Stealing Fire

Alexander the Great is dead, and his generals are fighting over his empire. One of them, Ptolemy, makes for Egypt, along with narrator Lydias, who worked his way up from slavery to Alexander’s side and is present when the goddess Isis tells Ptolemy he must become pharaoh to protect Egypt against evil spirits and foreign invaders. As Ptolemy begins governing a free Egypt and building a diverse new society in Alexandria, he entrusts Lydias with a vital mission: stealing Alexander’s body and bringing it to Egypt to release his spirit. Graham (Hand of Isis) drives a powerful current through subtle prose, weaving magic into the story rather than casting metaphorical fireballs. Lydias embodies perfect devotion, yearning to protect what he loves and mourning those he has failed, and his story will confirm Graham’s place in the highest ranks of historical fantasists. (June)