Khai of Khem (originally published as Khai of Ancient Khem)
Copyright © 1980 by Brian Lumley
Cover art by Bob Eggleton
ISBN: 0-765-31047-3
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, Inc.
Considered by many to be among Brian Lumley's greatest works, the exciting Khai of Khem is little known in the UNited States. This time-traveling adventure story spans centuries and cultures in Lumley's trademark mix of horror and science fiction, much like his internationally best sellingNecroscope series. Like the necroscope novels, Khai of Khem is packed with fast-paced action, hairbreadth escapes, all-consuming love, endless horror, and, in the person of Khai himself, quick wits and bravery in the teeth of danger.
Khai begins life in ancient Egypt as the son of Pharaoh Khasathut's chief architect. Believing Pharaoh to be a god, Khai is stunned to learn that the supposedly great and wise leader is a shriveled, ancient fossil of a man whose chief desires are to deflower young virgins and achieve eternal life through the powers of his black magicians. When Khai dares to raise a hand to Pharaoh, he is condemned to be a slave.
Escaping, Khai flees to neighboring Kush, where he earns the rank of general in the army of Queen Ashtarta...and a place in Ashtarta's bed. In the heat of battle against Pharaoh's armies, Khai is betrayed by his best friend and falls victim to the evil spells of Khasathut's magicians, who send his soul winging centuries into the future.
In modern England, Khai searches for the reincarnated souls of his love, Ashtarta, and of his betrayer. Returning to his own time, Khai uses the technologies he saw in the future to rewrite the past. But will he and ashtarta be in time to prevent Khasathut from attaining immortality and using newly gained alien powers to destroy all of Khem and Kush?
Originally published in the United States in mass market in the early 1980s and unavailable for nearly twenty years, Khai of Khem is one of Brian Lumley's most sought-after novels. Tor Books is pleased to bring it to a new generation of Lumley's readers.
ORIGINAL PRINTING - KHAI OF ANCIENT KHEM
Copyright © 1980 by Brian Lumley
Cover art by George Underwood
ISBN: 0-586-20839-9
Published by Grafton Books
THE SECRETS OF ASORBES - AND OF THE ALIEN PHARAOH WHO RULED THERE!
All bowed their heads before the golden splendour of Khasathut's pyramid - and before his atrocities. Slaves and princes alike feared his awesome powers, which came from far beyond the stars. Only Khai was not blinded by the glories of the Pharaoh, for not only had he seen the horrible secrets of the pyramid but he had lived to escape their deadly grasp!
A man of two worlds, out of two ages, Khai fought to win the hand of the Queen Ashtarta and to vanquish the devil-king and his wraiths of hell. And he kept to an eternal faith: that one day the Golden Ones would return from their journey through the heavens bringing justice...