Aubin, Henry T. Rise of the Golden Cobra. Vancouver: Annick Press, 2007.
When fourteen year old Nebi is witness a triple murder, including that of his master, his life is in jeopardy. By escaping through the brutal desert, Nebi hopes that he will live to tell the King Piankhy of the treachery he has witnessed and the destruction that Egypt could face if his story goes ignored.
Historical war fiction has the potential to really draw readers in if it is done right, and I believe, that in this case, it has. Aubin has done an admirable job of creating a believable character in Nebi, as well as creating a vivid setting for his adventure plot. Set in eighth century BCE, Rise of the Golden Cobra is an adventure well worth the read. I particularly enjoyed the author’s explanation of how he used primary sources (Piankhy’s own account of his military campaigns) to help create the setting for this tale of survival.
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