Skip to main content

The Forgotten: Heir of the Heretic by J. Lynn Else: A Book Review

The Forgotten: Heir of the Heretic
Author: J. Lynn Else
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: J. Lynn Else
Release Date: 2016
Pages: 452
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Synopsis: It is a time of new beginnings! Pharaoh Akhenaten has declared that there is only one god to be worshipped throughout Egypt. He has also made a promise to his oldest daughter, Merytaten, that one day she will be his heir and the future pharaoh. However, as pressures build up against the new religion, it falls upon Akhenaten's wife, Nefertiti, and Merytaten to help prevent an insurrection. 

     Merytaten soon finds herself trapped in a world of broken dreams and empty promises. When she loses the meaning to her life, how can she possibly help the citizens? What can she do to assist the people who are falling into poverty? How can she save those she loves when Death's shadow looms large across the city? 

     Discover the struggles and triumphs of one young woman's lifetime...

     "Heir of the Heretic" is book 2 of 'The Forgotten' series by J. Lynn Else. 

     My Review: Merytaten is Akhenaten and Nefertiti’s oldest daughter. Because a son had not yet been born, Merytaten is raised to be the next pharaoh. However, her dreams of ruling are crushed when her father becomes obsessed withgetting a healthy son. She is married off to her evil cousin Smenkhkare, who is chosen to be Akhenaten’s successor. Merytaten watches her people’s suffering as both her father and husband lusts for power. Can Merytaten stand up to her husband and help her citizens?

    Merytaten is a wonderful character. I loved her more than Ankhesenamun. She is a very mature character. She suffers a lot and witnesses her dreams being taken away from her. Merytaten must learn how to make the best of the situation that is given to her. She is wise and is not afraid to stand up to her enemies. However, the reason why I love Merytaten more than Ankhesenamun is that she is selfless. She is not afraid to risk her life in order to help her people. She is a loving and caring individual. I hated to read the suffering that she went through and hoped that she would find happiness in the novel.

   Overall, this book is about faith, love, family, duty, and sacrifice. I thought that all the characters were very realistic. I thought that this novel was very fast-paced and full of action. The only thing I did not like about The Forgotten: Heir of the Heretic was the ending. It reminded of the ending of Tess of the d'Urbervilles. I thought that Merytaten deserved a better fate than what she was given in the novel. However, The Forgotten: Heir of the Heretic is a thought-provoking read that will linger with you long after you have read the last page. I have to add that even though this is the sequel to The Forgotten: Aten's Last Queen, it reads more like a prequel. I suggest that you read this book first in order to get a better understanding of the events that happen in The Forgotten: Aten's Last Queen. Thus, I recommend this novel for fans of Kiya, The She-King, and Nefertiti.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

    

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Blog Tour: Daughter of Sparta by Claire M. Andrews

        I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the DAUGHTER OF SPARTA by Claire M. Andrews Blog Tour hosted by  Rockstar Book Tours . Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!   About the Book: DAUGHTER OF SPARTA (Daughter of Sparta #1) Author:  Claire M. Andrews Pub. Date:  June 8, 2021 Publisher:  Jimmy Patterson Books Formats:  Hardcover, eBook, audiobook Pages:  400 Find it:   Goodreads ,  Amazon ,  Kindle , Audible ,  B&N , iBooks , Kobo , TBD , Bookshop.org      Sparta forged her into a deadly weapon. Now the Gods need her to save the world!       Seventeen-year-old Daphne has spent her entire life honing her body and mind into that of a warrior, hoping to be accepted by the unyielding people of ancient Sparta. But an unexpected encounter with the goddess Artemis—who holds Daphne's brother's fate in her hands—upends the life she's worked so...

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn: A Book Review

The Rose Code Author: Kate Quinn Genre: Historical Fiction Publisher: Harper Collins Release Date: 2021 Pages: 635 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: 1940, Bletchley Park, Buckinghamshire.        Three very different women are recruited to the mysterious Bletchley Park, where the best minds in Britain train to break German military codes.       Vivacious debutante Osla has the dashing Prince Philip of Greece sending her roses – but she burns to prove herself as more than a society girl, working to translate decoded enemy secrets. Self-made Mab masters the legendary codebreaking machines as she conceals old wounds and the poverty of her East-End London upbringing. And shy local girl Beth is the outsider who trains as one of the Park’s few female cryptanalysts.       1947, London.        Seven years after they first meet, on the eve of the roya...

Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict: A Book Review

Daughter of Egypt  Author: Marie Benedict  Genre: Historical Fiction  Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Publication Date: March 24, 2026 Pages: 329 Source: Netgalley/Publisher in exchange for an honest review. Synopsis: Known for her “delightful blend of historical fiction and suspense” ( People ), New York Times bestselling author Marie Benedict, returns with a sweeping tale of a young woman who unearths the truth about a forgotten Pharaoh—rewriting both of their legacies forever.       In the 1920s, archeologist Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon of Highclere Castle made headlines around the world with the discovery of the treasure-filled tomb of the boy Pharaoh Tutankhamun. But behind it all stood Lady Evelyn Herbert—daughter of Lord Carnarvon—whose daring spirit and relentless curiosity made the momentous find possible.       Nearly 3,000 years earlier, another woman defied the expectations of her time: Hatshepsut...