The novel River God by Wilbur Smith is set in ancient Egypt, at a time when kingdoms were beginning to collapse and Upper and Lower Egypt were divided between two rulers . The story is from the point of view of Taita, a multi-talented eunuch slave. At the start of the story, Taita is owned by Lord Intef and helps manage his estate while caring for his beautiful daughter, Lostris. She is in love with Tanus, a good soldier and also friend of Taita. Unfortunately, Lord Intef despises Tanus' father, Lord Harrab, and Intef is actually the one behind the downfall of Harrab's estate, unknowingly to Lostris and Tanus. Taita's goal is to return Egypt to its former glory, but with so many bandits and invaders, it would be a difficult task. At the beginning of the novel, Taita has to put on a show for the Pharaoh and puts Lostris and Tanus in the room. . The Pharaoh is so surprised by Lostris's beauty that he decides to marry her, something Taita had not planned to do. Tanus gave a speech at the end of the play which talked about all the troubles in Egypt which angered the Pharaoh and sentenced him to death if he fails to eliminate the problems of the bandits, mainly those called the Pies- shrikes, in two years. When Lostris marries the Pharaoh, she asks for Taita as a wedding gift from her father. Lord Intef, unable to refuse the pharaoh's wife, must abandon Taita, who knows each of his secrets. Intef makes several attempts to kill Taita without success. Taita then leaves to help Tanus defeat the Shrikes. Within two years, they defeated the entire band of Shrikes and captured several of their leaders, and when Tanus presented them to the Pharaoh, Tanus' sentence was lifted. When the Pharaoh demands to know who their commander is, they all point to Lord Intef. Intef is captured and sentenced to death, but escapes before she is executed. After this, during a terrible sandstorm, Tanus and Lostris can finally be alone, but then Lostris becomes pregnant with Tanus' son. Taita makes the Pharaoh believe it is his son, so when the child is born he is named Memnon and no one ever knows who his real father is except Taita, Lostris and Tanus..