The Gift of Sun: Hamet’s Awakening Book 1 is the kind of book any young adult would love to read. Filled with action, adventure, romance and the underlying theme of good versus evil, it fulfills so many of the imagination’s needs.

Set in ancient Egypt, this is the story of young Hamet. He lives with his wife in the servant’s quarters at the palace of the Pharaoh Seti I. It is a happy life he leads, one that beats his earlier time spent on the streets among criminals. When Keati, his wife, is murdered, everything changes for Hamet. He and Ramses, the Pharoah’s son, come together to face an evil man who is intent on destroying Pharaoh and the world he rules.

Many books leave a lasting impression with a reader. This is one such book. While entertaining, it is also enlightening. Set in such an intriguing place in history, it allows a peek into the day to day lives of ancient Egyptians. The action in this story is fast and furious, and the comradeship between a Pharaoh’s son and a peasant is heartwarming. The pair battle together without regard for their positions in the household. They are bound together by something more important than blood, and they work diligently to save their people. I enjoyed the way their relationship is portrayed with the unlikely duo, highlighting the fact that even two young men can change the course of history.

The Gift of Sun: Hamet’s Awakening Book 1 is a wonderful read. I very much look forward to reading Book 2, which I hope is in the works. This world Ms. Ward has created, and the original characters she’s placed in it, are far too ingenious to leave behind. I loved this book.

Reviewed by: Marlene