When a coming-of-age, prehistoric boy's childhood best friend mysteriously disappears after he is forced to cope with his parents' untimely deaths, Geb vows to do whatever it takes to find Ari. Joining forces with his older sister, Lunah, Geb and three friends depart their Lake Tana home on a treacherous journey. Every bend in the Nile brings strange new experiences, testing their close bonds. Few clues to Ari’s whereabouts arise, compounding Geb’s desperation as they travel farther into unknown lands.

A mysterious star leads them to a place where the Nile merges with an endless sea. There in the delta swampland, they meet humans with strange powers unlike anything they have ever experienced before. Geb—who has never been the strongest, tallest, or the most brave—comes to believe that he alone must battle for Ari’s freedom against Seth: a usurper and brutal tyrant later revered as the ancient Egyptian god of chaos, storms, and the desert.

But is Geb really alone?

The story begins in modern times with Ben, a university student who embarks on an international flight to Cairo, Egypt to research the mysterious origin of the Great Sphinx of Giza. His curiosity about the world comes from stories told to him by his beloved grandma during his youth. Warm interactions between young Ben and his grandmother are interwoven with the prehistoric tale. The novel’s underlying themes are unveiled in a story-ending, circle-of-life twist.

NOTES FOR REVIEWERS:

1) The main character, Geb, is a young boy in the first chapter. The novel quickly transitions to his teen years.

2) The story is intended for young adults (aged 13-18) and young-at-heart adults.

A best fit genre would be Outdoor Action/Adventure & Suspense fiction in a prehistoric setting.

3) This novel contains scenes of death and birth, a discussion of legitimacy based on the ancient Egyptian pantheon, a brutal antagonist, natural realism, and an overall mood that is hopeful/reflective.

Please let the author know if you recommend that the modern-day portions of the story be excluded in a future version.
***Please consider providing a review for the prehistoric tale only, if so.

All feedback is appreciated.
Thank you!