The Ancient Egypt Series Books in Order

The Ancient Egypt Series by Wilbur Smith follows the history of ancient Egypt across millennia through a succession of heroes — soldiers, pharaohs, and adventurers — who lived through the civilization's greatest moments and darkest crises. Smith, one of the twentieth century's most successful adventure novelists, brings the ancient world to life with cinematic scope and relentless narrative drive.

Smith's Egypt novels — beginning with River God (1993) and continuing through multiple sequels — are distinguished by their scale and their accessibility. The research is evident but worn lightly; Smith is always primarily a storyteller, and his ancient Egypt is above all a vivid setting for larger-than-life characters making life-or-death decisions in a world of gods, pharaohs, and war.

The series spans from the Hyksos invasion through the reign of Ramesses and beyond, following different protagonists whose stories are connected by the civilization they inhabit and the values — courage, loyalty, love, honor — that Smith consistently celebrates. The Nile itself is as much a presence as any human character.

Begin with River God and read in the internal chronological order for the full sweep of Egyptian history as Smith imagines it. Fans of Conn Iggulden, Christian Jacq, and adventure fiction set in the ancient world will find Smith's Egypt series an essential and endlessly readable series.