The new ‘Throne of Khetara’ series takes place in a world inspired by Ancient Egypt. Firstly, we meet Sita, the headstrong daughter of the Pharaoh, then Neff, a priestess of the cat goddess Bast, Rae, a rebellious farmhand, and Karim, a tomb raider. The story begins when Neff experiences a vision of the Kingdom falling and is forced into serving Bast, but then Karim opens a tomb and unleashes a spirit that’s been buried for centuries. Although they’ve never even met, these four characters are eventually drawn together by Neff’s terrifying prophecy.

Corpora has taken real Egyptian history and used these inspirations to create a fabulous world. Everything in the Pharaoh’s palace is vibrant and opulent, but the author perfectly captures the desolation of sand dunes and buried tombs. History fans or readers who grew up with Rick Riordan’s ‘Kane Chronicles’ will love this book. The characters are fun and memorable, especially Sita’s conniving brother Mery who is next in line for the Pharaoh’s throne, but sweet Neff was my favourite.

This book is split across multiple kingdoms and perspectives, so the reader experiences four separate stories. This means it takes a while for the characters to interact. Sita’s chapter may end on a cliffhanger, but we wait up to two POV chapter’s later to see the resolution. While I was invested in this book, I found this a bit choppy and disjointed. However, this is a minor criticism.

His Face Is the Sun is a great start to an upcoming duology, with some stellar writing and world-building.

Reviewed by Rachel Denham-White

Age Guide 14+

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

‘ve always wanted to be a writer, probably since the age of six. I spent most of my childhood years learning about Ancient Egypt, drawing, and writing stories about mermaids in peril, ducks from space, and fan fiction where a girl resembling myself got to meet Agent Fox Mulder of the X-Files. After receiving my Bachelor’s Degree in English and Theatre from UMBC, I went on to earn a Master’s degree in Children’s Literature from Hollins University. After that, I did some weird stuff. I was a wedding singer for a while. I also worked with animals in a vet’s office, and at a wildlife rehabilitation center. Eventually, I moved to New York and worked as an assistant editor at Greenwillow Books, and then a concept creator for a well-known book packaging company. All these serendipitous events eventually led me to the #authorlife. Looking back, all those detours were exactly what I needed, because to be a writer, it’s important to have some weird stuff to write about.

Before I wrote books with my name on the cover, I was a ghostwriter for a world-famous middle-grade mystery series. I wrote my first five novels in that series, and enjoyed every minute of it. It was an honor to be a part of a legacy that is cherished by so many.

I live in Maryland, USA, with my dear husband, my two wonderful daughters, two guinea pigs named Fireball and Olive, and a dog named Charlie.

Visit Michelle Jabès Corpora’s website