Dawn of War (Book Two of Empires of Bronze) by Gordon Doherty

Overall Rating: **** (4 stars)

Dawn of War is the second book of the Empires of Bronze series, Gordon Doherty’s venture into writing historical fiction set in the ancient Hittite Empire of the late Bronze Age. Mr. Doherty has produced another gritty adventure story here, worthwhile for any reader interested in action-adventure in the ancient world.

Dawn of War continues to follow Prince Hattu, the younger brother of King Muwatalli II. After the events of Son of Ishtar, Hattu has earned the respect of his fellow soldiers and the trust of his royal brother, and he is now a successful general in the Hittite army. Unfortunately, the kingdom faces a serious challenge from the one world power strong enough to threaten its destruction. New Kingdom Egypt, under its aggressive Pharaoh Seti, is pressing down on the Hittite vassal states in Retenu (Cannan and Syria). A war seems inevitable, one which will change the fate of empires.

If Son of Ishtar was a “boot camp” story, Dawn of War is a “Special Forces” story, about a military detachment operating far behind enemy lines. Hoping to head off the war everyone expects, Hattu and his men take on a mission despite extreme odds. They must deal with betrayal, the forces of indifferent nature, and combat against far superior foes in order to survive. It’s not clear until almost the very end of the story whether they can attain any victories at all.

One of Mr. Doherty’s strengths is his careful research, his ability to tease incomplete knowledge about his period into a full and compelling narrative. He also writes superb battle scenes, bloody and violent but always clear and full of suspense. Dawn of War does not disappoint on either score. For a self-published novel, the production is high quality, with very few copy-editing errors.

Mr. Doherty’s plotting continues to show a touch of weakness, with lead characters who often seem oblivious to plot twists the reader can see well in advance. Dawn of War also renders its antagonists almost cartoonish in their wickedness. The Egyptian characters are often thoroughly vile, yet even they are outdone by a certain group of hill-tribesmen with a familiar name. Readers should not expect complex or nuanced antagonists here.

In any case, I had no trouble getting through the story, enjoyed it from start to finish, and reached the end wanting more. Recommended for anyone who enjoys an action-packed adventure story set in ancient times.