Feather of Ma'at

https://www.amazon.ca/Feather-Maat-Lisa-Llamrei-ebook/dp/B0CG8PDYG6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=32ZPJKNLJ9INB&keywords=feather+of+ma%27at&qid=1698146586&sprefix=feather+of+ma%27at%2Caps%2C95&sr=8-1

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Lisa Llamrei

an old wooden water wheel on the side of a road in front of some buildings

Nakasendo Trail

While the road the characters travelled to Edo (now tokyo) was a predecessor of Japan's great feudal highways, a hike along a stretch of the Nakasendo trail is a good facsimile. The road was built just a few years after the events in Shogun, and although much of it has been replaced by trains and highways, some old stretches remain. From Magome to Tsumago is about 7km, which is about 4 hours of walking at a leisurely pace. Along the way there is natural beauty along with historic towns that have changed little since the days of the Shogun.

a woman sitting down in front of some bowls and cups with spoons on the table

Japanese Tea Ceremony

Tea Brands

Tea Art

Kyoto Japan

Tea Ceremony

Attending a tea ceremony is one of those iconic experiences in Japan. A Shogun tour would not be complete without it, as Mariko-san performed this ceremony for her husband.

Any Shogun tour has to include Osaka castle, where several key scenes take place. Originally built in the 15th century, the seat of power here played a key role in the reunification of Japan - events which happened shortly prior to the beginning of Shogun and which influence much of the action. Things To Do In Osaka, Japan Destinations, Japanese Castle, Osaka Castle, Japan Trip, East Asian, Japan Photo, Osaka Japan, Famous Landmarks

Things To Do In Osaka

Osaka Castle

Any Shogun tour has to include Osaka castle, where several key scenes take place. Originally built in the 15th century, the seat of power here played a key role in the reunification of Japan - events which happened shortly prior to the beginning of Shogun and which influence much of the action.

Hirado, Japan

This week I'm fantasizing about places I'd visit on a Shogun tour of Japan. Hirado is a town near Nagasaki. In the 16th and 17th centuries, it was an enclave of foreign tradesmen - initally, Portuguese, but later English and Dutch as well. Here there is a memorial park for William Adams, the English navigator who became an advisor to the shogun, and served as inspiration for the character of John Blackthorne/Anjin-san.

Of course, the site of the city of Akhetaten is high on my wish list for a Feather of Ma'at tour. It's on the wish list and not a certainty because getting there is a little complicated. It's located in Middle Egypt, which does not have the kind of tourism infrastructure that either the north or the south do. It's a 4-hour train ride from Cairo and a 7-hour train ride from Luxor. As well, special permission is required in order to visit the site. However, I have discovered there are a handful of tour companies who offer Akhetaten as an excursion, so it must be possible.

Pictured here is the north palace, which I assigned first to Kiya and then to Merytaten. Egyptian Architecture, Ptolemaic Egypt, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, Prehistoric Art, Valley Of The Kings, Nile River, Egyptian History, Alexander The Great

Egyptian Architecture

North Palace, Akhetaten

Of course, the site of the city of Akhetaten is high on my wish list for a Feather of Ma'at tour. It's on the wish list and not a certainty because getting there is a little complicated. It's located in Middle Egypt, which does not have the kind of tourism infrastructure that either the north or the south do. It's a 4-hour train ride from Cairo and a 7-hour train ride from Luxor. As well, special permission is required in order to visit the site. However, I have discovered there are a handful of tour companies who offer Akhetaten as an excursion, so it must be possible. Pictured here is the north palace, which I assigned first to Kiya and then to Merytaten.

I would definitely take my tour group to visit the tomb of Nefertari, Great Royal Wife of Rameses II, who reigned about fifty years after Nefertiti. You may be wondering what Nefertari has to do with Nefertiti. In reality, nothing. In Feather of Ma'at, however, there appears this description of Nefertiti's tomb:

"The ceiling is painted black with white stars, the walls with spells to help me pass through the gates of the Duat. The pillars are painted with my own image beside those of the gods."

I couldn't describe Nefertiti's tomb because it's never been found, so I took inspiration from one of the most beautiful tombs anywhere in Egypt - Nefertari's. I reasoned that Nefertiti would have had one at least as stunning and, if not, she should have. Ancient Egyptian Artwork, Egyptian Artwork, Egyptian Style, Luxor Egypt, Visit Egypt, Egypt History, Painted Walls, Egypt Art

Ancient Egyptian Artwork

Tomb of Nefertari

I would definitely take my tour group to visit the tomb of Nefertari, Great Royal Wife of Rameses II, who reigned about fifty years after Nefertiti. You may be wondering what Nefertari has to do with Nefertiti. In reality, nothing. In Feather of Ma'at, however, there appears this description of Nefertiti's tomb: "The ceiling is painted black with white stars, the walls with spells to help me pass through the gates of the Duat. The pillars are painted with my own image beside those of the gods." I couldn't describe Nefertiti's tomb because it's never been found, so I took inspiration from one of the most beautiful tombs anywhere in Egypt - Nefertari's. I reasoned that Nefertiti would have had one at least as stunning and, if not, she should have.

