Ramses the Damned : The Passion of Cleopatra Review

Ramses the Damned : The Passion of Cleopatra Review

Ramses the Damned : The Passion of Cleopatra
Author: Anne Rice, Christopher Rice
Genre: Horror/ fantasy
Series: Ramses the Damned #2
Pre- order from: Amazon

I got this from Netgalley. the due to publish date is another month away. If you are interested, the first book, The Mummy is available now. I haven’t read that one yet, as I did not realise that it is a series. Yes, I am a fan of Anne Rice, I have read Christopher’s work before. It has been a while since I last read any of their books. There are a lot of new authors that are good, plus I am off the immortal scene. Only so many zombies/ vampire stories you can tell right?

Ramses is a ….?

Before he was dead, Ramses was a great Pharaoh of Egypt, sometimes known as Ramesses the Great. He was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt, and now that he is revived by a special elixir, he is an immortal. Life is great, because he can enjoy the nice things “modern” life has to offer, like cars and trains. Not to mention he is engaged to the person who “woke” him up, Julie Stratford.

Now revived, he goes by Reginal Ramsey, a rich dude with a lot of old money. This ticks a few boxes for me: no blood drinking or brain eating undead. Mr Ramsey is also unaware that he is being watched by a person far older, the original creator of the Elixir of Life. Of course, the whole story centres around immortality and what to do with a long life ahead of you.

Characters

Although the hero of the story is the King, there is a concurrent story that runs at the same time. While Cleopatra runs amok with her new found, and unwanted life, Ramsey is off gallivanting with his fiance. Lurking in the shadows, is someone who wants to know the secret of immortal life. This is a book and a battle between Kings and Queens, a lot of plotting and chasing around though.

In this fictional world, Ramses was an adviser and lover to Queen Cleopatra the 7th. Hence, when he saw her mummified corpse, he poured the elixir of life onto her dried remains. Hey, no point asking a dead person right? Then when she turned crazy and ran, Ramses decides to let her be, thinking that she died in a fire.

Huge Holes, Everywhere!

For authors with books and books of writing experience, the book has too many plot holes. I struggle to enjoy it as chapter by chapter the characters make decisions that defies their character and intelligence. Really, for a person who lives that long, Ramses should know what can or cannot kill an immortal. So he left a crazy woman wondering around the world, as she plots for his demise. The story complicates with the appearance of Sybil Parker, someone whom might be holding Cleopatra’s soul.

As if immortality is not hard enough, poor Cleopatra has to struggle with her soul not in her body. If you want to go down that lane, at least make it believable. That is not the only issue I have with the book, but going on might spoil it all.

Verdict

I question everything! Anne and Christopher Rice have experience in writing paranormal books, and this Ramses the Damned falls seriously short. I am just not convinced that someone who has spend years plotting and ruling a country can be gullible and naive! Although it is well written, who can deny the smoothness of the words, the plot and story are the ones bringing it down.

Are you anticipating Anne Rice and Christopher Rice collaboration? Ramses the Damned : The Passion of Cleopatra might disappoint. Share on X

To read or not to read

That is entirely up to you.

Copyright © 2017 Ailyn Writes. All Rights Reserved.