Will we ever stop talking about Michelle Jabès Corpora’s Throne of Khetara series? No, we don’t think we will! This Ancient Egyptian-inspired epic fantasy series stole our hearts last year with the release of His Face is the Sun. Now, the series is back to do the same this year with its second book, She Knows All the Names.
She Knows All the Names picks up right after the ending of book one, which we will try not to spoil too much for any stragglers who may not have read it yet. Princess Sita and Karim set out to find a long-lost city and get answers as to how they can defeat a newly awakened evil. The priestess Neff finds her place next to the new king of Khetara, daring to learn heka, or magic. And the rebel Rae embarks on a mission to infiltrate the capital city and free her people.
All four characters are caught up in a prophecy bigger than themselves. The upheaval of their world as they know it is imminent. But the role that they’ll play in the onset of this new world will be theirs to decide. We could go on and on about our love for this new sequel, but we’ll give you the main points. Here are three reasons why you should read She Knows All the Names!
Book Overview: She Knows All The Names
Content warnings: deaths of loved ones, murder, graphic violence and gore, torture, corpses, animal violence, human bones and skulls, serious injury, poisoning, vomiting, drowning, stabbing, drinking, weapons (Please read at your discretion!)
Summary: Fresh to the throne, the cunning new pharaoh schemes to bring unprecedented power to the Kingdom of Khetara. He commands absolute allegiance, leaving bloodshed in his wake as he searches for the missing Princess Sitamun, and at his side, the young priestess Nefermaat serves as divine counsel. Having witnessed the king’s merciless acts, Neff furtively plots to free the kingdom from his grip, though she knows the heavy price of treason.
Meanwhile, the rebellion in Low Khetara grows, and Raetawy, a courageous farm girl, leads the resistance. Her quest is clear: infiltrate the capital and free the imprisoned rebels—including her beloved father. Yet in her desperation, Rae agrees to a plan that could destroy all she is fighting for….
In the Red Lands, the thief Karim grapples with the new life he’s been given. Is it a blessing or a curse? He fears what lurks within him, yet he and his unlikely companion, Princess Sita, grow ever closer as they search for a lost city believed to harbor the secret to saving Khetara from destruction.
The ancient oracle that once whispered to these four strangers now speaks with an urgency as powerful as the mighty Iteru. The current of destiny is strengthening, but will it bring redemption…or annihilation?
An Epic Fantasy, Indeed
Do you remember when we gushed about how immersive His Face is the Sun was? Well, that feeling stuck with us the entire time we read She Knows All the Names! We often found ourselves in a movie-like trance while reading about the characters’ grand adventures all across the Khetaran landscape. And if you thought the stakes were high in book one, the sequel raises them even more, along with your heart rate and anxiety (but that’s just what we love about it). From the magnitude of each character’s encounters, words, and decisions to the consecutive surprises found in the last quarter of the book, we hung on to everything.
Multiple Interwoven Narratives
Once again, we get five alternating points of view in She Knows All the Names: Karim, Rae, Neff, Sita, and an ibis bird called Wings. Karim and Sita’s journey together was such a treat to read, considering everything that they suffered from in the first book. When Rae and her group of rebels set out to infiltrate the capital city, we knew it was only a matter of time before she and Neff crossed paths. When Karim and Sita’s paths separated, we trusted they would find their way back together again shortly. Even as we focused on the plot of one character’s chapter, our minds would try to connect it to the broader tale. We’d remember key details that made the ending all the more gratifying.
The Well-Positioned Ending
The core four characters all race to fulfill their missions and protect their kingdom throughout She Knows All the Names. King Meryamun has a mission of his own, one that would put a curse upon his enemies and that puts him at the center of the climactic ending. At the same time, Sita, Neff, Rae, and Karim’s paths converge into an event that we can only describe as transcendent. As soon as it happens, they remember, and so do the readers. We get direct flashbacks to book one highlighting each character’s journey up till now. Then finally, after a series of surprise twists, the ending leaves us with the looming evil finally at our doorsteps. We already look forward to book three, or what we’ll call the beginning of the end.
A brilliant and enchanting sequel, She Knows All the Names by Michelle Jabès Corpora transports us into an epic fantasy adventure we’ll not soon forget. From the lush landscape to the transcendent climax, we didn’t want to leave the kingdom of Khetara.
She Knows All the Names by Michelle Jabès Corpora goes on sale May 5th, and you can order a copy of it here!
What do you think of the sequel to His Face is the Sun? Are you planning to read Michelle Jabès Corpora’s newest novel, She Knows All the Names? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram!
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