PRINCE OF EGYPT

An absorbing and fascinating book, which should be easy to sell to those who will be reading The Egyptian this Fall. Strange that the two books are so closely meshed, without actually overlapping. Some may fear that the sales of Prince of Egypt will be seriously hurt by the other book; personally, I found reading the story of that virtually legendary character Siuhe, who comes at intervals into this story, gave me a background for deeper appreciation of the story of the youthful Moses, in Prince of Egypt. In both books, the rich tapestry of the background- Egypt at the height of its power -- makes a compelling demand on the reader's imagination, widening one's sense of understanding ancient history-and in Prince of Egypt, Biblical history as well. The interpretation of Moses, the elaboration of the sketchily known facts of his life prior to the rescue of the Hebrews from the hands of the Egyptians, may be contested by those who are conventional and dogmatic in holding to the Old Testament outline. For most readers, however, a rereading of that part of the Old Testament which deals with the Egyptian captivity takes on fresh significance, the ""miracles"" which had seemed cruelty (though in a just cause) are credible, the transition from the Moses found as a baby in the bullrushes, to the adult, taking on his shoulders the tragedy, the drama of his people, is here filled in with those years as a prince, ignorant of his parentage, his destiny, -- a questioner, who cannot accept wholly the many gods of the Egyptian hierarchy, the searching for truth, the final acceptance of the role of a Hebrew, suffering as his people are suffering, under worse than slavery. A more mature book- and better written- than The Herdsman and The Brother, but with the same sense of recognition of the drama, the personalities behind the bare bones, and a spiritual interpretation that deepens the vital significance of her story.