Ancient Egyptian Game of Thrones meets a YA fantasy.

Devoured this book.

Four strangers. One oracle. A country being destroyed from within. Can a princess, a young priestess, a rebel, and the Jackal stop the evil?

Patiently/not patiently waiting for book 2 ...

Got my hands on an advanced reader copy! Ancient Egypt is my Roman Empire so when I got the chance to read a fantasy set in the world, I jumped at the chance.

Overall it was a great story. There were a few parts where the world building was a little off. To be honest, at times it could have been set anywhere in the world.

I enjoyed each character’s story thus far, especially Karim and his dog. I’d love a chance to continue to see how the story unfolds in future books.

That cliffhanger!

Ancient Egyptian-inspired epic fantasy? Political intrigue? Romance, magic, and an ominous prophecy? Yeah, this book had me in a death grip from page one.

His Face Is the Sun is like if The Mummy (1999, obviously) had a baby with Game of Thrones but added in a lot more divine chaos and sandstorms. We’ve got a crumbling kingdom, a sickly pharaoh, betrayals around every corner, and an ancient evil waking up like it hit snooze one too many times. And at the center of it all? Four compelling, chaotic characters who are about to have their lives turned completely upside down.

If you like your fantasy lush, intense, and full of power struggles, forgotten magic, and messy emotions, this is absolutely for you. I’m already dying for book two.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC!

I love the theme of Egypt, and it seems like I was heard and I got this book!

At first, it took me a while to get used to and connect with the characters. Some chapters were interesting, while others bored me, but by the middle of the book, I found all of them engaging.

The chapters are from multiple characters' perspectives, which I always enjoy!

I like how different all the characters are, and as the plot unfolds, you can see how they are connected and how their lives intertwine.

🏜 During the time of the Pharaoh's illness, when everyone fears the future, there is a girl chosen to be a priestess, a boy who uncovered an ancient tomb filled with dark secrets, a girl who wasn't afraid to stand against others, and three children of the Pharaoh, one of whom will inherit the throne.

They are all different, but the Oracle has a vision for them all...

The atmosphere is truly captivating!

The ending made me anxious, and now I'm curious about what happens next. Although I was worried at first that I'd be bored, once everything started coming together and the characters united, the story really came alive for me.

There are even a few romantic subplots, though that's not the main focus. If you're looking for romance, this isn't for you; it delves more into politics, history, and magic.

The writing style was enchanting—not too easy, but not too difficult either, filled with details and descriptions that painted a vivid picture in my mind!

I often thought of the movie "Gods of Egypt," which I love.

🪲Egypt
🪲Power for the throne
🪲The Oracle’s prophecy
🪲Tomb robber
🪲Priestess
🪲Rebels

‼️Contains themes of death and violence

All I could say while reading this novel—and after finishing it—was *wow*! I absolutely loved this book, and it’s easily one of my favorite reads of the year. From the moment I saw it described as an *Ancient Egyptian Game of Thrones*, I was intrigued, and I was beyond excited to receive an ARC of it through NetGalley.

The story delivers on its promise of political intrigue, mysticism, and fate-driven character arcs, all set against the richly detailed backdrop of ancient Egypt. The world-building is immersive, and while the beginning was a bit slow as the stage was set, the payoff was well worth it. Once the pacing picked up, I was completely hooked.

The characters are exceptionally well-written, each with their own distinct personalities, motivations, and journey. The alternating POVs kept the narrative dynamic, and though I enjoyed all the perspectives, Neff and Sita chapters stood out the most for me.
If you’re a fan of sweeping fantasy, intricate world-building, and characters that feel truly alive, *The Throne of Khetara* is a must-read!

His Face Is the Sun
by Michelle Jabès Corpora
Pub Date: May 06 2025

Desire, War, Magic, Monsters...a forgotten oracle will unite them against an ancient enemy. But who will be on the throne when the red dust of Khetara settles?

The Kingdom of Khetara is gift of the River Iteru, the jewel of the desert. Yet a crisis looms on the horizon. The crowns of the north and south were joined through war a generation before, but Khetara remains a land divided. The pharaoh is wasting away from a mysterious illness--and forces in the south and within his own family are plotting against him. As rebellion grows and secrets flourish, an even more deadly threat emerges. An ancient evil awakes among the rolling dunes of the Red Land that threatens to destroy everything in its path.

