Review
5-Star - Mary Deal has recreated this world beautifully in her novel, in the tradition of Christian Jacq's The Mysteries of Osiris, only this time, readers are treated to great cunning in the plot and twists they won't see coming. The Ka is fast-paced, intense and sophisticated, and the author shows a great skill in character development. Mary Deal creates awesome moments of suspense, holding the reader's attention throughout the story. This is a book that can only be described with superlatives, a story that makes the past come alive, thanks to a masterful storytelling skill. Loaded with mystery, The Ka by Mary Deal is a fascinating story that involves magic, a timeless love, and archaeology, a well-plotted novel with strong characters. As a fan of Egyptology, I felt excited by the magical and mysterious setting, with the unexpected twists that punctuate the narrative. Well-researched, the story explores the concept of the afterlife, only it is curious that the afterlife is this life with characters that have been bound together by the power of magical spells embedded in ancient hieroglyphs. ~Reviewed By Arya Fomonyuy for Readers' Favorite
5-Star - Mary Deal's style is stunning, and has a story that's emotional and layered. The love story is a key part, romantic and emotional, as Aaron and Chione's relationship is a mirror to that of Tauret and Tut. History is brought to life in this stunning journey through the past. The Ka is breathtaking, finding the beauty and tragedy of the past, and the mysteries and magic of ancient Egypt. ~ Reviewed By Liz Konkel for Readers'Favorite
5-Star - I've been to Egypt, and I've seen, heard, and read some of the lore within this book. With great skill Mary Deal had me feeling like I was right back there, in the thick of it. The pace is slow and steady, but will easily keep you turning the pages. The Ka is heavily character driven with a plot that keeps you guessing; it has everything from tomb robbing to paranormal events. If you're a fan of Egyptian themed reads, or anything with a paranormal edge, then this is a read for you. The level of detail speaks volumes to the time and effort that went into researching this book to give the plot a genuine story, from the difficulties of financing a dig, to superstition, complications, unlikely friendships, and of course what Egyptian tale is complete without mysteries, missing people, and death? ~ Reviewed By K.J. Simmill for Readers' Favorite
5-Star - Mary Deal has presented the reader with clear visions of life and love in the courts of ancient Egypt through all the senses. It is a tangled web of archaeology, intrigue, love and magic woven throughout this book. The reader will lose track of time and surroundings as they are consumed by the captivating writing and absorbed into the lives of the main protagonists. A great read and I look forward to more works from Mary Deal!
~ Teresa Syms for Readers' Favorite
The Ka is a book for all tastes. This beautifully craft novel contains history, science, mysticism, mystery, intrigue, humor and romance in a neat package which is not just entertaining but challenges your mind and your imagination. It tells of the joining of minds and bodies of two lovers in an ancient world with two lovers in a modern world. Mary Deal has created word images so vivid that it is almost like watching a movie. She takes you for a romp through ancient Egyptian history as an archaeological team finds and opens the tomb of King Tut's commoner "wife," the love of his life. An archaeological student has the mystical ability to communicate with the ancient Egyptians, who are frustrated by lack of an heir and want their story told. This keeps the story alive and moves it along at a rapid, breathtaking pace. The final impact of this mystical relationship is left for the very last sentence of the book. The Ka is a delight to read. Once started, it is difficult to put down until the last page is turned. One can only hope that, from a writer of this talent, there will be many more books to come.
~ Joseph J. Ursprung, Kapaa, Hawaii and Phoenix, Arizona
OMG! Mary, I just finished Ka, the first of your books that I have had the pleasure of reading, but not the last. You are BRILLIANT my friend! I didn't want the book to end. The characters you created, their depth, and the personal changes they went through were incredible. I LOVED IT! You are an inspiration to us all. You gave enough hints to keep me guessing and wondering if I was right. I will gladly recommend it to everyone. Thanks for sharing and letting me escape into your wonderful world and imagination. You are a master writer, for sure...
~ Richard Jay Nedervelt, Ewa Beach, Hawaii and Panzhihua, China
I was spellbound!
~ Sandra McCluskey, Lihue, Hawaii
Mystery, magic, intrigue and great attention to historical detail. I was spellbound!
~ Sherrye Boyer Dix, London, England
Intensely absorbing fantasy entwined with true history.
~ Bill Robinson, Author of Archie Cleebo, Bishop, CA
Egyptian life and history so real, you'd think the author had lived it.
~ Marcia Lynx Qualey, Writer, Cairo, Egypt
I was enthralled by the amount of research and felt I was one of the archaeological team.
~ Lori Kikumoto, Kapaa, Hawaii
From the Author
I woke from a dream wherein I saw vivid scenes from Ancient Egypt. I saw costumes and half-naked adults and children going about their days. When I woke - about 2:00 in the a.m., I lay stunned and visualized those images again. Not till I woke a second time with a fixed image in my mind, like a still photograph, did I realize I had the ending of a story. Running to my computer in the middle of the night was common place, but not sitting there for five hours straight, in my pajamas. I managed to write out or make notes about everything I had seen. By the time I finished, I knew I had the makings of a huge story.
I proceeded to spend the next four years researching the entire 3500 years of Egyptian Dynasties searching for a time period in which to weave the threads of my plot. While researching, I managed to write and publish my first book and complete a manuscript for a second. However, once I began to write this Egyptian story, I spent another four years solely perfecting the manuscript that you and I have come to know as The Ka.
You, as well as Ancient Egypt scholars, should find that all of the information about Ancient Egypt, how to locate a tomb, retrieve and preserve its contents, and life at a dig site are all real and true to fact. But through it all, I weave my mysterious threads of fantasy to bring ancient life into the present.
