Thomas Bauer 
Oracle of the Reeds 

Scrolls of papyrus are found in a humble grave which prove to be the written account of Senmut’s life story. Oracle of the Reeds traces the story of this son of a paper maker to his education in the Prince’s School in the palace at Thebes to his life as a priest of Amun and finally to the palace of Thutmose II where he secures a position as teacher in the king’s harem. Here he meets the princess Hatshepsut as a child. It begins a long friendship that turns into a tempestuous love affair. When her husband dies, Hatshepsut assumes the role of regent of the child king Thutmose III. As such, she continues to bestow honors and power to her lover, Senmut. In his new role, Senmut becomes the king maker and Hatshepsut assumes the role of king dressed in the traditional male royal attire. The ambitious Senmut has also honed his skills as an architect and achieves his crowning glory creating the most beautiful of all Egyptian temples, the temple to Amun and Hathor at Deir el Bahri. For his achievement, he receives the honor of Greatest of the Great. Throughout the narrative flows the ageless Nile, bringing life to the kingdom’s people. The smells, the sights, the songs, the poems, and the ancient gods pervade the atmosphere of a magic time. Hatshepsut’s reign is one of the most peaceful and prosperous in Egyptian history, but it is fraught with danger. Hapuseneb, the High Priest of Amun and soon to be vizier enters the palace and forms an alliance with the teenaged Thutmose. Already a boyhood enemy of Senmut’s, his plots and intrigues prove to be the undoing of Senmut who is forced into exile and ultimately the death of the female king.