Tutankhamun at Karnak Temple

Another stop on a Feather of Ma'at tour would be the Temple of Karnak. This temple was added to by many successive Pharaohs. Pictured here is King Tutankhamun (stepson of Nefertiti) at the temple, to which he contributed during his lifetime.

two large stone statues sitting in the middle of a desert area with palm trees behind them

Colossi of Memnon

Since I've been daydreaming of leading tours based on novels, I thought I'd talk about the sites directly relating to Nefertiti that I would include on a Feather of Ma'at tour. These are the Colossi of Memnon. Originally, they stood guard in front of the mortuary temple of Nefertiti's father-in-law, Amenhotep III. The colossi are still in situ; unfortunately, the temple is long gone. In Amenhotep's funeral scene I described them: "Two colossal statues of the dead king rose above the ground, in front of the pylons flanking the entrance to his mortuary temple — so large, the heads of the tallest among us barely met the top of the pedestals on which they sat."

people are standing on the roof of an old building with trees surrounding it and in the foreground

Kyoto

Shogun Yes, the book is fifty years old, but there is a new series on Disney+ and at least two more seasons are planned, so this story is going to be popular for a while. I envision starting out in Kyoto and visiting the Shogun palace there, then heading to the southern island of Kyushu and the city of Usuki, where William Adams, the real Anjin-san, landed. From there, travel through Shizuoka prefecture, where much of the action takes place, of course taking in the old Tokkaido road on which the characters travelled and ending up in Tokyo where the climax of the book takes place (then called Edo). If you could travel to the location of your favourite book, where would that be?

a statue on top of a cliff overlooking the ocean and cliffs with blue water in the background

King Arthur

King Arthur This story has been told in many different countries, in many different ways. It's eternal. And there are a wealth of Arthurian locations including Tintagel, Glastonbury and Wales. Plus I'd have the opportunity to incorporate my favourite Arthur story - The Mists of Avalon. If you could travel to the location of a historical novel, which one would you choose?

Related searches

Hobbiton

Lord of the Rings This tour would be a little challenging, considering that LOTR takes place in a fantasy world that does not exist. However, there is an abundance of filming locations in New Zealand, and the entire set of Hobbiton has been left intact as a tourist attraction. If you could go on a tour of any fantasy world, which would you choose?

the castle is built on top of a rock outcropping and surrounded by trees

Draculas Castle Romania

Bran's Castle

I have been thinking about combining my two careers as novelist and travel agent by leading group tours based on novels. Not counting the obvious - my own - which, of course will become the basis of a tour (or two), I've compiled a list of possible candidates. Dracula - this would encompass parts of Romania, including Bran's castle, and also the city of Whitby in England. Maybe perfect for an October trip. If you could do a tour based on a novel, which novel would you choose?

Archaeological Discoveries

King Tut

One big mystery surrounding Tutankhamun is how he died. It is not recorded in his tomb. The idea that he was murdered held sway for many years, based on a wound found on the mummy's skull. However, more recent CT scans revealed this to be a post-mortem injury. Unfortunately, the mummy was badly damaged when Howard Carter cut it into pieces to remove it from the coffin (yes, he did!), so much physical evidence was obscured. Current theories being discussed include sepsis from a wound, malaria, and even death by hippopotamus. One of the best things about writing historical fiction about such a long ago period is that I get to examine the various theories and choose the one that best fits the evidence and, of course, the story.

two egyptian women sitting next to each other

Facts About Ancient Egypt

Life In Ancient Egypt

Egyptian Painting

Egyptian Pharaohs

Egyptian Culture

Ankhesenamun

King Tut's wife was Ankhesenamun, daughter of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. In Feather of Ma'at, the two were half-siblings, but that is not at all certain. They may have been full siblings, or Ankhesenamun might have been his neice. Incestuous marriages were common among Ancient Egyptian royalty because how better to protect the royal bloodline than to keep it in the family. Little is known about Ankhesenamun - what her role in government (if any) was, what happened to her after Tutankhamun's death, where her tomb is located. Her life was almost a complete blank slate I had to fill in. One final note: Ankhesenamun is the name of the love interest of the title character in the 1999 movie Mummy. The character was not based on the historical figure, unfortunately. I would have loved to see that.

an old fashioned buggy on display in a museum

Mummification Process

Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh

King Tut Tomb

Ancient Egypt Pharaohs

Interesting Objects

Egyptian Pharaoh

King Tut's Chariot

Also found in King Tut's tomb were 6 chariots. The Ancient Egyptians used chariots for ceremonies, war and hunting and there is evidence that Tutankhamun did all three. There were certainly military campaigns during his reign, in Nubia and in the Levant region, and he may very well have participated, as would have been expected of the king. How to reconcile Tutankhamun the warrior and Tutankhamun the man who needed canes to walk? That was one of the biggest challenges of writing this book.