Egypt is at the peak of its power when Akhenaten ascends the throne - its empire vast, its borders strong, its might feared by neighbouring states. But unlike his people, who worship many deities, Akhenaten believes in the omnipotence of only one - Aten, the sun god - and his objective is to end the worship of any other.

Encouraged by his ambitious wife, Nefertiti, he builds a magnificent new city in the desert where he, as Pharaoh, is worshipped as the incarnation of Aten. But he is weak and unstable, naïve in matters of diplomacy, and driven by sexual appetite for members of his own family. As the affairs of Egypt decline he is scorned by his courtiers and mocked by the rulers of tribes that once feared Egypt, while his mother, the Empress Tiye, struggles to regain her influence and make Egypt strong again before it is too late.

Full of pageantry, passion and intrigue, The Twelfth Transforming is a suspenseful and absorbing read.