Anchor Books Akhenaten: Dweller in Truth A Novel

This is a very interesting little book. It central theme is Akenaten the Sun King who was infamous as a pharaoh both for his rejection of the ancient religons but also in popular fiction for his wife Nefertitti. Akenaten however is not someone who appears in this book nor is this a potted piece of fiction outlinning his life. It is something more profound and with many parallels for any moment in human history. The narrator of the novel lives at a time not long after the death of Akenaten and he seeks the 'truth' behind the pharaoh's religon. The novel follows our narrator as he interviews living witnesses to the kings life, each chapter is a different interview/perspective on the events that took place. The points of view expressed are all completely different, some hate him, some love him, some admire him, some loath him, some don't understanded him however at the end of the novel we have a much more complete picture of a character than if we had read a fictional biography. Naguib Mahfouz has a wonderful way of writing, its easy to read and very simple yet it is beautiful in conveying profound meaning. At the end of the novel the reader is left to make their own mind up and to reflect that the life of the pharaoh who was vilified for his beliefs is as relevant today as it was more than 3000 years ago.

This is Rashomon on steroids.The fact that individual perceptions shape humainty's opinion is shown in a wonderful way. Definitely an ideal starting point for someone preparing for a Mahfouz binge.The fact that the author is extremely well read himself strikes out beautifully. The heretic pharaoh Akenaton or Akhenaten is an embodiment of man's reasoning abilities, along with a nice helping of compassion ; but how his family, peers and subjects perceive his rule and untimely death and how that shapes Meriamun's own interpretation, is surprisingly well sketched and enjoyable and also mildly shocking at times.Ideally one should not take more than a day or two to finish this, and an ideal next book would be Miramar, which follows the same Rashomon-esque rubric.A very enjoyable read.

A thoughtful book describing the same facts from different points of few. Complex and beautiful. A hunting story of a dream that turned to a nightmare.

I liked the book very much as such it is the best by the Naguib Mahfouz

Good read!