Product Description:

• A historical novel set in 45 B.C. Damon s medical training under the Pharaoh s own physician didn t prepare him for his mother s last illness--or for the adventure that follows. Damon must travel from Alexandria all the way to Spain, where his father is fighting in Caesar s army, to deliver the news of his mother s death to the father he hardly knows. Soon the quiet, studious Damon and his best friend, the soldierly Artemas, are caught up in danger and intrigue--from shipwreck and shark attack to the political maneuverings of Cleopatra, Cicero, and Caesar. Fast-paced and suspenseful, this compelling historical novel combines page-turning excitement with a well-researched portrait of the ancient world.

Customer Ratings:

• you ll get hooked and love it. Im new to the world of historical fiction and this book got me reading all sorts of historical fiction. Just after the first page you cant put it down. Its great at the begining, middle, and end. I HIGHLY RECCOMEND this book. Best of all after the end it explanes some of the things at the end about some things that happen in the book that you might not understand or know about in the book. I ve read other great books but this is in its own league.
• Action and ancient history. This odyssy-like adventure takes the reader from the embalming tables of ancient Egypt in Greco-Roman Alexandria, in a treacherous voyage across the mediterranean, to many of the major sites and into the path of many of the major players of the era. Damon, the young medical student from Alexandria, and his best friend seek to take a message to Damon s Roman soldier father and in the process they meet Cleopatra, Cicero,and Caesar Augustus. They attend a gladiator fight at the Colloseum, they witness a peasant uprising, and they view Caesar s war in the border area of far off Spain. Moving from one action packed calamity to another, the excitement never slows. This well-researched historical novel is fun to read as well.
• Full of Adventure and Excitement. Damon, a young medical student in Alexandria, and his friend Artemas set out on a journey to find Damon s father. Damon s mother has just died and the two boys wish to tell Litigus of his wife s death in person. Their journey is full of peril and excitement -- from shipwreck to shark attack, from meeting Cleopatra and being sent on a mission by her to meeting Caesar. The adventure never ends for these two boys. The setting is Ancient Egypt during the time of Cleopatra, but don t let that discourage you. This book is highly entertaining. Each chapter leaves you at a suspenseful moment and you can t wait to continue. Perfect for a read aloud. There is a glossary and an author s note in the back. The glossary will be especially useful. Highly recommended.
• Couldn t put it down!. This story kept me hooked from first sentence to last! I don t want to give away juicy details, but the author reveals the culture of the time in vivid and exciting scenes. It all becomes so real and you find yourself caught up in Damon s adventure. Wow! Boys and girls alike will eat this one up.

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• The Bronze Bow
• The Golden Goblet (Newbery Library, Puffin)
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