest years of the history of the universe, the Worldmaker has turned against his creations with unaccountable malice. One by one the ruling sun lords of each solar system have fallen, succumbing to the lure of forbidden knowledge. The terrible punishment for their crime is isolation—the Gates connecting their worlds to the rest of the cosmos are sealed off. Their innocence lost, their civilizations hopelessly corrupted, the immortal sun people are condemned to languish with their subjects in an eternity of solitude. With courageous and often desperate measures the remaining sun lords now prepare themselves and their subjects for a battle unlike any they have ever imagined. The final struggle has begun. Unfolding with epic power, Stargate is conceived with a richness, subtlety, and depth that set it apart from most fantasy fiction. And like Pauline Gedge's critically acclaimed historical novels, it is written with a vividness that is unforgettable. First published in 1982 but long out of print, Stargate is destined to be rediscovered and treasured as a major classic of fantasy literature.

Twelve-year-old Amunhotep III has ascended the throne, becoming king of the richest empire on earth. The boy’s mother acts as regent, but she has brought to court the renowned seer, Huy, son of a humble farmer, to be scribe and counsel to her royal son. It’s a position of power and responsibility—one fraught with intrigue and the lure of corruption. For it is Huy who controls the treasury, the military, all construction, and taxation—and perhaps most important, it’s his task to choose the young Pharaoh’s queen. His actions and premonitions, as well as his legendary past, make him very few friends and a great many enemies... The King’s Man continues the story of Huy—first seen in The Twice Born and Seer of Egypt—and his rise to power and fame. With her meticulous research and compelling prose, Pauline Gedge immerses readers in the ancient and fascinating culture that was Egypt.

Pauline Gedge is a master at recreating the golden age in Egypt. Her heroin, Thu, a peasant girl from the village of Aswat, possesses both beauty and intelligence. To her good fortune Thu is found and brought to the center of society. She is chosen and trained for the court of Pharaoh Ramses. Her talent and guile win her a post in the harem. -- Thu rises in favor, is betrayed in a court intrigue that threatens her life and falls from grace. Pharaoh spares her life but banishes her to serve the priests at the lowly temple of Wepwawet near the first cataract. -- House of Illusions opens on Gedge's vividly recreated Egypt, sixteen years after Thu's banishment. During her exile she writes an account of her court life and the betrayal for which she seeks revenge. These events took place three thousand years ago. Daily life and custom are woven into the story. In a world without soap and little water, natron serves quite well. Gedge is able to get into the mind of the courtiers and their attitudes to their servants. While beneath them, these inferior beings are very much a part of the family of the house. -- The mysterious Hathor, Thoth, Amun and Ma'at are part of the Egyptian pantheon. They enter the daily life of the characters and the mystery begins to make sense. Never again will the reader scoff at these queer religious notions. The harmony and truth Ma'at embodies is the guiding principal Thu believes in seeking her revenge.