Four strangers—a princess, a young priestess, a rebel, and a tomb robber—are ripped from their lives and thrown into the conflict. Amid murder and betrayal, magic and monsters, gods and visions, love and war, these four unlikely heroes find themselves connected by a forgotten oracle that whispers insistently across the land. Only together can they save the kingdom from destruction, but when the bloodshed is done, who of Khetara's children will sit on the throne?

As someone who loves mythology, this was right up my alley. The writing was lush and beautiful. The political intrigue, mischief, and romance also kept me on my toes. I do wish all the pieces would’ve come together a bit more in the end, but I’m excited to see how the pieces fall in the next book.

While there are so many interesting things about this, as the writing was incredible, I found that it simply wasn't for me!

Elegant and compelling. I would rather this were a stand alone because it's so tight I worry future installments won't be able to hold the tone, but I'll tune in to find out, for sure.

All I could say while reading this novel and once I was finished with it was wow! I loved this book so much; it is easily one of my favorite books of the year so far. I was intrigued by the premise of this story as it was promoted as an Ancient Egyptian Game of Thrones type story, and I was very excited to receive an ARC of it on NetGalley. This story is the first in the new Throne of Khetara series and centers around four individuals: a princess named Sitamun who is one out of three triplets, a tomb robber named Karim, a young priestess named Neff, and a rebel named Raetawy who aims to take on the ruling pharaoh and bring justice to him. All four of these individuals are a part of a long forgotten oracle that promises that war and destruction will be brought to Khetera, which is made up of the North and South that was joined together after a bloody war. I loved and connected with each of these characters and their journeys to self discovery. All of these characters are connected to each other and each of them also goes on their own journeys in the novel. The backdrop of the novel is so interesting and well crafted by the author, as is the world building. The author really brought these characters to life. I am so happy that this book is getting a sequel and I cannot wait to read it when it comes out! I know a lot of people will love this intriguing fantasy book just as much as I did; the writing and the story are exceptional!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

An interesting fantasy concept and I loved the worldbuilding but the characters were a bit disappointing. I am still interested in the plot and can't wait for a sequel

DNF sorry was unable to complete this book as it did not hold my interest.. this may be suitable for other readers who have an interest in this type of fantasy but I found I was unable to push through. Thank you for the opportunity and I hope in the future I can read more by this author .

I’m absolutely obsessed. I have been on a recent kick of learning about ancient Egypt, archaeology, and paleontology, and this book really just hit the vibe I needed!

Action, adventure, bloodshed, and more this book will have you sitting in one place staring at a wall once you’re finished! This adventure feels like so many popular book tropes all in one place! A little bit of horror, some romance, and more!! This Ya novel will have you wanting to know more!!

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I will be recommending this books to readers who enjoy lesser known mythological aspects in a story with well-fleshed out characters. Overall, really enjoyed this book.

DNF @ 51% / chapter 16.

i was highly interested in this one as the synopsis sounds very intriguing, however i felt it was flat and dull after the first few chapters and there are just so many books that are waiting for me to read so i decided to dnf this one as it doesn’t interest me

*Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I thought this book was good. I just think that the characters were a bit flat and the plot didn’t really do much for me. I did enjoy the mythological aspect to the plot and felt that it was pretty unique.

This is a fantastic start to what I truly hope will be a success & long running fantasy series! His Face is the Sun is considered YA, but this middle-aged (OK, old) reader enjoyed it all the same. The plot has vibes of "The Wheel of Time", 'Shadow and Bone", "Witcher", and the like. Lovely world-building in Ancient Egypt weaved in with magic, portents, and prophesy. The story is from multiple POVs of the main characters as their lives start to come together.
My only complaint, such as it is, is the non-ending that means I will be anxiously awaiting the next in this series. The Throne of Khetara series definitely should be added to your TBR lists!

Many thanks to #NetGalley, #SourceBooks, and Michelle Jabès Corpora for this ARC in exchange for a voluntary, honest review.

I knew I was going to rate this higher than 3 stars alone just for starting the book with a cats POV. The writing is well done and I’m excited to continue reading - book review recorded @ 20%

HANDS DOWN 5 STARS

I was utterly enthralled by this book from start to finish. I've always loved Ancient Egypt, and this retelling had me on my toes the whole time! Gods, monsters, rebellion, prophecies, betrayal, secrets... this book has everything I ever wanted. I got lost in the world of Khetara and now I want more ;)
I was a bit nervous with the multiple POVs, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to follow the story but that was not the case at all. Corpora beautifully ties together multiple characters in the story and I loved discovering how their paths intertwined. I am beyond excited to read what happens next!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!