Friday, June 25, 2010

Egyptologist Kanawati on novel "The Smiting Texts"

Professor Naguib Kanawati, Australia's top Egyptologist, from Macquarie University, read "The Smiting Texts", my Egypt-based thriller and said: "Congratulations! I really enjoyed your book."

Nice from such a respected field archaeologist who allowed me the creative licence to depict the discovery of the Great Lost Labyrinth of the Faiyum, the legendary hypogeum described by Herodotus, Strabo and others and one of the wonders of the ancient world. Interestingly, the French Egyptologist Pierre Montet of Tanis fame, died believing the Labyrinth was still to be found.

Naguib Kanawati, among many discoveries and achievements, spent several years working on the tomb of the Vizier Mereruka at Sakkara, scene of a dramatic episode in "The Smiting Texts".

I'm relieved that the professor allowed me to take such liberties with a pet tomb and that as a mainstream Egyptologist he was able to indulge my renegade alternative British Egyptologist, theorist, phenomenologist and avid blogger, Anson Hunter!