The Death Pit - for those who want a novel of ancient Mesopotamia

There are many historical fiction novels set in popular ancient worlds, mostly Egypt, Rome, and Greece. The further back we venture, the fewer there are (except for Egypt, perhaps). Even most of my novels are set in those well-trodden worlds. That is why I have always had a soft spot for The Death Pit, which is set in ancient Mesopotamia and based on the Sumerians—an incredible civilization that ended around 2000 B.C.

The inspiration for the novel came from an article I read about the Royal Cemetery of Ur. (Here it is: [Link]; I think it’s a fascinating read). While the book isn’t a retelling of the specific events found there, I picked up on the premise to build the plot.

There are a few things that make this book different from the rest.

First, it is set in an ancient civilization that most novels don’t explore. It is also the “oldest” time period among all my books; set in ~2000 BCE, it predates my next oldest novel, The Wrath of God, by about four hundred years.

Next, the hero. Well, let’s talk about Nemur (which means Leopard in Sumerian). This guy is a scribe. The most violence he has ever experienced is perhaps getting his hand whacked by a teacher. But now he has come home after a routine mission to find his beloved wife missing. (You will learn what happened to her right at the start of the novel, so you get to have a theater view into what he goes through to find the truth).

What starts as confusion, and then resentment, soon drags him into something far more dangerous and sinister. We see him evolve from a helpless but determined scribe into someone who will do whatever it takes to find the answers.

This is where he differs from my other heroes. For example, Deon in The Atlantis Papyrus is an accomplished soldier; Teber in The Wrath of God is a young general; and Hapu in The Crimson Ateniense is a clever thief who knows a thing or two about danger. Nemur, however, is just a scribe. That makes his journey interesting in its own unique way. I thought hard about how to shape his story. Should he be a warrior? A noble? I decided to give him a very normal background and force him to rise to the occasion. And he does—splendidly, if you ask me.

Then comes the setting. Nemur could use the King’s support. He is, after all, one of the King’s scribes. But luck is not on his side. It is a terrible time for the kingdom. King Ibbi-Sin is in trouble: he is threatened by nomadic tribes, watched by an Elamite king eyeing his borders, and plagued by the drying Euphrates river. The King’s troubles are based on historical records. Just like my other books, I have tried to weave well-researched historical milestones into a twisty, suspenseful story (with a satisfying ending, I hope!). I even mimicked the style of actual royal correspondence for the novel, some of which still exists today!

If you enjoy a fresh setting—the Mesopotamian desert, the cities and rivers, the gods and mores—all with a good dose of suspense, history, and intrigue, then this is for you. I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope it is worth your time.