The Pharaoh and the Gods is the fifth book in the six-book series The Beginning of Civilization: Mythologies Told True.

Djoser continues his rise to power. Gods take on lives of their own. Isis and Osiris reign supreme in Egypt. The echo of the old Olympian gods segues into local variations throughout Canaan, Phoenicia, and the original city of Urfa. Living legends take on the mantels of 'Living Gods.' Local needs and attitudes shape a pantheon of gods from peaceful and loving to sadistic and bloodthirsty.

Against this backdrop, Horus continues his search for the nature of death while Set continues his jealous, relentless attacks on Horus.

Civilization continues its rambling, haphazard progress toward either enlightenment or not. Sex, violence, misogyny, human sacrifices, and our lesser selves create a world where the weak are sheep for wolves in gods clothing.

All the while, Prince Djoser and brooding, conflicted Horus try to create a civilization worthy of existing.

Love is hard. Peace, harmony, and Ma'at harder.

This six-book series is a fictional reimagining of mankind's protohistory as recorded by our original historians -- Moses, Hesiod, Plato, and ancient Egyptian Priests. The series chronicle the lives of the people who inspired our myths and traditions. The narrative is unbroken as new protagonists and antagonists replace those who die. The books become more complex with ever-growing conflict. The series contains elements of science fiction.

For 200,000 years hunters hunted, gatherers gathered, they sometimes mated. Then we got civilized. Scientific, political, and religious thought had to evolve as did sexual mores, perversions, attitudes, and, too, misogyny. New organizational systems were required. And gods took on lives of their own.

To understand why we are the way we are, we must understand how we began.

This is my offering. Let those wiser than me tell it truer.